Sweet Dreams (Sunset Dreams Series Book 1)

by Senhaji, Jennifer

  Tired of waiting, he looks me dead in the eyes and with an ugly sneer asks, “Did you sleep with me so you could tell your friends you fucked Jacob Walker?”

  What?

  My eyes widen and I feel my rage hit me full force at his words, as my hand goes flying and I slap him across the face as hard as I can.

  “How dare you! How can you stand there and say that to me! I never told a single soul about you, our friendship, that weekend in Italy, or that we had ever even met!” I’m so angry and hurt that he would think that.

  Jake stares me down and yells, “Then what was it? Jerry wasn’t doing it for you in bed?”

  I try to hit him again, but Jake grabs my wrist and holds it to my side. I don’t think I have ever been so angry in my entire life.

  I see red.

  Where is this coming from? The selfish bastard. He’s blaming me?

  “You asshole! Jerry is my friend and partner, whom I met long before I ever met you! Yeah, we tried dating for a while, but I ended it six months before I went to Italy. What did you want me to do? Wait around to see if you would ever make a move? We were long distance friends and you had made it very clear you wanted to be just friends! And what about Amy?”

  We stare each other down, practically nose to nose, as Jake holds my wrists to my sides.

  “I called you one morning, wanting to talk about us, a couple months after I came to the cottage to visit you, and Jerry answered your cell. I asked him who he was and where you were and he told me he was your boyfriend and you were in the shower,” he grinds out accusingly.

  I can almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

  Is that why he stopped calling me? Because Jer answered my phone?

  Because he figures Jer must have spent the night?

  Because he was jealous?

  “I didn’t know that, you never told me! Yes, I was dating Jer then, but I ended it with him right after that.” I’m not going to explain myself to him, he’s the one who should be explaining himself. He still hasn’t answered me about Amy.

  Jake’s eyes shift down to my lips and then back to my eyes. Letting my wrists go, he starts pacing again. “So you were dating him then.” I can almost see the wheels turn in his head as he processes this. He stops and faces me. “Wait a minute, you mean you weren’t with Jerry when you were in Italy?”

  “No! I told you I ended it, but that’s not the big issue here. What about Amy?”

  With a confused look on his face he ignores my question and asks, “So when you said I love you to the guy on the phone at the villa, who were you talking to?”

  Is he not going to even admit that he’s with Amy?

  What a hypocrite!

  “What are you talking about?” I shout.

  “I heard you on the phone, at the villa in Italy, telling some guy you loved him,” Jake says with an accusatory tone.

  I throw my hands up in the air.

  For crying out loud! Can I never get a straight answer?

  I guess he’s not going to answer me about Amy.

  “If you heard me talking to anyone it was my dad!”

  With a tortured look on his face, Jake asks softly, “So why did you leave me if it wasn’t about Jerry?”

  This can’t be happening.

  I never wanted to have this conversation. That was the whole reason I left, to avoid this moment.

  “Don’t make me say it, please.” I want to cry right now, but if I let myself go there it’ll be too painful. Taking a deep breath I try to steady myself.

  Jake moves directly in front of me and lifts my chin so I’m looking him in the eyes. “I need to know. Please?”

  The please takes me right back to the night we were together. I shake my head, trying to stop the memories from flooding back in, but a vision of him in my room in Italy, saying please, assaults me. It’s too much, too hard. He’s standing there waiting for me to answer and there’s nowhere for me to escape.

  I didn’t want to do this.

  I didn’t want him to see me this vulnerable.

  Why did he come back? Why is he doing this to me?

  The tears start to pool in my eyes and I whisper, “I didn’t want to see your face when you told me that it was a mistake and that you just wanted to be friends.”

  “Now I’m confused.”

  What? That’s his answer?

