Anonymous(30)

I carefully slide off him, dragging my hand across the bulge under his jeans. “I’ll get us some towels.”

While he goes outside, I hurry to our bathroom and grab towels. A part of me doesn’t want to go outside with Bryan still on the loose. But I’m being silly because our back deck is high off the ground. No one could get to it, unless they go through the house.

I glance at myself in the mirror. Turning to the side, I imagine what I’ll look like with a baby bump. There’s still a chance I could be already, but I won’t know until I miss my period. I’m supposed to start in two days. Setting the towels down on the counter, I look over at my bathrobe and smile. Taking off my clothes, I wrap the bathrobe around me. When I get outside, steam billows from the hot tub and lit candles flicker around the deck. Jake’s already sitting in it and has his head leaned back, arms draped over the edge.

“If there’s one thing I love about you, it’s that you know how to be romantic,” I say, making my way toward him.

Smirking, Jake looks at me and shrugs. “What can I say? It helps me get what I want.”

I set the towels down on the edge of the hot tub and slip a foot into the hot, bubbly water. Jake’s gaze roams up and down my body. “What’s under the robe?” he asks, sliding a hand up my leg. His skin is so hot it makes me shiver.

I turn toward him. “Why don’t you untie it and find out?”

Slowly, he grabs the knot of my sash and pulls me closer. Looking up at me with his heat-filled gaze, he unties my robe. A deep growl escapes his lips as he gently pulls it off my body, tossing it onto the deck.

He kisses my stomach, and lazily trails his way on up to my breasts. “You are so fucking sexy.” Grabbing my waist, he pulls me onto his lap. Water sloshes out of the hot tub, but it feels good gliding over my shoulders. “Feels like forever since we’ve been together.”

I cup his face. “I know. With everything going on . . .”

He cuts me off with a finger to my lips. “Tonight is about you and me. Let’s not think about anything else.”

“Okay.” I hook my arms around his shoulders and move my hips in small circles over his lap. “You and me.”

His eyes burn with need and I know mine’s doing the same thing. I want him, need him. Knowing I almost lost him makes me not want to take anything for granted. I want to hold on tight and never let him go. There’s no imagining a world without him. Resting my forehead to his, I breathe him in. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he murmurs back.

Before I can say anything else, he covers my lips with his, exploring me with his tongue. His fingers grip my waist, hard and possessive, as he holds me tight against his burning skin. I moan into his mouth, then suck his lip between my teeth.

Jake growls with need and pulls his lip away. He holds me in place, leaving me completely at his mercy. “As much as I love you teasing me, I don’t think I can take it anymore.” He sucks and bites my lip until the pain of it makes me gasp. It’s a good pain that makes everything between my legs tingle. “Ride me, Ellie.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”



* * *



By the time Jake and I are done with rounds two and three, I’m exhausted. It’s two in the morning and we’ve just hopped out of the shower and climbed into bed. My mind slows down, and I can feel sleep approaching, but then a loud crash downstairs jerks me awake. The alarm goes off and Jake jumps out of bed. Heart racing, I get out of bed and slide on my pajama pants, while Jake fetches one of our guns out of the safe. Even though it’s dark, I can see the fear and rage on his face.

“Stay here and lock the door,” he growls low. I rush toward the safe, but he grabs my arm. “You’re not coming with me.”

“Why not? If it’s Bryan, he could already be in the house.”

He kisses me hard. “That’s why you need to stay here. Lock the door and call the police. Hopefully, they’re already on their way.”

As much as I don’t agree, I do as he says and lock the door behind him. Bile rises in the back of my throat and my body shakes with chills. Jake knows how to handle a gun, and he’s strong, but I don’t want him going up against Bryan. Not when Bryan has shooting skills and has been trained in hand to hand combat.

Grabbing my phone, my fingers tremble as I press on Owen’s name. He’s the one I know will come to us the fastest. The line rings, and his voice is low when he answers.

“Ellie, what’s the matter? You okay?”

“Someone’s here. In the house,” I reply, sounding panicked. “There was a loud crash and Jake’s downstairs with a gun. Please come as fast as you can.”

“Calm down, Ellie. I’m on my way.” He hangs up and I call the police. They already have someone dispatched to our house. Luckily, Owen is closer to us than the police station. He’ll get here sooner.

I hear footsteps downstairs, but so far, nothing as far as gunshots or fighting. Car lights flash outside and I look out the window to see Owen’s truck slamming to a halt on the street in front of our house. Hopping out, I see he’s in pajama pants and a white undershirt. Gun in hand, he takes off around back.

I open the bedroom door and rush downstairs. Our dining room window is busted and there’s glass everywhere with a giant stone on our kitchen table.