Page 65 of Take Me Home

His brow furrowed, then lightened, like it was the silliest thing I could have asked. “Nope. Not at all. Not even a little bit.”

I considered his answer. One box checked. “What about that I’m technically your boss?”

Jake took a finger and smoothed the hair off my shoulder, softening his expression. “I know why you worry about that. What that man did to you was unforgivable. And if you ever see him, tell me, so I can beat the shit out of him.” I laughed faintly. If only that would undo the damage. “This is different. You aren’t making moves on me that I don’t want. I want everything with you.”

We danced as I processed his words, his hold on me steady, soothing. He spoke again. “What else has you hesitating?”

“My life is messy, Jake. I don’t have a job or my life figured out after the next month,” I said.

“Darcy, I don’t need you to have your whole life figured out. I like you messy and imperfect. I like you exactly how you are, even when you’re anxious and driving yourself nuts trying to be perfect. I don’t need you to be perfect in order to be perfect for me. You already are.”

Our eyes met. That was probably the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me, and I believed that he meant it. We swayed to the song and I scanned the room. I was tired of holding myself back from happiness. Jake was offering me the kind of love I’d long looked for but never found: pure, complete, unashamed.

“Any other questions, Darcy? I want you to get it all out.”

A thought occurred to me. “Is that why you haven’t kissed me tonight? You knew I needed to talk it out?”

“I don’t want you to have any reason to get scared and run off. I want to do this for real. I want to clear up all your doubts so you’ll know I’m serious about you,” he started. “And plus, I know once I kiss you, it’s going to be game over.”

Okay, that was intriguing. “Game over, huh?”

He leaned down close to my ear, his voice a low and slow drawl over the twang of the steel guitar. “If I’d kissed you when I’d wanted to, baby, we wouldn’t have made it out of the driveway. I’ve wanted to taste that mouth again since I laid eyes on you. You’ve been driving me crazy all night in that pretty white dress.”

A shiver passed through my body. Jake was truly extraordinary. He knew what I needed emotionally and willingly gave it to me. He didn’t want me to change. I’d been with other men longer than I’d even known Jake, yet the depth of his understanding of me was astounding. No man had ever given me that kind of care, and no one had ever turned me on the way Jake was.

Fuck it. He was right. There was no reason we shouldn’t be together. I looked up into his stunning caramel eyes.

“Jake, I’ve been fighting my feelings for you all summer. I’ve been so afraid to let go and give in, even when it’s all I think about. But while I’ve been fighting myself, you’ve been right here, giving me what I need all along. Giving me space when I needed it, not pushing me, listening to me. I don’t think I was ready for you. I couldn’t have seen you coming: sweet and funny, charming and thoughtful, kind but not boring. Just deeply, deeply thrilling and sexy.” Jake was doing what he did best in that moment: listening. But I could tell he didn’t know which direction this was going. I needed to fill him in.

I peered up at him. “But you’re here, and I’m tired of fighting it. So I think you’re right. I think we could be awesome together. And I’m ready to go for it. Let’s get to it.”

Jake’s smile could have lit the blackest black hole. “I was really hoping you’d say that, babe.” He swept his hand into my hair, tipping my face up to his. “I’m definitely kissing you now.”

I giggled against his smile. “I really think you should.”

He held our faces just an inch apart, his hazel eyes blurred for a moment before finally, finally, finally bringing his mouth to mine. I melted into our kiss, savoring the softness of his lips and the slight cinnamon taste left from the Fireball shot. His arms pinned me tight to him, caressing my back and toying with the ends of my hair. I grasped the back of his neck, hardly believing we were finally going for it. As he stroked his tongue along the seam of my lips, I opened to him, ready to give him all of me, no holds barred. He drew me up into his body, all of his hard muscle pressed against me in the most delectable way.

The song had long since ended, and our kiss was turning into a full-on dance floor make-out. He steered us off to the side and I hardly noticed. Jake was an incredible kisser, taking his time on every part of my lips and tongue as his strong hands explored the rest of me. My body felt on fire, and judging by how he handled me, he was burning, too.

That feeling of coming home returned, like everything was right in the world. I was safe, and seen, and cherished. Tears came to my closed eyes as I realized that this was what had been missing from home. I just didn’t know it.

It was him. Jake’s steady faith in me was home. And his body, and his lips, and his tongue, and the way he smelled so good, and the way he held me like I was the most precious gift. Jake was home. Because after all, isn’t that what home is? Not just a place, or people, or food, or smells. Home is where you can be you, and be loved for it. And that’s what Jake gave me: a safe place to be myself, regardless of any wounds or defects.

A loud whooping sound came from the bar, popping our bubble of joy. Jake pulled away from me and we looked to the source of the commotion. Becca, Caleb, and Becca’s crowd of friends cheered for us like it was a kiss on a 90’s teen sitcom. Jake turned back to me, grinning ear to ear as he pressed a kiss into my forehead. I looked up at him.

“Wanna get out of here?” I purred.

“More than anything,” he replied, giving me another quick kiss that turned into more: face grabbing, chin cupping, hair stroking. I tore myself away from him.

“I’m going to the bathroom and then let’s say bye to the birthday girl,” I said as he pawed after me. In the bathroom, I couldn’t move fast enough, dying to get back out to Jake. I’d made my decision, and I was ready to finally celebrate it. I stripped off my sweat-soaked undershorts and panties, using a baby wipe from my purse to freshen up before sliding on a lacy thong. Bless my earlier self for having the foresight to pack a backup.

When I emerged from the bathroom, Jake lunged from the shadows, yanking me into a deep kiss that arched my back. My stomach jumped at the thrill.

“Not here,” I breathed, towing him to where Becca sat.

“Hope you’ve had a great birthday, Becca!” I said, trying to keep cool as I added, “We’re going to take off.”

Becca nodded in that tired, drunken way that birthday girls often do, extending her arms for a hug.

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