CHAPTER ELEVEN
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LIZ
THE NEXT DAY, I held the phone to my ear, watching the light ahead and accelerating to get through the yellow before it turned red.
“What happened to you last night?” Jenna asked as I hurried home from work.
“I left early. I had a run in with Jake. We kinda got in an argument. I didn’t want to hang out after that.”
A loud pop sounded outside my vehicle and my steering wheel veered to the right. I dropped the phone, put both hands on the steering wheel, and slowed the vehicle to the side of the road.
“Damn it,” I fumbled my hands around the floor of the car, looking for my phone. “Jenna, I’m going to have to call you back. I just got a flat.”
I dialed Nix right away.
“What’s wrong?”
“I got a flat. Can you come help me change it?”
“I can’t. I’m in an important meeting. I’ll have Pat send one of the members over. Where you at?”
I gave him the nearest street signs. Thirty-minutes later, I heard the rumbling of a Harley coming up behind my car. I got out and my body tensed. Jake got off his bike and approached my vehicle, looking all-too-sexy in a black tank tucked into jeans with ripped knees, dark sunglasses, his worn-out hat and black boots.
“Pat sent you?”
“I volunteered.”
“No one else was available?”
“Not after I told them to sit the fuck down, no.”
“You should go back. Send someone else. Anyone else. I’ll wait.”
“I’m stayin’ right here.” Jake’s grin split his lips and that wicked tongue ran across his bottom lip. “Pop the trunk.”
Watching Jake’s massive arms flex as he pulled the spare tire and jack out of the trunk had me looking away in agony. He caught me, let out a breath, and winked at me.
“Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Trying to be cute and sexy.”
He set the tire down on the ground next to the flat and slid the jack under the car and started raising it. “I’m not doing anything, Peach. I can’t help that you find me irresistible.”
“Right!” I rolled my eyes and leaned against the car. “If I found you irresistible, we would’ve already had sex.”
“We would’ve if Angela hadn’t ruined it the night she arrived.”
“And how is your girlfriend doing?” Just the sound of her name etched fire into my bones.
“You and I both know she’s not my girlfriend.” Jake put the lug wrench on. “I had her pack her shit last night and dropped her off at a hotel, like I should have done the day I left your house.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I thought I owed it to her to help her out.”
“Why?”
“It was my fault she ended up with the piece of shit who knocked her around. I ruined her and Nix’s relationship because you’re right, I’m an asshole. I thought the least I could do was make it up to her, but she wanted things like they used to be,” Jake pulled the flat tire off and tossed it aside. “I don’t.”
Hearing him say that and knowing he made sure to be the one to come fix my flat was melting away some of the ice from the night before. He aligned the new tire and started putting on the lug nuts. Grease and dirt had gotten on his hands and arms. He glanced up and grinned when he caught me biting my lip while staring at him.
“Come to dinner with me tonight?”
“No. Taking Angela to a hotel doesn’t fix everything, Jake.” The words caught in my throat as tension swirled in my gut. “You betrayed my brother. If there’s no trust, Jake, there’s nothing. You know that.”
Jake tightened the last of the lug nuts, lifted the flat, and carried the lug wrench back to my trunk. He grabbed a rag from his saddle bag and wiped his hands before putting it back. He walked toward the jack, but stopped in front of me first. Placing his hands on the car, he locked me in between his arms with my back against the passenger door. The hair on my arms raised. Every sensor in my body was ignited to his dominating presence.
“I’m not gonna stop until you beg me to fuck you, Peach. I told you, I’m not a nice guy, but I’ll do whatever it takes to have you.” His hand raised and thumbed my bottom lip as his eyes watched me fidget beneath him. “I think we both know you want me to have you.”
My body couldn’t lie to him. He knew just how to draw the need to the surface and make me weak with desire. I leaned in toward his lips as if to kiss him.
“You can start with apologizing to my brother.”
