Page 65 of Blocked Shot
“Yeah,” she says finally. “That’s a good idea. Jesse’s probably brooding.”
Jake watches her carefully, his brows drawing together like he’s waiting for her to say more. She doesn’t. She doesn’t want to talk about Jesse—not now, not here, where she is wrapped in the quiet intimacy they’ve built over the past few days. The real world is inching closer, and Jesse is part of that. A part she’s not ready to face yet.
Jake hesitates before nodding, like he knows pushing won’t do any good. Instead, he shifts closer, brushing his fingers over her knee in a quiet reassurance. “You okay?”
She leans into his side, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. “Yeah,” she murmurs. “Just… not ready for this bubble to pop.”
His arm comes around her, holding her close. “Me neither.”
He presses a kiss to the top of her head, lingering a beat longer than necessary. The moment stretches between them, heavy with everything unspoken. Then, sensing she needs a shift, he nudges her lightly. “So, what’s next for you?”
Natalie considers. “All my classes were canceled. They sent out material to review at home, but it’s nothing urgent. My boss closed the office the last couple of days—no one could get there anyway. I have to go back on Monday.”
Jake groans. “So it’s back to the grind for both of us, huh?”
“It was nice while it lasted,” Natalie says with a wistful smile, glancing up at him.
Jake grins, all boyish charm and barely concealed mischief. “The most delightful snowstorm I’ve ever experienced. Five stars. Would highly recommend.”
Natalie tilts her head, letting her gaze linger on him—the sharp cut of his jaw, the way his henley shirt stretches across his broad shoulders.
“What was your favorite part? The broken ribs?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows.
Jake fakes deep thought, tapping his chin. “Hmmm… I’d have to say kicking your ass at dirty Scrabble was the highlight.”
Natalie gasps in mock outrage and hurls a pillow at his head. “The absolute gall.”
Jake bats her hand away, then moves—fast. Too fast for her to react. In a blink, he’s on her, tackling her onto the couch, fingers finding that cursed spot on her ribs with merciless precision.
Natalie shrieks, her laughter bubbling up uncontrollably as she squirms beneath him. “Stop! I’m serious!” she gasps, though she’s not at all convincing.
“I don’t have to ask what your favorite part was,” he murmurs, low and teasing.
“Not fair,” she wheezes, twisting in vain. He’s too strong—he catches her wrists easily, pinning them above her head with a grip that’s playful but undeniably firm.
And just like that, the energy shifts.
She stills beneath him, her chest heaving. Her laughter fades, replaced by the sharp awareness of his body pressed to hers, the weight of him between her thighs, the heat in his gaze. Her pulse thuds in her ears. God, she should not find this so hot—but every inch of her is suddenly alive and wanting.
Natalie swallows hard, her body buzzing from more than their laughter. God, he’s so effortlessly sexy—the kind of man who could ruin her in all the best ways. The way his weight presses against her, the heat radiating from his skin, the rough scrape of his jaw so close to hers—it’s almost too much.
Jake’s eyes lock on hers, and the space between them pulses with heat, heavy with want. The tension isn’t unspoken anymore; it’s thick, aching. Like Jake feels between her thighs.
He leans in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear, his voice dropping into something dark and delicious. “Should we make sure it’s still your favorite?”
A wicked thrill shoots down Natalie’s spine, but before she can respond, he’s already moving. With a cocky grin, he stands, lifting her like she weighs nothing, tossing her over his shoulder.
“Put me down,” she laughs, squirming.
“Not a chance,” Jake murmurs, his hand sliding over the back of her thigh as he carries her toward his bedroom, smacking her ass for good measure.
CHAPTER 31
JAKE
Jake grips Natalie’s thighs as he carries her through the dimly lit apartment, his fingers pressing into soft skin, possessive, certain. She’s his—whether or not she fully realizes it yet. The small, breathless laughs escaping her tell him she doesn’t mind being hauled around. If anything, she likes it. And fuck if that doesn’t drive him wild.
“You’re being a total caveman right now,” Natalie huffs, wriggling slightly, though there’s no real protest in her voice.
