Keeper

by Robyn Roze

  Jake rubbed his nose gently against Olivia’s and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Olivia stopped breathing when she saw his mouth open to speak.

  “You’re so different, Liv. I have so much fun with you…in and out of bed.” He winked and smiled sweetly at her. His eyes clouded over and became more serious. “Olivia,” he paused, swallowed hard, and looked deeply into her eyes, “I lo-” They both jumped when his cell phone jolted to life, vibrating and skipping across the nightstand near their heads. Jake shot a fiery look at it and dropped his head exhaling loudly.

  “You’d better get that,” Olivia said kissing him and quickly scooting out from underneath him. “I’m going to jump in the shower.” Before she fled into the bathroom, she looked back and teased, “Join me when you’re done.”

  He watched her bare bottom disappear into the bathroom and he rubbed his hand around his face before grumpily reaching for his phone. He saw the caller ID and rolled his eyes to the ceiling sighing.

  “Hey, Mom.” Jake rubbed at his eyes. “I’m good. Yeah, I’ll be home tomorrow. I’m bringing Olivia, too.” He was nodding. “I know, I didn’t think she would.” He got up off the bed and heard the shower running. He headed out his door and stood in the hallway. “Now, Mom, I’m serious. No twenty questions this weekend. Olivia is very private so don’t bombard her. You can ask her about school and what she wants to do after school and all that kind of stuff.” Jake looked back in his bedroom. “Just keep it light this weekend, okay? There’ll be plenty of time for all those other questions down the road.” He began pacing in the hallway. “Yes, really. I like her a lot, so you’ll be seeing more of her in the future.” He went back into the bedroom and peeked around into the bathroom. He could see Olivia’s curves silhouetted on the thin white shower curtain. “Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

  Before heading into a steamy shower with Olivia, Jake opened a dresser drawer, throwing his cell phone in and slamming it shut. The next time he had the guts to lay his cards on the table there would be no interruptions.

  CHAPTER 22

  The three-hour trip to the McCloud family home was almost at an end. Jake and Olivia had made a couple of quick stops along the way and would be pulling in the driveway well ahead of dinnertime. Evelyn McCloud would be very happy about that.

  Jake looked over at Olivia and smiled. She had dozed off and looked very peaceful. He still couldn’t believe how readily she had agreed to accompany him this weekend and he took that as a good sign. He looked back to the road and wished that every day could start the way this one had.

  For the first time since they started dating, Olivia had actually spent the whole night. He liked waking up next to her this morning and spooning her soft, warm curves up against him. Of course, one thing had led to another and she was soon writhing and moaning underneath him. He smiled indulgently at the heated memory and had to adjust himself while driving. They had showered and eaten breakfast before he took Olivia back to her dorm where she could pack. She had asked him to wait in his car, promising not to take too long. Jake was surprised when less than twenty minutes later she was on her way back to the car with a small bag. She certainly traveled light. He liked that about her, along with so many other things.

  Olivia started waking up and stretching like a contented kitten. “Are we almost there?” she asked sleepily.

  “Another twenty minutes or so,” Jake replied, glancing over at her.

  Olivia sighed looking out her window as the speeding rural landscape started becoming more dense and commercialized. She knew they were heading to a lake on the other side of Sterling where Jake’s parents lived. She hoped this weekend went well, but she was feeling nervous. It wasn’t smart agreeing to this trip. She was sure Jake didn’t take every girl he was with back home. There wouldn’t have been enough time to fit them all in, she smirked to herself. She knew that he was getting serious about her, about them. Oh, how she wished it could all work out, but that had never been her experience, so she didn’t see any way that it possibly could in the end. She would just enjoy it day by day and pretend that she was like everybody else. Until it became clear to everyone that she wasn’t.

  For some reason, Nick had been calling and texting more recently and it really unsettled her. He was up to something. He had to be, right? He had just been too nice lately. She didn’t see how she could ever give him a second chance, but maybe she could give him the benefit of the doubt. They could never be now what they should have been to each other. He had ruined any possibility of that, but maybe there was some middle ground. The whole situation with Nick and Jake was becoming more confusing and troublesome.

