Page 71 of Jake's Angel

And she’s not drunk. Interesting.

I drop my hand as she sits up. Putting her feet on the ground, grabbing the edge of the swing with both hands. She arches, stretching her back. I take a step back, giving her some space.

“Sorry, I must’ve fallen back to sleep. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I sat down on the swing. The sound of the water must’ve lulled me.” She pauses, looking up at me. Worry is written all over her face. “What is it?” Pulling the hair tie out of her hair, she runs her fingers through it as it falls around her shoulders.

Damn, she’s beautiful. I wonder what that hair would look like sprawled across my pillow.

I’m still standing here like an idiot, staring at her, until she finally breaks the silence again. “What do you want, Jake? Why did you come out here? Is something wrong?”

“No. I mean yes. Well—no, and yes.”

Smooth dumbass.

She tilts her head, confused by my words. I don’t know where to start and seeing as how she has no clue either; I decide to do the next best thing.

“Listen. You want to get out of here? Maybe go for a ride on my bike?” This could go either way, but if what Caleb says is true, and she trusts me even a little, then I need to get her to open up to me. But first, I have to get her away from all these idiots who can’t seem to do anything but argue about the poor girl.

“Where would we go?” she asks.

There’s curiosity and a hint of excitement in her once sleepy eyes. I shrug my shoulders, take a step back, and lean against the railing of the porch. Crossing my arms and legs, I watch as she studies me. Her eyes take me in from my chest, where she seems to be the most intrigued, until she reaches my face. I smugly smile back at her.

“Like what you see, Angel?” Her eyes drop as she tries to find something else to focus on. Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t cower with embarrassment. Instead, she surprises me with a borage of questions.

“Why do you keep calling me Angel? You don’t like me. So, why are you being nice all the sudden? What do you really want, Jake?”

Well, damn.

“You’re right. I’ve been an asshole to you, but not because I’m mad at you or don’t like you. Everything that was said yesterday, it doesn’t only change the last sixteen years of your life, it changed mine too.” I say gently.

It’s the truth. After everything else she’s heard so far, I don’t want to be another asshole liar to her. Don’t ask me why I care what she thinks about me, but I do.

She lets out a long breath. “I’ve never ridden a bike before.” She crosses her arms protectively over her chest. Her admission makes me smile.

“Well then, allow me to pop your cherry for you.” I wink. The way her jaw drops open makes me laugh. It gets me the death glare and I can’t help laughing even more.

“Ah, come on Angel. It’s a bike ride, not sex. Let me take you away from here for a little bit. Unless you’d rather go back in and listen to more from your dad and my Pops about why they thought hiding you away was such a stellar idea.” She glares at me again, but her eyes soften for a minute before she speaks.

“Won’t Gabe and Mack be mad if I leave here with you without telling them?” She sounds genuinely concerned.

I smile like the ass I am, caressing her cheek with my finger and answer, “No beautiful. They won’t be mad if you’re with me. If anything, they’ll be happy to know you’re safe.”

“Am I?” she asks hesitantly. “Am I safe with you?” The fear she had before is back.

Ouch.

Seeing the trepidation return to her beautiful emerald eyes reminds me that someone has hurt her. They’ve made her afraid.

I won’t be like him. I would never hurt her. I may not have liked her at first, but that’s all changed somehow. I could never hurt her, not when my instincts tell me I need to keep her close, protect her.

Make her mine.

Whoa! Nope. No. Shit.

Standing on my feet, I take her hand and lift her to stand with me. Taking a step closer, closing the gap between us, I brush away the stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Raising her chin, I force her to meet my eyes, making sure she’s paying close attention.

“Yes, Avery. You will always be safe with me. Whatever happens with all of this, I won’t ever let anything hurt you, including me.” She nods, accepting my truth. Dropping my hand from her chin, we walk out around the house to where my bike is parked.

She’s staring at my bike, looking somewhat anxious and a whole lot excited. She may be a little uncertain, but it doesn’t keep her from taking this on like some sort of challenge.

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