Page 50 of Trust

How did he keep her and not lose her because of her brother?

“What is happening there in your head?”

Her voice was sleepy. Her head was on his chest. In that instant, he knew he wanted this. Forever. Oh, Jesus, he had known he wanted a relationship with her, but he never prepared himself for that kind of thought.

He had never called a romantic partner love before now. Jakob knew precisely why. He was in love with her.

Lani lifted her head. The only light in the room was from the moon, but he had always had pretty good night vision. “What’s wrong?”

He forced himself to relax, unable to reveal what he’d just realized. “Just…”

She sat up and pulled the sheet with her, hiding her magnificent breasts. Dammit. “You regret it, don’t you?”

When he said nothing, she sighed and slipped out of bed. Panic set in, and he reacted, leaning forward and pulling her back into bed.

“Argh!” she said as he rolled them over the king mattress. Once he was on top of her, he settled an arm on each side of her head and looked down at her. Damn, she was beautiful. Her dark hair fanned out over the white sheets, and her eyes were in angry slits.

“Get off me. I want to go home.”

“You can go home. But I want to clear something up first.”

Her chin notched up. “Fine.”

God, she was magnificent. He was always attracted to strong women. At the exact moment, though, he wanted to protect her, physically and emotionally. He needed her to know there was more to this thing between them.

“I do not regret anything about tonight. Well, no. I do regret having to dance with that vapid friend of Royal’s. But I do not regret anything that’s happened between us. In fact, I hope to do that again very soon.”

“Then what are you worrying about?”

“It’s…well, guys don’t take their best friend’s little sister to bed.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Well, it’s a code.”

“It’s an asinine code.”

Lani’s voice had taken on a condescending tone. He laughed. Her frown seemed to lessen, and her eyes lit up.

“I love your laugh.”

“Right back at ya, love.”

“You don’t have to worry about Ben.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“No, it’s not. I’m an adult. He didn’t have a problem with Rick and me.”

“Don’t talk about other men while you’re lying beneath me naked, and I’m hard as a rock.”

“And what are we going to do about that, Jake?”

Jakob thought he couldn’t get any harder. He had been wrong. The moment he heard her teasing words in that seductive tone…well, he was lucky he didn’t come in his pants. He knew that he shouldn’t be doing what he was doing, but as she leaned up to take his bottom lip into her mouth to suck on it…Jesus. Every thought of being a good guy disintegrated and was replaced with need. He wanted to touch her, taste her, and he wanted that all to happen immediately. Again and again.

He rolled off her and slipped off the bed.

“Jake—”

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