Amber
We spent two hours eating pancakes and getting to know one another. I'd found Jake fascinating before he'd ever spoken a word, but after we got talking I was even more enthralled. I'd never met a man so willing to open up. I liked it.
Our plates had been taken away, and the bill had come. Jake insisted on paying, shutting me down when I tried to pass money across the table to him. I rolled my eyes, thanked him profusely, and then left my money as a tip for Meg instead. She waved to us as we left the diner, Jake's hand against my back as he walked me to my car.
We spent I don't even know how long both leaned against my car facing each other as we kept right on talking. Our conversation would probably still be going if it hadn't been for the sound of Meg's laughter as she walked past us on the way to her car.
"My shift's over and you two crazy kids are still out here talking. Don't forget you gotta take care of a baby tomorrow, hon!"
I knew I was blushing as I giggled. "I guess we really like talking to each other."
Jake's eyes held mine as he nodded. "I want to know everything about you," he said. "But right now you need to get home so you can get some sleep."
He was right, but I'd never been less tired in my life. I was invigorated in a way I'd never been before. I must've made quite a face because the next thing I knew he was running his finger under my lower lip.
"I don't want this night to end," he murmured, "but you have a baby to take care of in the morning, and that trumps all. I'll be waiting for you in the garage tomorrow night. Same time, same place."
The sensation of his finger tracing the skin beneath my lower lip was erotic. I found myself leaning in to get closer to him. He leaned in, his lips hovering over mine.
"Fuck, Amber," he growled. "I want you so goddamn much."
I'd spent the night hoping he was feeling the same way I was. The confirmation that he was made my breath hitch. When his lips touched mine for the first time, I felt like a billion dollars. The kiss was sweet until I wrapped my arms around his waist and rubbed myself against him.
Jake groaned as he deepened the kiss, his tongue meeting mine as we explored each other. The hot, wet, slide of his tongue against mine was an electric charge that sparked a desperate need inside of me. When he broke the kiss, I blinked at him dazedly as I tried to recall how to function without his lips on mine.
"Jesus," he rasped, "you're incredible."
For countless seconds I stared at him in silence, unable to formulate a response. He was wrong—I wasn't. He was. The man knew how to make me mindless, that was for damn sure. He dropped a series of soft kisses on my lips before pulling back.
"Tomorrow night, baby. You. Me. Dinner. I'll be in the garage waiting for you when you end your shift."
I lifted my right hand and traced my kiss-swollen lips with two fingers. "I'll be there," I murmured.
He smiled and cupped my cheek with his left hand. "Go home and get some sleep. You don't take care of the baby on Fridays, right?"
I shook my head. "Nope. Caroline makes Fridays Mommy and Macon days. I normally loaf around and do nothing until it's time to go to work."
"That means we have more time tomorrow night," he pointed out.
The look on his face let me know in no uncertain terms that he was very happy about it.
"We do," I agreed.
He kissed me again, this time on the forehead. He used the opportunity to lay his nose against my hairline and sniff me.
"I could bottle this," he announced.
I chuckled and smacked at his chest playfully as he stepped back. "I reek of lemon-scented cleaner and disinfectant. If you think that smells good, you need an olfactory check."
Jake shook his head and barked out a laugh. "No, baby. You smell like…" he paused and leaned in for another sniff. "Coconut, raspberries and lime."
My head reared back. "You got all that from two sniffs?" I asked incredulously. He was spot on in his assessment, since I used raspberry shampoo and lime conditioner. As for the coconut, that was my beauty go-to. I used virgin coconut oil as a moisturizer, makeup remover, deodorant and a styling aid on the ends of my hair after I dried it.
He grinned and gestured to his nose. "I come from a family of perfumers. Picking out scents is in my DNA."
I threw back my head and laughed, the stupidity of my question finally dawning on me.
"I'm so blonde," I joked.
He reached up and tugged at the ends of my braided pigtails. "You're perfect," he said firmly.
I smiled as he kissed my forehead one more time before taking two steps back.
"I want nothing more than to keep you here with me forever but that's not what you need," he sighed. "Go home and get some sleep, gorgeous. I'll see you in the garage tomorrow night."
I nodded as I pulled my keys from my pocket and clicked the control for the doors to unlock. He watched me with hooded eyes as I opened the door, slid into the driver's seat and dealt with my seatbelt. I turned the car on and hit the button for the window to go down before I pulled the door shut and locked it.
