Keeper

by Robyn Roze

  With a mildly disappointed tone, Jake replied, “Okay,” and then whispered seductively in her ear, “I want you well fed before we engage in anymore grueling activities.” He gave her a squeeze and Olivia giggled, feeling warm all over.

  “Oh, I was going to talk to you about that.” She continued with mock sincerity. “I don’t think we should do that anymore.” They had reached Jake’s red Spider and he placed her backpack in the trunk. Olivia stood with her wrists crossed behind her back earnestly watching Jake.

  “Oh, really?” he questioned skeptically, shutting the trunk and cocking his head with a raised brow at Olivia.

  “Yeah, I’m afraid it’ll only lead to disappointment,” she replied drolly.

  Jake’s eyes narrowed as he stepped into her space skimming his arms under hers and around her back, pulling her up to face him. Olivia swallowed and her heart skipped a few beats when she found herself so close to his stunning blue eyes.

  “Care to repeat that, Miss Marshall?” he asked with heavy lids and a sexy-as-hell grin.

  She cleared her throat, raking her hands through the back of his dark, wavy, tousled hair and sighed. “Well, it’s just that when something is done so well,” she looked at his mouth and licked her lips, “the bar is set pretty high,” she said chewing at the inside of her mouth and looking down off to one side. She crossed her ankles and raised her feet up behind her. She loved it when he held her tight against him like this.

  He leaned in even closer to her and replied huskily, “I guarantee your satisfaction,” he said, nuzzling her ear. “In fact; I could take you back to my place right now and prove it to you.”

  A ripple of goose bumps radiated out from her core. Oh, he was so tempting. However, she knew if they didn’t eat now, it would be dark before they had their next meal. She gently brushed her cheek against his stubble and breathily said, “Food first and then you can take all the time you want proving your point.” She nipped at his ear.

  “How about drive-thru?” he suggested, only half-joking.

  CHAPTER 18

  They went to a local deli near campus and ordered panini’s and steamy bowls of chicken dumpling soup. The place was bustling and loud. They were still hungry so Jake ordered them each generous slices of turtle pie and ended up eating half of Olivia’s, too. A local paper left at their table had the cinema listings and they browsed it for possible movies to see later that night. However, they were both skeptical there would be time to go to a theater over the weekend. Rolling around naked in bed together was far more enticing than any blockbuster movie.

  As they exited the deli, Olivia noticed an arcade across the street. It had been a long time since she had gone to a place like that. “Hey, let’s go over there.” She pointed as she led Jake across the street. The blipping, beeping and buzzing sounds of retro and contemporary games assaulted their senses as soon as they entered.

  Olivia scouted for an air hockey table and found one near the center of the expansive layout. Jake fed some money into the token machine while Olivia energetically circled the air hockey table. She was like a little kid again and couldn’t wait to kick his butt at this game. Swaying from side to side in anticipation, she aimed a big grin at Jake. He shook his head at her in disbelief that she could be so excited about air hockey.

  A puck snapped into place on Olivia’s side as soon as the air puffed from the tabletop. She moved quickly and caught Jake off guard with a straight shot slamming in her first point without any attempt by him to block it. Now she was really grinning and swinging back and forth, as she slapped another puck on the tabletop. Apparently, Jake decided he would pay a little more attention this time and positioned himself over the table ready for her advance. She started drifting the puck and hit it hard toward his goal but he blocked it this time. He smiled and looked across the table at Olivia with narrowed eyes. Drifting the puck, he took a cut-shot that banked off her back rail. Olivia responded quickly with a chase-shot that banked to the right and went behind Jake’s mallet slamming in another point for her. Olivia looked up and saw his expression change. Jake now understood that she had definitely played before and obviously decided to take it more serious himself based on the determination written on his face.

  She took her time getting the newly released puck and tilted her head back to swing her hair out of her face. Eyeing Jake carefully, she placed the puck on the table and slowly drifted it, watching Jake’s body language before hitting him with a pump fake that scored her yet another point. Jake just hung his head and shook it in disbelief. This time Jake charged the puck as it crossed the centerline and scored his first point. Olivia pouted with narrowed eyes as Jake reached for the puck this time.

