I don’t know if I did the right thing, inviting him in like that. I hadn’t really thought it through. I’d been busy all day at the school, and I’d forgotten all about Jacob.

Well, maybe ‘forgotten’ is the wrong word. I’d certainly thought about Jacob—multiple times throughout the day.

I’d run my fingers over my own lips, trying to feel what Jacob must’ve felt when he’d kissed me. Every time I’d seen a guy’s back, I’d thought about how much broader, how much more solid, Jacob’s is. I’d summoned the memory of how his skin had felt on my fingers. I’d definitely wondered about why I’d never felt passion like that anymore, aside from when I’m with Jacob.

What I hadn’t done, however, was think about what to do about him sleeping on my porch. I’d delayed making a decision about that all day, thinking I was going to have more time later in the night to do so.

I mean, I didn’t even know he was going to sleep there again, so I didn’t feel like wasting my energy on it, when I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I was grading papers when I heard Jacob’s sneeze and his footsteps on the porch. And all I could think of was, I couldn’t let him sleep outside again.

I knew he wasn’t going to just leave. He was staying on my property whether I liked it or not. It wasn’t like I had the physical strength to remove him from the premises. And calling the cops on him seemed petty, considering he was trying to help me.

Yes, the thought did cross my mind that he still might be the guy responsible for everything in the first place. But that theory was starting to not make sense.

Why would Stan’s guy act like he’s clueless and on my side? Why spend an uncomfortable night on my porch? He probably woke up with his body sore all over. Why wouldn’t he just grab me and take me to his boss, if he were really sent here by Stan? It doesn’t match up.

So, on impulse, I invited him inside. It all seemed to make sense last night.

And yet, this morning, I’m not so sure anymore.

I catch my first sight of him as I walk into the living room, his chest rising and falling with his breaths. The blanket has fallen off the couch and onto the floor. Max has claimed the blanket as his own, curling up on it, getting his fur all over it. No doubt Jacob will find random hairs on it for months to come, even after throwing the blanket into the washing machine.

Jacob’s wearing an old, faded grey shirt and a pair of navy blue sweat pants that outlines his morning wood perfectly. Seriously, those pants don’t leave much to the imagination.

His hands are lifted over his head, resting on the arm of the couch, pulling his shirt up. I can see the ridges of his lower abs, as well as the line of fuzz that starts from his belly button and disappears into his pants.

With him fast asleep, I can stare to my heart’s content.

God, that magnificent bulge in his pants… I want to reach out and touch it, stroke it, wrap my fingers around it. I want to feel my fingers dragging gently over his warm skin, sense every little tensing of his muscles underneath.

I want to jump on top of him. The dangerous thing is, I don’t think he’d mind.

This is all his fault.

I’d asked him to sleep in the guest room last night, but he’d insisted on sleeping near the front window so he’d be more sensitive to any strange sounds from outside.

I tear my gaze away from his sleeping form and tiptoe toward the kitchen, from where I can see the living room. I try to be quiet as I open the cabinet and grab a mug, but Jacob stirs when the coffee machine hums as it prepares my morning beverage.

It doesn’t help that Max has just run into the kitchen, his nails making soft clicking sounds on the tiles as he does. He barks to greet me like he always does.

“Morning,” Jacob says in a raspy, sleepy voice as he blinks to adjust to the sunlight. How could he sound so sexy with zero effort? It’s not fair. If he were to seduce me with that voice, with the mood this morning, I’d have no chance at saying no.

“Morning. Want some coffee?”

“No,” he says. “I don’t usually wake up this early. Maybe I’ll go back to sleep later.”

“I have some frozen waffles too.”

“That sounds good.” Jacob swings his long legs down until his feet touch the floor and props himself up with his big, muscular arms. I watch in fascination as they flex and bulge. He sits up and stretches his arms, then yawns loudly. I don’t know if it’s his size or his presence, but Jacob fills the space and makes it feel a lot smaller.

Now I remember why I asked him in. I do feel safer having Jacob here. With a strong man like him on my side, I feel like nobody can touch me. Nobody, that is, except him.

Maybe it won’t be the worst idea ever to give in to this attraction that’s obviously puling us closer together.

I can give him sex, and he can lend me his strength. And then once everything settles down, we can go our own ways. Simple. Uncomplicated.

“No work today?” Jacob casually saunters into the kitchen, looking at me like a cat stalking a mouse.

“Yeah. I’m just so used to waking up early, I do it on the weekends too.” I grab the waffles and put them in the toaster. “What about you?”

“Well, I don’t have any actual work to do today. The markets are closed. But I do have some reports to catch up on.”