"Goodnight, Jake."
I hummed happily, my fingers tapping against the steering wheel as I navigated the roads home. When I got there, I didn't even bother taking off my makeup. Shrugging out of my clothes, I dropped into bed wearing only my bra, underwear, and a huge smile. I was still grinning when I woke up the following morning.
* * *
After spending the day taking care of Macon, ironing my clothes, cleaning my room and texting Caroline the details about the night before whenever I had a chance, I took a bit more care with my appearance when getting ready for work.
Instead of the braided pigtails I normally favored, I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail and had Caroline curl the ends for me. Once we were satisfied with my hair, I showed her the after work outfit I'd put together for my date with Jake. The ensemble wasn't fashion forward or anything—it was summer, which meant it was hot out, plus we were only going to a diner.
I settled on a pair of white shorts, a hot pink off the shoulder top and some pretty jeweled sandals. It was perfect because the whole thing was something I'd be able to change into quickly in one of the work bathrooms, which meant I wouldn't be drawing any attention to myself. The last thing I needed was to have anyone figure out that I was going on a date with the CEO. I shuddered thinking of how people would react to that bit of news.
Naturally work dragged on and on because I was so keyed up about seeing Jake again. I'd been dying to do some serious Google stalking, but with Macon having become an Olympian crawler and all my chores I never got the chance. By the time Caroline got home, I'd been in a rush to get my hair situated, so there was never any time to do it. Of course, I was dying to know all of the pertinent information about him. Had he ever been married? When was his last serious girlfriend? Was he always fascinated with the cleaning staff? Granted I knew that one sounded weird, but I'd heard some weird fetishes in my time.
My mom's second ex-husband had a treasure trove of ex-wives who all looked exactly alike. Petite, blonde-haired, blue-eyed women with shoulder length hair, a permanent French manicure and what I referred to as a baby doll voice. That had been a particularly low period in my mother's relationship history, one I'd been thrilled was short lived. They'd gotten married a year after they met and within another six months the relationship was over.
I raced through my cleaning jobs like a whirling dervish, buffing and polishing as I made my way from one office to the next. I grinned like a lovesick fool when I wheeled my cart into Jake's office. I let out a happy sounding sigh as I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath. It was funny how I'd never paid it any attention before, but his scent hung in the air, ever so lightly. It was sporty and a little sensual, the perfect combination for him.
Without a doubt, I knew it had been created to his exact specifications. I was certain of this because when I cleaned his grandmother's office restroom, I'd have to lift her perfume bottle—Lily's Allure—up off the glass shelving to wipe below it. The Fragrance Allure collection had several different scents, but Lily's Allure wasn't one of them. One of my co-workers had told me the family each had their personal scents that were never released to the market.
I'd learned my lesson about cleaning with my earbuds in the night before, so I was humming to myself as I made my way through my cleaning routine. I always did the desk last, after vacuuming and dusting everywhere else. Stepping behind Jake's desk, I spotted a cream-colored envelope in the middle of his desk calendar. I lit up when I realized it said For my Pancake Girl on it. With a squeal of excitement, I lifted the envelope, opened it with the nail on my index finger, and pulled out the thick stationery inside.
I almost melted into a puddle of pure joy right there next to his desk.
* * *
When I got down to the parking garage, he was leaning against the pillar closest to the elevator. Jake was clad in a white tee shirt and khaki cargo shorts, and I liked the glimpse I got of his strong calf muscles. Everything about him was sexy.
He walked to me with a smile and my name on his lips as he handed a small bouquet of pink flowers wrapped in brown paper held together with an elaborate pale pink lace bow to me. I took them in my right hand and parted my lips to say thank you but didn't have a chance to speak. In less than a second, he slid his arm around me and pulled me close and began kissing me like we hadn't seen each other in eons. I'm not sure how much time had passed when he broke the kiss and stepped back, but my lips tingled from the pleasure of it.
I beamed up at him as I lifted the flowers to my nose and sniffed. "These are beautiful."
He reached behind me and tugged gently on my ponytail. "I knew you liked pink," he said with a grin.
"Love it," I confirmed. “If having a pink car were a thing, I'd do it."
