by Cali MacKay
He wanted to push her to make a decision, but knew that in the state she was in, it wouldn’t do anyone any good. The last thing he wanted was to be an ass, especially when Will would soon be there to point it out to her. “The decision is yours to make. But there was a reason you were getting divorced, and none of that has changed, even if he wants to convince you otherwise.”
She could have been angry with him, could have told him to fuck off. But she didn’t. Instead, she just let out a weary sigh and nestled her head into the crook of his shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it, Jake. We have one day alone before he gets here, and I don’t want to spend it arguing with you about things that just need time to get sorted out.”
“Does that mean I get to take you back to my bed and fuck you until Will’s knocking on our door?” And if she thought she was sleeping anywhere but his bed once Will was there, she was gravely mistaken.
She pulled away just enough to look at him, running her fingers up his chest to play with his hair. “As tempting a thought as that is, I was hoping we could get out of the house for a bit and just have a normal day as a couple. You know…since our time so far has been with Will present or spent trying to track him down.”
He nuzzled her as her fingers knotted in his hair. “I’d like nothing more, little red.”
Ideally, he’d have liked to go for a day trip to Boston, or Portland, but there was more snow falling, which meant it’d be best if they stayed close. The old historic part of Portmore was right on the water, and truly quaint and beautiful, with its historic buildings, brick walkways, and pretty little shops and storefronts. Better yet, there always seemed to be something happening. For a relatively small town, they had a great handle on making the most of their picturesque town and finding ways to lure locals and tourists alike in a way that always kept them coming back.
“Bundle up, sweetheart. We’ll head into town and see what’s happening. If I’m not mistaken, this week is the Winter Thaw festival. They’ll have all sorts of things going on, including a bonfire on the beach, so we should be able to grab a bite while we’re there.” And then he could drag her back to his bed and fuck her until morning. By the time the sun came up, one look at Hannah, and Will would have no doubt about what they’d been up to.
“You look like you’re thinking dirty thoughts, Jake.” Her smile kicked up at the corners of her mouth, and then she leaned in to bite his bottom lip.
“That’s because I am. Very dirty thoughts that involve my cock buried inside your sweet cunt.” What were the chances he could convince her to skip going into town? “You know, little red…it’s awfully cold outside. Snowy too.” He caught her mouth in a teasing kiss. “While my bed is big and warm…” Another kiss at her jaw, and then her neck. “And I promise to take very good care of you…”
He bit her neck and cupped her breast, her back arching in response—when she put a hand on his chest and pushed him away with a scolding smile. “You have a one-track mind, Jake. And though you’ve put up far too tempting an offer, I want to see more of Portmore, especially if you’re asking me to move in with you.”
Fucking hell, he found himself grinning ear to ear, and as hopeful as a little kid on Christmas morning. “Are you trying to tell me you’ll move in with me?”
“I’m saying I’ll give it some serious consideration—once I sort out what’s going on with Will.”
***
Though Hannah had visited Jake in Portmore before, he wasn’t sure he’d ever done a thorough job of showing her around the town he’d called home for the last several years. With her gloved hand in his, they wandered down the cobblestone and brick walkways, pausing to look in the shop windows and take in the wide variety of items on display. From gourmet food stores, artisan crafts, and clothing boutiques, to cafés, bookstores, and antiques stores…every shop seemed at once unique, and yet in harmony with the others—and Hannah was loving it.
He still couldn’t believe she was seriously considering moving in with him. Not that it was a done deal, thanks to Will giving her a good old-fashioned guilt trip. And yet Jake knew she’d been far from happy. Hell, she’d admitted as much to him when they’d discussed her divorce. And it had been even worse than simply being unhappy, her self-esteem taking a hit in the process. Yet, he’d managed to push back some of the darkness from her eyes—and he’d be damned if he was going to let Will hurt her again.
She may be willing to give Will a second chance, but Jake wasn’t.
