Dangerous Lies(14)

His lip twitched upward. Pushing his hat higher on his forehead, I could see the dark brown locks that hid beneath it. I always wondered how much hair he really had. Scooting from his seat to the ottoman, he sat directly across from me, setting both his hands on my knees and stared me straight in the eyes.

The contact caused me to hold my breath. His hands were warm to the touch, and the tingles that rushed around them were distracting me from his charm.

“All you’ve done the past three months is worry, stress, and be paranoid about life. You need to clear your head and relax.” His thumbs stroked the outsides of my knees. “The tension you’ve been carrying is obvious. It’s time to chill out some, Love. Take in the scenery-- breathe a bit.”

I exhaled the breath I’d been holding, taking a long blink as if it would help me gain my senses. Between his touch and the way he called me Love, I was having trouble processing a thought.

When I opened them, he was grinning at me, his eyes filled with mirth. “Now you’re getting it.” His thumbs continued to rub, moving to the insides of my knees, and my thighs trembled.

He glanced down then removed his hands, standing from the ottoman and returning back to the grill. He cleared his throat. “Put your feet up and enjoy the New Zealand scenery.”

Did he feel the intensity brewing between us? I might be crazy, but the way he stroked the bare insides of my knees came across as intimate.

Maybe snuggling at night with him would ease my nerves and clear my head, even if it lead to other activities. I wasn’t married anymore, and a little bit of passion might help with the lack of writing flow. How could someone write about romance if they hadn’t received any of it over a long period of time?

I took a sip of my wine, watching Jake work the grill. Seeing that his front was as sexy as I knew his back was, keeping my inappropriate thoughts at bay was going to be a challenge, one I might forgo and give in to.





Chapter Eleven





“Dinner was amazing,” I sighed, slouching in my chair. My stomach was perfectly satisfied.

Jake sat across from me, relaxed in his seat. He grinned at my stature. “Wasn’t sure how well it’d turn out. I don’t typically cook for anyone else but myself.” He gestured to the cat lounging along the railing of the deck with the tilt of his head. “Shepley won’t touch anything I give him unless it’s fresh from a can.”

“Someone’s spoiled and picky,” I smiled at the cat. “Whatever he doesn’t eat, I will.”

Jake laughed, glancing at our empty plates. “I’m pretty good on a grill, hope you don’t mind eating a lot of meat.” His eyes glimmered with humor, and I flushed, avoiding his gaze.

“Your mind went to the gutter again, didn’t it?”

“Doesn’t it always?” I smiled, throwing him my own wink.

He studied me, his brows relaxed with an impish grin settled across his lips. “What are you thinking right now?”

Finishing my wine in one long swig, I stood from my seat, only sending him a smirk. Without answering him, I collected our plates, batting my eyelashes in his direction. I was on my third glass of wine, and for a girl who hadn’t touched alcohol in over a year, the effects were coming in full blast.

My skin was warm and tingly, my mind was free and opened, and in my buzzed haze, Jake Cooper was sexy as hell.

He followed me inside and into the kitchen. “That naughty, huh?” He prodded, bringing in the platter where the leftover burgers and veggies sat.

I giggled, still refraining from answering him. I flipped on the faucet, running the water until it was warm. Jake was next to me, reaching for the dish soap. “I can do this.”

I nudged him with my elbow. “Don’t be silly. You cooked, I’ll clean.”

“How about, I help,” he offered, gently placing his hand on my lower back when he passed by me to get Tupperware for the leftovers. I loved the slight contact, secretly wishing he’d come back to me. The simple touches we had before dinner had me craving physical interaction with him.

“You’re feeling that wine, aren’t you?” He chuckled, dumping the food into a bowl and covering it.

“Maybe,” I snickered, rinsing off the plates and putting them in the dishwasher. Jake watched me, his fun loving smile turning into a scowl.

“Let me load it.”

I furrowed my brows at him. “Really, it’s not a big deal.”

He skidded passed me, moving one of the dishes into the opposite side of the dishwasher.

I raised a brow at him while he rearranged the silverware. “Wow, I should have seen that coming.”

Without looking at me, he continued to load after I rinsed. “Seen what?”

I pressed my lips together to stop from laughing. “That you’re a touch OCD.”

He loaded the last utensil, his brows pinching together. “I’m not OCD.”

Crossing my arms, I glanced at the dishwasher. He followed my gaze. “What? They wash better that way.”

“I’m not denying that,” making a show of checking out his house, I brought my attention back to him. “Your house is spotless, Jake. Same as your car.”

He scowled at me. “So…?”

Laughing, I shook my head. “So… you’re OCD. There’s nothing wrong with that. You might kick me out for being a slob with my things.”