Asshole.
She opened the water and washed herself, only to have him join her a minute later.
“I guess miracles do exist.”
She grabbed the soap and started washing him.
He closed his eyes as she came toward his cock and grunted, the water flowing over his face.
“You are going to be the death of me, woman,” he said as his lips found hers and Holly felt like purring.
Guess the fun for tonight wasn’t completely over.
* * *
JAKE
They went to bed around eleven. He was going to struggle to get up in the morning, but sleeping next to Holly, with her in his arms, was the best feeling in the world.
He knew he found his soul mate. He’d known it since the first time he set eyes on her.
He chuckled to himself. Holly still didn’t know about that, but if he told her, she would know how dangerous she was to him.
If she had to leave him again, it would crush him for good.
No, this time he’d just have to hold on. He’d have to teach her how to fight as he wouldn’t want another ever again.
He didn’t give a shit what they would discover about one another, because nothing, nothing in this world was going to make him stop wanting her and stop loving her.
He would fight, even if she didn’t want to, and he would fight until he couldn’t fight anymore.
She and Jamie was his life, and the baby that was on the way would only make it all that much better.
He said a small prayer, asking God to keep them safe, and then he fell into a deep sleep.
His eyes flew open when Jamie jumped onto the bed early the next morning.
“Okay, I’m up. Let’s give Mommy some time to sleep, okay?” he whispered as Holly just grunted.
He kissed Jamie on the head, and bent over to kiss Holly on hers, and got up with Jamie in his arms.
He went downstairs asking Jamie how she slept.
“Like a rock,” she said and he laughed. Where she heard this from he could only imagine. Amelia was such a drama queen.
He heated up her pizza and she ate it with the ketchup he’d asked for at the restaurant, then he poured her some juice.
“I’ll get someone to go and buy us some food,” he said as he grabbed a slice of pizza, then bit into it.
He told her about her tutor, and because he’d been speaking about it with her for days before they came here, Jamie was excited to meet her.
They started speaking in German and Jamie answered him. She learned the language quickly and he was astonished at how good she actually spoke it in just two months.
Finally, Holly came down.
She kissed Jamie on her head.
“Look, Mommy. We are eating pizza,” Jamie said in German and Holly frowned at Jake.
“You were busy. Any other languages I have to know about? English please, baby, your mommy is a bit of a dummy.”
“You are not a dummy,” Jake teased her. “Nobody in this family is a dummy.”
“Oh, shush. I can’t do happy with you two. It’s too early,” she said and kissed him on the shoulder.
He chuckled as he poured her a glass of juice and she took a piece of the pizza.
They hadn’t told Jamie about the new baby yet, and he really felt that it was time, but he needed Holly to be onboard. She was the one who was good at explaining things to Jamie.
“I’m going to go get dressed,” he said and kissed both of them on top of their heads as they carried on with their conversation.
He hoped Holly would tell Jamie about the baby, and that it wouldn’t make Jamie feel like she wasn’t enough.
That was the last thing he wanted her to feel.
Eight
HOLLY
* * *
The doorbell rang while she was talking to Jamie. She was struggling with how to bring up the new baby, how to tell Jamie that she was going to be a big sister. She had to do it properly, because she didn’t want Jamie to feel unwanted. And Holly also thought that it was still too early. First trimesters were always unpredictable, especially with Holly’s condition, and she didn’t want Jamie to feel the pain if Holly ended up losing the baby.
She blew out a breath and shook the negative thoughts from her head as she headed to the front door.
Outside was a girl about her age, maybe younger.
She was built big but not fat, had dark eyes and dark hair.
She greeted Holly in German.
“My name is Victoria, I’m the tutor for Jamie Bernice.”
“Oh please, come in.”
Victoria entered and she smiled when she saw Jamie.
“She’s a pretty little girl.”
“Thank you,” Jamie answered in German.
Victoria’s eyes widened and she started speaking to Jamie in German.
Just then, Jake came running down the steps, dressed in a black cargo pants and a light blue button shirt. His sleeves were rolled up.
He looked really good and his cologne smelled divine.
“The tutor is here, I’m going to go get ready for work,” Holly said as she passed him.
Jake greeted Victoria in perfect German and started talking to her about the next three weeks.
When Holly got back downstairs, Jake was still busy discussing Jamie’s schedule with Victoria.
The T.V. in the living room blared and Holly made her way in that direction.
She found Jamie, eating Fruit Loops in front of the T.V.
Cartoon Network filled the screen.
She took a seat next to Jamie and kissed her on the head. “So, what do you think about Victoria?” Holly didn’t take her eyes from the screen.
“She’s pretty.”
“Remember, when you don’t like anything she does, you have to tell Mommy and Daddy, no matter what she says, okay?”
Jamie nodded.
“We spoke about strangers and touching where they shouldn’t be touching, didn’t we?”
She nodded again.