  Olivia had texted Nick letting him know that she would be out of town with a friend and would probably not be checking her phone much. She always kept her phone off when she was with Jake, because she never wanted Nick to call when she was with him. She decided she would check it once in awhile just to keep him off her back this weekend. Although, since he was still out of the country she didn’t expect it to be an issue.

  As they drove the winding narrow lake road, Olivia could see the afternoon sun glinting off the water through the thick old trees. Most of the houses were well hidden somewhere deep in those forests, only exposed by the mailboxes at the side of the road and the drives that led somewhere back into the dense old growth.

  Jake slowed down and made a sharp right turn. They continued further along on a well-maintained drive that led to a single story brick residence with a four-car garage. It looked very cozy with beautiful landscaping and a sizable flower garden centered by a large wrought iron gazebo. She envisioned the garden splashed to life with vibrant colors and the gazebo blanketed in climbing fragrant flowers. It must be breathtaking in the spring and summer she imagined.

  Jake parked near the house on the circular drive and grabbed their bags out of the trunk. They headed into the house and Olivia saw immediately that she was wrong about the size. It was multi-leveled, expansive and open. She could see the lake out a large bank of windows ahead of her, and as she moved forward, the windows dropped down even further to different levels. She could see the intricately layered deck system outside with cutouts for the old trees that pushed up through the different levels.

  “Hey, anybody home?” Jake called out.

  “Oh, Jake! Is that you?” his mom hollered from somewhere in the house.

  A petite woman with dark, wavy hair pulled back in a French clip came around a corner wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. She was wearing khaki crop pants and a green-collared knit top. She reached up for a hug and her dark-framed rectangular eyeglasses bunched up against her face when Jake bent down to embrace her.

  “Oh, honey, I’m so glad you could come.” She tried looking around his massive frame asking, “Where’s this girl I’ve heard so much about.”

  Olivia winced when she heard that. Oh, no, what has he said, she worried?

  Jake turned to see Olivia standing behind him. He took her hand in his and brought her up beside him. “Mom, this is Olivia Marshall. Olivia, this is my mom, Evelyn.”

  Evelyn was beaming and Olivia could have sworn her eyes were sparkling in delight.

  She wrapped Olivia’s free hand in both of hers and cooed, “Olivia, I am so happy to meet you. Jake has gone on and on about you.”

  “Mom, for crying out loud!” Jake threw his hands up looking a little embarrassed.

  Olivia smiled and bit at the inside of her cheek. “It’s really nice to meet you, too, Mrs. McCloud.” She now knew where Jake had inherited his stunning eye color.

  “Oh, no, no, no! Call me Evelyn. I insist,” she said patting Olivia’s hand.

  Olivia complied. “Alright…Evelyn.”

  Evelyn continued to hold Olivia’s hand in hers while Jake held the other. She looked at Jake and said, “Your father went to get another propane tank for the grill and Jason should be here in about an hour. I’m just getting some things ready in the kitchen for when your father gets back. So
, why don’t you show Olivia around and take her bags to the guest room.”

  Jake gave her a quizzical look and smirked. “Are you serious…the guest bedroom?”

  Evelyn released Olivia’s hand, parked her knuckles on her hips, and just stared unflinchingly up at Jake. He stared down steadfastly at her for a few seconds and decided to bite his tongue. Shaking his head and smiling, he said, “Okay, I’ll give Olivia the grand tour.”

  “I hope you like burgers and chicken, Olivia,” she called out as she headed back to the kitchen.

  Olivia tried to stifle a giggle. “Oh, I do, Mrs. - I mean, Evelyn.”

  ****

  Jake showed her around the main floor, which consisted of a very large gourmet kitchen with beautiful dark granite counter tops complemented by honey stained maple cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and espresso stained wood flooring. A large eat-in area opened out over one level of the deck with a view of the rippling lake and a pontoon boat meandering along lazily.

