Page 52 of Fairy Tale Lies
He nipped her ear. “Are you busy after work?”
To his delight, she trembled against his touch and leaned in for more. “Yes. I made plans to meet Lily for dinner. You free tomorrow?” She twisted her neck, giving him her lips instead of her ear.
He took full advantage, slanting his mouth on hers and groaning when she slid her tongue along his bottom lip.
“Damn, Greta, way to keep it professional.” Blake’s voice rang out, killing the moment.
Again.
Jacob cursed. Blake was an annoying gnat that kept returning. Something that circled, refusing to leave.
“Do you even have an actual job, or do you only hang around here to stalk Greta?” Jacob grated between clenched teeth.
Blake’s focus was solely on Greta. “Let me know when you’re done rolling around in the muck.” He sniffed as if smelling something rotten. “Though, at this point, who knows if his filth will ever wash off you.”
“Do you enjoy me kicking your ass?” Jacob peered up, placing a hand over his brow to block the sun, more annoyed at the interruption than the insults directed at him. Blake was an ass, and Jacob was used to shit spewing from him. “You should at least wait until the bruises heal before trying for more.”
Was this the retribution that had worried Greta?Pathetic.
“Would you both stop.” She stood, gathering the lunch trash. “I don’t need this at work.”
“You’re the one who brought it here,” Blake snapped.
“No.” Jacob got to his feet. He didn’t like Blake literally looking down on him. “You’re the pussy who ran his fucking mouth to her father.”
“Wow. Real nice talk.” Blake’s gaze swung from Jacob to Greta. “Do you like when he kisses you with that filthy mouth?”
Swallowing his growing anger, Jacob flicked his wrist, wishing he could shoo away the other man like an annoying bug. “Why don’t you piss off, asshole?”
“Whatever. Have your fun with the spoiled, rich girl. Well, until she gets bored of your lowbrow ways. Or you tire of her frigidness.”
Jacob laughed, loud and hard. “Frigid, are you kidding me? Are we talking about the same woman? I guess ‘good breeding’ and an Ivy League education doesn’t guarantee everything. Like how to properly warm a woman.” He tilted his head and gave a condescending frown. “How sad.”
“I am superior to you in every way,” Blake spluttered. Then he stilled, squinting at Jacob’s wrist, and, without another word, turned and left.
“What the hell?”
Greta shrugged. “I have no idea, but it cannot be good.”
Chapter Twenty
The Fourth of July had finally arrived, and, for Greta, it couldn’t have come fast enough. The previous week had dragged on, each minute slower than the next, as doubts and worries ate at her.
First, there was Jacob’s reaction when he learned she hadn’t told her father they were dating. His hurt and disappointment cut like a knife.
She used the excuse they were only a summer romance. Her heart was whispering a different story. She was falling for him and didn’t know what to do.
Then there was Father. Their talk had been uncomfortable, but she’d been honest. Told him she liked Jacob and wanted to continue dating him. Her father didn’t fight it. In fact, he took it better than expected. However, now at work and home, he was more withdrawn than usual. She didn’t know if he was upset with her job performance, Blake, or Jacob, and she was too afraid to ask.
To top it off, Jacob was hired for a rush job in West Michigan, and she hadn’t seen him since their slightly disastrous lunch at Swift. She missed him terribly.
How would she survive leaving him? There wasn’t much time until she had to return to university. Losing him ate at her heart.
Turning onto his street, Greta let her doubts and worries fall away. She’d celebrate America’s independence with her guy and not worry about the future. It could wait. Today was the first time they’d spend the whole day together.
Hours together. July Fourth might be her new favorite holiday.
Pulling into the driveway, she double checked the address. A flutter of nerves danced in her belly. She’d also be meeting his father and brother, along with many of his friends.
