by Lori Ryan
Lina couldn’t help herself this time. She flipped him the bird as she strolled from the kitchen.
Cam tsked at her. “Not in front of the children.”
Lina laughed.
“Go check on your bedmate,” Cam called after her, chuckling. “Breakfast is almost ready. Unless you’ve already eaten.” His cackling laughter could be heard all the way upstairs.
Idiot.
Lina made her way back to the bedroom and found Jake still sound asleep. She smiled to herself as she walked into the bathroom. Pulling the toothbrush from its holder, she grabbed the paste and squeezed a strip onto the bristles. She scrubbed her teeth, reliving the evening in her mind.
She thought about kissing Jake, sleeping next to him, waking up wrapped in his body, his warm breath caressing her neck. It had felt nice to be in the strong arms of a man.
She bent to spit out her toothpaste, holding her hair to the side. When she stood she saw a tall figure behind her. She screamed but a large hand cupped her mouth.
“It’s just me,” Jake whispered in her ear, laughter in his voice. He released his hold on her but didn’t back away. “I’m sorry,” he said, watching her reflection in the mirror. That’s when she noticed his chest was still bare and pressed up to her back. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She stood, dumbfounded, not a single coherent thought in her mind.
He reached around her and grabbed one of the wrapped toothbrushes, breaking it open with ease. He squirted a line of toothpaste on the bristles and ran the brush under the water before popping it into his mouth and scrubbing. “What?” he asked through his mouthful of suds.
She shook her head, still mute.
He chuckled and finished, spitting out the toothpaste and using a cupped hand to rinse with clean water. There was something intimate about them standing together, brushing their teeth, a morning ritual afforded to couples who lived together. An image of waking up in Jake’s arms flashed in her mind.
Jake reached around her, his arms brushing against her abdomen, very close to the underside of her breasts, as he reached for the hand towel. She stood motionless, watching as he wiped his mouth, his eyes twinkling with mischief. How could wiping your mouth be so sexy?
She wondered if Jake Sumner had a dangerous side. He was always so controlled, except when it came to Becca.
Becca!
She turned to push past him. “We should probably get downstairs. Becca and Cam are making breakfast.
“Your roommate?”
She glanced up at him. Was it her imagination or did he look upset?
“Yes, he’s great with kids, and a great cook. Breakfast is his specialty.”
Jake closed his eyes and inhaled. “It does smell good.” He opened his eyes, his gaze holding hers as something heated sparked between them.
“Well,” she cleared her throat, trying to push past him, “we better go.”
He pressed her against the door jamb, stopping her. “I wanted to say I’m sorry that I took advantage of you. I was tired, and…”
She hated the look of guilt in his eyes. “If anyone took advantage, I think it was me. You were upset, and vulnerable.”
“I didn’t mind you taking advantage of me.” He smiled, leaning closer. “In fact, feel free to take advantage of me all you want.” His sideways smirk spelled trouble, but she’d always been the first in line at trouble-making.
Lina raised her hand and trailed her fingertips up his bare arm, loving the feel of his warm, smooth skin. Her eyes roamed up his chest, to his throat. She watched as he swallowed hard. She could feel the need vibrating across his skin.
“I’m about to take advantage of you again,” he said, his hands gliding around her waist, drawing her in.
Before she could answer, his lips crashed against hers. As much as she willed it not to, her body pressed into his with a moan as his tongue found hers.
Jake pulled her closer, one arm trailing down her side and thigh until it hooked under her knee. He lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist. Right where they were the night before when they’d had to stop.
Her body heated in an instant, just as needy, just as ready for him as she was last night.
“Jake,” she tried to protest, and yet, her body continued pressing into him, her leg tightening around his waist.
“Tell me to stop, Lina,” he said against her mouth.
Everything inside her screamed stop, and yet no words made it out of her mouth. Instead she tangled her fingers in his hair, drawing him closer to her body.
His hands slid to her ass, cupping her as he lifted her off the ground with ease. He moved them to the wall of the bathroom and closed the door with his foot, his mouth never leaving hers.
“Oh, my God,” she moaned as he pressed his erection against her. Sparks of pleasure spread down her body as the pressure of his erection against her center drove her insane with need. “We shouldn’t.” Even as she said the words she knew she didn’t mean them.
“Why?” he asked, rocking into her.
Yeah, why? She wondered, unable to think of anything other than clawing her way inside this man, of breathing him in, of filling her body with his hardness until she screamed for more. She remained silent and matched his rhythm with his own.
“Christ, I’m going to explode like a teenager if you keep that up.”
She laughed, pulling back. “Isn’t that kind of the point?”
Jake stared down at her lips. “Uh, no. The point is to take my time with you, Lina Bianchi.” God, the way he said her name… He leaned down and pressed feather light kisses against her neck, moving up to the shell of her ear. “Of tasting every inch of your body before I slide inside you and take you till you scream.”
She swallowed a moan. God, that sounded perfect. Her head fell back against the wall as she let him have his way with her neck.
“Jakey!” Becca pounded on the door.
