Wrecked (Clayton Falls #3)(13)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Oh. Okay, I can handle that.” He smiled, and I could see the relief on his face. “Are you working every night this week?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“And next weekend?”

“I’m going away. Back home actually.” I’d been looking forward to the trip for weeks.

“Oh, when do you get back?”

“Sunday, but I’m not sure what my schedule will be.”

“Can you at least promise me a date in the next month?”

I laughed. “How about in the next two weeks?” I wasn’t sure how I’d manage it, but I knew I would.

“Even better.”

“I should probably head back.” As great as the date was going, I needed to catch up on sleep.

“All right, let’s go.”

He held my hand the whole time, and entirely too quickly, we were standing by my car.

I reached for the handle.

“Not yet, there’s one more thing I need to do.” He leaned over again. This time his lips crushed into mine. He wrapped one arm around me while his other hand cradled my head. I moaned, and he took it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. There was nothing chaste about this one.

Normally, I would have been embarrassed to be kissing outside in the middle of the day, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. I reached my hand around to his back, slipping my hand just underneath his t-shirt to touch his warm skin.

After a few wonderfully intense moments, he broke the kiss and grinned. “Now that I’ve really kissed you, you can go.”

“You’re proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you.”

“You were barely conscious.”

“That just makes it more impressive.”

I laughed. He made me laugh a lot more than I was used to. “You can do that again anytime.”

“Even now?”

“I’m going home, Jake.”

“Fine, but remember you said within the next two weeks. I’m holding you to that.”

Still spinning from the kiss, I made a decision. “Wednesday.”

“What about Wednesday?” He laced his fingers with mine.

“I get off at seven, and I can probably get here by eight. If that’s not too late…”

“I thought you weren’t free this week.”

“Yeah, well…some time opened up.”

“I knew I was a good kisser…”

I nudged him. “Do you want me to come or not?”

“Of course, I do. I’ll even make you dinner.”

“You want to make me dinner?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, I know how to cook.”

“I wasn’t worried.”

“Good.” He leaned in, pushing me back up against my car. “The next few days better fly by.” His lips brushed against mine. When he pulled away, I groaned—disappointed.

He grinned. “I’m going to take that as an invitation.” He leaned in again and gave me what I was hoping for. His lips connected with mine, and he didn’t waste any time. He pushed his tongue into my mouth, and I gladly welcomed it. His hands left the car, pulling me against him.

I broke the kiss. “I better go.”

“Wednesday.” He looked at me hungrily, but backed up and opened my door.

I got in and started the car. “Wednesday.”

“Bye, Emily.”

“Bye, Jake.”

I waited until I was back on the interstate to call Mel.

She answered on the third ring. She’d probably left a patient’s room to pick up. “How’d it go?”

“Well. Very well.”

“Is that all you’re giving me?”

“He’s a good kisser.”

She squealed. “Alert the authorities! Emily Taylor got her first action in years.”

“It wasn’t action. It was a kiss. Well, four—or I guess five.”

“Five? You kissed five times? Were they consecutive?”

“Not consecutive, but all towards the end of the date.” I smiled thinking about it. I might have liked that he was taking things slow at first, but I definitely enjoyed discovering what more he had to offer.

“When are you seeing him again?”

“He’s making me dinner on Wednesday.”

She laughed, but it came out more like a snort. “That’s sweet—or just an excuse to get you in bed.”

“What does it say about me that I don’t care which one it is?”

“Emily!” she shrieked.

“What?”

“Nothing, it’s just awesome to hear you talk like a normal girl.”

I didn’t even respond to her comment. “He called me an optimist.”

“Haha. Did you tell him you were about everyone but yourself?”

“No. But I thought it.”

“Fine. Want to do dinner?”

“Maybe take out?”

“I’ll be over at seven.”

“Awesome. See you then.”

I spent the rest of the drive thinking about those kisses—and Jake.

Chapter Eight

Jake

Wednesday couldn’t come fast enough. I’d gotten through my first meeting with the assistant coaches, but looking through playbooks wasn’t nearly enough to distract me. If I had a license, I probably would have shown up at Emily’s door. Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t have one.

I checked my watch again. She was at least ten minutes late. I didn’t care if she was late, but I hoped she wasn’t going to bail on me. Finally, I heard a knock. I jumped off the couch like my life depended on it and opened the door.

“Hey.” I took Emily’s hand, pulling her inside. I barely let the door close before I kissed her. I’d missed those lips.

“Hi.” She ran a hand down my chest. That small touch drove me wild.

“I was worried you weren’t coming.”

“I’m sorry. I got held up at work.”

“Don’t apologize. I wouldn’t have cared if it were one a.m. I’m just glad you’re here.” I knew I sounded sappy, but I didn’t care. I seriously couldn’t get enough of her. I looked it up, and you weren’t supposed to remember much when they sedate you like that, but I swear I remembered seeing her. It made me feel connected to her in a way I didn’t actually understand.

I took her hand again and led her into the kitchen.

“That smells good.”

“You said you liked Italian.” I’d called her to make sure before catching a ride to the store with Ben. If he thought it was surprising that I needed the ingredients for lasagna, he didn’t show it.