Blair

“My feet are killing me,” I groan as I hop up onto the bar top and take off one shoe at a time. Flexing my feet over and over, I attempt to relieve the ache in the arch. I should know better than to wear a pair of shoes that aren’t already broken in. But they were too cute to pass up and now as I look down at the strappy heels, I can’t seem to remember what was so appealing about them. I blame the blisters forming on my toes for my now tainted view.

It’s almost three in the morning and Jake and I just finished cleaning the bar. I am exhausted from the nonstop shuffle that hit right around eleven. It would seem every drunk in the city of Chicago had decided Miller’s was the happening place. Jake and I both ran around the bar in overdrive. I quite enjoyed the gentle touches here and there he would offer when we were forced to pass one another in the small space we share. He’s been more flirty, more forward tonight. But more so after Sadie so openly announced the whole toe-curling comment.

I look up when I hear the sound of the back door shutting just in time to see Jake step behind the bar once more. He had just taken the last bag of garbage out before we could finally call it a night. When our eyes meet I find I’m unable to look away. He stands only a few feet away with one hand bracing the side of the bar, squeezing it so tight the muscles in his arm seem to stand out even more than normal. The dark brown orbs that always manage to capture me are staring intensely back at me. It’s almost as if he’s fighting something.

“What?” I finally ask, looking down at myself then back at him, my mind racing with the possibilities of what he might be thinking. Self-doubt and nervous energy rush through me when I allow myself to imagine how I must look—like an obvious wreck.

He doesn’t answer me but instead moves across the bar until he stands before me, bracing his hands on either side of my legs. His chest rises then falls with one deep breath after another. He remains in that position, one palm resting on either side of my thighs, for a few minutes. Just as I am about to speak he moves closer, suddenly surprising me as he grips my hips, pulling me forward. I’m taken aback by his closeness, but definitely not disappointed.

We’ve been skating around this tension between us all night. Longer than that, actually, if I am being truthful. Jake and I have shared various touches and comments with hidden innuendos for weeks. But it has never been more than that, until now.

It’s only us; everyone else has gone home for the night.

Here we are, still staring at each other, still saying nothing. With the way he’s watching me, continuing to breathe deep, his strong arms caging me in, I feel my heart rate spike with eagerness. There’s no fear, only curiosity and desire pooling between us.

“Tell me to walk away,” he says as his eyes rake over my chest and then back up to meet my gaze. “Tell me you’re not interested in anything more than two people working together inside some grungy bar.”

I almost laugh. Is he serious?

“No,” I say. My eyes lock on his heated stare. “I don’t lie.”

He flinches at my words, before recovering quickly.

“We shouldn’t cross that line,” he states but his expression says something completely different. The way his hands still grip my hips and the way he has somehow without me noticing positioned his body between my parted thighs are all opposite reactions to his words. “I shouldn’t—”

I stop him by hooking my legs around his waist and using them to pull him even closer toward me.

“You should,” I correct him with more confidence than I have ever felt before and he smiles in return. His smile alone can do some real damage to a girl’s panties. I should know; I’ve been at the receiving end of it for weeks.

“Things could get messy,” he says as he leans in and skims his lips over my jaw. My mind grows hazy as I decide that I really like the way that feels. Really like.

“God, I hope so.” My words fall from my lips in a breathy whisper and he chuckles.

I’ve wanted this guy so desperately that at this point I’m willing to do just about anything to have him. I’m willing to face the awkward morning after or the odd moment when you both realize you may have taken things too far. I just don’t care at this point, I’ve lived in solitude for months now, playing it safe, doing what’s right. But now there’s nothing I want more than a night of mind-blowing sex with a man like Jake Gunner and the rest I’ll think about later.

“Let’s get out of here.” I suddenly feel disappointment fill me, inflicted by his words. That is until he finishes that thought. “I’m staying at your place tonight.”

Oh, hell yes!

The ride to my apartment is fueled by sexual tension. It’s so thick I can almost feel the pressure of it pushing against my chest. It feels like a heavy fog that makes it impossible to breathe evenly.

As I fumble with my keys attempting to unlock my apartment door, Jake stands so close behind me I can feel his warm breath blowing across my neck. Nothing has prepared me for the force of this man. Nothing warned me that he would be so consuming.

Once the door to my place is open he’s on me like a second skin. I can feel him everywhere.

I don’t care that the walls are so thin every neighbor can most likely hear each whimper I make. Right there in the doorway of my apartment, Jake slides his hand into the front of my jeans and within seconds has me screaming out his name.

I have no shame. I am nothing more than a desperate hussy and I am okay with that. I own it.

All I feel is complete oblivion.

I’m a sloppy mess of need, so lost to the point that if he chooses to fuck me there too, I most likely will help him take off my pants to speed up the process.

But instead, he moves to the bedroom where he proceeds to make me lose every last ounce of control. He’s an energy I’m not prepared for, consuming and strong. With each touch he provides I feel myself getting lost in a heavy haze of lust. I’ve never been this hungry for contact, this desperate for release, but Jake has me forgetting every doubt I may have had lingering in my mind and all I feel is him…us.

As I lie there feeling like it’s only seconds later, with my stomach pressing firmly into the mattress beneath me, I smile. The weight of his naked body, still covering mine, almost cages me in. Not one single part of me doesn’t feel the after effects of his touch. I swear to it, even my hair is tingling with the ripples of pleasure that still shake me. Jake was like an animal unleashed and he had just devoured me.

Even when I reached what I felt was the peak of my pleasure, he proved me wrong and showed me that I could take more. It was all a whirlwind, clothes flying, loud cries of more, and deep moans of pleasure. I’ve never felt anything so erotically beautiful in my life. I could see in his eyes he felt it too. More than once I found him looking back at me as if there was something he wanted to say, only he couldn’t form the words.

In that very moment, as his body still covered mine, I know the thoughts I had earlier of being able to move past this and work side by side with him without feeling awkward were now an afterthought.

Jake Gunner is a man who I know without a doubt I can’t walk away from. I don’t want to, either.