Page 20 of Play For Keeps

I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to focus on anything but Jake, but the closer we get to my apartment, the more my nerves kick up. What will Jake do when we arrive at my doorstep? Will he try something, or will he stick to our pact of just being friends?

I’m not even sure what I want him to do, but I can hear my dad’s words. You deserve love. You deserve a second chance.

I try to remember all the reasons that hooking up with Jake would be a bad idea. He’s too young. It’s not that he lacks maturity, it’s that he should be dating someone closer to his age. A girl who isn’t divorced, who doesn’t have a child with a sociopath. I wouldn’t wish my baggage on anyone.

We arrive at my apartment building, and Jake follows me down the boxwood-lined path to the front door, then inside to the elevator and up to the second floor. I think about protesting, about insisting he doesn’t need to escort me all the way, but in truth I want a few more minutes with him.

By the time we stop in front of my apartment door, I’m buzzing with nervous energy. I turn to face Jake, my heart pumping in my chest as he flashes me that boyish grin. But then his expression turns more serious.

“I’m glad you let me walk you home,” he says, handing me my bag.

“Thank you for keeping me company.”

I reach in my bag for my keys, hyper-aware of the sudden silence between us. Our eyes meet and his immediately darken, sending what feels like a million tiny butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

The look in his eyes says he wants to kiss me.

Do I want him to kiss me?

I am so into him, even though I keep telling myself I shouldn’t be. The man makes me feel so good, and despite everything, I find myself hoping he does kiss me.

We’re standing so close that I can feel an electricity buzzing between us. His eyes are on me, flashing with intensity. There’s a heavy pause as I lock eyes with him, my heart pounding. It feels like he can see right into my soul. Like he knows exactly how I want him to touch me… and where.

My cheeks heat, and I wonder if he can see it in the dimly lit hallway. Anticipation hangs in the air between us.

Then suddenly the moment passes. Jake runs his hand through his dark hair, looking down at the floor, breaking the spell. “Well, good night, Everly. If you change your mind on the job, it’s yours.”

I plunge back to reality, frustrated with myself for getting my hopes up when kissing Jake is the last thing that should be on my mind right now. This would be so much easier if Jake wasn’t so damn hot.

Your daughter is your focus, Everly.

Tell that to my stupid sex drive.

“Don’t forget my number, okay?” Jake says with a smile.

“I won’t,” I tell him.

“Use it then. So you don’t give me a complex.”

My heart squeezes in my chest. How could a man that looks like that have a complex over a girl like me? None of it makes sense.

Jake’s eyes are still on me, and my heart is in my throat when he takes a small step towards me, closing the distance between us. His strong arms wrap around me, and he pulls me close. He feels so good. We fit together perfectly.

He smells like pine and fresh laundry, and I breathe in the scent, allowing myself to enjoy the moment. Jake is warm and solid, and the weight of his hands on my lower back evokes an overpowering sensation of need and want. Not to mention the tingle between my legs that I haven’t felt in years. It has been so long since I’ve been held like this by a man who makes me feel safe and respected, so I savor the feeling for as long as I can.

We finally break apart, and my eyes search his, trying to gauge whether he feels the same way I do. We’re still so excruciatingly close to one another that I can feel the heat of his skin on mine.

I swallow hard.

“You need to get some sleep. I should go,” Jake says, stuffing his hands into his pockets. I can see the apprehension in his eyes, and as much as I don’t want him to go, I know he should.

“Good night, Jake.”

Working with Jake has mistake written all over it. Tonight proved that being around Jake Matthews is just too tempting. Frustrated, I fumble with my keys in the lock, then finally push the door open, feeling Jake’s eyes still on me the entire time.

Resisting the urge to look back, I close the door behind me and then press my back against it, trying to fight off the rush of frustration I feel. It’s partly due to getting a perfect job offer I know I can’t accept, but also the fact that Jake didn’t even try to kiss me. Did he not want to? Or was he just trying to stick to our promise of friendship and nothing more?

I shake my head, surprised at how quickly I am warming up to being much more than friends with Jake. That wasn’t part of the plan.

---