Page 45 of An Unexpected Turn
I leaned against the sink, my tired eyes staring back at me in the mirror. I shook my head at my reflection—the smart woman who prided herself on helping others with their problems, but couldn’t solve her own. In fact, she was pretty damn good at creating more.
I ran and leaped at this new chance to begin again, and now I was tripping all over myself.
My head fell forward on a groan at a light tapping at the door. I had to apologize to Uncle Keith, but I wasn’t ready to look him in the eye yet.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I’ll be right out—”
I froze when I met Jake’s gaze. His jaw was tight as he kept his eyes on me, gingerly shutting the door behind him and turning the lock.
“What are you doing?” The question came out on a long sigh. “This is a little brazen, even for us.”
Jake said nothing as he came closer, grabbing me by the waist and swirling my body around until it was flush against his.
I pressed into his hard chest, but he wouldn’t budge.
“So, you and Ron?” He nodded behind him as he skated his hand down my back, triggering a shiver along my spine.
“Me and Ron what? I had no idea he’d be here, and in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s been uncomfortable as hell dealing with his puppy-dog eyes, my oblivious uncle, and not having a clue how to react to being in the same room with you anymore. Not that I ever did. You need to leave.”
“What if I don’t want to?” He cupped my cheek, tracing my quivering jaw with his thumb. My visceral response to Jake pissed me off, yet there was nothing I could do to stop it. “What if I’ve had it with pretending?” My breath caught in my throat when the pad of his thumb skimmed my bottom lip. “You’re not going anywhere with him tonight.”
“Since when is that up to you? Look, we had a moment,” I began, darting my tongue out to swipe across my dry lips, my entire mouth parched from the simmering heat in Jake’s eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was lust or jealous rage, but it shot straight to my core all the same. “Now, the moment is over, and maybe it’s better to let it go—”
Jake cut me off with a kiss. A blinding, scorching kiss that set my whole body on fire. I should’ve pushed him away and escaped this bathroom with a little dignity and self-preservation, but when he slanted his mouth over mine to deepen the kiss, I couldn’t care less about either.
“Jake, please,” I gasped when we broke apart, too dizzy and aroused to remember the rest of my argument.
“Is that what you think? Just a moment?”
“What else should I think? I know you said we’d talk today, but when you didn’t show up, I figured you were done. And maybe that’s for the best.”
“The best? You really believe that?” He ran his finger down my neck, the jolt from his touch shooting down my arm.
“I don’t know what to believe.”
“I’m not done. I’m not sure I ever could be done with you.” He wove his fingers into my hair. “We had more than a moment, and you know that. It wasn’t enough.” His sinful mouth tilted. “I want more. I wantyou. You’re right, baby. I’m exhausted. So fucking exhausted.”
Our mouths fused together again, my fingers sifting through the hair at his neck as he hoisted me up onto the sink, hooking my leg over his hip. He was hard and heavy as he rubbed against all the right spots, drawing a needy whimper out of me. Nothing would be enough with this man, and it was terrifying.
“We can’t do this here,” I murmured against his lips.
“I’m coming to you tomorrow morning. Like I should have a long time ago. We’ll go somewhere, we’ll talk, and we’ll figure this out. Until then,” he rasped, cupping the nape of my neck and pulling me in for another kiss, slower and wetter, his tongue gliding against mine as it made long, deliberate strokes inside my mouth.
I was about to come just from Jake kissing me.
He dragged my bottom lip through his teeth before he backed away.
“Remember that. You can come back downstairs and sit next to your new friend before you tell him goodbye for the night.”
I rolled my eyes. “Since when are you a caveman?”
His gaze softened as he feathered his hand down my cheek.
“Since you, I’m a lot of things, Peyton.” He came back to my lips, his kisses quick but sweet before flashing me a panty-melting smile.
I watched Jake leave and went back to my reflection. My cheeks were flushed, my lips and chin were red and raw, but a smile stretched across my mouth.
Jake made me a lot of things too, and whether they were good or bad, I wasn’t done either.
