“Everything I needed to hear,” Jake said honestly. “Everything I didn’t want to hear. He said your smiles should outnumber your tears.” Jake wiped away a few of her tears with his thumb, brushing them across her cheek. “He said I should treasure you as a partner, not just a lover.” Jake held her fingers to his lips and kissed every single one. “It’s almost as if he knew I would screw up, but loved me regardless.”
“Jake, that’s what love is.”
“Love.” Jake smiled. “Love isn’t effortless; it hurts. When I watch you my chest feels like it’s going to explode, when you touch me I feel it everywhere, when you breathe I hold my breath until you exhale. Love is hell, it’s torture, it drives a man insane, and it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever felt. I feel like I just jumped into a burning building… but Char, you’re my water. I just need to know one thing.”
&nb
sp; “What?” She whispered.
“Will you come to my rescue?”
Chapter Fifty
Without answering, Char went up on her tiptoes and kissed Jake’s mouth. Her tongue met his, slowly pushing into his mouth as he tentatively kissed her back. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him onto the bed.
“So help me God, Jake Titus, if you leave me a thank you note after tonight, I will hunt you down and kill you.”
Jake threw his head back and laughed. “Does that mean you love me?”
“Nope.” Char winked. “That means a woman scorned isn’t a pretty sight.”
“Oh.” His face fell.
“But.” She shrugged. “I guess since we’re confessing.” She dropped the rest of her clothing to the floor and stepped out of it. “I’ve loved you since I first saw you.”
“You loved me when I was five and hid in my parents’ bedroom because the fireworks were too loud during Fourth of July?”
“You had blonde hair.” Char remembered aloud. “It’s dark now, but when you were little, you had the blondest hair. I remember thinking I wanted to touch it because it was so pretty.”
Jake smiled, saying nothing, as his eyes drank her in.
“I wanted you to be my first kiss,” Char admitted, crawling onto the bed and straddling him.
Jake leaned up and whispered across her mouth. “How about I just be your last?”
“What are you—”
“I love you… I am in love with you.” Jake gripped her face between his hands. “I want everything with you, all of you…”
He swept her up in a hungry kiss and ran his hands down her hips, tugging her toward him. His lips blazed a trail down her neck as he worshipped her body, eyes closed. He did everything by touch as he slowly moved down her hips to her legs and then back up again until he was cupping her breasts.
Licking his lips, he removed his hands and pulled away from her.
“Jake?”
“Not like this.” he walked over to the lights and flipped them on.
Char moved to cover herself. “Don’t.” Jake shook his head. “I want to see all of you, I want this…” He watched her lips. “I need this to be different.”
“Jake—”
“You aren’t a notch,” Jake said. “Char, you’re not a damn notch in my bed post, you’re not just some girl. This isn’t a drunken moment we’re going to share. This isn’t another one of my playboy nights. I have nothing to offer you but me, and I want nothing in return but every piece of your heart.”
Char gave him a slow nod.
“Say it,” he said in a hoarse voice.
“You have it,” Char whispered.