Page 53 of Promise Not To Fall

Jake nods to Liam, the muscles in his jaw working in tension. “What do you want, man?” Is Jake jealous? That’s it. That’s the emotion I couldn’t decipher. It’s laced in his words when he barks out, “Order a drink or leave.”

Liam and his friends order a round of shots and then another, all the while flirting with me.

And in that time, Jake downs a beer and then another, and chases it with a shot of bourdon. “Leave, man,” he finally says to them, taking notice in the way I shift uncomfortably away from their proximity.

“What?” Liam’s clearly caught off guard by him.

Jake’s jaw flexes, his eyebrows raised as a harsh smile appears. “You heard me.” There’s absolutely no humor to his words. “Leave.”

Liam snorts, obviously disgusted with Jake’s unprofessional demeanor toward him. “Is that any way to treat a man who could buy this shithole?”

“Try me, Liam, go ahead.” Placing both his hands on the bar, Jake leans toward the guy, his fingers gripping the edges of the worn wood. “You’d best get out before I show you what the floor tastes like in thisshithole.” And then Jake looks at me, slowly, watching my reaction.

“Seriously?” Liam asks, glancing to his friends like it’s some kind of sick joke going on.

“Fuckin’ right, I’m serious.” Jake points toward the door. “Get out.” Liam doesn’t move and goes to say something, but Jake stops him by holding up his hand. “I’d watch what you say to me right now.”

Reluctantly, Liam leaves, and I stare at Jake, wondering what’s wrong with him. Why would he tell a paying customer to leave all of a sudden? Surely his dad wouldn’t be pleased about this. “Do you have anger issues?”

“Sometimes.” He shrugs, rummaging around the bar as he begins to clean up for the night. “I hate these fuckin’ douchebags who come into this bar and try taking home girls they got no business even talking to, let alone taking home.” He pauses, lifting his eyes to mine. “My day off is Thursday. You wanna see how the locals party? Or do you want to just sit in a bar your entire vacation?”

“I did go helmet diving and went to a private beach,” I point out, walking with him as we leave the bar, the same walk as our previous night’s together. “So I wouldn’t say I just sit in a bar.”

“That’s true. You definitely don’t do any sitting when you’re back at your hotel, do you?”

“Unless I’m sitting on your cock.” I laugh softly, watching my toes sink into white sand, the smell of Jack Daniel’s invading my senses when Jake moves closer. “Then no, not much sitting happens back in my room.” I laugh again when his nose tickles the curve of my neck.

“Goddamn you’re dirty. I fucking love it,” he growls, scrapping his spiky jaw over my shoulder, his lips following suit. “Say cock again.”

Shivers rush through me, and I laugh. “Only if you promise to put out.”

“Gladly.” Hit bites the skin over my collarbone. “Say you’ll come with me on Thursday.” His voice sends tingles between my legs, anticipation building. I can’t wait to get him back to the hotel.

“I’ll come with you.”

Dipping his hands lower, he cups the cheeks of my ass, squeezes, and then turns me around so he can walk behind me, my body pressing against his every contour andhardness. “And comefor me….” His hand works from my breast, moving lower. Sliding down my thigh, he flips my dress up and then plunges his hand between my legs. I stop walking for fear I’m about to fall.

I know what he’s about to do and stop him again. “I’m not doing it on the beach, Jake.”

“Someday you will.”

Knowing the way Jake can get me to do just about anything, I might.

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