Nobody But You(66)

“I can’t,” Jacob said.

“Right, okay, yeah.” Hud’s smile faded. “I get it. You’re just back for…well hell, I don’t even know, and then you’re out again.”

“I told you I was coming back,” Jacob said, “and I mean it.”

“Then why the hell can’t you stay with us, where you belong?”

Where he belonged. For a minute this struck Jacob completely dumb. He couldn’t talk. He couldn’t breathe. The warmth of it washed over all the cold, hard parts deep inside of him, the change so huge it actually hurt.

“Fine, f*ck it,” Hud said, rising to his feet. “I’ve got to go—”

“I can’t stay at the lodge because I bought this cabin,” Jacob said. “But it’s good to know you’re still a hothead.”

Hud didn’t say anything. Not a single sound, and Jacob stared at the phone, trying to figure out if the call had gotten frozen. “Hud?”

“The cabin is yours?”

“Well, technically, it’s the bank’s,” Jacob said, trying to lighten the mood.

But Hud wasn’t interested in lightening the mood. “You bought the f*cking cabin. Here in Cedar Ridge. With us.”

“Yeah, well, not exactly there with you,” Jacob said. “Because a little distance from the crazy would be good, but it’s only six miles, so it’s close enough, right?”

For the first time in way too many years, Jacob had the pleasure of seeing Hud smile. It took him only a second to realize it was mirrored on his own face as well. And hope—something he hadn’t allowed himself because it felt like a luxury—bloomed in his chest. Not trusting his voice, he didn’t say a word, but he knew he didn’t have to. Sensing movement, he craned his head and took in the vision in his doorway.

Sophie, in nothing but the scent of his soap and his towel.

“I’ve gotta go,” he said to Hud.

“I know that look,” Bailey murmured.

Hud narrowed his eyes a little and stared at Jacob like maybe he was trying to read him the same way Jacob had tried to do to him only a minute ago. Then Hud’s eyebrows vanished into the hair falling across his forehead. “Looks like maybe there’s something else keeping you in Cedar Ridge besides the cabin.”

“It’s not what you think.”

He smiled. “Wanna bet?”

Jacob blew out a breath. “I’m disconnecting now.”

Bailey blew him a kiss.

Hud simply nodded and disconnected.

Jacob tossed his phone aside and turned to Sophie.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she said. Then she paused and grimaced. “Okay, so I did. To be honest, I was shamelessly eavesdropping.” She hugged herself, looking so hauntingly beautiful in his towel, smelling like his soap.

Jacob had to force himself to stay seated. Because if he stood up, he was going to haul her in to him, bury himself deep, and get lost in her eyes, her smile, her voice, her body…

Nope. Not standing up.

“Jacob.” She came into the room, coming close, too damn close, not stopping until she stood between his legs.

Don’t touch her. Don’t— His hands went to her hips. “Soph—”

“I’ve spent a lot of time letting others make me feel like the redheaded bastard stepchild,” she said, “like the easy throwaway.”

“Soph.” He shook his head and held her gaze. “You’re not either of those things.”

“Not when I’m with you, I’m not.” She paused. “Do you still want me, Jacob?”

Always. He held up his forefinger and his thumb, an inch apart. “Little bit.”

She bit her lower lip.

“Or, you know, this much.” And he spread his arms as wide as he could.

She smiled. And then she dropped her towel.





Chapter 24



Sophie blamed Jacob’s shower for her bravado. All that gloriously hot water had gone to her head—and her good parts—as she’d run Jacob’s soap over herself. And then she’d used a faintly damp towel that told her the last person it had touched had been him…

By the time she’d stepped out of his bathroom, she’d been shaky with need, her heart galloping so hard that her ribs were rattling.

She’d heard the low rumble of Jacob’s voice and for a crazy moment she’d wondered what would happen if she went out there and pressed herself up against his big, strong frame and begged to be held.

Touched.

Kissed.

Devoured.

Just until she felt alive again. Until she felt whole again.

She didn’t have that right. Not when she’d set the boundaries.

But then Jacob had turned to face her the moment she stepped through the doorway, his expression unguarded and…and she’d needed him so much she could scarcely breathe.

When she’d admitted to eavesdropping, he’d looked amused. When she’d strode toward him with a confidence and bravado that was pure Academy Award–worthy acting, his eyes had gone molten-lava hot.

And then she’d dropped her towel.

He took her in with eyes gone dark. In just those board shorts riding low on his hips, his skin was darker than hers and stretched over enough muscle on muscle that her mouth went completely dry.