Page 71 of An Unexpected Turn
Jake:Sorry, it’s early, but are you up?
Me:More up than I would like to be. Is everything okay?
Jake:It will be. Come to the door.
Did he send something else? It was a relief that my mother knew I was seeing someone if I snuck off for a phone call while she was here, but more gifts were going to lead to more conversations, and yesterday’s revelations and fresh guilt had tired me out.
I tiptoed through my living room, and my heart leaped at the sight of Jake’s truck in my driveway. I clicked the locks slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible before I found Jake on the other side.
“What are you doing—”
He crashed his lips down on mine as he pushed me inside and closed the door behind himself. We kissed as if it had been years, not days, since we’d last seen each other, a mess of lips and tongues as we tried to get as close as possible, all while I kept one eye open and on the living room behind me.
“The job started early. I left Mike with my mother and sister to come down today,” Jake said, his words stuttering through his short breaths. “But I had to see you.” My eyes fluttered as he sifted his hands into my hair. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Hardly,” I whispered, running my hands up and down the front of his jacket. “I just rolled out of bed.”
“I dreamed of you looking just like this in the morning when I wake up next to you.” His lips came back to mine, and he glided his hands down my back, cupping my ass. “I hate that I missed your birthday.”
“You didn’t. I have a freezer full of you for my birthday.”
“I wish you were full of me right now.” Heat ricocheted through me and pooled between my legs at the wicked gleam in his eyes. “I missed you so much.”
I slumped against him at the next kiss, Jake licking into my mouth with long, slow strokes and soaking my panties under my nightshirt. My mind was on keeping the needy whimpers to myself and whether the route to my bedroom or my driveway was shorter.
At the flick of the kitchen light behind us, we froze mid-kiss.
“I guess this is the ice cream man. Hello, Jake.”
“Hello, Donna.” Jake nodded at my mother.
“Um, Jake came to check the floor by the hallway since it’s new ...” The dumb lie died on my lips the second it came out.
“Checking your floor? That’s one I haven’t heard yet. You kids with your expressions.” She waved a hand. “Now that I know no one is breaking in, I’ll pour us some coffee if your surprise guest has the time.”
Jake’s lips twitched as he nodded.
“Sure.”
“Have a seat while Peyton gets a robe on.”
Mom’s lips pursed before she shifted back toward the kitchen.
“I guess I’ll be right back.” I stole a quick kiss before I jetted into my bedroom to grab my robe from the back of the door.
Mom’s reaction was calm enough to be unnerving. She almost seemed to get a kick out of it, probably happy to know another secret about me that my uncle didn’t, but I knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t be this okay about it.
“I set up the pot last night so I could have coffee early, which I’m happy I did so as not to waste time.” Mom handed Jake a cup as I sat next to him. “I’m assuming no one else in the family knows about this.”
Aunt Maya knew, but I’d let my mother have this small win if she stayed amicable.
She set down a quart of milk and the sugar bowl, eyeing Jake as she sat across from us.
“No, not yet. Jake and I want to tell Uncle Keith together.”
Or I just wanted to tell Uncle Keith period, and Jake’s way kept increasing the inevitability of being caught.
“I see,” Mom said, still looking between us. “So what are you doing with my daughter? Trying to feel young with a woman a decade and a half younger than you? My brother has said more than once that you’d probably never commit to anyone else after such a terrible divorce, so I think you understand my concern.”
