Page 91 of Seal the Deal

“No, I need to know,” Jake presses, his voice intense but not harsh. “Because I’m not going to play a game where I pretend you’re just a friend when you’re not.”

Inhaling deeply, I look away, but Jake’s hand on my chin gently turns my face back to his. “I’m not asking you to rush into anything, but I need to know where we stand. I need to know that I’m not the only one who wants this.”

His words slice through my hesitation, leaving nowhere to hide. I can’t keep pretending either, not when every part of me is screaming for him.

“You’re not,” I whisper. “You’re not the only one.”

Relief flickers across his face, but he doesn’t let up. “Then let’s stop with the mixed signals. We’re in this together, okay? No more denying ourselves for the sake of anyone else.”

“Okay.” I nod, finally letting go of my fears. “Okay, let’s do this.”

A slow, relieved smile spreads across his face, and he leans in to kiss me, his lips soft but firm against mine.

When he pulls back, he rests his forehead resting against mine. “You’re my Lady Lightning. Don’t you forget it.”

A thrill rushes through me at the possessiveness in his tone. “And you’re mine, Captain Thunder.”

“Damn right I am.”

“But we need to be careful,” I say, as he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “The kids... they come first.”

“Of course. They always come first.”

The tension between us is a living thing, pulling us closer, drawing us into the inevitable. I nod again, feeling relief wash over me as I submit to the feeling.

“Okay.”

He pauses, searching my face. “Why don’t we spend Christmas at my cabin? Just us, the kids, and some time together.”

I blink. “Your cabin?”

“Yeah, it’s where I go to get away from everything, clear my head. And I want to share that with you and the kids.”

Excitement and fear twist in my chest. But the way he’s looking at me, it’s impossible to say no. “I’d like that.”

“Yeah?” His smile is slow, lighting up his face.

“Yeah.”

“C'mere , then.” Jake’s hands slide down my back, pulling me onto his lap.

Lips capture mine in a kiss that’s anything but gentle, filled with all the need that’s been building between us. I lose myself in him, letting go of everything else.

His fingers thread through my hair, tugging me closer. When he deepens the kiss, I softly moan into his mouth, running my tongue against his.

The kiss turns hungry, and I can feel the tension in his body, the way he’s holding himself back, trying to stay in control.

But I don’t want control, I want him. All of him.

“Jake,” I breathe, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. “I want you.”

He stands, my legs wrapping around his waist, and he carries me toward the stairs, hands firm and possessive on my thighs. There’s a desperate urgency between us, a need to erase every inch of distance and hesitation that’s lingered.

We barely make it to the bedroom before our clothes are gone, discarded in a trail behind us. Jake’s hands are everywhere, his mouth crushing mine with a hunger that borders on desperate.

He leaves a hot, open-mouthed trail down my neck, sucking at my collarbone before moving lower, and I arch up, desperate for more. His touch is almost feral, like he’s staking a claim and marking me with every press of his lips.

“You’re mine, Charlie,” he murmurs low against my skin. “No more hiding, no more pretending. Say it.”

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