The sidewalks were bustling with people heading to and from the festivities that were no doubt designed to bring a bit of business and tourism to the town during some of the slowest months of the year. It was nice to see the bustling crowds, especially since these were all small, locally owned shops that were trying to compete with malls and chain stores for what business there was in a relatively suburban area.
Glancing over his shoulder to make sure there weren’t any cars coming, Jake tugged on Hannah’s hand, so they could cross the street. And yet something had him looking back at the crowd as they crossed, though he wasn’t quite sure what had caught his attention.
An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, and though he knew he was likely being paranoid, he didn’t like taking chances where Hannah was concerned. He wouldn’t drag her home just yet when he wasn’t even sure of what he’d seen, but he’d have to keep his eyes open, given that the people who’d gone after Will hadn’t thought twice about shooting him. “Let’s head towards the beach where they have the bonfire going. I think they’ve got mulled cider and hot chocolate, too. Help warm you up.”
With her hands wrapped around his bicep, she looked up at him with a smile, looking far too adorable with a colorful knit hat on her head, her bright red hair pulled down the side in a braid, her cute glasses, and her cheeks and nose flushed from the cold. “Isn’t that what I have you for?”
He groaned, her words making him go hard, so he was already rethinking their plans so he could get her back home in a hurry. “That can be arranged, little red.”
She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her curves brushing up against his hard-on as she went up onto her toes to nuzzle him and steal a long, lingering kiss. “I think I might like that more than is wise. And it makes me wonder what else you have planned for me, Jake.”
His mind was already wandering through all the things he’d like to do to her, his grip on her hips tightening to pull her close. “Fucking hell, love…we’re not even going to make it to the bonfire if you keep that up. Or was that your plan all along? To get me out in public where you could tease me into a frenzy but where I wouldn’t be able to ravage you?”
She flicked her eyebrows up teasingly and then bit his bottom lip. “Maybe. Does that mean I’ve been bad?”
“So very bad.” He couldn’t resist turning her around and smacking her ass, even though they were in public. “You’re in so much trouble, little red. I can’t fucking wait to get you home.”
She twined her fingers with his, giving him a flirty and mischievous smile over her shoulder. “And just think of how much trouble I can get myself into between now and then.”
Fucking hell, the girl was doing him in. “I swear, I don’t ever remember you being such a tease. Is my memory bad or is this because you now enjoy tormenting me?”
“I think it might be a new thing.” She pulled him to her and kissed his cheek, as they made their way onto the beach, the sand slowing their progress. “You seem to have brought out a side of me I didn’t know existed. And I love it, Jake.”
“I love it too, sweetness.” Except that his blissful thoughts were interrupted by the feeling they were being watched. Pulling her to him, he tucked her in at his side, placing a protective arm around her shoulder as he looked around, trying to sort out the faces in the crowd and find the potential threat.
Portmore was large enough for him to not know most of the people wandering through town on a given day, but once you added the to
urists into the mix, the majority of the people around them were strangers. And then he spotted the perky brunette heading his way, sending his heart racing as he tightened his hold on Hannah. He sent a small prayer to whatever gods were listening that Lizzie wouldn’t say much more than a simple hello, though he knew what she was like, and doubted he’d be so lucky.
“Hey, stranger.” Lizzie gave him a quick peck on the cheek, making him stiffen and silently curse when she turned to Hannah with a big smile. “Hi there. I’m Lizzie.”
“Hannah. It’s nice to meet you.” Hannah managed a smile, but it was stiff, and he knew she’d guessed that he and Lizzie had slept together.
“Now I see why Jake hasn’t called me. Been busy, by all accounts. Not that I can blame him. Your red hair and freckles…you’re cute as a button.” Lizzie shifted her gaze from Hannah to Jake and then back again, before giving Hannah a flirty smile. “Although, if you’re into sharing…it could be fun—if you like that sort of thing.”