  Their back and forth continued until they were tied. The next point would decide the victor. Jake pulled the puck out from his side and held it up waving it back and forth while looking at Olivia with a raised brow and smug grin. She decided to pull out all of the stops for this one.

  Taking her hand off the mallet and gracefully stepping back from the table, she shot Jake a sultry look, hooked her hands near the top of her leather jacket and slowly unhitched it off her shoulders allowing it to slide gradually off her and drop to the floor. She kept her eyes on him as he zeroed in on her stiff nipples in the white t-shirt that hugged her liberated breasts. Her mouth curled at one corner as she clasped her hands behind her back and stretched her arms smoothly toward the back wall. Then she leaned her head back to shake her long chestnut hair behind her back before grasping her long mane and twirling it into a high ponytail.

  Jake froze as he watched her perfect breasts strain against the fabric of her tight t-shirt highlighting the hardness of her delectable pink nipples underneath. He swallowed hard as her breasts animated the fabric with their teasing bounce and sway as she stretched and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Oh, she was not playing fair. He needed to concentrate. Then she straightened out her shirt, pressing the material even closer to her body. Jake took a deep breath. She stepped lithely back to the table, deliberately bending over and allowing her lovely breasts to strain against her t-shirt like a hammock, signaling that she was ready. Jake’s mouth was like a desert. He needed something to drink. He needed to focus. One more point and then what he was staring at would be his for the taking. Clearing his throat, he shook his head to release her spell.

  The puck snapped down hard onto the table and they made eye contact. Olivia’s eyes were unyielding and one corner of her mouth was slightly curled. Jake made his move and just as the puck crossed the centerline, Olivia charged it banking it off his left rail and decisively into his goal. Jake’s head dropped and he shook it and smiled. When he looked up at her, she had her hands planted on her side rails and her head cocked with a supremely victorious look. Oh, this was far from over, he decided.

  “We’re not done,” he decreed, as he pulled more tokens from his pocket.

  ****

  They battled it out over air hockey and finally, reluctantly, agreed to stop at a tie before moving on to play skeet ball and various other games. After several hours, their stomachs were rumbling again and they decided to leave. Jake placed a delivery order on the way home for a loaded meat pizza for himself and a Hawaiian pizza for Olivia. The evening was cool but they kept the top down on Jake’s FIAT. Olivia clearly loved the feel of the brisk night air on her face and through her hair. She closed her eyes and lounged against the headrest.

  As he proceeded through an intersection, Jake reached over, took Olivia’s hand in his, and brought it to his lips. He kissed the top of her hand and gently rubbed his stubble against it. He glanced over and saw her smile with her eyes still closed. Oh, he really liked this girl.

  As they entered the bungalow, Jake placed Olivia’s backpack on the bench seat under the window, took her jacket, and hung it on a coat hook. She had already made her way to the kitchen and was rattling around for something to drink. She selected a Blue Hawaiian wine cooler, which Jake kept stocked just for her, much to his roo
mmate’s annoyance.

  As Olivia started to drink her cooler, Jake wrapped his arms around her waist nuzzling her ear and asked, “So, how often do you meet with that study group from your Anatomy class?” He was sure that Blondie was trouble.

  Olivia stopped mid-drink and pinched her brows. “It depends on what’s going on in class. Why?” He couldn’t still be thinking about Kyle.

  Jake held her closer and started gently swaying back and forth with her. “You know surfer boy wants you, right?” He brushed the hair off her neck with his chin and softly grazed her with his five-o-clock shadow.

  She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply shivering a little. “I don’t care what he wants, Jake,” she answered breathily, not believing that he could ever really be jealous of anyone. On the other hand, she would have to be blind not to notice the way girls gawked and acted stupid around him.

  Jake continued to nuzzle her and held her even tighter. “He’s asked you out before, hasn’t he?” His hands slid underneath the front of her t-shirt, caressing her warm silky belly.

  Olivia squirmed away from Jake so that she could face him. “Are you serious? Why are we even talking about him?” She was beginning to get a little perturbed.

