Here we go . . .
His sister may be younger than him and young in general, but she was the oldest twenty-six-year-old he knew. Because her life had been anything but easy. And normally, Jake wouldn’t be turned off to dating, but the last year had been hell. Between Jeanine leaving and Walt taking up with his lady friend, Jake had poured every bit of energy he had into building the business to be stable and secure so Walt could live comfortably. No, dating hadn’t been high on his priority list. But that had changed twenty-four hours ago. With a set of red heels and one prom queen with a sharp kiss and even sharper bite.
Who has a firm stance on not dating . . .
She might not be interested in dating him. But he was interested in getting her to scream his name again.
In fact, he was more interested in changing her no-dating policy. Maybe they could coexist and enjoy their time together? Make this business work between them. Win-win in the end? Maybe he was once again delusional, like Laura had said.
He just had to attempt to keep his dick in his pants in the meantime.
He shook his head. His sister bringing up dating was the last thing he needed right now. Time for a subject change.
“Speaking of the PTA, where are the kiddos?” he asked.
Erica had twin six-year-old girls, Bella and Lexi. She was an amazing mom. Especially since she was raising them on her own after their dad took off while she was still pregnant. Jake would always be there for her and his nieces. Unfortunately, his sister had taste like their mother, and both had gone for men who left them high and dry when things got tough.
Which was why Jake wouldn’t ever leave here. It was home. His family and he loved it. Took care of them.
“They’re at a playdate, which reminds me . . .” She glanced at her watch, then grabbed her cell out of her pocket. “I’m just going to call and check in.” She started dialing and headed back to his room for privacy.
And just then, Jake saw the camper out front. A large smile split his face, because not only was Laura stirring, she was exiting . . . and coming his way.
Laura cleared her throat and gave a good tug to her crisp, white button-up, making sure it was securely tucked into her pressed black skirt. She was dres
sed for business, because she was a business owner, after all. And after a couple of years of working at her old marketing firm, business and business casual were the only clothes she had. Casual didn’t fit in her world.
She clutched her legal pad against her chest and took a deep breath. She’d been up all night thinking of Jacob Lock. And that had only gotten her puffy eyes and a migraine. Oh, she also had a sizable bruise on her butt from where she’d been hammered into the tailgate . . . literally. But that soreness just made other aches more noticeable and turned her thoughts to Jacob Lock and all the power that came with him. Especially when he was hammering her.
Those kinds of thoughts needed to stop!
She had to focus. Not on his mouth or his muscles or the insane way he moved his hips. No, she had a business to focus on. A business he was trying to take from her. A business that she had ideas about.
And it was time she took charge.
In her best professional power outfit, she knocked on Jacob’s door, ready to forget everything but the competition between them and to claim her place in this new life once and for all. She was not getting caught up in a man again. Sure, she’d had no idea sex or a man could be so amazing until last night . . . but she was not projecting her issues—thank you, therapy—and she was not chasing a man’s approval. She was taking charge. And Jacob Lock wasn’t on the agenda.
Last night was a slipup, but she’d keep to her no-dating rule, at the very least. A one-night stand didn’t count as a date, so that was a good thing.
The heavy door opened, and so did her mouth when she took in the sight before her.
Jacob Lock with sexy bed hair, dark stubble, a sleepy smile, and low-slung pajama pants.
“Good morning, Miss Baughman. Sleep well?” With a cup of coffee in one hand, he raised his other to lean against the door frame, stretching that eight-pack of abs and making her instantly drool.
“Stop,” she whispered.
He frowned. “Stop what?”
Stop looking sexy as sin!
But she couldn’t very well scream that out. No matter how badly she wanted to. She looked at him, and all that gumption she’d worked up was out the window. She was going to tell him where he could go. Which was straight to her bed—
No! Hell. He could go to hell.
Maybe after a brief pit stop at her bed?
Okay, her conscience was a lusty bitch, and it was time for Laura to get a damn grip.