Jake tightened his hold on Hannah, cursing under his breath. “She’s not. And we’ve got to go. Sorry, Lizzie.”
Lizzie let out a disappointed sigh and a shrug, before her smile returned, though it was less perky this time around. “All righty then. Well…you know my number if you change your mind. It was a pleasure meeting you, Hannah.”
And then she was off with a wave, her damage done.
Chapter Fifteen
Hannah knew Jake had been with his share of women. But she supposed they’d all been in his past—and not wandering about the town he lived in—the town he wanted her to move to. The thought of constantly running into Jake’s ex-lovers had her rethinking how wise a decision it’d be to move to Portmore, and knowing Jake, it wouldn’t be just the occasional woman here and there.
“Hannah…I’m sorry about that.” Jake cupped her face and brushed his thumb over her cheek, his touch warm and soft, and his hands big and powerful. “Lizzie tends to like stirring up trouble, and it was never anything…”
“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t sleep with her? Because I don’t believe you, Jake.” He wouldn’t dare lie to her. Not when it was so obvious that he’d slept with her.
“I have—probably more times than was wise.” He took a deep breath and let it out on a weary sigh. “But it was never anything serious, love. You must know that.”
She pulled away from him. His touch suddenly felt different, as if she was just one of many. And the silly thing was that she knew that was the case. She’d always known. It was just that now she’d been faced with it. And it wasn’t in his past. It was still his present. “Can we head home? I don’t think I’m much in the mood to be out and about anymore.”
“I’d take you to the ends of the earth and back if it was what you wanted, but, Hannah…I’m worried that you’re letting Lizzie get to you and ruin our day. I’m not in love with her—nor have I ever been. And to be fair, she knows that and isn’t looking for that sort of thing anyway.” Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her to him, his head bent to hers as he nuzzled her. “Any woman I’ve been with since we broke up has been nothing but a distraction from you—and a poor distraction at that. Because I swear I tried to get over you, Hannah, and it was futile.”
She knew she had no right to be hurt or angry with him, and she told herself that it didn’t change what was between them. He’d been honest with her from the start, and if anything, the last few days had been far more difficult for him, with Will wanting to make their marriage work. Yet she still couldn’t ignore the ache in her heart, even if it was irrational.
As she leaned into him and took a deep breath, not quite knowing what to say, his familiar masculine scent filled her head, easing a bit of the tension around her heart. “I love you, Jake. If I didn’t, none of this would matter or bother me.” But just because she loved him didn’t mean that she wasn’t leery of him breaking her heart.
“I love you too, little red. With all my heart and soul. You’re all that matters to me, which is why I don’t want you worrying about things that don’t matter.” He caught her mouth in a teasing kiss and then another, nuzzling and nipping at her until she relaxed in his arms and he somehow, magically, managed to push her worries aside. “I need you to trust me, Hannah. I know you’re thinking the worst, and I’m here to tell you that it’s not going to happen. I won’t break your heart—though fuck…I do worry that you’ll break mine.”
He was right—especially with Will wanting her back. And unfortunately, she couldn’t guarantee that she’d be able to spare Jake, even if she wanted to. “Please take me home, Jake. Right now, I don’t want to think about anything but you. And I’m tired of the outside distractions that keep trying to pull us apart.”
How the hell could she figure out if they should be together when circumstances and other people—hell, even her own thoughts—kept trying to come between them? For now, she just wanted to slip back into Jake’s embrace and shut out the rest of the world so it was just the two of them.
“They can only pull us apart if we let them, and I refuse to let that happen. If you still want to go home, I’m happy to head back, but I don’t want us leaving because of Lizzie.” He cupped her face in both his hands and kissed her. “And if you’re seriously considering moving in with me—which I damn well hope you are—then I want to show you around, because…fuck, Hannah…I’m excited to have you living with me.”