Jake’s jaw twitched. “I don’t apologize to anyone, for anything.”
“Then enjoy your dinner… alone.”
A growl escaped his lips. His hand grazed my side, slid up and took hold of my ass and gripped it, pulling me even closer to him. “If I do this, you’ll have dinner with me?”
“I’ll consider it.”
His scruff brushed across my cheek as he whispered, “Wear something sexy for me. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
He gave my ass a tight squeeze before he pulled away. He leaned down and lowered the jack and placed it in the trunk. After closing my trunk, he winked at me.
He got back on his bike and waited for me to get in my car and pull out before he did. On the drive home, I couldn’t stop biting my lip from the stupid butterflies flapping in my stomach. There was something about Jake Castle. He’d gotten under my skin and permanently scarred me like a beautiful tattoo.
I had just gotten out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel when Nix knocked on my door. “Come in.”
“What did you do to Jake?” Nix leaned against the frame with his arms crossed.
“Why?”
“He came to my office and apologized to me today. Told me he’s an asshole and that he never should’ve disrespected me by sleeping with my girl. He did call her a few choice words and said she’d come onto him, but admitted he fucked-up when he didn’t stop it.”
“And, what did you say?” Taking a seat on my bed, I looked up at Nix, a little too pleased with the news.
“I might be getting soft. I accepted his apology. The son of a bitch actually sounded genuine.”
“Wow.”
“So, what did you do?” Nix’s brows pinched inward. “That’s not like Jake to apologize for anything.”
I shrugged. “He came to fix my flat today and said he’d taken Angela to a hotel, should’ve taken her a lot sooner, but was trying to help her out. He said he’d do whatever it took to get my trust and me, so I told him the first place to start was by apologizing to you.”
Nix clicked his tongue, clearly surprised. “I’ll be honest, Liz. It’s obvious he cares for you in some way. In the four years I’ve known Jake, I’ve never seen him work for a woman’s affection. They usually are throwing themselves at him, not the other way around.”
My eyes dropped to the towel as I fussed with the loose thread, feeling unsure about my thoughts. Nix cleared his throat and I returned my gaze to his.
“Do you think I should go on the date with him tonight? That was part of the deal. If he apologized, I said I’d consider the date.”
Nix’s eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Be honest with me. Do you want to go?”
“A part of me does.”
Running his hand through his dark locks, his gaze wandered around the room as he mulled over his thoughts. With a knot tight in my belly, he finally looked back at me.
“I’m not thrilled about it, but if it’s what you want, then I’m not gonna stop you. Go on the date, but be careful. Don’t let him off easy. He needs to earn his way into your heart and your pants.”
“Thanks, big brother,” I laughed, my smile spread wide. “Now get out, so I can get ready.”
He started to close the door then opened it again. “Is it all right with you if I take Jenna out riding, maybe to dinner?”
My heart swelled in that moment. “Yes. Definitely. Take her.”
At 8:01, the sound of Jake’s bike rumbled up our driveway. A flutter of excitement swirled in my belly. I opened the door to him looking delicious in his black shirt with rolled up sleeves and jeans that contoured him perfectly. He looked me over and licked his lips before laughing.
“I should’ve known.”
“What’s wrong with this?” I waved my hand over my sweatshirt and baggy sweatpants.
“We can’t get in with you looking like that.”
“Can’t get in where?” I was intrigued.
“You’ll see.” He looked me up and down and laughed again. “You were really gonna wear that?”
“No.” I grinned. I lifted the sweatshirt over my head to reveal a fitted, black lace shirt with peak-a-boo sides. His eyes lit up and stared at my braless chest. His fixed stare remained on me as I wiggled out of my sweatpants to reveal maroon skinny jeans. I tossed the sweats on the couch and grabbed my knee-high boots by the door. I bent over and slid each leg into the boot, slowly zipping it up. Jake adjusted himself in his jeans, never taking his eyes off me for a second.
