by Mae Martini
Jake smiled. “You’ll be just fine, Cord.”
“Cord smiled back. “Yeah, but I want our kids to grow up together.”
Jake nodded his head. “Yeah, me too. But if I have a girl and you have a boy, I’m keeping my eye on him.” He smirked.
Cord laughed and shook his head. He stuck out his hand and Jake shook it. “Later bro.”
Chapter 32
Two weeks later….
Jake watched as she brought her hand up to her head and raked her fingers through her blonde hair, bringing it up and back only to watch it fall luxuriously back in place with a bounce. He scanned her slim figure, visible in a tight pink tank top and a short body hugging frayed denim skirt. Her calf length tan cowboy boots didn’t have a mark on them and he just knew she’d never worn them before.
He picked his eyes up to her face and smiled his appraisal.
She licked her lips slowly, leaving a moist sheen on them as she smiled at him.
Ah, he shook his head, knowing she was flirting with him.
“It’s been years.” He hugged her and gave her a peck on her cheek. “You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman.”
“You noticed, Jake.” She clung to him.
“I notice everything, darlin’.” He smiled as he stepped back. Feeling awkward, he grabbed Calista’s side of the big cooler she and Rory were carrying down to the river.
“Anything?” Rory asked Jake as he, Cord and Jake drank long necks while sitting on the bank of the river. They watched the girls frolicking in the water.
“No.” He scowled at Cord as he kicked a pebble with his foot. He downed the beer.
“What’s your problem?” Rory asked.
“Nothing. I didn’t want to come today, but the asshole here said I had to. Why, because of her?” He nodded his head in the direction of the blonde in the water with Calista and Annie. “I’m not interested.”
“You better not be.” Rory said.
Jake just looked at him, then turned and walked to the cooler to pull out another beer. He sat down under a tree to get out of the hot sun.
Once everyone was out of the water, they passed out the sandwiches that Annie made. Cord silently gave an Amen when he saw they weren’t those gourmet sandwiches, but good old ham and cheese, and peppers, potatoes and eggs, his favorite.
As they talked about the impending sale of the B&B and Jake’s ranch renovations, the blonde, who was sitting next to Jake, was popping green grapes in her mouth. She stretched an arm and placed a grape by Jake’s mouth and he opened up and took it. He turned to her and grinned, but as he turned something caught his eye. He quickly turned back. His jaw dropped.
About fifty yards away was Gia. His stomach settled for the first time in three weeks. He knew she was there for him.
She wore a brown bikini with fringes, and a diamond belly chain. crystal drop earrings glittered in-between her long tousled hair. She sat bareback on a horse, but not just any horse. She sat on Bella, and she held his gaze.
Jake rose up before anyone else spotted her and all eyes went to him. They all looked to where he was looking as he began to walk to her.
Cord and Annie smiled. The blonde’s eyes turned into daggers and she turned to Rory with a question in her eyes.
Jake had already forgiven Gia, but he was not going to make it easy for her, she put him through hell.
As he walked closer to her, she felt Bella step in his direction and drew back on her reins. She pet her neck. “I know, Bella, I’m anxious too,” she whispered.
She tried to read Jake’s face, but found it difficult, his lips were a thin line and he slowly shook his head, his eyes locked with hers.
Jake finally understood what a woman meant when she said she felt butterflies take flight in her stomach. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Gia. Her sultry pout was killing him and all he wanted to do was kiss and nip and suck those luscious lips, and wrap her tight in his arms.
As soon as he stood near her, Bella threw her head in his direction. He looked to Bella and picked up a hand to pet her. “Hello, beautiful.” He brought his face to hers and gently blew into her nostrils. Bella licked Jake and he grinned as he straightened up, then brought his eyes back to Gia, his countenance unreadable. He noticed she kept looking over his shoulder, then back to him. He turned his head and saw the blonde looking their way. When he turned back to Gia he caught her biting her lip as she watched him.
“Three weeks,” he muttered.
She sucked in a breath as she continued to chew her lip.
“Why are you here, Gia?”
Another breath. “I, uh.” She looked over his shoulder again.
“Don’t look at her, look at me.”
She brought her eyes back to his. “Can we talk?”
“Talk.”
Ouch! “I, um.” She blew out a breath. “Three weeks and you moved on already?”
He didn’t say anything.
Another breath. “She’s beautiful.”
“Yep.”
That word slammed into her like a ton of bricks. She lifted her eyes to a flame colored tanager that had flown overhead and landed in a tree a few feet from them, trying her best not to let a tear escape.
A moment passed before she looked back to him, and with a trembling mouth, she said, “Well, uh, I did buy Bella for you, Jake. I just, ah.” Again her eyes went to the blonde.
At hearing her name, Bella had leaned her head into Jake, and without taking his eyes off of Gia, Jake absently put his hand up and pet Bella’s nose.
“Look at me, not her.”
When she did, she bit her lower lip as she pulled her lips back, and her eyebrows furrowed. He knew that look on her. He knew her well enough. She was ready to flee, damn it.
