AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rakell:You have a way with words. Do you know any other way than direct?…Send
Jake:NO!! But I think it’s working…look who wore her lucky white jacket to see me play…Send
Rakell:Me and half of the Sacramento fans! See you in two days…just walking to my hotel…Send
Jake:Please text me when you get there…Send
Rakell:Yes, Sir, Mr. Superbowl Champion, Sir…Send
Jake:Is that what it took to get you to listen to me?…Send
Rakell:??…Send
Chapter Ten
Her phone on the counter was open to the recipe she had googled: Steak au Poivre with a cognac cream sauce…she moved around the kitchen like she was expecting a large dinner party, reminding her of Matt’s mom when she was hosting. Folding the napkins, she rearranged the flowers on the table, putting the wine into a silver chiller. She peered through the oven door to check the potatoes before slicing almonds. Nervous electricity sparking through her, internally laughing at herself. Once she’d learned to embody Marietta, men ceased to make her nervous−until Jake.
She ran to the bathroom to inspect her outfit, a brown floral print dress paired with turquoise San Antonio Rose boots. Should she change?Rakell, it’s Jake, just Jake. But in some ways, this was their first time to both be on the same page and looming over it all was the ‘talk’ that would come after his week of celebrations.
He’d texted her when he flew back to Sacramento for the parade and party, requesting to see her his first night back in Austin. Tonight would be the end of his free time until next week, and she knew then she would tell him some version of her past. She had agreed to attend his family’s private party on Saturday, but they’d be surrounded by people.Will this be the last night for me to pretend we could try, Jake and I, a couple, whatever that means…she thought, pouring the custard flan into the pie pan.
She jumped when she heard the knock, a charged eagerness making her feel like she was sixteen and her life was simple, but as she walked to the door, she knew her life was anything but.Yet tonight…she’d forget Marietta ever existed, and she would embrace the possibility of her life as Rakell… ignoring the past she’d need to expose to someone she cared for, someone who might disregard her when she told him. She opened her door to see Jake leaning against the doorjamb, holding a bag and a bottle of champagne.
Even though she’d just seen him two days ago, been down on her knees in front of him, a rush flooded her as she stared at his form. He was wearing a black leather jacket, thin black sweater, and blue jeans with black cowboy boots. He stood with his hip cocked against the wall next to the door, chewing a toothpick, eyeing her like she was his next meal, sporting his cocky-ass grin. It felt new to her like he’d just come into her life to sweep her off her feet, and tonight, she wasn’t sure she could resist the Jake charm that oozed so readily from him.
“Hello, darlin’,” he drawled out, purposeful lust threading his voice, his eyes leisurely raking over her body, smiling when he saw the San Antonio Rose boots. Pulling the toothpick from his mouth, he pushed off the wall, stepping toward her, taking in her quick uptick in breath. “I was kinda hoping you’d answer that door in just those boots and the lucky white jacket— ‘cause I guarantee you, you and I are both getting lucky tonight.”
The air trapped in her lungs escaped encased in a burst of laughter. “Jake, where in the hell did you get that line?” She shook her head, motioning for him to come in. “Here’s how we're getting lucky—celebrating you with a great meal, hopefully. I used some new recipes,” she said, walking toward the kitchen. “Steak with cognac sauce, green beans and almonds, and a special dessert.”
He tossed a bag down on the counter before popping open a bottle of champagne. “We are definitely celebrating tonight,” he murmured. He grabbed some flutes and poured a glass of bubbly for both of them, handing one to Rakell. They clinked the glassesand took a sip. “I have a special treat planned for that…” His eyes raked over her body, lingering on her pelvis.
“I swear Jake, what the hell are you up to?” She crossed her hands over her waist. “Tonight is supposed to be about…”
“Shhh…” He opened his arms. “Get the hell over here. I’m not worried about the food. I half expected to pick up Black’s or Rudy’s BBQ…the food we’re eating is the last thing on my brain right now.” He lunged forward, grabbing her arm. “Did you hear me?” He tugged on her wrist, dragging her into him. “I want to pick up where we left off in New Orleans…” he growled, his need for her snuffing out the humor that seemed to connect them freely.
His mouth on hers, she succumbed to it, and it felt far too real as she brought her hand to his hair, raking her fingers through his black waves, watching his piercing eyes open and seemingly leer at her before he tilted his head back, staring at her as if examining her face.
“Jake,” she said with a gasp, “I need to stir the sauce,” her eyes going to the oven.
He yanked on her waist. “Just turn everything off. Let’s eat later. There’s only one thing I am interested in tasting right now, only one fucking thing this mouth is salivating over, and you own it. So if you would do me the honor of allowing my face between your legs, I may be able to settle down long enough to enjoy this spread but not until after…”
She flashed him an admonishing look. “I swear, Jake, you were never taught to wait, were you?”
Tapping his forehead to hers, he murmured, “No, I’ve never been good at that concept, but in your case, I’ve waited long enough.”
“Jake, I need a chance to talk to you. We have some issues to work through.” She knew how ambiguous that sounded, but shewas trying to hold him off. “Jake, it’s, well…we…” She stopped as he craned his head back and pressed his finger to her lips.
“You’re right, we do. I mean I, I…” The picture he’d seen of Matt in the newspaper flashed in his head, but he wasn’t going to bring that up right now, not tonight. He’d already told himself, he didn’t care. It was obviously a ruse, her living with Matt and acting as if they had dated, but what he didn’t understand was why she had lied to him.
Her moist lips curved against his finger, then quickly nipped at the tip, laughing when Jake jerked it away. “So I’m right, let’s curtail all this…” she taunted, her hand moving up and down his body in the air, as she stepped to the side, grappling with the buzz between her legs from having him pressed up against her.
“No, no…I know we have a few things to talk about. Listen, I’m here, and we will figure it out. Rakell, I get why you didn’t tell me about modeling. It’s a precarious industry, and I fucking get not wanting to be attached to a football player, but I think it’s clear we can’t stay away from each other. So, I will go out on a limb and say there’s nothing we can’t figure out. Will it be easy? Maybe not, but we wouldn’t be the first high-profile couple to make it work…and….” He wanted to sayThere’s a simplicity to us, but was that something he had conjured up in his head? When they were together, he felt an honest connection, but when time and distance separated them, his brain questioned if he truly knew her.
She turned away from him, biting down on her lip…Damn him for always saying things that stop me in my tracks.
He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and yanking her back into his chest. “Listen to me now. I’m not fucking accustomed to begging—but for you, I will—let all the shit in your head go. We can table the conversation about us for a few days as long as you let the reluctance go. It makes me feel like I’m in a mental tug of war, especially because I can feel youwant this as bad as I do. So fucking stop resisting and let me pull you in…”
She twirled around, facing him. “Damn you, Jake.” Her lungs collapsed as the long sigh that had settled in her chest blew out. “You’re right about one thing…” She half-giggled at his scoff and the semi-perturbed expression on his face. “We can’t seem to stay away from each other,” she whispered. “And Jake, I, I…” God, he turned her on. “I don’t…”
