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Rakell smiled. “Thanks. It was not the tits they were worried about, but rather my big ass,” she said, looking over her shoulder like she could see it.
Jenae and Winnie both broke out into a short laugh.
Jake's eyes perused her body, sliding up and down like he was studying her. “Yep, perfect.” There was a distant tone to his voice.
She leaned into him. “As long as you think so.” Her eyes moved up to his face, and she kissed him gently on the cheek, but as she did, she could feel his jaw flinch as he jerked back from her. “Jake?” she whispered, feeling slightly taken aback by him.
His eyes narrowed as he focused on her. He could hear Jenae clearing her throat. Taking the hint, he asked, “Does anyone need more wine?” reducing some of the tension in the air.
Jake’s eyes stayed on Rakell, though, his thoughts jumping back and forth between wanting this to work to not thinking it could, to loving her, then the reality of her deceit blindsiding him like a defensive end ramming him out of, seemingly, nowhere. The worst position on the field is vulnerable. It opens you up to damage, yet some of his best plays were made unguarded when the plan disintegrated, forcing him to act.
“I’ll have a little more,” Rakell said, relieved for the chance to look away from Jake, the hardness in his eyes making her wary. She knew he’d been frustrated when he wanted to stay the night, and she had insisted he leave so they could talk first, and that wasn’t happening until after all the events that accompanied winning the Super Bowl. Tonight was the last night of a seven-day party and a continuous interview streak for Jake. So tomorrow, she needed to be prepared to talk to him. She had rehearsed what to say with Matt and Jonathon several times, but the unpredictability of Jake’s reaction still had her on edge.
“Me, too,” Winnie exclaimed, clearly trying to change the mood that had just settled in.
His eyes continued to bore into her, shifting from her chest to the edge of her short dress. “Is that really a dress or a sweater you decided to wear as a dress? Plus the boots…shit, where are you going tonight?” he asked pointedly.
Rakell saw Jenae looking at Winnie, her eyes growing big.
“It’s a dress Jake, just a really short one.” She squeezed his shoulder, twisting her lips into a wry smile and then adding in a sultry, playful tone, “The kind you like,” trying to shift his mood.
His chin jutted out at her words, at the bumptiousness in her tone. Jealousy needled him.Don’t antagonize me, sweetheart. “Yep, when you’re out with me, but youwon’tbe with me tonight, will you?” he bit out, his voice volume rising, puffing his chest up, leaning into her hand.
An impregnated silence settled in, squelching the chit-chat. Eyes shifting, throats clearing, another sip of wine, the three of them casting their eyes at Jake, then at each other.
“Jake, I think you’re tired,” Jenae threw into the air in an assuaging tone, trying to deflect her brother’s sudden wrought intensity. His control was eroding in front of them. She had tried to talk him out of this tonight…but he said he couldn’t go another night without confronting this head-on. And the truthwas, Jake didn’t easily hold back his feelings, so the fact that he’d kept a lid on his smoldering state of mind this long was impressive. Her stomach clenched, thinking about what this night held for Jake and Rakell.
Rakell gently rubbed her palm on his chest. “Um, so Jake Skyler…” Her tone was purposefully playful and overly sweet, sensing something unsettling about his manner, wondering if it was fatigue or just not wanting to be locked into her…she couldn’t pinpoint it. He felt all over the place as if he didn’t know where to settle.God, I can only imagine how he’ll react when we talk tomorrow.
His eyes bore into her, his chin turning. “Yup, what?”
Jenae shifted her body, glancing furtively at Winnie…a silent thread of concern linking their eyes.
“I’m wondering who you’re trying to impress with your cobalt blue cashmere sweater that’s a little too snug over your pecs and biceps.” There was a conspiratorial tone to her voice as she brushed her fingers over his chest to his biceps, remembering it was the same sweater that he seemed to have in every color…and there was no way not to notice how the soft, thin cashmere highlighted the muscles defining his torso. He was a hard man to resist, especially because her body had been engraved with the memory of him, his hands rough yet tender knowing what her body craved, his tongue and lips coaxing her to the limit, and his cock guided by his pelvis possessing her. Clearing her throat, she grounded herself. “Soo…Mr. Skyler,” she cooed, teasing. She had done this before, chipping at him playfully and watching his steeliness collapse. She needed to shift the energy right now.
His eyes were fixed on her, and his jaw tightened as he tried to stave off the craving between his legs, to not give in to hertouch. “No one,” he said through a clenched jaw, absorbing her touch on his arm.
Her mouth twisted into a knowing grin. “Interesting…” she chided. “And the saleswoman who encouraged you to buy this?” She rubbed her hands over his biceps, down his arms, and then up his torso as if she were highlighting a fine art sculpture. Her tone took on an animated quality, matching her overexaggerated hand motions as he stood stock-still, seemingly unchanged by her. “Jake Skyler, this cobalt blue matches your dreamy eyes, and this fine wool shows off your perfect muscular frame.” Her hands dropped off him, moving to her hips. “I’ve seen you in three different colors already…so how many did you buy—ten?”
A chuckle burst from his mouth. “Twenty, definitely twenty.” This is what she did to him: reeled him back in with a few witty taunts. But tonight, it would take more. He had to comprehend thewhybecause the picture of her, her unbridled desire for the flesh, how physically in sync with him she was, he now knew was her job.A fucking job.
Jenae and Winnie laughed, both grinning. “You’ve got him figured out, Rakell. Did it take long?” Jenae prodded, then looked at Jake and mouthed,I get it.
Rakell’s face softened, her mischievous grin gone, her lips moving, her eyes expanding as if she were contemplating.
Jumping in, Jake said, “Thanks, sis.” His eyes darted from Jenae to Rakell, registering her expression, which didn’t align with Jenae’s playful question.
“Actually, Jenae…” Rakell spoke softly, carefully. “It took me some time to figure him out, to understand that Jake, well, he’s…” She blinked her eyes, her jaw shifting back and forth. “He’s much more than an NFL quarterback or a hunky player. I think he’s actually quite complicated…I, I…”
His hand went to his mouth, concealing the stunned expression that she was speaking from her heart. Hecouldn’t just disregard her tender words. Through their intermittent history, she communicated non-verbally, showing she understood him with her body but not her words…of course, she’s better nonverbally…that’s her job.
Winnie took a long gulp of her wine, clearly reaching for something to say. “Well, we better get going,” she said, looking at Jenae as she nodded, leaning in and kissing her cheek. “Don’t want to be late for your friends.”
“Yes, of course,” Rakell murmured, shifting her trancelike eyes to them.
He followed them to the door and walked outside; Jenae had made it clear she wanted to talk to him. Winnie went to meet the Uber, giving Jenae space to have a moment with Jake.
Jenae regarded him, sternness making her features rigid. Her petite frame stood erect with purpose as she stared at her six-foot-two baby brother. “She’s impressive—fun and smart. The beautiful thing is obvious.” She grabbed his hand. “J-AAA-K-E, take a deep breath. You love her, so don’t…”
