Music of the Soul (Runaway Train #2.5)(9)

Jake’s amused expression grew serious as he traced my cheekbone with his thumb. “Are you sure?”

My eyes widened. “Excuse me? Am I sure about gross, oily male strippers?”

He laughed. “No, I meant about me and only me.”

“Considering we’re getting married tomorrow, I think that shows I’m pretty damn sure.”

“But are you sure you’re okay with me being the only man you’ve ever slept with.” His brows furrowed in thought. “I mean, do you think you’ll look back one day and wish you’d had more experience?”

I shook my head furiously from side to side. “Never, ever.” Sliding my arms around his neck, I smiled. “I can’t ever imagine anyone being a better lover than you.”

“And since you have no one else to judge that by, I don’t—”

Bringing my hand to his chest, I silenced him. “Don’t go there, Jake. I know what I’ve felt with you, and I don’t want anyone else. I’m fully satisfied that you will be the only man I sleep with for the rest of my life.”

Although I wasn’t entirely sure he believed me, a pleased smile curved on his lips. “I’m satisfied that you’re the last woman I’ll ever sleep with for the rest of my life.”

“I sure hope so.”

“Give me a goodnight kiss, future ball and chain,” he teased.

I leaned up on my tiptoes to bring my mouth to his. He snaked his arms around my waist, drawing me flush against him. As I deepened the kiss by thrusting my tongue against his, Jake’s fingers came to tangle in the bottom strands of my hair. He tasted sweet like the chocolate cake we had fed each other for dessert.

When I pulled away, Jake groaned. “Yeah, guess we better cut that out for tonight.”

I bit my lip to keep from smiling since I knew what I was going to do as soon as the house was quiet, and I was sure everyone was asleep. “See you tomorrow then,” I said.

“Night, Angel. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Jake gave me a chaste kiss on the lips before heading out the front door. Fighting the butterflies in my stomach, I made my way down the hall to the bedroom. Although I slipped out of my dress and into my pajamas, I had no intention of going to sleep. Instead, I lay in bed, listening to the sounds around me. Long after the last footsteps could be heard pattering down the hall or the sound of water in the pipes, I finally threw back the covers and hopped out of bed.

I knew exactly what I wanted to wear, and it only took two seconds to pull it out of my suitcase. I then slipped into the bathroom and got dressed. As soon as I was done, I crept out of the bedroom and down the hall. I could hear my dad snoring in the guest bedroom, while the sound of muted TV came from the office where Eli and Gabe were sleeping on an air mattress and the pullout couch. Grabbing a flashlight out of the hall closet, I then snuck out the front door. I jogged as fast as I could in my robe and slippers across the front lawn and down the hill. Thankfully, Angel had actually listened to me when I told her to stay on the porch. The last thing I needed was for her to start a barking marathon and alert everyone that I was running around half-naked outside.

When I got to the barn, I reached under one of the potted plants to get out the hide-a-key. Gently, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. When I closed the door behind me, I heard rustling in the bed upstairs. Without hesitation, I made my way across the living room toward the stairs. Of course, I didn’t expect Jake to have left his shoes in the middle of the floor, causing me to trip and bang into the ladder.

“Ow!” I cried before I could bite down on my lip.

“Abby?” Jake questioned. Within a few seconds, he was peering over the railing of the loft.

Gazing up at him, I teased, “Yes, it’s me. Were you expecting someone else?”

His brows furrowed. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, especially you.”

“Well…surprise!”

Jake gave me a funny look as I started climbing the stairs. When I got to the top rung of the ladder, he helped me off. “What are you doing here?”

To answer his question, I undid the tie on my robe. I then shimmied it off my shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Jake’s eyes widened while his mouth gaped open at my skimpy lingerie. “Abby…”

“Do you remember this?” I asked, running my hand over the silky material.

As the revelation washed over him, desire burned in his eyes. “You were wearing that the night we made love for the first time.”

“Yes, I was.” Stepping forward, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I want you to finish what you started earlier this afternoon. But most of all, I want you to make love to me again on our wedding eve in the same place we first came together.”

Jake’s gaze left mine to momentarily flicker over to the clock on the nightstand. “But it’s after midnight. That means it’s our wedding day. What about the bad luck?”

“We make our own luck. But more than anything, we make our own memories, and I want to make one with you tonight.”

As his arms wrapped tighter around me, he cocked his head at me. “Trust me, Angel, I certainly don’t want to argue with you. I just don’t want you to regret it later.”

“There hasn’t been a single moment I’ve regretted with you.”