Jake laughed as he walked to my side and slid his arm over my shoulders and began walking us toward my car. "I think you could pull off anything you wanted to," he mused. "If you want a pink car, do it. Tear down the walls and shatter the glass on the ceiling. Be you, baby. There's no one better."
He said it so seriously that I knew he was sincere. I'd never felt that kind of calm back and forth on a date before. Normally there was some tension, and I'd be nervous about what the man's intentions were. That wasn't the case with Jake at all. With him, I didn't feel insecure or uncertain. I didn't just believe he was genuine—I somehow knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was serious.
"You'll give me a big head," I teased as we arrived at my car.
"Never going to happen," he scoffed.
"You don't think?" I laughed as I unlocked the door.
"I'm one hundred percent certain that isn't who you are," he answered.
I knew my smile was huge as I opened the door. "I like your faith in me," I admitted.
He gripped the top of my door and held it as I slid into the driver's seat. "I've got plenty," he said.
I grinned like a fool the entire way to Caddy's, John Legend blaring from my speakers as I parked in front of the diner. I hopped out and waited while Jake pulled his big Range Rover into the space next to mine. Once he was out, he came around the car and linked our fingers together as we walked inside.
Meg was behind the counter dealing with the milkshake maker. Hearing the bell jingle at the door, she looked over her shoulder at us. She grinned at me and wiggled her eyebrows as she cackled out a laugh. I could tell she approved of Jake being with me for the second night in a row.
"Grab any table, hon. I'll be over in a minute to take your order."
I was a regular at the diner, but I didn't have one particular table. I generally chose whichever one jumped out at me each night. Jake let me lead the way to the corner booth and then slid in beside me as opposed to taking the opposite seat. I turned and eyed him with surprise.
He shrugged as he ran his left hand up my arm. "Did you get the note I left for you in my office?"
I knew I was blushing when I nodded. "I did. It was the highlight of the work day."
"I couldn't stop thinking of you today," he said. "I really did count down the hours."
"Me too," I admitted. "I'm normally so focused on Macon that I can't think of much else but him, but every time I had a free second, all I thought of was you."
The pleasure my statement brought him was evident.
"I love that you told me that."
"I wanted to Google you today, but I never had any down time," I blurted.
Before Jake could respond, Meg showed up at the table to take our orders.
"You two tickle me silly," she declared. "Seeing you sit on the same side of the booth is just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen. If you share one milkshake with two straws, I'll probably float on out of here when my shift ends."
"I'll share anything Amber wants with her whenever the opportunity presents itself," Jake answered.
I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "I'll share something with you but the cinnamon toast pancakes and my cup of tea have more than enough sugar. How about an order of bacon?"
"My girl wants bacon, she's getting bacon. We'll both have the pancakes, she'll have her tea and I'd like a milk," he told Meg.
She hummed to herself as she wrote the order down on her pad. "Your order's coming up, kids," she said with a grin before sliding her pencil behind her ear as she turned to leave.
"Milk?" I questioned with a chuckle.
"I'm a growing boy," he laughed. "Gotta keep my strength up."
I couldn't contain the urge to look down at the muscular chest beneath his white cotton tee. Jake's body was to die for, a pure masculine strength that made me feel hot inside. I knew he hadn't forgotten what I'd been talking about before Meg came to take our order by the way he grinned at me devilishly.
"No need to look for pictures of me on Google," he teased, "I'll let you take as many as you want."
I giggled, and my gaze went back to him as I shook my head. "I wasn't looking for pictures. I wanted to find the dirt on you."
Jake smiled as he brought up his hand and ran it softly up and down my cheek. "I'm an open book," he said huskily. "Anything you want to know, ask me. I'll never hold back or lie to you about anything."
I knew he wouldn't.
"How long ago did your last serious relationship come to an end?"
He barked out a laugh. "I've never had one unless you count Rose Lyle in tenth grade. We lasted a whole two months." My brows drew together in surprise. I had not pegged Jake as being the love ‘em and leave ‘em type.
I did my best to hide my disappointment as I considered him. "So you're a serial dater?" I asked.
"No! Baby, no. That's not me. I haven't been with a woman in more than two years. I've spent my entire adult life searching for you," he said, his voice rock solid with conviction.
"For me?" I asked as my heart fluttered in my chest with excitement.
