Page 55 of Jacob

“You’re really not.” Her eyes linger on my tattooed arms. She licks her lips. “You have huge muscles now. How often do you go to the gym?”

“Almost every day. Do you like my arms?”

“I love your arms. Your tattoos are so sexy and the whole bulging bicep thing is…” She fans her face with her hand. “So hot.”

I wink. “Keep imagining what my body will feel like pressed against you.”

She whimpers. “Stop, Jay, or I might drag you into the bushes and let you show me.”

“If only.”

“If only,” she repeats.

I have to change the subject because there is no way I can give in to temptation now. “Owen is away for a few weeks, then I’ll speak to him.”

“Okay. I wish it was sooner.” She sighs, looking around, and shivers. “I don’t like the dark,” she whispers.

“C’mon.” I summon her to move. “Let’s quick-march into town and grab a cab.”

“Good idea.”

“Give me your backpack and I’ll carry it.”

“Just like old times, when you used to walk me home from school? I have fond memories of you walking with me.”

“Good times.”

“There are always better times to come.” She bumps her shoulder against mine as we begin the walk into town.

20

SKYE

“Do you want to come in for a coffee?” I look into the back seats of the taxi where Jacob is sitting.

Doubt lines furrow his brows. “Um.”

“It’s just coffee.” I wink. “Promise.”

“What about the tutorial you need to record?” His hands squeeze the knees of his widened legs.

I flippantly wave my hand. “It can wait until tomorrow, and besides, I have something to show you.”

He rubs his hand over his buzz cut a couple of times.

“Just a coffee, Jacob,” I reassure him.

Before I know it, we are sitting on my bed together, with our hands around our hot mugs of sweetened steaming coffee.

I brought Jacob up to my bedroom because I’m not sure when Kimmy is due home from work, and I wanted some privacy in case she does come home early.

“Is it weird that I can’t stop looking at you?” I ask.

He rolls his head to the side. “Nah.” Mischief twinkles in his eyes as if to say,I’ve been doing the same to you for years.

He made himself at home as soon as he walked through the door. Scanning my bookshelves, just like he used to do in my childhood room. Pulling a few out to read the blurbs on the back.

He even picked up my still working iPod I got for my sixteenth birthday, scrolling through the list of songs, nodding in approval at my music taste.

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