She lowered her eyes and went to turn. Her eyes shot back up to him when Bella didn’t move. He had grabbed onto Bella’s bridle.
“You’re more beautiful.” He stared into her eyes. “You put me through hell for three weeks, Gia. Say what you really came here to say.”
This was the moment of truth for Gia. She thought about what she wanted to say. Finally, she decided to go with it. To humble herself and bear the consequence.
“I’m in…” She paused.
“Say it.” His voice deep and raspy. His heart had already lifted, but he needed her to say it. He noticed her stomach had been clenching and releasing.
“I’m in love with you, Jake, and I’m sorry. Jake, I am so sorry. I know I’m too late with this,” she looked over his shoulder again, “but, I really do want you to have Bella.
Jake smiled. He smiled so wide and his eyes sparkled very bright with no help from the sun. “You’re in love with me?”
She nodded, then looked over his shoulder.
He decided to let her off the hook. “That’s just Rory’s annoying cousin, Becca.” They locked eyes. “You want to come hang out with us? I’ll introduce you.”
She slowly shook her head. “I have a blanket set up by the river in the back of Cord’s house, and was hoping you’d want to come with me so we could ta-”
Bella took a step, adjusting to the weight. Even before she finished her sentence, Jake had flung himself up behind her and grabbed the reins. It took her a moment to relinquish them and she leaned back into him, enjoying the feel of his arms as they aligned with hers.
“What about your stuff?” She asked.
“My friends will take care of it for me,” he said as he turned Bella around and lightly tapped his heels to her stomach.
“Oh.”
“Did you really buy Bella for me?”
“Yes.”
“Jim Lawson gave her up? Just last week, when I ran into him, he told me she’s his favorite.”
“He told me that too, which is why I paid a pretty penny for her.”
“Gia!”
“Oh, and I promised him you would train another horse to replace her.”
Jake burst out laughing and squeezed her arms with his. He bent his
head. “I missed you,” he whispered before he planted little kisses along the helix of her ear, down to her lobe where he gently tugged, and smiled when he heard her whimper as she burrowed deeper into him.
She lay on her side, on the blanket, with her arm bent and her head in her hand. Her breasts were squished together, making for an impressive cleavage. One leg, bent at the knee, was crossed over her other leg as she watched every move Jake made.
“How did you find your way to the Pedernales from Cord’s house?” He asked as he walked Bella back from the water.
“His hand, Miguel, rode with me most of the way. What’s the latest with Jennie?”
He tethered Bella loosely to a tree branch and walked to the blanket. “She’s still in jail. She still can’t make bail. Her father keeps calling me to go see her, but I have no intentions of doing so. I mean it, G, I’m done with her.” He swiftly knelt down and threw his legs out to lie down next to her, on his side, marveling at the beautiful vision in front of him. He ran his hand along the curve of her body, starting from the slope of her waist to the rise of her hip and back again, relishing in her touch as his eyes lingered on her breasts.
He brought his lips to hers and kissed her. Feeling her lips on his never felt so right. He couldn’t get enough as he pried her mouth open with his and snaked his tongue inside her mouth. Her taste, exquisite, like always.
His hand at her hip became demanding, bringing her close to him when she straightened her leg and brought it back. He needed her to feel his arousal, to let her know what she did to him.
In a heated kiss was when she realized, he’d never said it back. She pulled her lips off of him.
“What?”
She chewed her bottom lip and her eyes shifted.
Jake let out a little breath and his mouth lifted in one corner as he slowly shook his head and brought her head to his chest. “What are you thinking, baby?”
“You didn’t say it back.” She felt his steady breathing and the quiet was eating at her.
“No, I didn’t,” he finally said.
“Oh.” She went to pull away. He held her tighter.
“Three weeks, Gia. You had me going out of my mind for the past three weeks. I can’t just forget that."
“I know.” She pulled apart and this time he didn’t stop her. She sat up and crossed and folded her legs. “I was hurt.” She sighed. “I’m so tired of feeling hurt.” She looked around, not really seeing anything.
Jake didn’t make a move, even though he wanted to wrap her in his arms.
She put her head down. “I thought you would come back-”
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
She nodded. “I know, but then I thought I blew it and you were through with me, or that you were angry at me because my father is dating your mother, and-”
“Gia. I love you.”
“-felt like our relationship can’t go anywhere because we may be brother and sister soon. What?” She picked her head up, her eyes wide and her mouth open.
Jake chuckled. He leaned up and grabbed her arm to bring her back down and moved over her. “I said…..I love you.” And he moved in, kissed her like his life depended on it and she clung to him like her life depended on it.
“I want you,” he whispered at her mouth as his fingers snaked their way into her bikini bottoms. “I’ll always want you.”
She moaned and he sucked it in as he applied pressure on her clit with his thumb as two fingers slid inside her. His cock jumped at the feel and sound of her wetness and he thrust it against her thigh as he lowered his mouth to her chin, then her throat. He sucked and licked between her cleavage and nipped a breast, all the while working her with his fingers. She writhed under him and lifted her hips to take him deeper as her breaths became ragged.