Jake dropped Lina like a hot coal, gripping her waist and catching her just before she fell to the ground. His eyes were wide as his gaze darted from the door to Lina.
“Jakey!” Becca shouted again.
Jake pressed his forefinger to her lips and pulled back the shower curtain, motioning for her to step inside.
Seriously? She was going to hide? In her own shower?
“Jake!” came Becca’s insistent voice.
“Coming,” Jake called.
Lina slipped into the tub, feeling like a guilty teenager who’d been caught by her parents. Only this time, it was the kid who caught the parent.
Jake secured the shower curtain, ensuring Lina was hidden before opening the door. “What?” Jake asked as if annoyed, but Lina could hear the fear in his voice. Brought on by a five-year old. She held back a laugh.
“Have you seen Lina?”
“Uh…,” he stuttered.
What was he going to say?
“No, I just woke up. I was using the restroom.”
“Oh,” she said, pausing.
Lina could picture Becca scrutinizing her father with a stink eye. She had to press her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. The girl was no dummy. Neither was her father.
“Well,” Becca said, “we need to find her. Breakfast is ready and me and Dog are hungry.”
“Let me put on a shirt first, then we’ll find her.”
“Why is your shirt off?”
Yeah, Lina wondered that too, not that she was complaining.
“I got hot,” he answered.
Lina would agree with that. Jake Sumner was definitely hot all right.
“Well, hurry up. I’m going to go look for Lina.”
Lina couldn’t help but wonder how Jake would do with Becca in the years to come. The girl had been through so much, there was bound to be fallout. Becca’s footsteps descended the stairs, and Jake’s head poked through the shower curtain, a smug smile on his face. “That was close.”
“Why are you smiling?” she asked, stepping out of the tub.
Lina felt her face flush red but had to say, the idea sounded more than nice. “Go,” she said, pushing on his shoulder. “Put your shirt on so we can eat. Cam’s cinnamon roll pancakes are the best.”
Lina followed Jake into her bedroom, reaching down to pick up his T-shirt lying on the floor.
“Good, Lord,” she heard him moan behind her.
She stood up. “What?” She noticed his eyes were trained on her behind.
“Is that,” his eyes narrowed, “Sponge Bob on your pajama bottoms?”
Lina glanced down. She’d gotten up during the night and put on her pajamas. “Yes. Why?”
Jake laughed. “You’re such a contradiction, Lina Bianchi.”
She furrowed her brows. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t get mad,” he said, taking the shirt from her and throwing it over his head.
She watched, swallowing hard when his muscles contracted as he pulled the material over his chest. Since when had getting dressed become as sexy as undressing, she wondered?
“I meant, one minute you’re poised and confident, leading a political discussion at the library, then you’re passionately lecturing me about parenthood, and you finish by playing dress-up with my daughter.” He paused, pointing to her pajama bottoms, “and wearing SpongeBob SquarePants PJs.”
A slow smile spread across his face, warming her center.
He moved toward her but stopped short when his phone rang. He glanced across the room at her vanity table. “When did I put it over there?”
“You didn’t. I did.”
“Why?” He grabbed the phone and stared down at the number, groaning as he slid to answer it and put it to his ear. “I can’t talk right now, Seth.” There was a long pause. “I know that.” Jake rolled his eyes.
She bit back laughter after hearing him scold Becca for doing the same thing. The two were a lot more alike than he probably realized.
He held up a finger in warning and she slapped it away. “Look, Seth, I have to go. I’m late for a meeting. Tell Todd I’ll call him when I can.” Jake’s eyes caught hers. “I don’t care, I’ll call him later. Fine. Bye.” He jabbed the phone to end the call and tossed it back on the table, scrubbing a hand through his hair.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“That man drives me crazy,” he said, exasperated.
“Then why do you work for him? You have great experience. You could work for anyone.”
“Honestly?” He sat down on the bed.
She moved to sit beside him. “Of course, honestly.”
“I know it might not seem like it to an outsider, but his policies are sound, most of the time. He’s really trying to do good with his position.” He stopped abruptly as if realizing he said too much. “Hey, why did you move my phone?”
“I didn’t want it to wake you. It rang earlier with a text message but you looked so peaceful. I just thought…”
“Thought what?” he moved closer.
“Honestly?” She mimicked him.
“Yeah.” His brows furrowed.
She bit her bottom lip, wondering if he would be upset that she’d seen his message.
Jake reached up and pulled her lip from her teeth. “Lina, what’s wrong?”
“I saw the text message.”
“What text message?” he asked.
“It said something about the situation being worse and she wanted more money.”
“Fuck.” Jake’s head fell back and he rubbed his neck.
“What does that mean, Jake?”
He turned his head, staring at her. “Why did you read it?”
“I didn’t mean to, I swear. I wasn’t trying to be nosey. I just…” Yeah, just what had she been doing?
“You know I can’t talk about this right?”
Lina nodded. “Are you sure it’s not you who’s trying to do good things with Todd’s position?”
Jake’s brows rose. “Why do you say that?”
“I took a poli-sci course online a couple of years ago and we studied some of the younger state legislators who were making a difference. Todd was one of them.”
