Page 32 of Jake

“You know what I mean.” His tone held a smile.

“Okay, but we have to be somewhere tomorrow, both of us,” she pointed out.

“Then we can go together,” Jake answered.

“Jake, I’m not ready for that,” she told him honestly.

He looked shocked but quickly recovered, “I am not asking you to stay to do anything other than watch TV, no expectations on anything else.” He took a breath. “I’m sorry the kiss went so far. I really meant for it to be . . . less.”

The man was so endearing, standing here in his own hallway, in front of her, nervously asking her to stay. She smiled and nodded.

“Okay, but one of us has to have self-control and turn the TV off.”

“I can make no guarantees.” He took her hand and pulled her back to the living room.

This was all surreal. She could almost guarantee that this wouldn’t last long, but it was going to be fun while it did. It was very unlike her to go with the flow, but being here with him made her want to.

Caution and sense be damned, she was going to enjoy herself while she could and then do her best not to make it awkward when it was over.

He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and settled himself into the corner, opening his legs. “Come here?” he asked.

It was probably a bad idea, but she did. She settled herself as she lay up against him, his legs anchoring her in place as they settled the blanket around them.

“If you get uncomfortable, let me know,” he told her.

She didn’t bother to answer him. There was little chance she was going to move until he did. They started another episode and relaxed.

Jake reached up and took the ponytail out of her hair. He ran his hands through her stands, fingertips soothing her scalp as she relaxed even further. Not even one episode in and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

“Go to sleep,” Jake teased. “I’ll stop the show.”

“I’m still watching,” she whined.

“Your eyes have been closed too long for that.”

“I’m listening then.”

Her back vibrated as Jake’s laugh rumbled from beneath her. Without warning, he slid from behind her.

She sat forward so he could get up, prepared to snuggle back down into the couch, when she was lifted into his arms.

“What are you doing?” She panicked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Carrying us to bed so you can get some sleep,” he whispered to her.

That didn’t make her relax. Her self-control was wearing thin every time he touched her. If he started anything in the bedroom, all of it would melt away.

“Relax, we are just going to sleep so we can be ready for tomorrow,” he said when she tensed further.

He carried her to his bedroom, setting her down on the bed as he pulled the covers back. She lay down. There was no fighting it. She wanted to sleep, his arms around her, and wake up with him in the morning.

Jake didn’t disappoint. He slid into bed next to her and melded himself to her, wrapping his arm around her middle. The weight of his arm there made her feel safe, not that she didn’t, but right now there wasn’t a worry in her mind. Nothing else mattered.

He kissed the top of her head. “Sleep.”

She didn’t argue, just let her eyes close as she lay there and didn’t get to enjoy it as she was asleep in seconds. The sleep she’d been avoiding swallowed her whole even as she fought it, wanting to lay there and feel him holding her long enough to never forget the feeling.

Chapter Eleven

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