Page 39 of The Match

“Jake,” Evie says, when her hair is nearly free of tangles. “You may feel like you’re in over your head with Sam, but you’re not. You’re a fantastic dad to her. I hope you know that.”

I pause, feeling her words like an arrow to the heart. “I’m trying.”

“And that’s what sets you apart from the rest.” Her voice sounds sad. I wish I could see her face. “My dad would never have cared enough about me to learn to brush my hair the right way. I’m not even sure he knows what color my eyes are. But he definitely knows when I’m going to say something to anger my mom, and he leaves the room before that happens.”

I set the brush aside and run my fingers through her hair—feeling the silken locks slide through like water. The backs of my knuckles brush her warm neck, and I notice she tilts her head a little, arching against my touch.

“I pity him. He’s a fool to have missed out on getting to know you.”

She turns her face to me over her shoulder and our eyes connect. I smile warmly and she returns it. I’m still playing with a lock of her hair, running it back and forth between my thumb and index finger. But something about her look is undoing me slowly. Effortlessly drawing me in.

Before I can stop myself, I push all of her soft hair over her shoulder, exposing the side of her face that’s turned to me. I’m not totally sure what I’m intending here—my body seems to be on autopilot.

I touch the bottom of her chin, tilting her face up.

“Evie.” I whisper her name like a question. Silently begging her to stop this if it’s a bad idea. I’m hoping she’s thinking rationally, because I’m not. I’m drunk on her attention.

But she doesn’t stop me; she twists her body a little more in my direction. My hand slides from her chin, down her jaw, to cup behind her neck. I brush my thumb over her pulse and feel it hammering under her skin. She doesn’t know it, but the rhythm of my heart matches hers. It’s frantic.

I dip a little closer, giving her all the time in the world to pull away, but she doesn’t. Her lips part as her gaze drops to my mouth. There’s fire in her eyes that ignites my skin.

“I owe you a compliment,” I say quietly. Almost afraid if I speak too loudly it’ll burst this moment.

“A compliment?” she asks, her voice little more than a breath too.

“The other night. You said you wanted to know what it was like to get one from me. And I changed the subject because I was too scared to tell you what I was really thinking.” She waits, her chest rising and falling faster as I run my thumb up and down the side of her neck. “You are so beautiful, Evie. Gorgeous, actually. But more than that—I can’t . . . I’ve never met anyone like you.”

I lean in even closer, hesitating just before my lips touch her cheek. She can ask me to stop and I will. Instead, she leans into me.

“I can’t get you out of my head.” Her skin is so warm and soft against my lips as I kiss a little closer to her mouth. “I like the way you laugh. It’s . . . mischievous almost. Like you’re always planning something.” She chuckles and I kiss the corner of her mouth—not wanting to cut off the sound of her laughter but needing to feel it against my lips.

“And your eyes. Damn, Evie, your eyes are so pretty I can’t handle it. Deep emerald green—I’ve never seen a color so vibrant before.”

“Jake . . .” she whispers, closing her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“And your mouth.” I inch my hand up so I can touch my thumb against her bottom lip—tracing it oh so lightly. I can barely contain my heartbeat now, it’s kicking against my chest so hard. “Does it freak you out to know I’ve been dreaming of kissing you since I met you?” I shouldn’t be saying any of this. But I can’t stop myself either.

“That depends.” She rises up to her knees, fully facing me, bracketed by my legs and sending a bite of need down my spine. “Does it freak you out to know I’ve been thinking of kissing you since I met you?”

“Liar.” I grin. “You hated me when you first met me.”

“You don’t have to like a person to want to kiss them. And I have dreamed of it every single time I’ve been with you. And even when I’m not with you.”

Any hesitation I have is gone. I don’t know if this is a good idea, and I don’t care anymore. All that exists is Evie. I’m not Sam’s dad right now or Natalie’s ex-husband. I’m simply Jake, the man about to kiss Evie Jones.

“Then maybe we should kiss?” I say, tilting my head. “Just once to get it out of our systems?”

Something flashes in Evie’s eyes. A small frown tugs between her brows, and before I have time to consider it she presses forward, taking the kiss I’ve been dangling in front of her for minutes. I suck in a sharp breath as her lips crush against mine. And just as quickly, she pulls back. The separation is so abrupt our lips make a popping sound, and I’m momentarily stunned.

“There,” she says, slightly breathless. “Is it out of your system now?”

Ah—I see. She called my bluff. “Point taken.”

“You’ve been holding back since you met me. Why? And why now when I know you don’t want only one kiss?”

I hold her gaze and debate just how honest to be with her. “I . . . haven’t dated anyone since Natalie. I haven’t even been with anyone else since her.” All the way honest, Jake. “It’s more than that, actually. I haven’t been with anyone at all besides her. She was my first and my last.” I push Evie’s hair behind her ear. “Those are my deep, dark secrets. And I want to kiss the hell out of you, Evie, but I don’t know if I’m ready for anything more physical than that tonight.”

Part of me expects Evie to be repulsed by that truth. To look awkward and start scooting away because that was quite the honesty bomb I just dropped on her.

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