Page 83 of Play For Keeps

“You know me so well. I’m so happy I met you. I can’t imagine what my life would look like without you.”

Jake kisses my shoulder, then my jaw, before gently sucking on my bottom lip. “I’m here, Ev. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers against my neck.

Then he’s sinking into me again and there are no more words. I close my eyes as he begins to move, slower and sweeter this time, dropping his forehead to mine. My body begins to tremble, my heart pounding inside of my chest until my body shakes and I’m coming hard.

“That’s it. You’re such a good girl. You’re going to make me come.” Jake comes on a groan, pouring inside of me, before collapsing on top of me and burying his face into my neck. We both catch our breath as he falls to the mattress next to me.

I curl into Jake’s chest, loving the warm feeling of his skin against mine. He brushes the hair from my face and then kisses my forehead. “I’ve never tried so hard to get a girl to go on a date with me. I have never thought about anyone as much as I think about you. I know you and Birdie have to go, but I promise you, I am yours. I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’re going to find a way, right?”

Jake smiles a lopsided grin. “You are mine. We’ll figure it out. We just need time. But until then, I’m going to visit you ever chance I get.”

He gently lifts my chin in his hand and presses the sweetest kiss to my lips. Every moment I have with him, I find myself falling even harder.

“I love being like this with you.”

“Like what?” I whisper.

“Like this. Holding you in my arms.”

I press a kiss to his pec then I lay my head back down, listening to the steady beat of his heart. I close my eyes, never wanting this feeling to end. Never wanting to let him go.

TWENTY-SIX

PERFECT LITTLE BUBBLE

Everly

“Why can’t you come with us?” Birdie asks Jake as we sit in the middle of our living room, surrounded by boxes.

“I wish I could. There isn’t anything I’d like more, but I have work here. People need me.”

“But we need you more,” Birdie argues, sadness all over her face. She loves Jake. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was just hoping they’d get along. I never expected Jake to fill the void in her life that she was missing. But he has done just that and more.

I remember her big brown eyes and the way her face lit up when she saw him at the ice cream shop that night months ago. Despite my resistance, he had won her over instantly when they bonded over cat facts. She adored him right away, and since then, their bond has only grown stronger. It’s going to make leaving him behind so much tougher.

An apartment in Brookmont had suddenly become available. I received an email from the landlord letting me know it was ours if we wanted it. She seemed nice and it was in my price range, and from the photos it looked like a decent space. But on the other hand, it made the move very real.

I broke the news to Birdie last week that we would be moving back to Brookmont. Her bottom lip began to quiver, and then she broke down in my arms. Through sobs and tears, she told me that she didn’t want to leave Reed Point, that she’d miss Gramma and Grandpa, Franny, her friends at school, her pink bedroom and Jake.

My heart broke. She isn’t handling it well, and I’m sure she is going to be a mess when we have to say our goodbyes. I feel the same way. This morning, I had a good cry in the bathroom before Jake woke up. But I need to put on a brave face for Birdie.

There is no avoiding it. Today, we are packing the last of our things. Tomorrow, Birdie and I are going back to Brookmont.

I crouch down in front of Birdie, forcing a smile as if my heart isn’t breaking in my chest. “It’s not that easy for Jake to move with us. If it was, he would.”

“But it is easy. He can get a new job,” she insists through watery eyes. “He won’t be happy here without us.”

Jake’s eyes squeeze shut, and his chin drops to his chest. “You’re right about that. I’m going to be very sad when I can’t see you every day. That’s why I’m going to visit you every chance I get.”

“Will you take me bike riding?”

“I’d love to.”

She smiles. “I’m going to miss you.”

My heart cracks in two.

---