  Pushing him back away from me and swiping angrily at the tears in my eyes I yell, “You’re confused? I’m confused! I’ve been confused ever since we met! The whole world knew you were with Amy and you never once mentioned her to me! I thought it was because we were friends. There was no reason for you to have to explain anything to me. All those moments between us at the café and then when you came to see me. I thought it was all me. Then we were in Italy and everything exploded between us. After the night we spent together, I couldn’t think of you as a friend any longer. There was no way, not after that. I couldn’t go back to being only friends. When you left, I went for a walk. I was hoping that you were going to end it with Amy. On the way back to the pensione, I saw all these tabloids with pictures of you, but I couldn’t understand what they said. I checked online, on my phone back in my room, to make sure no one had taken pictures of us at the wedding and what do I find? Pictures of you proposing a few days before! You had said we needed to talk when you left and I couldn’t face you telling me that it was a mistake or you only wanted to be friends. I certainly was not going to be your friend with benefits on the side while you were engaged to another woman. It shattered me!”

  Great. I’ve fully exposed myself now.

  I feel sick.

  I worked so hard to get over him; to get on with my life. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to do it again.

  Glaring at Jake, I wait for him to respond, but he just stands there gaping at me.

  I guess he has nothing to say.

  Typical.

  I turn to open the door so I can kick him out and Jake’s hand comes up behind my head and holds the door closed.

  “Why did you break up with Jerry?” He’s standing directly behind me now. I can’t take this. It’s too much. I have to get him out of here. “Why?” His voice is right in my ear.

  Why is he doing this to me?

  Still facing the door, I look down at my feet. “I told you why, it didn’t work out. Now please leave!”

  “Why didn’t it work out, Jen?” His voice is like silk in my ear and causes me to tremble.

  It’s so painful to have him this close.

  “Please leave, Jake,” I say with the last of my strength.

  “Why didn’t it work out?” he whispers again.

  Resigned I admit, “If you must know, there was no chemistry. We are great as friends, but he’s not the man for me.”

  Jake slowly turns me around to face him and lifts my chin so I look into his eyes. “Who is the man for you?”

  Green…Jake green. That is the color. Jake green.

  Is he trying to hurt me even more?

  Tears stream down my face and I close my eyes not wanting to answer. “Please, Jake, you have to go. It hurts too much.”

  Jake holds both sides of my face in his hands so I have no choice but to look at him. “Who is the man for you, Jen?”

  I take a step back from him, to put some space between us. Instead, I end up hitting the door behind me and the déjà vu is overwhelming. Jake has me trapped against the door.

  Just like in Italy.

  He stands so close to me that I can feel his breath on my mouth. My breath catches in my throat.

  God, I want him so bad and I hate it.

  His lips are so close.

  I want to rip his clothes off and hit him at the same time.

  This is torture.

  His gaze flicks between my eyes and my lips and I feel like I’m going to faint. Pressing his hands against the door beside my head, he cages me in. He moves impossibly closer so there’s no space between us. Even though he isn’t yet touch
ing me, there’s nowhere for me to go.

  “Tell me. I need to know. Who is the man for you?”

  He’s killing me.

  I hate him. I hate him so much right now.

  I close my eyes to try and retain my last bit of strength. “Please, Jake. I won’t survive this.”

  “Tell me!” There’s a demanding tone in his voice now. “Who. Is. The. Man. For. You?”

  My eyes fly open at his forceful tone.

  “You are!” I yell, leveling him with my death glare.

  Before I know what’s happening, Jake’s lips are on mine and I automatically kiss him back. All my resolve flies out the window at the feel of him.

  I don’t care about being strong anymore, I need him.

  He kisses me frantically and my body immediately responds, melting into him. I’m so far gone at this point I will take anything he’s willing to give me. It’s pathetic, but true, and I hate myself for it. Jake devours me with his mouth and my hands grip the back of his head so tightly I worry I might rip out his hair.

  This is heaven. Heaven.

  Jake growls, pulls back from me, and yanks my shirt up over my head. He scoops me up and almost runs with me into the bedroom. I can’t help myself and bite his neck. He drops me down on my bed and pulls his own shirt off over his head.

