Page 21 of Jacob Michaels Is Not Jacob Michaels

“Just a thought.” I cringed. “You can keep stripping. I was paying attention, I swear.”

“I am not taking another single article of clothing off until you explain yourself.” Lucas laced his arms over his chest. “You are on warning, mister.”

“So, you’re saying if I came over there right now and—” I smiled wickedly.

“Don’t you dare try to change the subject.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

“Why do you want to talk to Andrew?” The way he said the name told me that Lucas still wasn’t over the fact that Andrew and I had gone on a date.

Sure, the date had been horrible, and Andrew had been an insufferable douchebag throughout—not to mention the fact that he had turned into a wolf at the end and had tried to make me a nummy little treat. Regardless of the circumstances, Andrew was a man who was interested in me. Or, had been at one time. The status of present-day levels of interest was unknown.

“He’s a werewolf,” I answered, trying to sound as disinterested as possible. “Only one I know. I figured he’d know something about whether or not that woman this morning was actually a werewolf, too. Or if he had heard anything through the grapevine about what happened last night. Ya’ know?”

“Rob.”

“What?”

“Don’t talk to the wolf.”

“The Wolf now is he?” I teased.

“He’s trouble.”

“And you aren’t?” I waggled my eyebrows.

A break appeared in Lucas’ stern façade, and I knew that I had the upper hand in the discussion. Just keep him on the ropes and don’t mention talking to Andrew anymore, Rob.

“I’m not that kind of trouble.”

“You’re the best kind of trouble.” I licked my lips. “I like your kind of trouble, babe.”

“Stop that.” Lucas averted his eyes, a smile coming to his lips.

“We should see how much trouble we can cause after we eat this delicious dinner, babe.”

“Rob.” It had been his attempt at being firm, but he didn’t quite manage.

“I bet it won’t taste as good as you, though,” I added.

“Okay.” He shook his hands crazily. “Stop it. You’re distracting me from cooking dinner. I need to pay attention to what I’m doing, or we’ll have to eat charcoal.”

“You used noodles and not, like, slices of zucchini, right?” I teased.

“I’m not a monster.”

“Good,” I said. “Now, how about you give me a kiss, and we’ll forget all about everything but dinner and each other?”

Lucas rolled his eyes but eventually leaned across the counter, presenting his lips to me once again. Leaning forward, I pressed my lips against his, trying to forget all about Andrew and everything on my mind about the naked burned up lady, werewolves, Kobolds, hooded people in the backyard—all of it. As I pulled back from Lucas, he was grinning, his eyes slowly opening to look at me. He gave me a wink, and I reached up to take his face in my hands so that I could kiss him once again, but deeper.

It was dark outside.

Lucas was slowly walking up the steps of the bleachers in the stands of the football stadium.

He smiled at me.

“What are you doing out here all alone?”

Something like talking under water.

More talking.

“Did you…want someone to keep you company?”

Then we were running through the woods. His hand was in mine, and we were scared. Both of us were gasping for breath and scared out of our minds. Then we were standing in the dark of the woods, looking around frantically.

“Did you see that?”

I pulled back from Lucas, my eyes wide. His lips were still pursed, and his eyes were still closed. So, I leaned forward and gave him another quick kiss on the lips, then immediately withdrew my hands from his face. I sat back on the barstool, affixing a smile to my face.

“You still taste better than anything.” He opened his eyes to smile at me.

“Still do.” I nodded.

“Always.”

I gave a nervous chuckle. “Always.”