Chapter 15
Mackenna waged a half-hearted argument against staying at Jake’s apartment in part because she couldn’t bear the thought of a full weekend in The Hole, as Jake kept referring to the place, and she now thought of it that way. It no longer felt like home.
And he was right. What would she do all day Saturday after she finished her laundry? Spend another marathon day walking the mall? She couldn’t afford to buy anything. And the idea of sitting cross-legged on the living room floor reading by the balcony door for eight or twelve hours didn’t appeal to her either. And what if Mr. Gleaner did knock on her door? She hadn’t considered that he might contact her outside of work. That possibility frightened her.
Begrudgingly, she conceded to Jake’s way of thinking. It didn’t make sense to stay at her place when another option was available. Sadly, his apartment was her only option.
What was the euphemism? Turn lemons into lemonade? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad spending the weekend with him. He said he had to work and wouldn’t be around much. Besides, he was starting to grow on her. He made her laugh. Wherever his hands touched, her skin heated. And the way he looked into her eyes excited her. His gaze was packed with expectation. He aroused her sexually, unlike Arthur who nursed a low libido. That’d been another disappointment in that arrangement. She no longer thought of her time with Arthur as a relationship.
Jake, on the other hand, was the long-haired bad boy type, clad in leather and straddling a motorcycle. The image screamed sex. Damn appealing. She wouldn’t mind if he strutted around in his boxers again.
She gathered her cosmetics and essentials and packed an overnight bag of clothes. “I’ll follow you, okay? That way I’ll have a car and be mobile if necessary.”
Why she’s suggested that, she didn’t know. She had nowhere to go and she’d become miserly about saving gas. As she followed his motorcycle, the decision to accept Jake’s offer felt right. Something about Jake implied safety and comfort.
“Make yourself at home, sugar.” He motioned for her to enter and carried her overnight bag and cosmetic satchel to the bedroom. She stopped in the middle of the living area and waited, unsure what to do. Jake returned with a sheet and pillow, tossed both on the sofa, and smiled.
“The sheets on the bed have only been slept on once. I’m afraid I only have two sets but if you’d prefer these, we can swap them out.” He nodded to the set he’d plopped on the couch.
She shook her head. “It’s fine.”
“I’m going to have a beer. Can I get you something? Afraid all I have is water, sweet tea, and a couple sports drinks.”
He handed her a bottle of cold water and dropped onto the couch. Reaching for the remote he popped the top on his beer and focused on the TV when he spoke.
“You can stand in the middle of the room if you like but I think you’ll be more comfortable if you sit and relax. I won’t bite. You already know that. And it’s not as if you haven’t been here before.”
She clasped and unclasped her hands in front of her. “This is different.”
“How so?”
“This feels more, um, intimate.”
Jake’s grin split his face in half. “Or, it’s simply two friends hanging out together so take a deep breath, let it out, and get comfortable. You said you like sports. How about hockey? I hate the captain on this team.”
She perched on the edge of the oversized chair positioned to the right of the sofa and surveyed the room. Friends, he said, yet she knew so little about him and his home provided no further insight.
“How long have you lived here.”
“About six months.” He concentrated on the hockey game.
“Your apartment doesn’t look lived in. It’s, um, rather impersonal.”
Jake nodded, his concentration still on the screen and the action on the ice. “It needs a woman’s touch.”
“For all the talking you do about your mother, I’m surprised there isn’t one photo or ten of her.”
Well, that grabbed his attention. His head jerked up and he studied her. Did the comment surprise him?
“Most of my stuff is in storage. I’m not certain I’m going to stay here.”
Confused by her immediate reaction, she clenched her teeth to keep her jaw from dropping. “Do you mean stay in this apartment or remain in Brighton City?” Where she lived, was what she wanted to add. Why did it matter if he lived here or somewhere else? She barely knew the man.
He chuckled and allowed the corners of his mouth to tilt upward into an easy grin. “Would it upset you if I moved away, Kenna? The look on your face says it might.”
Flustered, she dropped her gaze and inspected her cuticles. “It just surprised me, that’s all. You can do what you want.”
Except for some reason, the notion of Jake leaving the city did bother her.
An hour later, she contemplated those feelings as she stared at his bedroom ceiling in the dark. The pillows held his scent and the room, albeit impersonal, felt like him. How was she supposed to sleep with him all around her and the niggling fear that he might no longer be there?
Yet, sleep she did and more soundly than she could remember. Jake was gone when she awoke. She didn’t hear him leave but his toothbrush and a travel-size toothpaste tube lay on the sink in the spare bathroom. A note beside the coffee pot informed her he went for a run. It wasn’t quite seven-thirty. What time had he left?
And how long would he be gone? Long enough for her to nose through his personal belongings and learn more about him? He was her host and her protector. Was that fair? She recalled a poet who wrote “The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.” She cupped both hands around her coffee mug. Which applied to Jake? Battle? Or something more personal?
A key in the door ended all thoughts of snooping. Winded, Jake strolled in, his white T-shirt plastered to his upper body, outlining every muscle and bulge in his arms and chest, strands of hair curled at the ends with droplets of sweat clinging to them. She leaned with her back against the counter and his face exploded into a wide grin when he saw her. She wore an oversized sleep shirt and his eyes cruised down her body to her bare feet and back up.
Jake retrieved a water bottle from the fridge and winked as he opened it. “You’re beautiful in the morning.”
She watched as if hypnotized when he lifted the bottle to his lips, his head back, eyes closed, gulping the refreshing liquid, his Adam’s apple rolling slowly, the slightest overflow of water streaming from his mouth, down his chin, navigating his jawbone to ease down his neck and settle at the base of his throat. An urge to step forward and lick the spot dry overcame her and she clutched the edge of the counter, digging her fingernails into the underside of the granite.
His chest rose and fell in slow breaths as he drained the bottle. A drop of moisture dotted his lips when he lowered the plastic container and Mackenna licked her own dry mouth. Heat emanated from his body and engulfed her. She gripped the cup tighter and swallowed hard.
“Good morning.” Was the octave of her voice higher than usual? “I didn’t hear you leave.”
Wordlessly, Jake nodded and reached into the refrigerator. “I’m glad. You needed a good night’s sleep.” He handed her a pound of bacon and pointed at her knees.
“There’s a pan right behind your legs. You start the bacon and I’ll jump in the shower. Then I’ll whip up some breakfast. It’s the only meal I’m good at.” He walked away as he spoke, reaching behind his shoulders with both hands to grab his shirt and yank it over his head. Back muscles as thick as electric cords competed for her attention with bulging triceps and deltoids. Involuntarily, Mackenna made the sign of the cross. The guy was a living miracle of muscle.
She pivoted, her eyes never leaving his body, to follow his progress toward the bedroom. Jake stopped when he saw the look on her face and her eyes dropped to his bare chest, still glistening with sweat. Good Lord.
“Kenna? Is everything all right?”
A knot in her throat the size of her fist kept her from speaking.
Jake offered an impish smile. “You want to shower with me? You could soap my back.”
She did. Lord help her, she wanted to lay her hands all over the man. “Sorry, I, ah, you, um, sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”
Now, his right eyebrow rose with his question. “So, that’s a ‘no’ to the shower invitation?”
Heat crept up her cheeks but two could play this game. “Maybe next time.”
Jake’s eyes rounded and he laughed, pointing at her as he disappeared into the bedroom. “I’ll hold you to that, sugar.”
She wanted him to do just that.