  My mind turns off. I’m acting on pure animal instinct now.

  I need him like I need oxygen.

  Why is he not inside me yet?

  Jake kneels down in front of me and rips my jeans off my legs. I’m a mess, trembling with my need for him and impatient, I grab for his sides, trying to pull him up on top of me. Not knowing my own strength at this moment, I’m surprised when Jake comes forward and lands directly between my legs. I start to writhe underneath him like I’m possessed.

  I feel like I’m losing my mind.

  “Please, please, Jake.”

  He dives in for another deep kiss and I try to squeeze my hand in between us to unbutton his pants.

  Jake grabs both my hands by the wrists and holds them up over my head. He just looks at me and I start to unravel. Tears leak from my eyes. Taking a deep breath as he holds my arms above my head, Jake says, “There’s no me and Amy.”

  I freeze.

  This has brought me back to my senses.

  “What?”

  “It started out as a leak to the press as PR for the film,” he confesses, looking away from me as if he’s ashamed of something.

  I’m still trying to process what he said.

  Is it possible?

  Cautiously, almost like he’s afraid I might hit him, Jake lets go of my arms and sits up on the side of the bed.

  This is crazy.

  What is he saying?

  Is he saying they’re not a couple?

  He pulls me over to him so I sit in his lap and pushes my hair back from my face. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, he starts to explain. “We grew up together. We hadn’t seen each other for a while and then reconnected for the movie, but there has never been anything but friendship between us.” His voice is calm, almost as if trying to soothe a small child. I stay silent and listen to the sound of his voice while I take in everything he says. “I told you a long time ago, ninety-nine percent of the stuff those people write is complete fiction. The press will take one little piece of information and run wild with it. Amy and I are only friends. We spend a lot of time together, but we’ve never been a couple. There’s no controlling what they write about us anyways, so I don’t even acknowledge it. Besides, Amy’s agent felt it would be good for her career to let them think whatever they wanted about us and I didn’t fight her over it because all this time I thought you were with Jerry.” He kisses my nose and dips his head down to capture my gaze with his.

  “But, there was talk of weddings and there were pictures of you proposing on some boat in Italy. You were kneeling down and everything.”

  I’m so confused.

  Jake frowns. “I thought you told me you never read those magazines?”

  “I don’t, but when the man I just spent the night with is on the cover staring back at me I can’t help but notice the headlines. Especially ones that read Engaged!”

  “Like I said, they’ll take anything and run wild with it. I haven’t seen it, but that picture of me kneeling down was probably me showing Amy a sea shell or something like that. They always twist everything around.”

  Looking down at my hands, I whisper, “So you’re not engaged?” There’s so much that hinges on his answer.

  Please let his answer be no. Please, please.

  “No, I’m not.” He lifts my chin and pets the back of his hand across my wet cheek as he continues. “How could I be engaged to someone else, when I’m in love with you?”

  My heart jumps and then pounds so hard it’s almost impossible to breathe. “What did you say?”

  Searching Jake’s eyes with mine, I find fear in his gaze. He takes a deep breath, as if to steady himself, and says, “I’m in love with you, Jen. Crazy in love with you.”

  I never thought I would hear those words come out of Jake’s mouth. My heart swells and I think I might burst into tears. He watches me, waiting for me to say something. A smile starts to curl my lips and it gets wider and wider. Jake starts to smile back.

  I don’t make him wait any longer.

  “Jake, I’m so crazy in love with you.”

  “Thank God.”

  He pulls me against him and hugs me so hard my ribs feel like they’re going to break, but I’m so happy right now I could care less. Pulling back, he kisses me tenderly with a smile on his lips and I kiss him right back. I feel like I could fly right now.

  How did this happen? Is this a dream? If it is I don’t want to wake up.

  I tug on his hair and ask, “Jake, make love to me?”

  He answers with a groan and an attack on my lips that causes me to fall back onto the bed. I giggle while Jake curses and struggles to take off his pants with one hand while he reaches for me at the same time. I push his chest up away from me and hear a soft “no” escape his lips.

