Page 40 of Protecting Vidalia
Amelia was a very pretty woman, her chocolate brown hair swept back in a ponytail up twisted into a bun. Curl tendrils bloomed along the front of her hairline, accenting wide, sky-blue eyes and a generous welcoming smile. She came forward and took Vidalia’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vidalia.” Her contralto voice came out slightly husky but there was no denying her delight.
“And me too,” Steve added, taking her hand from his wife. “It’s a real pleasure to meet one of Jake’s friends, and such a pretty one at that.”
Vidalia blushed again. “Thank you,” she replied, glad they seemed to approve of her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Jake frowned. “You two aren’t going hiking are you?”
“Actually, we are,” Steve replied. We just came by to see if you wanted to hike up to Victoria Falls with us this morning and see if we can spot those bears everyone is talking about.”
“Oh no,” Vidalia gasped and shook her head.
“No, you don’t want to do that today, Dad,” Jake said. He went on to explain what had happened last night and what was going on today. “I’m guessing the trailheads around here will be closed right now while they look for Sushi.”
“I hope they don’t harm the bears,” Vidalia added with a frown.
Amelia patted her shoulder. “Oh, don’t worry about that, dear. As long as the bear hasn’t attacked a person, they will try to catch her with a tranq gun and relocate her and the cub miles away from here.”
Vidalia heaved a sigh of relief.
“Well, then I think I’ll take your mother to lunch in the city, son. Would you two like to come along?” He asked glancing from her to his son.
She looked up at Jake and hoped he could read her stiff body language. His parents seemed lovely but she wasn’t ready for that yet.
“No, thanks, Dad,” Jake replied easily. “We haven’t had a chance to jump in the shower and I know Vidalia won’t go to town until she’s gotten one.” He looked down at her with a teasing glance. “We had to rush out of her cabin so fast last night she didn’t even have time to bring any other clothes with her.”
The glance his parents shot each other spoke volumes, but they didn’t ask any nosy questions like what was Jake doing at her cabin in the early hours of the morning?
Vidalia nodded her head. She could feel the pink in her cheeks. “Another time maybe?”
Amelia grinned at her. “You can count on it.”
After they left Vidalia groaned and dropped into the recliner. “I was so not ready for that.”
Jake grinned down at her, his hands on his hips. “They like you.”
“I hate to think about whattheywere thinking about,” she confessed.
“Especially after they saw you had me pinned down in my chair,” he teased.
“Oh you!” Vidalia threw one of the throw pillows at Jake.
Jake caught it and tossed it to the other chair. “Uh oh. Someone’s being a naughty brat. Looks like she may needdaddyto spank her bottom soon.” He scooped her up from the chair shrieking and laughing and sat down with her on his lap where he proceeded to kiss her breathless. When he lifted his head he said firmly, “Relationship, right? Me boy, you girl, we date only each other?”
Vidalia laughed and then shyly nodded. “You’re an idiot, but yes, I like that relationship.”
“Calling names, another infraction,” he warned, then started kissing her all over again.
Vidalia’s senses were reeling. She wasn’t even quite sure how she ended up flat on the rug trying to rip Jake’s t-shirt off when the knock came on the door.
Jake groaned from the side of her neck. “Seriously?” He lifted himself off Vidalia and wrestled his t-shirt back in place, then ran his fingers through his hair.
Vidalia stared up at him through a half-lidded gaze. It wasn’t until he grinned down at her and picked up her t-shirt and began twirling it around with his finger that she realized she was half-naked.
“Oh my god, give me that,” she hissed, jumping up and grabbing it from his fingers while he chuckled. “You might want to head to the bathroom while I chase off whoever is at the door with a shotgun,” he teased wickedly. He chuckled in pure male satisfaction as she ran for the bathroom, holding the front of her bra together.
Once inside the bathroom, Vidalia slammed and locked the door, panting from her manic run. Glancing in the mirror she almost didn’t recognize herself. In awe she raised a finger to her swollen lips and touched her red, sensitive nipples. A shiver of rampant desire blazed through her. Even her pants were unsnapped and the zipper down.
Jake sure had skills—she’d give him that.