  Jake stood taller hooking his hands in his front pockets and looked down at her resolutely. “Did he ask you out before we got together or after?” He clearly wanted an answer and didn’t intend to back down.

  She raised her brow and snorted softly shaking her head. Okay, apparently even Adonis had a jealous streak. Olivia blinked slowly and sighed. “Both. Are you happy now?”

  As she turned to walk away, Jake picked her up and sat her on the counter facing him planting himself between her legs so that she would have to look at him. He took the wine cooler from her hand and placed it on the counter next to her. Then Jake fixed his hands on each side of the countertop next to Olivia and leaned in closer. “And what did you say both times?” He held her with his stunning electric blue eyes.

  Geez Louise, he was serious. She searched his expression and could see in his eyes that he was really asking if she had slept with Kyle. She blinked and shook her head a little. “I said no both times, Jake,” she answered, shrugging her shoulders.

  He didn’t flinch. “What did you specifically say to him?”

  Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Why was he being so exasperating about this? They had just had a great day together. Why would he still be thinking about Kyle? “I don’t know, Jake. I…um…I said no the first time. And the second time I told him I had a boyfriend.” She noticed Jake relax a little.

  He cupped the back of her head in his sizable hand and brought her mouth to his. His other hand slid around her lower back and pulled her closer to him. Still feeling a little irritated by the interrogation, Olivia broke from his soft lips and pushed him away.

  “Why the twenty questions, Jake?” Her brows were pinched. “You’re the one with girls lined up around the block.” She gestured with her hand, noticing a different look in his aroused eyes, but couldn’t quite name it.

  He looked deeply into her eyes and said unequivocally, “I don’t give a fuck about those other girls. I want you.” She turned her head and pushed back from his advancing kiss.

  “And I want you, too.” Olivia motioned between them with her eyes. “Isn’t that what this whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing is about?”

  Jake gripped her hips and pulled her roughly against him. “I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.” He must have read the quizzical expression on her face and answered, “I don’t want you with anyone else, Olivia.”

  Now she recognized the look in his eyes and her stomach tightened. He was falling for her, not what she had expected from someone like him. Her heart clenched and she swallowed hard, licking her lips and replied breathily, “I don’t want anyone else, Jake.” She took his face in her hands. “Only you.” She kissed him hard and his hands skimmed underneath the back of her t-shirt. Olivia wrapped her legs around him and he picked her up carrying her to his bedroom.

  They fell together on the bed kissing and writhing. Olivia had her hands in Jake’s hair and he had a hand under her t-shirt claiming a breast. Their kissing became feverish as Jake reached down between Olivia’s legs and stroked her center before gliding up to unbutton her jeans.

  Somehow, between the kissing, moaning and touching, she thought she heard something and froze for an instant. The doorbell! Their pizzas! He had her pants undone and she was trying her best to break away from him, but he was ignoring her.

  “Jake. Stop. Jake! Stop!” She was no match with his weight on top of her but finally she managed his attention and he pulled away looking down at her with cloudy confusion. “The doorbell! The pizzas!”

  Jake shook his head to clear it. The doorbell chimed again. “Fuck. Okay, I’ll go get it.” He shifted off the bed and stood for a few seconds waiting for the throbbing down below to lessen so that he could walk again. He yelled out, “Hold on! I’ll be right there!”

  As he stumbled out the door, he looked back and saw Olivia lying on his bed with her pants hitched just below her hips and her raised shirt exposing her trim mid-section and the rise and fall of her rounded breasts. He licked his lips and saw the dreamy look in her eyes.

  Pressing his head against the doorframe, he said huskily, “Do not move. I mean it.” Then he shot her a don’t even think about it look as he went to pay for the food.

  The delivery guy flashed a huge smile as Jake grabbed the pizza boxes and slammed the door in his face. Jake knew that he must’ve over tipped the guy but couldn’t have cared less at that moment. He took long strides through the living room and kitchen tossing the pizza boxes on the table.