His other arm was above her head and he couldn’t move it so he quickly removed his fingers from her pussy.
“No!” she whimpered.
He grinned as he pulled up her bikini top and quickly slid his fingers back as he took a nipple in his mouth and suckled, and moaned as he pumped hard and fast while pressing on her clit with his thumb.
She came undone, moaning, thrusting up and gasping for air. He felt her stomach tighten and release in quick succession. When she went to push back because the sensations were intense, he removed his fingers and quickly dropped his shorts and pumped his cock.
He watched her watch him as she removed her bikini bottoms and when she looked up into his eyes, she saw the heated desire he always exhibited when they were loving each other and she knew then that even though he never said it before that day, he had always loved her. He quickly got in between her legs and shoved inside of her, never taking his eyes off of hers.
“Ahhh,” she moaned as her lips curled up. And the timeless dance of love making began. Hands were all over each other, stroking, caressing, loving. Jake thrust long, slow strokes as their mouths collided and their tongues clashed in a sensual battle. Their breaths and movements quickened. Before long he was slamming into her as she was thrusting up. A burst of adrenaline kicked in and she pushed up and turned them over. She sat on top of him and rode him, grinding back and forth as his hands held onto her at her hips.
Just watching her sexy body riding him was enough to make him come. Heat shot out of his balls and he raised his upper body and flipped them.
He grunted and groaned, trying to hold out, but he wouldn’t last long. He brought a hand to her clit and rubbed before he gently pinched as he thrust hard. Then he placed a finger inside her along with his cock. When he took his finger out and brought it to his mouth to suck on, Gia whimpered and bucked. She grabbed his finger and put it in her mouth. It was at that moment he felt her muscles grip his cock, and he came, uttering her name over and over.
Both breathed heavy, staring into each other’s eyes. Both shuddered sporadically.
“I love you, Jake.”
“I love you, too.”
“Come on, let’s go,” Jake said as he rolled over, laid back and picked up his shorts. Then he took her hand and yanked her up, and helped her fold the blanket after she straightened out her bikini.
“Where are we going?” she was still giggling at his excitement.
“I want to show you the renovations at the ranch.”
When they arrived at the ranch, they saw that Jake’s truck was in the driveway. After Gia helped Jake settle Bella in her new stall, he retrieved his stuff from the truck and they walked into the house.
He explained what the kitchen looked like before, in order for her to get the idea of the transformation it had undergone, and she was excited for him, and with approving eyes walked around the large room.
“Check this out.” He grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs and down the hallway to the master bedroom. It was a spacious room with a king size, four post bed, and large cherry colored, wood furniture.
Gia walked to the bed and studied the headboard.
“Do you like the posts?”
She nodded. “Yes, very much.”
He came up behind her and put his arms around her middle. “I can’t wait to tie you up in it.”
She sucked in a breath. “Oooohhh.”
She scanned around the room almost looking for something as she continued to lean into him. “Can I have my ankle bracelet back, please? I miss it being around my ankle. I feel naked without it.”
Yes! But, he was going to play it to his advantage. “Yes.” He pulled it out of his short’s pocket. He had placed it there after he took it from the glove box when he retrieved his stuff from the truck. He had made it a point to carry it with him everywhere he went in hopes of being able to produce it, if such an occasion arose. And it did. He smiled to himself. “But if I give this to you,” he said, dangling it above her head, out of reach, “do you promise not to take it off anymore?”
“Yes.” She nodded and reached for it. He raised it higher. She shot him a look as she slightly lifted the corners of her mouth.
&n
bsp; “Do you promise to never flee from me again?”
The little smile on her face faded.
“There’s nothing to think about, G. All I’m asking is that we talk it out before you leave me again.”
“Oh, Jake. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I do that.” She paused and sat on the bed. “I don’t know why I flee, Jake. I just get scared and do.”
Jake clicked the roof of his mouth with his tongue and sat down next to her, putting his arm around her. “G, it’s alright to feel scared, but when you do start to feel scared, come to me and talk to me. Don’t run away. I promise you I will ease your fears.”
“No matter how silly the reason?”
He softly chuckled. “No matter how silly.”
She slowly nodded her head. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he repeated as he reached down and brought her leg up onto his lap, and placed the bracelet on her ankle.
Chapter 33
8 months later……..
The waiters busied themselves with transforming the little patio, accessible from the bar, and the beach directly in front, into an outdoor dining area. A worker went to the strategically placed, crisscrossed torches, and lit them. The soft music had been turned up and the din of the place grew a little louder as the bar began to fill up.
Gia and Jake sat in the same two chairs around the bar they had occupied for the past two nights, sipping Mai Tais and watching the last of the sun worshippers pack up. The catamaran with the white and blue stripe sails had just come in from dolphin watching for the final time that night. They watched as a man staggered from the walkway. Too much rum, as Jake had known first hand; having had taken that little excursion with Gia the day before, after her surf lessons. A dog jumped down onto the sand and barked.
For the past two days, after Gia finished her surf lessons on the beach, while he hit the waves of Waikiki with a surfboard, she took him around the island.