Dangerous Lies(12)
Unless, he knew where I ran off to. My chest tightened with the thought. I’d have to stay off of social media and keep my texts limited. Martin gave me space, but his eyes went wild when it came to Jake. I never wanted to see that side of Martin again.
I might not wake up if he got his hands on me.
Jake watched me while he sipped his beer, goading me to look up at him from my empty wine glass. He snaked his arm around my waist, his demeanor changing from friendly to passionate. His broad chest was right there, his delicious scent flooding my nostrils. It was shockingly becoming comforting, even though it had only tickled my nostrils a few times before.
My eyelids fluttered open, meeting his gaze. The brown of his irises were gentle, showing no more pity, but sympathy toward all the bullshit I’d been through. He knew how much Martin had hurt me without me sparing him the nasty details.
I rotated so my back was against the countertop. We were face to face. “Do you need me to move?” I whispered.
He nodded once, wrapping his other arm cautiously around my waist, pulling me closer to him. Our hips were touching, our gazes still locked. If our chests were pressed together, he’d be able to feel my heart drumming wildly in my chest. My nostrils flared slightly to inhale more oxygen, but I couldn’t release a breath. He was so close, staring at me with so much intent.
It was an alpha male stare, one I’d feared in the past, but coming from Jake, my long-time, mysterious friend, it opened a whole new passion inside of me. This closeness was different from the embrace moments ago.
One hand stayed planted on my lower back, while the other opened the drawer behind me, fumbling until he pulled out a corkscrew. His heated stare turned less intense, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Placing the utensil between our chests, he murmured, “I think you might need this.”
I released the breath I’d been holding, shooting him an awkward smile. “That I do. Can’t exactly open it up with my ring.” I waved my hand in front of his face, showing the simple silver.
He reached for it, gently holding my fingertips to examine it. “If it’s not a wedding ring, then why do you wear it on your ring finger?”
My throat was dry. “Maybe I still have hope to find true love.”
Still holding my hand, he brushed the band with his thumb, his gaze leaving the shine of my ring to meet my eyes. They were dark, a heat in the chocolate color that penetrated into my soul.
Peeling my eyes from his, I let out a laugh, but instead of sounding light-hearted, it was breathy and needy. I turned from his hold, planting both my hands on the counter for support, taking another deep breath. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I making this up in my head, or was his gaze daring me to make a move?
Jake’s hand fell from my back when I rotated, reaching for the wine bottle and popping it open. He poured me a glass, waving it in front of me to get my attention. I thanked him when I took it. He reached across from me, grabbing his beer and clinked our glasses together.
“Here’s to a writing retreat with my favorite author,” he grinned, taking a sip, his eyes never leaving mine. The sparkle of desire was still there, mixed with a playful grin hiding behind his bottle.
I couldn’t help but match his smile and take a drink of my wine.
My lady bits were ready to play some serious mind games with my heart.
Chapter Ten
“Come,” he ordered, lifting the plate of burgers from the counter. “The best view is from the back porch.”
I swallowed another drink of wine, following him aimlessly through the kitchen and to the sliding door. Some fresh air might help defuse the obvious tension that crackled between us.
I’d seen pictures from his deck on social media, but they didn’t do it justice.
The mountains had been beautiful as we drove, but here, with the lake in the background, they were breathtaking. They were gentle giants surrounding his home, the snowcaps onto the rugged rocks, yet the bases held greens for miles. The sun was low, casting an orange tint across the lake. It was spectacular, and I wondered how Jake ever focused on a computer screen long enough to get a manuscript written with the beautiful distraction surrounding him.
“Jake, it’s gorgeous out here,” I mumbled, afraid to blink and miss a moment of the view.
He grinned, opening his grill and lighting it, setting the plate of burgers next to it. “It helps get me in the mood.”
“What?” I croaked, my thighs tingling.
He laughed. “The mood to write? Gosh, you’re such a romance writer.”
I blushed, my eyes finding my wine. “Who said that’s what I was thinking?”
He smirked, taking a step toward me. Lifting his hand, he ran his thumb across my cheek. “The bright red streaks that stained your cheeks the moment I said it.”
My lips quirked upward into a smile as I met his eyes. He gave me a toothless grin, continuing to stroke my skin. “You caught me.”
Dropping his hand, his grin was still in a place. “And they say men have dirty minds.” He made his way back to the grill, opening the lid and putting the patties over the flames.
“Men are way more naughty than us. Women want romance. That’s not the dirty part of sex.” I asked, finding a seat on one of the lounge chairs.
Jake laughed under his breath. “I think we may need to agree to disagree on that one.”