Page 70 of Jake

Their food arrived and they ate it out on the balcony, chatting over plans for the day. The only one they decided on was to go to the beach.

“I’m going to go get ready,” she said, carrying her dishes to the kitchen of their suite with Jake not far behind.

“I’m going to reserve us a spot and then do the same,” he told her, pulling his phone out once more.

“You know, it’s great that everything is online, but so much for disconnecting,” she teased.

“I’m not checking my work emails, so there’s that at least.” He shrugged.

“I haven’t checked anything and it’s been so freeing. I have it on do not disturb but I don’t run a whole company, so I can do that,” she said as she walked into the room.

“Never doubt what you do. I think Cade would be lost without you.” He followed.

“He did it before me,” she brushed him off.

“Not well, if you remember.” Jake laughed. Cade had been through several assistants before Lauren and none of them had stuck.

She laughed with him. “It was a mess when I got there. I was scared he was going to fire me for the first few months as I just tried to get everything in order.”

Lauren grabbed the new swimsuit and carried it to the bathroom. When she came out with it on, he nearly decided they weren’t going to the beach.

“What?” She blushed under his gaze.

“You look amazing.” And she did. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the dark-green bikini fit her like a second skin.

Jake stood and went to her, closing his lips over hers as he backed her against the wall. Lauren’s arms came up around his neck as she leaned into the kiss.

“We aren’t going to make it to the beach.” Lauren broke the kiss.

Jake sighed and took a step back. “Later,” he promised as he grabbed his own suit and headed for the bathroom.

Slipping into his suit was a challenge with his cock hard. After a moment’s debate, he jumped into the shower, flipping the water to cold, trying to chase his hard-on away. Mostly successful, he pulled his board shorts on and opened the bathroom door.

Lauren didn’t notice and was in front of the mirror, trying different styles with her hair. He watched as she put it up and took it back down again after looking at it from every angle.

“It looks great anyway you do it,” Jake told her.

“I just wanted to look a little better before we headed out with everyone.” She sighed, letting her hair fall down.

“What’s that mean? You look great,” he told her honestly.

“I don’t fit in here, but I’m trying to keep an open mind,” she assured him.

He went to her, taking her face in his hands and locking his gaze to hers. “There is nothing you need to do. You look amazing and you fit in with everyone even if you don’t believe it.”

She nodded before she pressed up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Thank you. I promise I really am trying to be less insecure about everything.”

Jake hated that she felt insecure and that he had any hand in making her feel bad for those feelings. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be okay with everything. I just want you to feel more comfortable doing things with me when you’re ready. I don’t mean to rush you.”

“It’s not that. I just spent so long trying not to be like my mother that letting someone spend any money on me is hard. It’s not about you, though. I mean it.”

He hadn’t met her mother other than over the phone and she wasn’t someone that he would want to be like either, but he didn’t like that it was holding her back. “I understand,” he finally said, deciding not to take the conversation any further for now. They had all their lives to have it and it wasn’t relaxing like they were supposed to be doing. “Let’s go.”

They found their reserved umbrella and chairs on the beach and were immediately greeted by a man offering them drinks and food. Lauren waved him away before taking Jake’s hand.

“What are you doing?” he asked as she pulled him away from their chairs.

“Getting in the water, come on.” She tugged on his arm.

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