Page 4 of Crave

I’m drowning in a sea of brown orbs and I don’t know how to resurface. I take another sip of my wine without breaking eye contact. While he waits for me to speak, he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of my hand, causing me to jolt at the electric charge. I try to pull away, but he holds onto my fingers, almost daring me to take them away.

“I was telling Sandy all about Jason. Sandy, honey, Jason will lose his mind when he sees you. Isn’t she beautiful, Jake?”

Heat flushes my face at her compliments. I’m so embarrassed by her words that I break the eye contact with Jake and look down at our joined hands instead.

“Gorgeous, mother. In fact, I don’t know which one of you is more beautiful. You or Sandy?” He speaks to his mother but never looks away from me. He follows his words by kissing my hand again.

“Definitely Sandy, honey. She has youth and that body on her side. When’s JD getting here? I have to finish getting ready. If JD gets here before I come back down, make the introductions. Show her the picture we have of him. The one from his medical school graduation. Sandy, my Jakey will take good care of you until I get back.” Mrs. Clark walks away and up the winding staircase.

I look away from the staircase and back into the eyes of the most gorgeous face I’ve ever seen. We’re both silent as we study each other, him still holding onto my hand.

“Your mom is sweet,” is all I can manage to say. Lame, Sandy.

“She is, though I don’t know about this idea to fix you up with JD,” he says.

“The doctor? What’s wrong with that?” I challenge.

“Yes, the doctor. He’s my best friend, so I’m practically an expert on this subject. He’s incredibly wrong for someone like you.” He looks at my body, his eyes resting on my chest a little too long. My nipples react when his front teeth sink into his lush bottom lip.

“Someone like me?” I don’t know how to take that, but I feel like there’s an insult in there somewhere. One I don’t appreciate. I try once again to pull my hand away, but he only holds on tighter. He pulls me a little bit closer and the smell of his cologne invades my space.

“What would Jason know to do with such a beautiful woman?” He smiles again, showing off that damn dimple in his left cheek.

“He’s a doctor. I’m sure he can figure something out.” I break his gaze and scan his body again, willing myself not to run a hand across his chest.

“He’s definitely not your type.”

“How do you know my type? We just met.”

“I have a good idea. Jason’s short. He has a humpback and horrible halitosis.”

“You’re assuming I’m the type of girl who cares about physical appearance,” I retort.

“I can concede that you’re not that girl. Maybe you’ll overlook the hump on his back, but the halitosis? Not even someone as outwardly and inwardly beautiful as you can overlook that.”

He’s still holding onto my hand, and he pulls me towards him before finally letting my hand go, but not before he tucks my arm into his.

“I’m sure with his medical degree and my nursing degree, we can figure out a way to conquer his breath issues.”

“It’s pretty bad, Sandy. I’m afraid I can’t let you go down that road. I refuse to let you martyr yourself. I know someone who’s much more suitable to keep you company tonight. Besides, JD’s not coming. I have it on good authority that his hump is hurting.” With my arm tucked into his, he walks me over to the makeshift bar.

When we reach it, he pulls out a stool for me and once I’m seated, he reaches behind the bar and grabs a bottle of wine. He refills my glass before pouring his own.

“A true gentleman,” I say. “I thought those had gone extinct.”

“There are a few of us left. You’ve come to the right place tonight.”

“That remains to be seen, Jacob.”

He spins his stool around to face me. Our eyes lock again. I take notice of his nose. I think it’s what would be considered a celestial nose. It’s a bit upturned with a little depression at the bridge, just the perfect size for his face, but it’s the lips that have me nearly swooning in my seat. They’re full and wide, ready to be kissed. The scruff covering his face is begging for my hand to stroke his jaw, maybe even bite it as I run my other hand through his messy head of hair.

I look back and hold his gaze. I can see mischief in his eyes, as if he’s caught me admiring him. He smiles, flashing that dimple. That fucking dimple will be my undoing if I don’t get ahold of myself.

Sandra Etienne never makes a fool of herself, especially not over a man. I’m always composed and in control of my feelings, and I’m not about to turn into a simpering idiot at the house of my mother’s biggest client—but Jacob Clark is notmyclient. Technically, he’s not my mother’s client either. He’s a man, and I’m a woman.

“Do you like what you see?” he teases.

I flash him a smile before taking a sip of my wine. At my smile, I hear a sharp intake of breath before his brown eyes darken.

---