“Damn, Peach. You’re killin’ me.”
As I stood up from the couch, he strode toward me and folded me in his arms. His hand took hold of the nape of my neck and his fingers got lost in my hair as he held me close and kissed me hard and passionately. His tongue slipped in and out only to come back again with even stronger need.
“Tell me you want me,” his words filled my mouth. Taking hold of my hand, he placed it over the knot in his jeans. “I want you, Peach. I want to bury myself in you so hard, so deep, you come undone and beg me to take you again.”
The sensations of the sharp nip on my lower lip and his calloused palm kneading my breast ignited my body. I could feel myself slipping into his web, being spun into a trap I wouldn’t be able to escape.
“Jake.” I put my hand to his chest to slow his pace. I caught my breath and nibbled my swollen lips. “We need to go… to dinner.”
He let out a breath. “Right. Dinner.” Taking my hand in his, he led me to the door.
We got out to his bike, he handed me his helmet before climbing on, and I slid on behind him. He wrapped my arm around his waist before starting the engine. At every light, he placed his hand on my leg and caressed it until the light turned green. These little moments of sweetness were taking my breath away.
Lowering my hand, I rubbed over his thigh, then slid my hand down to between his jeans and caressed him. He put one hand over mine and moved it the way he wanted it. I followed his lead and continued until a few moments later when we arrived at the restaurant. After parking, I climbed off and removed my helmet and set it on the back. Jake leered at me, then grabbed me and pulled me to the side of his bike. He patted his lap, indicating he wanted me to straddle him. I climbed on, and he pulled me against his erection, moving me over it as he claimed my mouth, ravaging me with his hands and tongue.
“Maybe we should go somewhere else. I can’t keep my damn hands off you.”
I sat back on my ass, putting space between us. “You’re gonna have to.”
“No, Peach. My hands are staying on you, but I will try to keep them in less risqué places.”
“If you behave, maybe I’ll reward you later.”
“Let’s get the hell in there and eat then. I want my reward.”
As I climbed off his bike, his palm came down on my ass and squeezed. His hand slid inside my back pocket as we walked inside Soloman’s Cajun Steak and Oyster, a place I’d only been to a couple times because the restaurant was pricey. As we looked over the menu, he put his arm around the back of my chair and kissed my temple.
“You’re the sexiest woman in here. I was too distracted earlier to tell you how beautiful you look.”
“Keep talkin’ playboy. It’s workin’.”
He bit his lip and let it slide out between his teeth before grinning. “I’m pretty sure I smell peaches and cream lotion or something. You did that for me, didn’t you?”
“Maybe,” I teased, scooting my chair closer to his.
“It’s a constant reminder of how much I want to put my tongue in that sweet pussy.”
A sensation of pleasure started from the whisper of his lips on my ear and traveled down to the dampening part of me. His kiss came soft on my ear, then he leaned back to read the menu. I slanted my eyes at him and he winked over his menu at me.
I was afraid to be alone with Jake. My self-control and willpower were shriveling to a thin sheet as the night went on. He told me to order whatever I wanted off the menu, to ignore the prices, and again, he ordered dessert. I laughed when he raised the fork full of caramelized custard to my lips, taking turns feeding me a bite and taking one for himself. The gesture was intimate and sweet, and I couldn’t help moving my chair right next to him and placing my hand on his leg, caressing the firm muscles.
“I’ve had a good time with you.”
He wrapped his arm around the back of my chair. “I want you to come home with me.”
“Jake, we both know what’s going to happen if I do.”
“You’re afraid I’m going to lose interest in you once we have sex, aren’t you?”
His directness caught me off guard. “I’m sorry, Jake. One dinner isn’t enough for me to give you all my trust.”
“What is?”
“Time and for you to prove I mean something to you, more than just a warm body in your bed.”
“I don’t want to go home without you.” His eyes looked into mine and I saw something soften in them.