“Yeah?” She couldn’t read Jake’s face. He seemed…wary, maybe?
“I found out he was a good guy, he had some great policies. Once. But now that he’s considering running for the U.S. Senate his views on major issues are starting to change.”
Jake inhaled slowly and blew out a heavy breath, leaning over and bracing his forearms on his thighs.
“I’m sorry, Jake. I didn’t mean to pry.” She scooted over and rubbed his back.
“It’s okay,” he said.
“Can I ask you something?”
Jake turned. “May I.”
She snorted. “Right, sorry. May I ask you something?”
“Sure.” He sat up and her hand fell away.
“Do you believe in him, as a candidate I mean?”
He closed his eyes, his hand raking through his hair. “I used to. I’m just not sure any more. Hypothetically—”
“Since you can’t talk about it,” she nodded.
“—yeah, hypothetically, it seems like I spend more time avoiding scandal and trying to undo the bad bargains he’s struck than I do working on issues that matter.”
Lina bent over and stared down at him until his eyes opened. They were lovely eyes, darker now but she could still see the hint of green deep in the center. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t upset me.” He reached up and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. The gesture seemed so simple and yet so intimate. His hand lingered as his fingers wrapped around the nape of her neck. He pulled her down and she went willingly.
“Lina, there you are,” Becca called from the doorway.
Lina jumped back and Jake shot to his feet.
Becca’s face scrunched together and her eyes studied them both. “What were you doing?”
“Uh,” Jake rubbed a shaky hand down his face, “uh, Lina wasn’t feeling good so I was seeing if she had a fever.”
Becca walked toward her. “You don’t feel good?” She reached out and touched Lina’s face. “You do feel a little hot.”
She heard Jake choke back a laugh.
“Where were you? I was looking for you,” Becca asked, real concern etched on her face.
Lina hated lying but what she supposed to say? I was in the bathroom sucking face with your hot-ass father. Yeah, just, no. “I, uh, must have been in the closet, looking for my slippers.”
Becca stared down at Lina’s bare feet then back up.
Lina lifted one shoulder. “I didn’t find them.”
“You can get socks,” Becca said. “That’s what my grammy does for Grandpa when he’s cold and lost his shoes. She has special kind with bumps on the bottom so he won’t fall. Maybe I could ask her to send you some.”
Lina smiled. This girl was so sweet. “That would be really great, Becca.” She reached out and stroked her long, curly hair. “Thank you.”
“Do you want to eat, or does your tummy hurt?”
Lina glanced up at Jake who was now wearing a shit-eating grin.
She bit back her own smile. “I think cinnamon roll pancakes would be okay.”
Becca grabbed her hand and led her out of the room. “Cam says ours are the best batch he ever made because I helped him. He said later when we’re done…”
Lina glanced over her shoulder, Becca’s words fading away as her eyes caught Jake’s.
He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, that smug, semi-adorable smile still spread across his beautiful face. It was good to see him smile, even if it was at her expense.
He pushed off the door jamb, stalking toward them with the deliberate moves of a wild animal. He winked, then pushed past her and scooped Becca up, placing his daughter on top of his shoulders.
Lina watched his T-shirt stretch over his taut muscles, his arms
flexing as he balanced Becca on his shoulders and bounded down the remaining steps.
“I can’t wait for your pancakes, turkey toes,” he said.
Becca giggled and swatted Jake on the head. “Turkeys don’t have toes silly.”
“Oh yeah, right.”
“My pancakes taste like cinnamon rolls,” Becca said with pride.
“Cinnamon rolls, huh?” He glanced up at her.
“Yes. And they’re very good, goose guts,” she said, covering his eyes.
“I can’t see, I can’t see,” he yelled, purposely running into the wall.
“Jakey!” she shrieked, lifting her hands.
They both laughed, the sound so infectious, Lina chuckled, too. Watching the two of them, it was impossible not to.
No matter how much she wanted to keep Jake and his daughter at arms’ length, no matter how much she felt like she needed to protect herself from the pull of the father-daughter duo, she just couldn’t find the strength. And honestly, she no longer wanted to.
Chapter Sixteen
Jake plowed into the conference room of the lodge, his laptop, cell phone, two croissants and a coffee precariously balanced in his arms. He glanced up, nearly dropping everything when he saw his family already sitting around the table.
Aaron jumped to his feet, making a grab for the laptop before it fell.
Jake let Aaron take the laptop and his computer bag, stopping to catch his breath.
“Jeez, you look like hammered cat shit,” Max said.
Jake studied the room. Unfortunately, their mother wasn’t there to slap his brother on the head. “Fuck you,” he said.
“Not me,” Max pointed to his chest, “but I heard you tried to screw someone.”
Jake laughed. “Becca’s getting to you. You said screw, not—”
Max waved a hand. “Shhh, she’ll hear you. I’m going broke.”
Jake and Aaron laughed, but Max scowled. “It’s true, though. It’s all over town.”
“What?” Jake wiped the coffee that had dripped on his hand on his pants, knowing he’d probably tell Becca not to do the same thing.
“Lina Bianchi.” Max smiled. “Heard you two had a little slumber party.”