Page 70 of Take Me Home

I didn’t spend long wondering. My text chime rang.

Rob

Can we talk?

My brain ran in 14 different directions. Why, after not speaking to me for months before I left Raleigh, was he in West Virginia asking to talk to me right then? Maybe I should have answered some of his drunken texts or called to check on him. At the present, I wasn’t sure whether it would be worse to respond or to leave it alone.

I can come to you

Please Darcy

Panic set in. Were our phones still linked? He used to be able to see where I was because of location services. I thought I had turned that off, but what if I hadn’t? I rushed to my phone’s settings and turned off my location.

I jumped when Jake opened the truck door with a broad smile and a bulging bag of snacks, drinks, and condoms. He climbed in and put the bag in the door pocket, handing me a bottle of water.

“Gotta stay hydrated, Rossetti. I’ve got big plans for you tonight,” he joked, nibbling my neck. When I didn’t really react, he did a double take of my face.

“Darce, what’s wrong? You look pale.”

I took a quick breath in, conjuring my best smile. “Nothing,” I said, evening my voice and smoothing my skirt.

“It doesn’t look like nothing, babe,” he said quietly, lacing his fingers with mine. Dammit, he was being sweet. And all of his names for me just made me that much crazier about him: little one, Bambi, little deer, Rossetti, babe, baby. Attagirl.Hisgirl. I wanted Rob to disappear so I could bask in the wonder that was Jake.

This was a terrible predicament: being potentially stalked by my ex while I was out trying to move on with my life, with a person who deserved my full attention.

I didn’t know what to say to Jake. How could I explain what was going on without scaring him off? My mind felt fuzzy, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t the one shot and one beer hours ago making me that way. This was good old-fashioned anxiety.

“Is it because of those?” Jake asked, gesturing to the condoms in the door. “Because we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. We could just cuddle…or I could even drop you off and go sleep alone if that’s what you need.” He studied my face, looking for answers. “Darcy, I’m so happy with tonight. Just getting to hold you and kiss you and mess around was incredible. We don’t have to have sex if you’re not ready. I can wait as long as you need.”

No, Jake. My ex-fiancé is ruining my life, once again. I want to fuck you.

Frustration built tears in me and without my permission, a single tear rolled down my cheek. Jake gave a sympathetic hum and kissed the tear as it fell, pulling me into one of his signature amazing hugs. Jake was thoughtful, and caring, and considered my feelings, the polar opposite of the person trying to storm his way back into my life.

I took a breath, pushing him back with a pat to his chest and wiping under my eyes.

“It’s not that,” I said. “I definitely want to do that with you. I just got some bad news. I don’t want it to ruin our night, though.”

“Is there anything I can help with?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.

“No. I probably just need to make a phone call tomorrow. That’s sweet of you, though. Let’s go home and you can help me forget about it,” I said, grabbing his face for a kiss, then grinning at him. “Thanks for the water. You’re always taking care of me.”

“Of course,” he said, starting the truck. “And I’m here if you want to talk about anything.”

“Thanks, baby. I’m hoping I can just deal with it tomorrow.” I wrapped my hand around his upper arm and snuggled close to him, again resting my head on his shoulder.

A small smile tugged at his lips. “I like when you call me baby. I can’t believe you’re actually mine now.”

And for that moment, I forgot all about Rob and whatever bullshit he was trying to pull.

* * *

As we pulledup to the house, Jake’s headlights flashed over a face sitting on the porch steps.

I gasped, startled by someone being on the porch, and the fact that my nightmare was coming true. Jake gave an angry “the fuck?”

I rested my head in my hands, trying to quiet the spinning in my brain. I knew that face.

“How did he know I was here?” I wondered out loud.

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