Page 24 of A Taste of Trouble

“I was in the neighborhood.” He had to stop lying. At least about the little things. It was bad enough he had lied about why they had met in the first place. The least he could do was be honest about the fact that he wanted to see her.

She didn't believe him, anyway. She cocked her hip and leaned against the door, her mouth curving up in a slight smile. So slight that if he hadn't seen it before, he wouldn't have noticed it.

“Have another craving?” she asked. “Because this time, I don't have anything for you to satisfy it.”

“I'll be the judge of that.”

She bit her bottom lip and pulled it into her mouth with her teeth. It made him think of her teeth and lips, and how they would look wrapped around his…

“Want to come in?”

Jake nodded and stepped over the threshold. She shut out the cold and locked the door behind him.

“It's a little messy in here. I'm sorry.” She ran from him to the other side of the counter. Did she feel the need to have a barrier between them? Because even a small divider like that wouldn't stand a chance against the force of him wanting her. He'd jump that hurdle in a second.

“No reason to be sorry.”

She laid her palms flat on the counter and leaned forward. “I'm glad you're not in a suit.”

“You think that's all I wear?” He'd thrown on a pair of old jeans and a hoodie before he left the house.

She shrugged. “I thought maybe it was part of your game.”

She thought he had game. Of course he had game, but that's not how he wanted her to see him.

“I have to admit, it's nice to see you in casual clothes. Makes me feel a little better about myself being covered in gunk.” She held out her arms and looked down at her body. Her jeans and zippered hoodie were dirty—covered, actually—with grease and dirt. Even her cheek had a smudge of something.

“You look beautiful.”

She blushed.

Jake gestured with his head to the curtain. “So what are you up to back there?”

“I was just cleaning out the fridge.” She wiped her hands on her jeans. “It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.”

“Do you need some help?” Jake had never offered to help a woman clean anything, except for his mother and sisters.

“Oh, I…” She looked as stunned as he felt asking the question. But he needed to spend time with her. Wanted to spend time with her. “I'm almost done.”

“Then you'll be done even quicker if you let me help.” He knew she loved his smile. He gave her one of his best.

“O…kay.”

Jake followed her through the curtain into the kitchen. She pulled the metal clasp and the fridge door opened with a thud. The cool air wafted over him. He was happy he'd decided to wear the hoodie over his T-shirt.

“You might want to get some gloves over there.” Liv pointed to the island in the middle of the kitchen. A box of yellow gloves sat on the table.

Yellow gloves? This was some serious cleaning. Jake nodded and shrugged out of his jacket.

“You can put your jacket in that little room there.” She pointed to a closet-looking space. “It's about the only clean space in this place.”

He followed her suggestion and left his jacket on a chair in what was obviously her office. He picked up the yellow gloves and entered the fridge. Liv's tight bottom was the first thing to greet him. She was already bent over, furiously scrubbing the middle shelving unit.

He positioned himself to her left and his groin tightened at the sight of her. He had the perfect view of her ass moving from left to right and her breasts bobbing up and down with the action. “Where do you want me?”

She peered over her shoulder, giving him a once over before she answered. He knew where he wanted her. Up against those shelves, her body naked and spread wide for his perusal, for his touch.

“You can start on that unit.” She motioned to the left with her hand.

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