Page 35 of Wrecking Boundaries

He puts the baking dish in the oven. “I’ve been to the ocean three times in my life,” Jake double-checks, using a finger to count every visit. “Yes, three times. Are you ready for the first course?”

Jake planned courses. Someone pinch me because this is clearly a dream.

∞∞∞

“That was amazing,” I say after taking my last bite.

“You don’t cook?” Jake asks.

“My spaghetti from a jar gets rave reviews every time I make it,” I say with a shrug. Cooking for one isn’t fun; cooking for several is work. “My mom is amazing—southern food covered in butter. Madelyn learned from her dad, and it’s phenomenal. She brings cookies to headquarters all the time. I made them sometimes before she started, but that’s it.”

“Dessert.” Jake gives a cocky smile. He needs to trademark the damn thing. “You’re going to love dessert. It’s a statement.”

“What did you do?”

“You’ll see.” He drops our dirty dishes by the kitchen sink and leaves. He returns with a giant box. “I called a bakery and begged for the largest, most obscene tiramisu available. Even I’m impressed.”

He opens the box, and I gasp. It’s gigantic, enough to feed a hundred people, if not more. “It’s a work of art.”

“Princess,” he says, and my skin tingles.

How does he do this? All my mixed-up, complicated, guilt-riddled feelings for him are back. Jake was banished from my life, and now we’re in constant contact. If I’m not careful, he’ll be removing my clothes soon.

Jake feeds me a bite, and I moan. It’s heavenly.

I was wrong. Very soon, I’ll be removing my clothes for him. His ego outmatches every other driver I’ve met. It’s difficult to tell when he’s teasing or being sincere. Either way, his greatest joy in life is making Boone’s difficult.

“We need dessert plates,” I say because it’s impersonal and doesn’t matter.

“Why?” We each pick up a fork as he slides the obnoxiously sized box of Tiramisu between us. “We don’t need to share thiswith anyone.”

“I expected you to take me to a restaurant.”

“So we can hurry through a meal and then take you home? Hell, no. You’re staying the night.” Jake licks his lips, letting me know exactly what he planned.

There he is, the Jake I’ve been looking for all night. “That wasn’t the deal. It was a date and nothing else.” I should have practiced a better response.

“Then pretend we renegotiated.”

I want to give him a sarcastic comment. The Rivers are fantastic with sarcastic comments. Boone’s skill is nearly legendary, whereas mine has recently encountered a dry spell. Dammit.

“I learned something yesterday that you should know. It might explain your rookie’s attitude,” I say, relaying Julian’s gossip. It’s a great way to ignore Jake’s seduction.

“Less than halfway through the season, and he’s asking for a multi-year contract extension?” Jake gives a low whistle. “Balls.”

“That’s missing the point. He was shot down completely. I suspect he was told there’s plenty of time for discussions or a drawn-out negotiation.”

I’d enjoy seeing Joey Fisher cast out altogether. Let him apply for a job pumping gas somewhere far away, where I no longer see his stupid face.

I might trust Jake if it wasn’t for Joey.

We might never have broken up if it wasn’t Joey.

“We’re finally starting mine this week. What do you think I should do?” he asks after a long pause. “Bert approached me, saying we would talk about it. That doesn’t sound like a rejection to me.”

“Slow it down if you can. Say you want your lawyer to review it.” I take another bite while considering. “You’ve worked under Bert for most of your career.”

“He signed me before I graduated high school. My career has been spent in different series, but all with BPR.” Jake’s eyes watch my lips as I eat. “You eat sexy.”

---