"In my family, the soulmate connection is openly discussed—frequently," he stressed with a laugh. "My mother and grandmother have spent years telling me that I'd know who she was the second I saw her. My brother and both of my sisters found their soulmates early. I didn't. I'd given up I'd ever find you. And then I opened my office door and saw you dancing. For the first time in my entire life, I felt a flicker of… something. Like my body already knew. When you turned around and looked at me, I was sure."
I was breathless listening to him describe the moment. I'd felt the same way—a jolt of immediate connection I'd never come anywhere near experiencing before. I didn't believe in things like love at first sight, but meeting Jake had proved me wrong. I knew it sounded crazy to call what I felt for him love, but I also knew that's exactly what it was.
"Sure of what?" I asked, my voice sounding a lot like a squeak.
"That you're my one.” He answered simply like it was the easiest thing he'd ever said.
"I felt it too," I admitted.
"I know," he answered with a huge grin. "Our connection is no joke. I saw in your eyes when you looked up at me, and I hoped. When we kissed last night, I knew for sure that we were in this thing together."
“What about you?” he asked. “When was your last serious relationship?”
I felt myself blushing as I bit my lip and looked down at the table. “Never,” I admitted.
“You don’t date?” he asked, his voice relaying his incredulity.
I shook my head and shrugged. “I’ve gone on dates but it’s never gone beyond dinner or the movies. Watching my mother flit from marriage to marriage was tough on me. Caroline’s grandmother was strict—she drilled the importance of education into us. There was no time to date if we wanted to get scholarships. People thought she was too strict but she was one hundred percent right. We both wound up with almost completely full rides to university because we had perfect GPAs.
“We had friends and went to parties in college, but it wasn’t anything wild—it couldn’t be since we were busting ass to keep our grades on point. Caroline married Robert in our sophomore year at the university and I moved in with them. She had to take a leave when she got pregnant with Macon because she had horrible hyperemesis gravidarum.”
My brows pinched together as memories of that year flashed through my memory. “That on top of losing Gigi was too much for her, but I kept plugging away until I got my degree last summer. I never had time for dates, much less a boyfriend. And now that I’m out of school the only adults I see are the mothers and nannies at Macon’s Gymboree classes and my cleaning co-workers,” I joked with an easy smile.
“So…” he hesitated, swallowing as he looked me over. “Baby, are you a virgin?”
The heat on my cheeks told me I was furiously blushing. “Yes.”
He looked absolutely stunned. My nerves went into overdrive with some kind of panic. What if being with a virgin wasn’t something he wanted?
“Does it bother you that I want you to be my first?” I blurted.
I felt sick when the words came out of my mouth, fearing I’d just ruined us before we’d even begun.
“Your only,” he growled, his eyes alight with emotion. “I waited so fucking long for this that I’d lost faith that you were coming. Now I have you and you’re telling me no one else has touched you. I am so fucking far from bothered it’s almost obscene. Thank fuck there’s a table covering me, or Meg would be tossing my ass out for public indecency. “You’re giving me everything, Amber. I don’t think I could be happier if I tried.”
I leaned into him, a small sigh escaping me when he met me halfway and kissed me with a raw intensity I felt in every part of my body. Right away, I was lost. Any time his lips touched mine everything else faded away.
The sound of someone chuckling broke us apart.
"You guys making plans for your honeymoon yet?" Meg teased as she set our plates down on the table.
Jake laughed and shook his head. "Haven't gotten around to that yet. Gotta get her to the church first, but once I do…"
Meg grinned. "I don't think that's going to be a problem." The crazy thing was that if he’d asked me right then and there to marry him, I'd have said yes without a lick of hesitation.
We were in our own little world as we ate our pancakes and Jake loved them just as much as I did. As we ate we peppered each other with questions about our past experiences. Jake had traveled a lot more than I had, but we still had many things in common. Things between us were easy, no discomfort or anxiety in sharing things with each other. I loved it and I could tell he did too.
I started to feel sad as we finished, and he went to pay the check because I didn't want to leave him. I should've known instinctively that he was feeling the same way.
"Just double checking—still no baby tomorrow, right?" he asked as he slid back into the booth beside me.
I shook my head. "Nope," I confirmed.
"I don't want to let you go. Will you come home with me? We don’t have to do anything—I just want you with me. Always."
I didn't hesitate for even a moment.
"I don't want to let you go either. Yes, I'll go home with you."