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“Don’t give me that I don’t know crap. It’s time for you to stop sitting on your ass and start work again,” Don Miller said in his usual gruff manner.
With a sigh Jake rubbed at the back of his neck. He knew this conversation was coming. He just didn’t figure it would be here so soon. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m going to wait it out a bit longer.”
“What, sit on your ass and collect disability for the rest of your days? That’s no life, son.”
Anger simmered in his veins as he sat up in his char. He’d come over to his parents because his mother offered lunch. He didn’t think he’d get a shitty speech. “I don’t plan on sitting on my ass and collecting disability for the rest of my life. I broke my freakin’ back. I had a huge beam drop on me and nearly kill me only a few months ago. I don’t think I’m quite ready to go back to work.”
His father’s gaze softened just a fraction. “I feel like you’re just sitting idle. You need to be working. Hell, I need you there, son. I miss you. We all miss you.”
Jake’s anger and frustration lessened a fraction. “I appreciate that. I miss you guys too. But no way am I ready to get back out there yet.” Physically, not quite, but he knew he was close. Hell, he was working out every day both in the gym and in the sack. His vigorous lovemaking with Mia on a daily basis would rouse a dead man from the grave.
But the thought of getting back out there and walking the beams, and all of the hard ass work that came with the construction site, freaked him out. Made him freeze. Deep down inside, he knew it was more a psychological thing versus a physical thing. Yet he knew his father wouldn’t get it.
“Come back and work in the office, then. I had to let the bookkeeper go. Found out she’d screwed up the books so bad I had to go back in myself and work on it to straighten it out. I can’t make heads or tails of it,” his dad muttered.
“Have Mom help you,” Jake suggested.
Don laughed. “Right. Your mother is too busy to mess with the books. Ever since she retired she’s even busier than she was before.”
An idea bloomed in Jake’s brain, and he contemplated it. He wondered if it was too risky, asking the woman he’d been involved with for only a week if she’d like to come work for the family business.
Hell, if he had his way she’d be a part of his family sooner rather than later. It wasn’t such a bad idea, her working at his and his dad’s construction company. “I think I know someone who could do a great job for us.”
His dad’s eyes lit up. “Really? Who?”
“This woman I know. She’s really smart and good at her job. But that’s the only problem. She already has a job. I don’t know if she’d be interested in working for us.”
“Well, ask her. That’s the least you could do. And the worst she could say is no. I say do it.” His father pushed away from the table and stood, glancing at the clock on the wall. “I gotta get back to the site. But we’ll talk later, okay? Keep me updated on what your lady friend says about the job.”
Jake watched his dad leave the house. Heard the heavy slam of his truck door outside as he climbed in and fired it up. His lady friend. The term made him smile. She was definitely his lady friend.
But she was more than that. She was his friend, his lover, his…everything. He enjoyed spending time with her. When she wasn’t around, he missed her. It was fucking ridiculous.
He thought he might be full-tilt in love. Completely insane since he hardly knew her. Who fell in love after a week? No one did. And if they claimed they were in love, then everyone around them knew they’d lost their minds.
They had gotten to know each other though. They talked for hours, sharing little things about their lives. Old stories, new ones, tidbits about their respective families and the like. She was sweet and smart and sexy. She laughed easily and was serious when needed. Hot as fire in bed and up for just about anything.
Thinking about her now made him wish it was closer to five o’clock so he could surprise her at work by picking her up. Taking her back to her place where he’d strip her naked and push her down onto the bed. Rub their naked bodies together until their legs entwined and their breaths mingled. Kiss her pouty mouth, lick at her delectable tongue. Suck her nipples, suck her clit until he slammed his cock deep. Losing himself inside her for the rest of the night.
Forget dinner. Who needed to eat when you had sex with the most beautiful girl on the planet?
Yeah. Damn. He had it baaaad.
Determined more than ever, he went and said goodbye to his mom, then headed to the local mall. The most dreaded place in the entire world—at least to him. He was going to go inside, find some nice store, find a saleslady to help him and he was going to buy Mia a gift. A gift that meant business. A gift that would reflect his feelings toward her. Nothing too crazy but damn, he had to let her know what she was to him.
After an afternoon of shopping and with a package nestled in the front pocket of his worn out jeans, he went to her work, ready to pick her up. Something he’d never done before. He hadn’t even bothered calling. Thought he’d march right on in and find her. How hard could it be?
He entered the building and went to the perky receptionist who greeted everyone, letting her know he was looking for Mia. Awareness dawned in her eyes and she called who he assumed was Mia on the phone but she didn’t answer.
“I know she’s still up there,” the receptionist said as she hung up the phone and smiled at him. “I haven’t seen her leave yet. Surprising since she’s been leaving five o’clock on the dot all this week.”
Jake could barely contain his grin. The reason she didn’t stay late at work anymore was because of him. She’d confessed as much on Monday night when she stopped by his place breathless and eager at exactly twenty minutes after five. The minute he let her inside she’d launched herself at him. “Can I go up and see her?”
“I don’t see why not. Third floor, take the elevator and when it opens, go to your right and down the short hall. Last office on the right.”
“Thanks.” He winked at her, earning a little giggle for his trouble and he went to the elevator, eagerly pushing the button. Tapping his foot, he waited for the elevator to arrive and when it did, a stream of people disembarked. Many of them cast a curious glance in his direction as they passed.
Who knew he’d draw this much attention?
