by C. A. Saari
I could tell he was on the verge of saying no way Jose, but then he nodded and let me sit on the other end of the love seat. I took in his face, it had been cleaned up but it still looked rough. All because of me.
“Don’t.” Jake said, linking his fingers with mine. “Don’t you dare.” He could obviously tell what I was thinking. I reached out and touched that beat up face and he turned into my palm to kiss it.
“How long was I out this time?” I asked, Jake smiled.
“Just through the night. It’s only Monday morning.”
Awesome.
“And why aren’t we in school this time?”
“We were in a car accident this weekend.”
Clever.
“You look like you were in a car accident.” I wrinkled my nose at him teasingly and he chuckled. I hated to ruin the moment, but I had to ask. “Did we get Parker?”
A dark looked crossed Jake’s face as he looked out at the land in front of us. He shook his head, but didn’t speak on the subject.
So Parker was still out there. I wasn’t sure what that meant for us, and it made me nervous but I decided now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. There was another, more immediate question I wanted answered anyway.
“Did we find out who called the home office?”
“Yeah. Cora. She swears it was because she thought it was the right thing to do for her team. She was worried of the consequences for keeping our secret.”
Could hardly blame her for looking out for her team…but that didn’t mean I couldn’t still hate her.
“Speaking of which,” Jake continued, a scowl on his face. “We’ve taken on another member here.”
“Really? Anyone I know?” Could someone else we know see?
“Yeah, Jason.”
I frowned.
“Jason? Why? He has his own team.”
“Well, both dad and Mick think we need the extra hand, with the demons infesting our backyard and Parker still being out there and all. Jason volunteered.”
I played with his fingers.
“That’s not such a bad thing then, right?”
“I guess not. I just hate the way he looks at you.”
I raised my brows.
“Since when have you ever cared about that?”
“Since Jason. The guys at school know better, they leave you alone. This clown…I don’t think he’s going to stay away from you.”
I smiled then. Carefully I slid into his lap so that I was straddling him, his hands automatically went to my hips, anchoring me there. I cupped his face and kissed him.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m yours Jake. There’s actually something I’ve been trying to tell you for a while now, but we seem to attract interruptions.”
“Well then, you better tell me quick before someone comes out here.” He teased.
I felt the butterflies in my stomach quicken, I felt lightheaded and I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with my wound or the drugs that was keeping the pain away. I drank in his face, even beat up it was so incredibly handsome. I took a deep breath…and the front door opened. I glanced up to see Ryan stepping out.
“You’d better back your ass up into that house.” Jake growled out. “And while you’re at it, tell anyone else who plans on opening that damn door that they’re going to get some face time with my fist.”
Ryan’s eyes widened and he went back in without a word. The door clicked shut softly behind him.
“You were saying?” Jake asked, his voice gentling.
I had to work my courage up again. I fingered the tattoo on his neck.
“Remi.” Jake whispered. “Say it.”
My eyes flicked to his. Did he know what I was going to say?
“I love you.” I blurted out on a whisper. The way he looked at me, the way one corner of his mouth kicked up in a smile told me he did know. He’d probably known all along. He cupped the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. A kiss that lingered until I was absolutely breathless, then he deepened it and gave his breath to me. My hands fisted in the front of his shirt as if I had to anchor myself there or float away. Jake pulled away slightly and whispered against my lips.
“I love you too.”
I pulled away far enough to look him in the eye. I smiled.
“Say it again.” I asked, breathless yet again.
“I love you.”
I laughed softly. “Hearing you say it out loud is so much better than in my imagination.”
He grinned. “What was it like in your imagination?”
I looked at him coyly and fingered the neck of his shirt.
“Well…we were wearing a lot less clothes.”
“Really? Funny you should say that because I was just thinking how much I hate that we’re wearing pants right now.”
“Should we get rid of them then?”
“Are you feeling up to it?”
“Jake, even if I weren’t, I’d be really disappointed if you didn’t take me upstairs right now.”
He looked at me in mock horror.
“I don’t want to disappoint you.” He stood, taking me up with him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me inside.
“Say it again.”
“I love you.” He said, taking the stairs up.
“Again.”
“I love you.”
“Again.”
“Remi!” He kicked the door shut behind us cutting off my laugh.
He loved me. Demons from hell or high water, he would love me for the rest of his life.
Just as I’d love him for the rest of mine.
About the Author
Things that Go Bump At Night is C.A. Saari’s first self-published novel. She has been writing for years and has many more gems that she would love to share…especially the sequel to Things That Go Bump At Night; Things That Creep At Night!
C.A. Saari lives in Southern California with her family and enjoys writing for the simple pleasure of writing. She also loves reading as well and you can find her as a new member of Goodreads, so please, if you have a favorite novel you’d like to share, let her know.