Holly hated having this discussion, but if there was one thing she’d taught Jamie from the moment she could comprehend, it was to tell her no matter what the other person said, or how scary it was. Holly or Jake had to know.
Jamie was a beautiful little girl and she was growing up in a messed-up world. Teaching her this was the only way to keep Jamie safe.
It would be Holly’s worst nightmare if anything ever happened to Jamie, and she didn’t even want to think what Jake would do.
She smiled and kissed Jamie on her head. “I love you, sweetheart. Mommy has to go to work now, so you be a good girl for Victoria.”
“Love you too, Mommy,” Jamie said, placing a sticky kiss on Holly’s cheek before turning back to her cartoons.
She walked into the kitchen just as Jake finished with Victoria.
“We have to go. I won’t be here when Maria comes, but please give her this list and have her pick the stuff up from the store. We’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“Go, I’ve got this.” Victoria tried to put them both at ease.
Jake smiled and went to say goodbye to Jamie as Holly stayed with Victoria.
“Tutor, huh?”
Victoria started to laugh. “You didn’t know?”
“Oh, no. I did. I just didn’t know how it would all work. Are you happy with only working three weeks?”
Holly went to the fridge and made her shake for the morning.
She only drank two a day, one in the morning and one at night. She would take it with her to work and drink it on the way.
“I’m working with the agency. This is nothing new to me. There are sometimes customers who live for six months in Zurich and six months somewhere else. I have many students that only need my help for a week or two.”
Jake walked back into the kitchen and they said goodbye to Victoria and left for work.
The house was built on top of a hill and Holly could see almost the entire city sprawled in the distan
ce as she walked out of the door.
She still hadn’t seen every part of the house, but right now, all that mattered was that she was here with Jake.
She sipped on her shake while Jake drove them to the hospital.
“So.” She smiled. “You had the talk with Jamie too.”
“The stranger danger talk?” he said without taking his eyes off the road as a grin spread over his lips.
“Yeah, that one.”
“I did. I would kill anyone with my bare hands if they ever try to hurt her, or you.”
“I would too. Ever since they laid her in my arms and she wowed me with her beauty, it has been a fear.”
He chuckled. “It would not happen without us knowing about it. I checked Victoria out, she has no criminal record and her resumé is as long as my arm.”
“Really?” Holly asked, surprised.
“Don’t let her age fool you, Holly. She is a very clever woman and the agency doesn’t just take anyone.”
“You know a lot about this, don’t you?”
“My mother and father had to go to Germany from time to time. Amelia and I went through tutors just like Jamie is now. She’ll be fine. I promise.”
She took a deep breath. “Of course you did.”
Holly had this urge to put cameras in the house, but she knew it was just paranoia eating at her.
When they got out of the car at the hospital, Jake took her hand in his as they walked to the entrance. When they reached the door, she kissed him goodbye, knowing she probably wouldn’t see him all day as he’d be busy in Neurology all day.
They went their separate ways and she watch him walking down the hallway in the opposite direction.
She was still a lovesick puppy when it came to him.
She went to the lockers, and as she entered, the room fell silent.
She could feel Eva and Petra watching her the whole time.
She knew this was about Jake.
“So, you do know Puff Pastry?” Eva leaned against the locker next to her.
Holly laughed. “Guilty.”
“He’s really the baby’s daddy?”
Holly nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because of this. The way you look at me, Eva.”
“I’m just curious, what do you do with that next to you every night?”
“You really want me to answer that? I thought the bun in the oven explains that.”
They both laughed.
“Yeah, it doesn’t surprise us.” Petra put on her white coat.
“What happened to the girl’s mother?”
“Huh?”
“You know the little girl, looks just like him.”
She frown slightly with a soft smile. “You’re looking at her.”
“She’s yours?”
“And his, hence the reason she looks just like him and not me.”
“Holy crap. How long have you been with this guy? The last time I heard, he was going to marry Kate Gianelli.”
“It’s a very long story.” Holly downed the shake and put the empty bottle in her bag and shut her locker. “Don’t look at me like that, Petra. He’s my kryptonite.”
“Sweetie, I think he’s everyone’s kryptonite.”
Holly smiled again.
“But something tells me you are his, too.”
“Oh shut up. Let’s get to work.”
After lunch, Holly filled in some paperwork at the reception. A new patient had just been admitted and she needed to make sure all the paperwork was correct.
She heard Jake’s voice behind her.
He was speaking to Anna and they entered an office.
She hated that he worked with such beautiful women, and the fact what they used to do behind closed doors wasn’t easing the heaviness on her chest.
Stop it, Holly. Jake wouldn’t cheat on you.
His office door opened and Ann walked out.
“Dr. Scallanger, may I please have a word?”
“Of course, Dr. Peters.” Holly mimicked the professionalism in his tone, but the second she was in his office, he locked the door and pulled her into his arms.
“Just like old times, huh?” He kissed her and she giggled against his lips.
“No, this is completely different. I get to go home with you tonight. So not like old times,” Holly admitted dreamily as his lips moved against her skin.
