Page 48 of Five Alarm Kiss

“Good night,” Laurel said.

“Laur, don’t you da?—”

Laurel disconnected the call in the middle of Skye’s threat. She quickly shut off her phone before they called back… which they would.

“Lockwood, how was your date?” Logan asked, leaning in the entranceway of the station’s rec area.

Jake was on the couch with Spot on his lap, staring blankly at the television screen while petting the goat who thought he was a lap dog. He didn’t have a clue what was on. All he’d been thinking about was last night and the look on Laurel’s face when he’d told her she’d invite him into her bedroom. It’d been a ballsy move, and the jury was still out as to whether or not it would bite him in the ass. He shouldn’t have said it, but, damn, he wanted her.

He’d half expected her to slap him, but she hadn’t. She’d simply sat there in stunned silence, perfectly kissable mouth ajar on a silent gasp. And even though her cheeks had turned the sexiest shade of pink, there’d been a spark of heat in her eyes. It’d been enough to make him hard, and if he hadn’t closed the door and stepped back, he probably would’ve reclined her seat and made her scream his name right then and there.

Fuck.

He was losing it. He’d never guessed sweet would do it for him, but it did. She did. Unfortunately, she was too damned innocent for the likes of him. He didn’t do relationships, and she had commitment written all over her in permanent marker.

He raked a hand through his hair, prompting Spot to bleat in annoyance. God forbid he stop petting the little shit.

“If you don’t like it,” Jake told him, “get off.”

As if understanding what he’d said, Spot hopped off his lap and headed for the kitchen, undoubtedly intending to mooch food from someone. He was like a short, furry, bottomless garbage can.

Logan spun one of the folding chairs by the card table around and straddled it. “Did you fuck her?”

“Jesus, Nash! What kind of question is that?”

“The same kind of question I always ask after you’ve gone out with a chick. And, you usually say yes.”

Shit, he’s right. I’m a whore.

“Apparently, the non-answer means no,” Logan concluded with a smirk.

Jake wanted to punch that smug-ass grin off his face.

“I don’t fuck everyone I go on a first date with,” Jake snapped.

“Well, you sure as hell don’t fuck ’em on the second date cuz you never seem to have one of those.”

That comment hit closer to home than Jake would’ve liked. He never did go on a second date, did he? Not often, anyway. No one seemed to hold his interest long enough to warrant one.

His sister, Jessa, thought he deliberately avoided women who challenged him and went the superficial route, so he wouldn’t get close. Maybe she was right, but he knew from experience “close” was overrated. It had the potential to cut deep, and he wasn’t keen on going through that again. Still, there was something about Laurel that kept drawing him in.

Not like axe throwing would be a second date, he rationalized. It was a tutoring session that Emery had coerced Laurel into agreeing to, not an actual date. He’d be going to help her check off one of the items on her list, not add another notch to his belt.

It’s not a date.

Jake stood and headed toward the back door. Maybe some fresh air would help him clear his head.

“Where ya going, Lockwood?” Logan asked.

He ignored him.

“Going to call your girlfriend?”

“Fuck off,” Jake shot back on his way out. She wasn’t his girlfriend. He didn’t do girlfriends.

Logan snickered behind him.

Asshole.

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