Page 28 of Boyfriend Maintenance

She thinks about it then lets out a resigned huff. “I believe you, not that it matters.” She grumbles the last part.

“It does matter,” I tell her gently. As hot as she is when she’s acting all jealous and shit, there’s no reason for her to be jealous of Sara.

“No, it doesn’t, Jake. We’re fake.” She looks me right in the eyes when she says it. Her matter-of-fact tone sounds almost sad, and it hits me straight in the middle of my chest.

“Emmy—” I start.

“What are you doing on a hookup app anyway? Are you a man whore?” Now she’s pushingmybuttons. I roll my eyes. “I should be glad for your no-screwing-the-residents rule. I don’t want any STDs that’s for sure.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold up. I’m not a man whore and I don’t have any STDs.” This conversation is getting way off track. I continue to defend my virtue, “I just don’t have time to date, so when I need to … you know … I use the app. Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.”

“Ick… Whatever. I’m done here.” She waves me off with disgust and heads for the elevators herself. I’m left standing there in the lobby watching her leave.

“Well, that was one enjoyable shitshow,” Thomas, the daytime doorman, says from where he’s leaning up against the security desk. He must have just taken a break because he’s normally stationed at the doors.

I chuckle and shake my head. “Yeah, it was.”

I head back toward the maintenance office and think about her last comment.“I should be glad for your no-screwing-the-residents rule.”Does that mean what I think it means?

Shit.If screwing Emmy King wasn’t already the number one thing on my mind, it sure is now.

Chapter 13

Emmy

A few daysafter the Sara incident in the lobby, Jake and I are in an Uber on our way to my childhood home. A place I haven’t been in five years. My nerves are nearly shot and mix in the fact that I can smell Jake’s cologne isn’t helping. I’m still annoyed with him ignoring my texts and call the week following our hot and heavy make-out session at The Rooftop. It was clearly something more than he is willing to admit since he ran and hid from me. Massive man-baby.

I’d be lying if I didn’t at least admit to myself that I’d like a repeat, but not until after we’ve discussed what was really going on between us. I’m a forever kind of girl but he’s just into one-night hookups. I’m not. I’ve had casual sex plenty of times before. But I’ve never had the connection with them that I do with Jake. I want to be around him. I want to learn more about him. I’ve been happy when I’m with him, aside from that one time when there was a crazy-eyed psycho trying to make me jealous. Which she didn’t, by the way.

Fine. Maybe a little. Or a lot.

Either way, I like being with him and I’m thankful he’s here to have my back as we enter the lion’s den.

Kitty out in public is tame. Kitty in her headquarters is another beast entirely.

“Emmy, if you don’t stop twisting the strap, you’re going to break it.” I look down at what Jake is referring to, and sure enough, the strap of my clutch purse is wound so tight it’s about to snap. Which ironically, is exactly how I feel right now. As I stare down at the strap, his hand covers both of mine and he weaves his fingers through one of them, gripping it tightly.

I take a deep breath. I look to him, but he’s looking out the window at the passing streets. I feel the last of my annoyance with him from the past week slip away as I realize that he isn’t here to calm me, but he does anyway.

“So, your family home is that bad, eh?” He turns and smiles at me this time.

I take another deep breath. “Yes, if you thought Kitty was bad at the engagement party, then she’ll be worse here.”

He nods in understanding. “And Craig … will he be there?” His grip on my hand tightens a fraction.

“No, I don’t think so, Craig told me he would back off.” I fight off a chill thinking back on that conversation.

Jake just grunts in reply. “Even if he is, we’ve got this, right?”

I smile and lift our hands, giving them a shake.

He chuckles this time. “That’s right, baby.” And brings our clasped hands over to cross his lap. I can’t stop the tingles that shoot up my arm and then continue through my entire body.

Moments later we arrive at the King home.

Jake lets out a whistle and I groan, “Welcome to the King mansion. A.K.A. Hell.”

He steps out of the car first, adjusting his sleeves and buttoning his jacket. It’s the same navy-blue one from last week but today he’s wearing a striped, light-blue button-up underneath it. It all matches surprisingly well with a pair of light-salmon-colored dress pants. I told him he didn’t have to get the pink pants, but he really liked them. His whole outfit matches mine perfectly. I pieced mine together for under fifty dollars, thanks to a few discount stores. The light-pink tulle skirt with a matching shimmery pink top and my favorite new denim jacket. It's definitely a more fun and carefree outfit.

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