Page 24 of Loving Callie
“Are you jealous of Cougar Karen?”
“What?” Callie was surprised to hear Jake use a degrading name like that.
“Yeah, Karen’s a regular.” Jake laughed, “She even gave herself that nickname. She’s harmless babe, I promise. She’s divorced and has a kid who’s in high school. He stays with his dad every other week so she comes in here when he is gone, hits on anyone she can, probably to try to make herself feel good, then leaves after one drink. I’m sorry you were uncomfortable with it; I always chat with her to be friendly but nothing more than that I swear. I think she’s just lonely.”
A wave of relief washed over Callie at Jake’s words. She trusted him and should have known better than to let her old insecurities get in the way of that trust.
Jake took her hands and looked at her seriously. “Callie, it’s no secret that women come here and try to hit on Ryan and I when we are behind the bar. It isn’t something I enjoy, and I have always tried to be respectful and walk away. Even before I met you.” He looked down at the floor, then turned back to her with a charmingly bashful gaze, “Truth be told, you’re the first woman I’ve ever hit on at the bar. I hope you can trust me on that.”
Callie sighed, feeling silly for her reaction, “I do trust you, Jake, really I do. I guess it’s me I don’t trust. I saw her, and the way she was touching you made me feel stupidly insecure. I’m sorry, it’s not fair to you. This is your job. Being friendly to people, even beautiful women, is your job.”
The smile on Jake’s face was full of affection as he said, “You’re right, being friendly is my job. But the only beautiful woman I care about is you. Got it?”
“Got it.” Callie squeezed his hands, feeling better already. “You should probably get back to work before Ryan hunts you down.”
Jake just laughed, “He won’t, not if he knows what’s good for him. But you’re right I do need to get to work.”
As they walked down the hall back to the main bar area, where Karen and everyone else could see them, Jake pulled Callie into a deeply passionate kiss, one that clearly staked his claim on her. When they finally pulled apart, Callie’s heart raced at the erotic connection between them. The fire in Jake’s eyes burned from within, and she could feel how much he wanted to do more than just kiss her.
“Does that make it clear to you who I am always thinking about?”
“Yes, Jake. Yes,” Callie gasped.
Jake bent down to growl in her ear, “The next time you say ‘yes Jake, yes’ it’ll be because I’m doing a lot more than just kissing you.” Then he crushed his lips to hers one more time, before leading her over to the table where Reagan still sat and going back to work behind the bar without saying another word.
“Damn girl, you two almost burnt the place down with the heat sizzling between you.” Reagan’s teasing was exactly what Callie needed to clear the lust filled fog. Smiling at her friend, she took a few gulps of her drink, thankful for the cool sensation of it sliding down her throat, quenching some of the fire she felt inside. Jake knew exactly what to say and do, to make everything right.
Before she had a chance to explain about Cougar Karen, Chase and his band took to the stage. As the handsome singer strutted out with his guitar, Callie noticed her friend sit up a little taller on her stool and start fidgeting with her hands.
“Hey, Reags, are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh. Yeah, I just didn’t realize Chase was playing tonight.”
Callie grinned in understanding, knowing that Reagan’s obvious attraction to the musician rocking out on stage would be the perfect distraction for her friend tonight. And from the way Chase kept glancing straight over towards Reagan as he sang, Callie couldn’t help but wonder if the attraction went both ways.
When the band’s first set was over, Callie was unable to fend off how tired she was any longer. She went to find Jake behind the bar to say goodnight. Leaning over in front of him, Callie reached for his hand and wove her fingers into his.
“Hi handsome, I’m sorry but I need to go home and check on Fred and then get some sleep.”
She smiled fondly at the disappointed look on Jake’s face, before she reached up to caress the sexy stubble along his jaw line.
Leaning into her touch, Jake’s voice was filled with regret. “I’m sorry. I honestly thought it would slow down and I could come and sit with you for a while.”
“A busy bar is what you want. You already spent the day with me, I can’t take up all of your time.”
“Callie, babe, I want you to take up all of my time, because I want all of yours. A busy bar is great, but you are way better.”
Jake’s sweet words washed over Callie, but what he said next sent a rush of heat straight to her core.
“I’ll be here until late closing up, but I hope you know that I will be imagining you naked, in bed, the whole time, and wishing I was there with you.”
With a wicked smile accompanying his dirty words, Jake came around to the front of the bar, and escorted Callie out to the Uber that was waiting to take her home. He pulled her into a tight embrace, and as she found herself crushed against his chest, Callie worked her arms around his neck and wove her fingers through his hair before pulling him down into a kiss that left them both reeling.
“Until next time, mister hot bartender, and I hope you know that I won’t be falling asleep right away. Somehow I just know that thoughts of you are going to keep me awake for a while.”
Jake groaned, “Gorgeous, you’re playing dirty. Don’t tease a man who can’t deliver.”
Callie took a step back and smiled coyly before responding. “Well I guess you better figure out when you CAN deliver.”