  The view was stunning. A thick forest of multi-colored autumn leaves outlined the perimeter of the property curving down and around the sloping lawn opening to the boathouse, dock system and large swim platform further out in their own private cove. Olivia’s heart twinged. It was déjà vu.

  The rest of the main floor was primarily a large great room with neutral comfortable furnishings, a massive stone fireplace, owner’s suite, home office, full bath and laundry. Jake explained that unless he and Jason were home, his parents rarely left the main floor. The second level had fitness equipment and a large sectional with a plasma TV mounted above another beautiful stone fireplace. Jason’s bedroom was at one end of the floor. On the other was a spare bedroom and both bedrooms had en suite baths.

  “So, is this where I’ll be sleeping,” Olivia asked pointing into the spare bedroom.

  “Fuck no,” Jake whispered to Olivia. “Mom didn’t say which guest bedroom.” He winked.

  They moved down to the third level, which looked a bit like a bachelor pad. There was another kitchen, but not nearly as big as the one upstairs, and another laundry area. A pool table anchored the large great room in the center with sports equipment up against one wall and yet another plasma TV mounted above a gorgeous stone fireplace. The wall décor consisted of all kinds of sports memorabilia, posters of various sports figures, pennants, the obligatory road signs, and then something caught Olivia’s attention.

  “Is that you?” she asked pointing to the picture of a super hot lacrosse player making an aggressive offensive maneuver.

  “Yeah, that was my senior year at EHU…obviously before the injury,” he recalled quietly. Jake looked down at Olivia and smiled. “Like what you see?” She couldn’t take her eyes off his image. The massive gloves on his hands holding the stick and ball up high and off to the side, the padding that exaggerated his already broad shoulders and chest, the flexed leg muscles and the determined look on his face framed by his helmet and face mask. “Do you still have all that stuff?” she asked pointing to his uniform and gear.

  “Yeah, it’s around here somewhere. Why?”

  Olivia slowly shook her head. She answered breathily, “You look freaking hot in that picture. If I saw you in that…I’d definitely have to do a stick check.”

  Jake stepped back and started laughing. “Olivia Marshall! You take a perfectly innocent game and turn it into something dirty. You naughty, naughty girl,” he growled moving into her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

  “What else does my picture make you want to do?” His eyes narrowed.

  She arched her brow and tilted her head, sliding her hands around to the dark wavy hair at the back of his neck. “I’m not sure I should tell you right now.” She looked around the room reaching down to stroke the growing hardness through his jeans and bit at the corner of her lip, deciding whether to continue. She looked up at him and lulled sexily, “Are you sure your stick is regulation size, it seems rather large, it might require a body check.”

  Jake’s mouth curled at one corner and his chin tipped down as he started guiding her toward the pool table. “I think you like my big stick, Olivia,” he growled dangerously. She felt her cheeks flush and her core heat up. “What next?” He rasped hungrily, bending down so that they were nose to nose.

  The look in his eyes caused her breathing to catch and deepen. She swallowed hard and continued. “Well, after a ball hunt, I think a…coast to coast would be in order.” She eyed his mouth hungrily and then trailed that heated look to where her hand was stroking him. Jake picked her up, sitting her on the pool table and leaned her all the way back onto the green felt covering.

  “Then what?” he asked huskily.

  She narrowed her eyes and smiled suggestively. “Then it’d be time…to hug the pipe…in my crease…” she whispered seductively, biting at her lower lip. He closed his eyes and groaned. She finished with, “Then I’m pretty sure it’d be…man down.” She winked and noticed his dilated, hooded eyes.

  He hovered over her and whispered, “You’re killing me with that mouth of yours.” He kissed her hard and deep. Olivia squirmed underneath him only making him hornier.

  “Jake, stop.” She was giggling. “I mean it, stop!” She whispered against his mouth.