  Just as he entered his bedroom, something soft and sweetly scented feathered against his face and dropped into his hand. He looked down to see skimpy pink polka dotted panties. His eyes shot to the bed and his breathing stopped when he saw Olivia gloriously naked on his bed with the dusky hues of the setting sun kissing her curves. She was biting her lower lip and smiling with quixotic eyes.

  In a soft sexy voice she purred, “I didn’t move.” Jake swallowed hard and stuffed Olivia’s panties in his back pocket. “I’ll need those back at some point.” She smiled softly.

  He already had his shirt and jeans off and was moving toward the bed in his black trunk briefs with smoldering hooded eyes. It was impossible for him to take his eyes off her. “Oh, I guarantee you won’t need them anytime soon,” he choked out.

  CHAPTER 19

  As Olivia reached down to grab her bag from the airport luggage carousel, someone else got to it first and said, “Let me get that for you.” She jumped back at the sound of Nick’s voice. He saw the bafflement in her face and explained, “I thought I’d surprise you.”

  Olivia’s brows twitched. “Is George sick or something?” she asked dubiously as her stomach did flips.

  Nick stared for a few seconds. He couldn’t remember the last time he had really looked at her beautiful gold-flecked emerald green eyes. “No. I wanted to pick you up myself,” he replied as he lightly placed his hand on her lower back steering her away from the crowded carousel.

  Nick knew that he had to turn things around or he would lose Olivia for good. She would be turning twenty-one soon and graduating from college with a very sizable trust fund at her disposal. She could go anywhere after graduation and he wanted her to come back home to him where she belonged.

  The past year had been hard on both of them with all of his traveling for the racing team, and she had changed during that time because of his absence. Now he realized that she had just missed him and was rebelling by transferring out-of-state as a final attempt to get his attention. Well, she had it now. He knew she had loved him once and was sure she would again. He just needed time to show her that the past year was an aberration. The drinking, his absence, the rough sex had all just been errors in judgment and he needed to shift her focus away from all of that. Now it
was time to prioritize and get them back on the same track again.

  He rid the house of all the alcohol and decided to pull back and be patient with her, literally, hands off. He would show her the old Nick. The one she used to love and follow around everywhere. The one who showed her how to play pool, drive fast cars, ride motorcycles…and please him in so many ways. In the end, she would want him again and would want to come back home, for good.

  “I thought we’d stop by Carmelo’s Trattoria on the way home,” he offered as he gestured for her to walk ahead of him through the sliding door. “That was one of your favorite places to eat at one time, right?”

  Olivia felt disoriented. Had she stepped through a wormhole into an alternate universe? As they reached Nick’s Audi R8 he said, “Why don’t you drive?” Olivia gaped at him in shock. “I know you can handle her, Olivia. I’m the one that taught you how to drive these things.” She glanced at the car and back to Nick nodding her assent.

  The food at Carmelo’s was as delicious as she remembered, and Olivia stuffed herself with a caprese salad and chicken prosciutto ravioli. Making small talk during dinner, Nick asked how her classes were progressing, and seemed interested in what she had done at the hospital the previous weekend when she was unable to come home. She glossed over that as quickly as possible, but warmed on the inside at the memories of the incredible weekend that she and Jake had spent together. After sharing a tiramisu, they headed to Janus Lane.

  Olivia was too full and tired after the meal to drive the rest of the way home, so Nick was back in the driver’s seat. With the soft hum of the road and dark sky above, Olivia was just about to doze off when Nick spoke.

  “Olivia, I need to say some things before we get home.” He glanced over at her and continued, “I need to apologize for my behavior this past year. It was inexcusable and I know that I’ve hurt you.” He sighed. “I deeply regret that, Olivia.” He up shifted and passed a couple of cars before swinging back into his lane. “Anyway, I want you to know that I’m not drinking anymore. In fact, there’s no alcohol in the house at all.” He started to slow for the upcoming red light. He breathed in deeply and continued his confession. “I want you to know that I restored the lock on your bedroom door. You can sleep in your old room if you want.” He paused and added softly, “I won’t bother you.” He exhaled and looked out his window. “I know that I need to earn back your trust, Olivia. And I know I can if you give me the chance,” he added quietly, looking over at her.