“Stop talking, woman,” he murmured in her ear. “I only have ten minutes.”
Their lips met and they kissed each other with a hunger Holly hoped would never fade, and her back connected hard with the wall of his office.
He fiddled with her pants and pulled them off, but he didn’t let her near his.
“What are you doing?” Holly asked as he moved away, taking her hands from his button, caressing the flesh in the nape of her neck softly.
“I only have ten minutes,” he said and went down on his knees.
He pulled her panty away and dug his tongue into her throbbing sex.
“Oh fuck,” she moaned as he put her leg over his shoulder.
He grunted against, the vibration only enhancing the feeling and her hands grabbed his head.
“Fuck, Jake,” she whispered and tried hard not to moan too loud.
His sucking turned into a kiss and he stopped.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Now? You’re fucking shitting me, right?”
He grinned and closed his eyes.
“Oh my gosh, you are such a tease. What is it?”
“I want Jamie to become a Peters.”
“She is a Peters.”
He shook his head. “On paper.”
“So I’m going to be the only Scallanger?”
He chuckled. “Please. It just makes my life so much easier, when you are not there. That’s why it was such a bitch to get her passport If her last name was Peters, I would’ve had it a long time ago.”
“We can talk about that later.”
“Okay, I have to go.”
“Seriously?” Holly groaned in frustration and Jake laughed at her.
“It’s not funny.”
“I told you I just have ten minutes. It takes me about three minutes to get to the other building. I’ll see you later.”
He closed the door behind her. Asshole.
She took her pants and pulled it back on.
But a laugh escaped her lips.
He was still the same old Jake, grabbing her around corners.
It put an even bigger smile on her face just knowing that he was finally hers, no matter how insecure she was.
Victoria greeted them when they got home that night.
“Sorry, we’re later than we wanted to be.” Holly cringed.
Victoria laughed. “It’s okay. It’s part of the job. Jamie is in the bath. She will be out soon.”
“Can I keep her?” Holly asked Jake.
Victoria laughed. “I’ll see you both tomorrow early again. Say goodnight to Jamie for me.”
“Goodnight.”
She walked to the doorway and stopped as she put her bag over her shoulder. “Oh before I forget, Maria made a lasagna. I put it in the oven for you. When the ringer goes, just take it out,” Victoria said as she left.
Holly looked at Jake, who went over the cupboards in the kitchen, opening them one by one.
“She’s serious.”
Jake looked at her. “About what?”
She ran to the oven and opened it. A lasagna was baking. She breathed in the delicious scent.
Jake smiled and shook his head.
“You really are spoiled, aren’t you?”
He roared with laughter, and pulled her into his arms. “Just a little. I think it’s a beautiful evening to go sit on the verandah and enjoy Maria’s lasagna.”
“We have a verandah?”
“You didn’t explore last night?”
“No. But I’ll go check out this verandah.” She gave him a quick kiss and w
alked away looking over her shoulder at him.
“There’s a sliding door in the corner of the living room.”
She walked faster and found the door behind cream curtains.
She opened it and gasped.
A huge wooden deck sprawled out in front of her.
There was a stunning steel and wooden table, that could sit at least eight people, with chairs Holly wouldn’t even put on the verandah.
A few lantern lights hung from the roof.
She opened the door and went to sit on one of the chairs as she looked out at the colorful garden and luscious, green grass.
Tonight was a beautiful night. But soon, winter will be here.
“Mommy!” Jamie ran out the door and clambered onto her.
“Hey gorgeous.” She kissed her on her head. “How was your day? Did you enjoy your bath? You smell so nice,” Holly said, sniffing at her like a dog.
Jamie cackled as Holly carried on. “Stop it, Mommy” Jamie cried and Holly finally stopped as Jamie recollect herself on top of Holly’s lap.
“My day was amazing.” She looked just like Amelia when she said it. She could tell that Jamie’s aunt was spending all the time she could with her, she was starting to rub off. She told Holly about all the places she went to with Victoria.
She was glad that Jamie hadn’t been cooped up in the house all day.
Jake walked out the door and handed Holly a glass of cold juice while he opened his beer and handed Jamie a juice box.
He sat down on the chair diagonally from Holly as Jamie babbled on.
Then Jake switched over to German and Holly shook her head.
“Mommy doesn’t understand, Daddy.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” Holly said and squeezed Jamie tightly. “Mommy needs to go and make some salad.” She set Jamie down and got up and went to the kitchen.
She was so happy, she thought as she took out the fixings for salad and put them on the cutting board.
But the heaviness of her paranoia took over. It haunted her. A bad omen was waiting somewhere around a corner and it scared her to death just thinking about it.
The days living together flew by, and Holly learned plenty about Jake.
He was neat on himself but was kind of a slob around him. He just threw his clothes on the floor, made a sandwich without cleaning up behind himself… All tiny annoying things.
Endless Love: The 4Ever series #3 Page 8