  He pulled up and looked down at her with that dreamy expression he had more and more often these days. “You’re so lucky we’re not alone right now.”

  “I’m not sure I’d call that lucky,” she said sexily, shrugging slightly.

  Jake exhaled loudly resting his forehead against her neck and shoulder. “I’ll show you to your room,” he said, pulling her up off the pool table. As she moved around him, he smacked her backside hard. She shot him an I can’t believe you just did that look and then smiled flirtatiously and winked.

  He squinted and responded, “That’s what happens to naughty girls that tease their boyfriends.”

  “Oh, I’ll keep that in mind for future reference.” She shot him a risqué smile and winked again as Jake led her down a short hallway into the guest room.

  The room accommodated a four-poster, queen size bed with taupe comforter and creamy accent pillows. The furnishings were white and the carpet felt plush under her feet. There were two windows in the bedroom. One with a view of the woods and the other had an even better view through a box seat window facing out over the lake. There was also an en suite bath with a very large seamless glass shower and double vanity.

  Jake was watching her closely. Oh, the things he wanted to do to her right now. He was mentally calculating the risk and time he might have before someone came downstairs looking for them.

  “So, did you save your room for last?” she asked coquettishly, slinking toward him.

  He picked her up, quickly shutting the bedroom door and pressing her up against it. She immediately wrapped her legs around him.

  “How are you going to make it until Sunday night, Mr. McCloud?” she teased, touching her finger to his soft lower lip.

  He raised his brows. “Uh-uh, I’m not waiting until we get back to my place to have my way with you.”

  Olivia’s brows shot up. “We can’t in your parent’s house! They’ll hear.”

  “Then I’ll have to find something for you to bite down on,” he mused with a raised brow. “Besides, they’re two floors up and on the other side of the house.”

  “But your brother’s room is much closer.” she said in a nervous tone.

  Jake could tell that she was apprehensive and he nuzzled her ear and whispered huskily, “Oh, it’s happening Olivia. One way or another, I’m going to have you as many different ways and places as I can this weekend.”

  Olivia’s insides started to melt. Jake’s hand slid up under her shirt and cupped her bra-covered breast. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his.

  “Jake, we can’t now. Someone could come down here any minute.” He was sucking at her neck and shoulder junction, and she could feel his hardness growing between her legs.

 
; Just then, they heard a male voice call down the stairs, “Jake! Could you help me with the grilling?” Connor McCloud was back with the propane tank.

  “Fuck,” Jake whispered as his head fell onto Olivia’s shoulder.

  Breathily she deviled, “I guess you can’t always get your way.”

  As he lowered her feet onto the carpeting, he looked hard into her eyes. “Oh, I will get my way. I always do in the end.” He gave her a quick kiss and a wink before opening the door and heading upstairs to help his dad.

  He looked back at her. “Aren’t you coming?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be up in just a minute, okay?”

  “Sure.” He nodded and made for the stairs.

  She watched him disappear and then circled slowly around her room before finding her way to the box seat window facing the lake and sitting down. She tipped her head back resting it against the casement and stared at the sloping lawn that led down to the dock. Orange sparks jumped off the water from the early evening sun. Her stomach was in knots. The layout of the house was very different from where she had lived as a girl, but the view out this window wasn’t. She could feel her heart seizing and her throat constricting. Now she would be spending the next two days here with Jake and his family. His family. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had interacted with a real family. She could get through it though. She had to, but for so many reasons, she already knew she could never return.

  CHAPTER 23

  Jason had finally made it home about fifteen minutes before they were ready to eat. Olivia had expected him to look like Jake, but he really didn’t. He was around six feet tall, well built, although not as muscular as Jake. He had short dark blond hair parted on one side and stormy gray eyes very much like his fathers. He was friendly, but seemed more reserved than Jake, and she had noticed him watching her and Jake closely. Maybe she had upset their brotherly dynamic and Jason was just trying to figure out where he fit in this weekend.