“Sometimes I could hit you for what you did to us, Jake. You didn’t let me have any say in what happened to us. You just decided.”
But now I’m sitting on his lap in my home and I don’t want him to leave. If I didn’t have to talk to Tom, I’d be begging Jake to stay.
The thought of talking to Tom and trying to explain to him that I can’t marry him makes me feel nauseated. I backed out the other night so this time I’m going to have to find my backbone from somewhere because I want to move forward with Jake, if that’s what he wants. And I think he does by the way he’s been talking.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but what’s going on with Tom?” Jake asks, sounding miserable. “I need to know, Elise. I have to understand what I need to do for you to be with me again, and this time I have no intention of ever walking away from you—from us.”
I keep my head buried in his chest. “I was just thinking that I’ll have to talk to Tom. You’re the only one I want to be with so it’s unfair to Tom, and you, to keep him believing that I’m going to marry him when we both know I’m not.”
Jake lets out a huge sigh of relief.
“That’s good,” he says, his voice full of emotion. “Now, let me tell you about the house I’m building for us.”
Chapter 10
Rona
After a good night’s sleep, I wake up and remember that Cade left for Denver last night, after carrying me upstairs to bed. Not wanting to get out of bed, I just lie on my side, looking out of the window, trying to get my thoughts in order.
Before leaving Ireland, I’d given my notice at work, packed up my apartment and gave most of my clothes, shoes, and jewelry to charity. The furniture came with the apartment rental so I didn’t have to deal with that.
After canceling the wedding, I realized I wanted to spend some time back in the States. My plan was to spend four weeks in Jackson Hole and then travel to my hometown of Newport. Now I don’t really know what to do. The thought of leaving Cade makes me feel ill. I haven’t told him I have no job or anywhere to live because I don’t want him to feel he has to offer me a roof over my head. I want to stay here with him, but I’d rather he ask me because it’s what he wants and not because I don’t have anywhere else to go.
Financially, I never have to work again, but I’m not one for sitting around and doing nothing.
Looking around, I can hear music coming from somewhere before realizing it’s my cell. I reach for it. “Hello.”
“Rona, how are you feeling? You were so exhausted last night, I wasn’t even sure if you’d remember that I left,” Cade’s husky voice fills the cell and my body. I shiver at the warmth that washes over me at the sound.
Feeling wicked, I say, “Oh, I remember you leaving. I remember what it feels like being carried in your arms. I remember what you smell like, and most of all . . . I remember what you taste like.” I end on a smile because I know what I’m doing to him.
After what sounds like a groan, he responds, “You do realize, I’m now sitting in the conference room with the client due at any minute. Now, I’ve to stand to greet him with a rather large erection.”
I laugh. “Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. Are you okay? Did you sleep well?”
“I slept like crap because you weren’t nearby.” After a pause, he says, “I have this fantasy of you naked, spread out on the conference table in front of me with your ankles around my neck and my mouth between your thighs.”
I’m speechless. He’s never been so explicit before, but I love it. “That . . . was . . . evil.”
He chuckles. “Payback, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart? I like that.
“I’ll give you payback. When you get home, I’m going to get you naked and put my hands and mouth all over you. When you can’t stand the teasing anymore, I’m going to put your cock between my legs, where you’ll find me very hot . . . very wet . . . and very tight. I love you Cade, hurry home.” Laughing, I hang up on him.
After a steamy shower that does nothing to work out my libido, I get dressed and head downstairs where I find a note from Jake saying he’ll be back soon.
I make a light breakfast and eat it while I watch deer meander through the yard. It’s funny how peaceful it feels here—how right it feels that even the deer aren’t hurried. As I finish my breakfast I hear the doorbell chime and quickly walk through the house to answer it.
Opening the door, whatever greeting I was going to say flies straight out of my head. “Nick, what the hell?”
He looks rough. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“No, I’m not. This isn’t my house.”
What the hell is he doing here?
“Hang on a minute. I never told you where I was staying.”