  Pushing him onto his back, I straddle his legs and unbutton his pants. When I’m done pulling his jeans off, I stand at the foot of the bed to admire him. He has the most adoring look on his face which lights a fire in me, and I climb back on top of him. He releases my bra as I kiss him, and I begin to trail open mouth kisses across his beautiful neck and chest moving lower down his stomach. He’s the one writhing now, and a smile comes to my lips as I continue south, peeling his boxers off to release his beautiful erection. He’s propped up on his elbows watching me, practically panting, and I look into his green eyes as I lick up his pulsing shaft. His arms shake as I swirl my tongue around the ridge of him and when I take him into my mouth, his eyes roll back and his arms give out from under him. He lets go the most erotic groan, making me feel so powerful that I start in with a fervor, taking him in as deep as I can, my hands on his hips to steady me.

  My name falls from his lips over and over as I worship this part of him that brings me so much pleasure. He grunts as he gets close.

  I don’t care. I want it. I need it. All of him.

  He’s delicious and beautiful and totally mine in this moment.

  Jake sits up and grabs me under my arms and I reluctantly release him from my mouth with a pop. I try to resist, but he’s too strong and pulls me up on top of him. Grabbing my head in his hands, he kisses me deeply and says, “Not yet.” He flips us over so I’m now on my back, pulls off my panties and throws them on the floor. Leaning down, he pulls my nipple into his mouth while his hand goes to my dripping core. Rubbing my clit, he dips two of his fingers inside of me, spreading my wetness all over my entrance.

  Oh his fingers, they feel so good.

  “I need to be inside of you, Jen, now.”

  This makes me shudder and I can’t think of anything else I want except Jake inside of me. Removing his fingers, I watch, mesmerized, as he sucks them into his mouth, moan
ing.

  Holy mother that’s hot.

  Positioning himself on top of me, he slowly slides himself inside me, keeping his eyes locked on mine. We both release a satisfied moan. Jake starts to move himself in and out in the most mind-blowing way as my hands pull him in as deep as possible. He keeps his thrusts long and steady, staring into my eyes the entire time and it’s torture. Heavenly torture; these erotic slow, long strokes drive me insane as my body screams for more.

  Pretty soon, all of my muscles tighten with my orgasm and as I grip him from the inside, Jake says, “I love you, Jen.”

  Crying out in ecstasy, I let my release and his words overwhelm me and my entire body shakes with the power of my climax. He stills, letting me come down from my high and strokes my face with his hand. My arms come away from his behind and reach around his neck to pull him in for a kiss that I hope can convey everything I feel.

  “I love you too, Jake, so much,” I whisper against his lips.

  We kiss each other deeply, Jake still hard inside me, until he rolls us so he’s on his back and I sit up and start to move on top of him. We find a wonderful rhythm as our hips roll together and Jake watches my breasts bounce up and down in front of him. As I start to peak, he twists both my nipples with his fingers and I cum again, clamping down around him. This triggers his release as well and he holds me down tight against him as he fills me.

  The aftershocks are so powerful, I almost collapse on top of him, but Jake shifts me so I lie down on my side as he spoons me. Feeling him poking me in the back, I know from our last time together how quickly Jake recovers.

  Meaning this is far from over.

  He kisses my neck, moving my hair aside as he lifts my leg up over his hip so he can enter me from behind. We’re on our sides and he slowly pushes into me while his fingers stroke my clit with one hand and his teeth nibble my neck. His other arm is across my chest, holding me tightly against him as he pinches my nipple and “Oh fuck!” comes out of my mouth at this new position. I grip his head behind me and hold his mouth to my neck while my lower body moves with his. We continue this way until I cum again and then Jake props me up on my knees and takes me rough and deep from behind. His fingers dig into my hips as he moves and he’s so deep inside me I start to see stars. He cums hard and we both collapse on the bed in a heap.