Page 64 of Pucking Around

“Whoa—stop—” I throw both my hands out to either side.

“What’s that?” the Uber driver calls. “Stop here?”

“No,” the three of us say at once.

“Actually, yeah,” says Jake. “Let me out. I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“Okie-dokie,” the sweet blonde says, pulling over.

“Jake, no,” I cry. “This is crazy—”

He’s out before I can even snatch for his shoulders, slamming the car door in my face. Caleb already has his side open, following him out.

“Jeez, he’s pretty upset,” the driver murmurs, eyes wide as she watches Jake storming off, Caleb jogging after him. “Want me to wait? Or take just you back to the hotel?”

“No,” I reply. “I have to deal with this.”

I slide out Caleb’s open door, following after them.

It’s nearly one in the morning. All the restaurants and businesses on this street are closed. A few have glowing signs—Chinese takeout, a laundromat, a dive bar. Rock music filters out an open door as I rush past, chasing after my hockey players.

My heels click on the sidewalk. God, my feet are killing me. I’m within an inch of flinging these heels off and running barefoot.

“You’ve got it totally backwards, man!” Caleb calls after Jake.

“Don’t tell me what I see with my own fucking eyes.”

Caleb catches up, grabbing Jake by the shoulders. “Don’t do this. Don’t close off. You want to talk, so let’s talk—”

“Idon’twanna talk,” Jake growls. “I can’t do this here. Not now.”

I catch up, panting. “Jake, talk to me before I scream. What the hell was that back there?” I gesture to where our Uber is still parked down the street. “One minute we’re all blissed out from a three-way orgasm, and now you’re running like a ghost is chasing you. Make it make sense.”

He holds my gaze, those gorgeous hazel eyes full of so much pain. “Rachel, I can’t do this anymore.”

My breath catches as Caleb’s dark brows narrow in confusion. “Do what?” he says, glancing between us.

Jake looks to me, waiting for my permission. Even now, he’s willing to keep us a secret. Or maybe this is a test? He wants to know what our secret is worth to me. Am I willing to tell Caleb the truth? The pain on his face has me stepping forward, grabbing his hand. “I know this has been hard for you. It’s been hard for me too. Ineverexpected this. Neither of us did.”

“Expected what?” Caleb says, his obsidian gaze darting between us. “How long has this been going on between you two?”

“Almost four months,” I reply, my eyes still locked on Jake.

I wait for Caleb to catch up. There’s no way Jake didn’t tell him about me. I’m waiting all of five seconds before Caleb is cursing under his breath. “Oh, fucking hell,” he mutters. He glares at Jake. “You kidding me right now, asshole?She’syour Seattle Girl?”

Slowly, Jake nods, his eyes still on me.

“Oh, fuck,” Caleb says again, dragging his hands through his tousled hair. “Why didn’t either of you say anything?”

“She told me not to,” Jake replies, his tone flat.

Caleb punches his arm. “Yeah, well I’m your best fucking friend. And I’m pretty sure secrets go out the window when you invite me to face fuck your dream girl in a closet!”

“She didn’t want anyone to know,” says Jake, glaring in my direction.

“Why the hell not?”

Jake shrugs. “You’d have to ask her. Rachel gets to call all the shots, apparently. But my guess is that she’s ashamed of me.”

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