“What is it that you do? I don’t think you’ve told me.”

Not since that night you told me it wasn’t any of my business, I think to myself. I stop myself from saying that part out loud. I’d rather not pick a fight this morning.

“Forex trading. I work when the foreign markets are open,” he says.

“Ah. That explains your working hours.” I watch as Max wags his tail excitedly and sniffs Jacob like they’re old friends.

Stop being such a slut, Max. You’ve only met him once before, and last night you slept with him. Don’t be so eager.

“Got any plans today?” Jacob bends down to pet Max’s head, which only intensifies the tail wagging. Even his tongue has joined the party, hanging out from his mouth and drooling goopy dog saliva onto the floor.

“Just going to Bertha’s house for another meeting. Or house party, as you call it. We’re planning the street party.”

“So it’s a party…to plan another party?” Jacob scrunches up his face in disgust, which makes me laugh. So he doesn’t like most people, but insists on spending time with me—that kinda makes me feel special.

“I guess you can call it that.” The waffles pops up from the toaster perfectly crisp and fluffy. Why would people make them from scratch when the frozen ones are so good? I walk over to the toaster, facing the wall as I pick them up carefully and transfer them onto a plate. I ask, “Did you have a good sleep last night?”

“Not really.” Jacob’s voice almost makes me jump. I’m so focused on the waffles I don’t realize Jacob is standing right behind me. I can almost feel the warmth radiating from his body. “But it was better than the night before that.”

“That’s what you get for being stubborn. You could’ve slept in the guest room like I told you to. Or even better, you could’ve slept in your own bed.” I turn around to face Jacob, holding the plate of hot waffles between us like a barrier. A thrill runs down my spine as my heart beats faster from the mere closeness of him.

“But then I wouldn’t get these waffles that you lovingly made for me.” Jacob smirks mockingly as he takes the plate from me.

To my surprise, instead of taking the plate away to start eating, he puts it back on the counter and steps forward, closing the gap between us. He’s got me cornered now, I realize, as I stand between him and the kitchen counter. He plants both hands on the counter, caging me in.

“They’re just frozen waffles,” I say stupidly.

I know this is not about the waffles anymore, but it’s like my brain has given up from all the strain of dealing with my overwhelming arousal. All I can think about is how big and strong and manly he is, how small he makes me feel, how good it would feel to run my hands all over his hard body, to have his hands all over mine.

Jacob’s lips curl further up, as if he can read my mind, as if he knows I want him. Maybe my own body has betrayed me. Maybe lust is written all over my face, just like how I can clearly see the hunger in Jacob’s eyes.

“And I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Jacob places on hand on my cheek and traces my lips with his thumb.

I sigh softly as I let his touch seep into my skin and warm me up from the inside. With that little gesture of encouragement from me, Jacob puts one hand on my back and yanks me close, then crushes his lips against mine.

There’s no hesitation this time, no second thought, no staring into each other’s eyes, no inching closer bit by bit. Just primal, animalistic instincts taking over. I fall apart at his assault, giving up the fight before it even begins. My body wants this too much, and he knows it.

He grabs my waist and lifts me up with ease, setting my ass down on the kitchen counter. I lean my head against the upper cabinet, the smell of waffles filling my nostrils as Jacob ravishes me with his mouth, tasting my lips, my earlobes, my neck.

“Lift up your hands,” he demands. I remember this. I remember him telling me exactly what to do and me yearning to follow his orders.

I do as he says, and he pulls my shirt up over my head. He leans back to take a good look at my tits. His eyes twinkle and his smile widens, telling me he likes what he’s seeing. My nipples have hardened into little pebbles and I feel like I’m way too exposed.

I used to walk around with less clothing in a club full of strange men. Somehow, I feel more naked now, sitting here in my own kitchen with this man.

Jacob takes the waffles from the plate and throws them across the room to the other side of the kitchen. I hear Max bark happily and realize he must’ve been bugging Jacob the whole time. I smile as he pushes the plate away, clearing the counter for my hands.

Jacob looks up just before he places his mouth over my nipple, watching my reaction. I sigh and shiver while he teases the sensitive little peaks at the top of my breasts, his lips and tongue dancing on my skin.

Something tingles between my legs, and I yearn for him to touch me there, but I know he’s going to do this his way. I’m just going to have to be patient.

Feeling myself growing weak, I push my palms against the counter to stay upright. His hand cups my other breast, roughly kneading and pulling on my other nipple.

“You’re mine this morning. I’m going to make you beg for me,” he says, taking his lips off my nipple for a few lonely seconds. The air cools it down, only for it to grow warm again when Jacob breathes on me and captures it in his mouth again, where it belongs. At least for now.