She still had Will to think of and whether or not she’d give her marriage another shot, but if she decided not to, then she knew she wanted to move in with Jake. Because when she was with him, it felt nearly impossible to keep things moving slowly between them. “I guess heading back to your place can wait just a little while longer.”
“I’m glad to hear it, love. It’s not that I don’t want to get you naked, but I also want this to feel like home for you—though if you’d be more comfortable moving, I’d do that too.” The intensity of his gaze, and especially his words, told her just how serious he was about her, given that he was already so settled in Portmore. Jake was offering to move—for her. He was willing to give up the life he’d built here. And she had a feeling he’d stop at nothing to make her happy.
“Your house is perfect, Jake. I couldn’t imagine asking you to move out of it. And I don’t really have anything holding me to the place I’m currently at. I can work from anywhere, and your place is a hell of a lot nicer than mine.” Especially when hers held far too many memories of Will—and their broken marriage. “Besides, I like Portmore, from what I’ve seen of it—even with Lizzie wandering about. And between your place in the woods, and the town center being right on the ocean, it’s the best of both worlds. But…I still need to sort out things with Will.”
“Yeah…I know, love.” Jake pulled her against him so she could nestle in his arms with her head resting against his broad chest, his heartbeat steady and strong as he held her close. “In the meantime, I think we should warm up by the bonfire and then get a bite to eat.”
They did just that, heading to the bonfire that was raging on the beach, with groups of people milling around it for warmth. She was still tucked in against Jake’s side, and in a way it felt good to be out and about with him—like a real couple, for all the world to see.
With her need for Jake now a constant thrum that had worked its way into her core, and the pleasant soreness between her legs from him taking her time and again, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so alive, so wanted, so desired. And the time she was spending with Jake only served to remind her of everything that had been lacking in her relationship with Will. Though she wanted to give Will another chance, especially if it was true that he’d been pushing her away to keep her safe, she didn’t know if she’d be able to walk away from Jake.
And yet, when she was with Will, she was reminded of just how much she’d once loved him. Because the truth was, they had actually been happy at one point. Before things got complicated. Before they grew apart. Before life threw mur
der, grief, and crooked cops in their wake.
“Are you warm enough?” Jake pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, distracting her from her thoughts of lust and demise.
“It’s chilly, but I’ve got you to keep me warm.” She snuggled deeper into his muscular embrace, breathing in his familiar scent, which at once calmed her soul and turned her on to no end. “That said, I’m hungry—and for a lot more than just food.”
“Say no more, little red.”
***
Hannah’s burger was delicious and juicy. “The food at this diner is amazing. And I love the retro feel of the place.”
Jake gave her a crooked smile and popped one of his sweet potato fries into his mouth. “It’s not retro, sweetness—it’s original to the place from when the Greasy Spoon opened back in the fifties, though they’ve done a good job maintaining and updating it all. They make a mean breakfast too.”
“Have you figured out what you want to do next, now that you’re leaving your job at the restaurant?” She could see him doing something a bit different, since he was so creative—and that creativity sure as hell wasn’t limited to just the kitchen.
“Not sure what I’ll do, but I want to take some time off. Travel for a bit to see the world, get inspired, especially since I’m not pressed, financially. And I think you need to come with me.” He gave her a flirty smile that lit up his brown eyes with flickers of gold and made her heart skip a racing beat. “Come on, Hannah…you know you want to. I’d take care of all of the expenses. Then we could come back to live in Portmore. I could set you up an amazing studio to work out of. We could even set it up so you could do your pottery.”
It sounded amazing, but could she really do that? Just take off around the world like she didn’t have a care, and then come back to a gorgeous home, with an incredible guy? Somehow, it all seemed too perfect, too good to be true. And it had her wondering if it would all eventually go to hell. Was she fooling herself to think this could truly work—long-term? And yet, she wanted to believe Jake, wanted to believe that they could truly be happy. “That sounds wonderful, Jake. And I suppose I could work from just about anywhere, but…I don’t know. I still have to sort out things with Will.”