“What did you think? Was I too hard on her?”
Setting my glass down, I turned to Jake and saw something I didn’t quite recognize. Gone was the cocky, confident man I’d come to know and love and was replaced with someone who was unsure of themself.
“Not at all. You did good,” I told him, pushing up on my toes and kissing his cheek quickly, getting a whiff of his purely masculine scent.
“Come on, Kel, you can do better than that,” Jake challenged as his fingers grabbed my hips and tugged me toward him, making sure I felt every hard inch of the bulge straining his jeans.
“What’s wrong with the way I kiss?” I dared him.
“Uh-uh. Not going there.”
“Whatever do you mean?” I feigned innocence while at the same time shooting a wink in his direction.
“Not going there. That’s a trap, and I damn well know it.” Jake smirked and dropped his voice a couple of octaves. “Just like I remember in exquisite detail exactly what you can do with those pouty lips and sinful tongue.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.”
I hated how one minute I thought I had the upper hand and then bam! The tables had turned, and suddenly, I was the one who couldn’t form a coherent thought. But I refused to lose.
“So… dinner with your mother,” I tossed out casually.
The pained look on Jake’s face told me I’d won this round. Mentioning his mother was more effective at putting an end to anything than an icy cold shower ever could.
“You’re a cruel, cruel woman, Kellie Knight.” He groaned, reaching down and adjusting his no-doubt deflating hard-on.
“And you better remember that.” I winked before spinning on my heel and heading inside to see if Cassie had managed to get dressed with all her clothes on the right way.
“Oh, I’ll remember.” Jake growled a promise as I added a bit of extra sway to my hips just to taunt him. “I’ll remember tonight when I turn your sexy ass pink with my palm.” Another promise, but this one had my every nerve ending tingling.
Jake was going to be the death of me, but what a way to go.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Jake
Well, that went better than expected.
Mom and Kellie aren’t friends, and right now I couldn’t expect them to be, but they were civil. They played nicely together and even talked a bit, a step in the right direction, I guess. It probably helped that Cassie dominated the conversation, barely pausing long enough to take a breath.
When she set her fork down and turned to Mom, I found myself watching to see what happened. Cassie was a three-year-old. And like any other three-year-old or kid, I imagine, I hadn’t had a whole lot of experience, but I already knew Cassie didn’t have a filter. She said what she thought and didn’t worry about the consequences. Only last week she told Kellie she had a fat bum while Kellie was bent over picking up the toys Cassie left spread all over the floor. I was appreciating the view, but Cassie called it like she saw it.
“Did you know I have two grandmas now?” Cassie asked the table, everyone falling silent.
Across from me, Nash and Sawyer became laser-focused on their supper while Kellie lifted her napkin to her mouth, undoubtedly trying to hold back her thoughts.
“Well, aren’t you a lucky girl,” Mom replied, smiling over at Cassie like she lit up the world.
Beneath the table, my hand found Kellie’s knee, and I gave it a squeeze of encouragement.
“My other grandma lets me have ice cream,” Cassie told Mom, and I could see exactly what she was getting at, and I knew it was going to work for her too. In the blink of an eye, I’d gone from the most important person in Mom’s world to second. Cassie had booted me from my pedestal with her sparkly sandals and lopsided grin.
“Well then, why don’t you come into the kitchen, and we will see what we can find?” Mom invited, pushing her plate away and rising to her feet.
Not a word was said as Cassie mimicked her every move, jumping off the chair and following Mom inside.
“Unbelievable,” I muttered once the screen slammed shut.