“Take off your pants. I want to see you. All of you,” he whispers in my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin deliciously.

I meet his scrutinizing stare with lowered lids, surrendering myself to his intoxicating touch. He traps my gaze, not looking away as I lift my ass and push my pants down like he asked me to. The counter feels cold on my ass and thighs.

“You know you want me. Look at how wet you are for me.” Jacob pushes himself between my thighs, spreading them wide.

He presses two fingers into my soaking pussy with his palm facing up, going straight for my G-spot. My body stiffens at this unexpected intrusion, but I’m so soaked he goes in smoothly. He pulls back out and shoots me a cocky smirk while I look at the evidence of my arousal on his fingers.

“Taste yourself,” he says. I can tell by his tone that he won’t take no for an answer. He presses his fingers against my lips, my juices smeared on my cheek and my chin. I part my lips and he thrusts in slowly. “Lick my fingers clean. And then maybe I’ll have a taste myself.”

My clit pulses at the promise in his words. I suck his fingers into my mouth and clean them with my tongue. I taste sweet and musky. Sexual.

“Good girl,” Jacob says, his voice hoarse with arousal. He grinds his rock-hard cock against my pussy, his sweat pants the only thing between us.

“Now, what did I say I was going to do?”

I hesitate. I may have been a stripper, but that’s it. I’m used to communicating my sexuality with my body, not my words. I’m out of my depth here. Softly, tentatively, I say, “Have a taste of me?”

“Yeah. And how am I going to do that?” He’s going to make me say it. Damn it. Damn my brain that has decided to take a vacation right now. Damn my pussy that’s aching for him.

“Eat my pussy.” I pull my eyebrows taut and swallow. He’s still touching me very lightly, teasing my clit with his finger over the hood.

“Good,” he says with a satisfied smile. “Now say please.”

“Please eat my pussy,” I say breathlessly.

“Well, since you asked so nicely…” Jacob’s voice trails off as he sinks down to the floor and buries his face between my legs.

He doesn’t start off easy, doesn’t continue teasing me. Instead, he puts his mouth on me and begins to lick, making me gasp with pleasure. If it wasn’t for the upper cabinet I’m leaning my head on, I’d have fallen flat on my back.

“You taste delicious,” he says, taking his mouth off me for a few seconds while I catch my breath. “You know what? I changed my mind about the coffee.”

I sit there on the counter, confused and panting, while I watch him pour himself some coffee into the mug I’ve taken out earlier. What the hell is he doing? Is this really the time for coffee? He takes a quick sip and shoots me a cryptic look.

“Now, I need some cream. Think you have some for me?” He stalks toward me and, before I could reply, he sucks my folds into his mouth. His hot mouth. The heat sends my senses into overdrive when he places his tongue on my clit. With a few devastating licks, he finishes me, making me tremble and quake and moan for him.

When I open my eyes, he’s standing between my legs, pulling his sweat pants off. He wraps his fist around his hard cock and shuttles it up and down. I stare at it and, even after climaxing just moments ago, I start aching for it.

“Tell me you want me,” he says.

“I want you, Jacob.”

“What do you want me to do?” Jacob lines his cock against my opening and stares me down.

“I want you to fuck me,” I say, no trace of shame left in my words. I’m not going to hold back anymore. I can’t hold back anymore. I add, “Please, Jacob. Fuck me. I’m begging you. I can’t wait any longer.”

“Me neither.” He pushes inside me, forcing me to stretch and open up to take his thick cock.

I feel him slide in quickly, assisted by my own wetness. He pulls me further toward the edge of the counter, grinding deeper into me. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. I feel the movements of the muscles in his back under my fingers.

He presses one finger against my clit, making my muscles clench. He groans in response, our bodies connected and fully in sync with each other.

Jacob unleashes and lets his desire take over, making me gasp in pleasure. He thrusts deeper, harder, giving me what I need. All I can do is hold on tighter and slide my hips further toward the edge of the counter, letting him have his way as I shut my thoughts down and let my lizard brain take over.

I cry out as I let go, my fingernails dragging across his back as my orgasm cripples me. My pussy clenches around Jacob’s cock. I cling to the wave of my climax as he continues to fuck me until he finally grunts, slamming into me. He comes deep inside me while my body convulses.

We stay there for what feels like hours, but is probably more like two minutes in reality. I lay my head on his broad shoulder, feeling his body rise and fall with his breathing, hearing his breaths get deeper and more regular. Still, we hold each other close, my body still shivering from the aftershocks, every once in a while.