Page 77 of Faking It with Mr. Uptight

A smile tugged at the corners of Jake's mouth. "That's my girl."

We finished our picnic, the earlier tension melting away like ice cream on a hot summer day. It was a relief to finally relax without any looming threats, especially from a certain ex-wife who shall remain nameless. Cough, Natasha, cough.

I didn’t feel like it was my place to voice my dislike of Natasha. This was something Jake needed to handle, and I would help in any way I could, but I didn’t necessarily want to influence him. Still, it pissed me off to no end that Natasha could show up after so long, then retreat again. Children are vulnerable and what Natasha was doing was not right.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a rainbow of oranges and pinks, we packed up our little love feast and headed back to Jake's place. And let me tell you, there was only one thing on my mind.

The silence between us changed as we walked up to his house. Our fingers brushed warmly against one another but never connected long, like a broken power line casting arcs of sparks before a fire catches. The air brimmed with anticipation, the sexual tension between us growing with each step as if we were playing some game, like how far can we get before we tear each other’s clothes off.

It had been more than a week since we last had each other. As soon as the door closed behind us, his mouth was on mine, hungry and eager.

My body responded instantly, my heart racing and my skin tingling with desire. Every thought and worry in my mind faded beneath his touch, his scent. I wanted to dissolve into him.

He lifted me off my feet, carrying me toward the bedroom, our lips never parting. He placed me gently on the bed and climbed on top of me. His eyes were dark and intense, burning with desire.

"I missed you," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

"I missed you, too."

Our lips met again, the passion between us rising to fever pitch. We devoured each other, hands roaming and exploring. Our clothes came off in a frenzy, the cool air from the ceiling fan kissing our exposed skin.

My hands traced the lines of his toned muscles, his skin hot to the touch. His own hands caressed every inch of my body, making me melt beneath his touch.

As his mouth moved to my neck, trailing kisses down my collarbone, I arched into him, letting out a soft moan. Contact. I just needed as much of me pressed against him as I could get.

His lips found mine again, the kiss deep and passionate. How were his lips this soft?

As he entered me, I gasped, waves of pleasure rippled out from my center and across my body. My fingers dug into his shoulder, pulling him closer and harder against me as he thrusted.

I was lost in the sensation of his body against mine, the heat and desire building within me. It was like I wasn’t me anymore and I was just a part of him.

Our breath was ragged, hearts pounding, the sound of our moans filling the room. Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, he brought me to the brink and then over the edge, my orgasm flowing through me, currents of bliss washing over me.

He followed, his own release coming in a series of powerful thrusts, the sound of his pleasure ringing in my ears.

We lay there, spent and satisfied, our limbs tangled together, our hearts beating as one.

After a few moments of silence, he pulled me closer, his lips finding mine again in a tender kiss.

"I love you," he murmured, his voice soft and warm.

"I love you, too.”

This place, with him—this place felt like home.

22

JAKE

Molly and I lazed in bed for a while on Saturday morning. The quality of the silence between us was so lovely. We didn't need to fill the air with idle chatter to make the other feel seen, we just had presence.

That was enough.

Molly had a way of putting a positive spin on any situation which used to piss me off beyond belief, but now I relied on it to keep me grounded. Like when we went camping, and Natasha showed up. Molly welcomed her and included her, something I didn't have the grace to do.

But Natasha, well, she had made the whole weekend about her, making sure to monopolize Hailey's attention.

When we had gotten back home, I couldn't even be mad about everything that happened, because Molly had ensured that despite it all everyone had a good time. She was the glue that held me together.

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