“What’s up?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. It just…”
“You want me to check for monsters under the bed?”
He wasn’t joking or teasing her.
“It feels too still in there.”
Jake nodded. “Come with me. Let’s check everything.” He closed the door to Rex’s stable for the night. A couple of animal noises flitted through the rain, ones that told her they were settled.
She followed him back into the house, taking the hand he offered.
“How often do you go through this?”
He was drenched, more so than her, but that didn’t seem to be concerning him. His eyes were full of worry, concern.
“Not often now. It was more frequent when I was younger and when I started living on my own. I use a range of techniques to rationalise everything, but…”
“I’m here and I can check. You think this has been triggered by what happened to Abby?” He brought her into his chest, hugging her to him.
Lainey let herself be held, closing her eyes as she relaxed into his chest. “Probably. Someone in her house even when she wasn’t there would’ve given my subconscious a good kick.”
“Understandable. Let’s check everywhere. We’ll lock up first.” He took her with him to the back door, turning the key and then clutching it in his hand. “Let’s go.”
He led her through each room, opening cupboards and checking under anything, commenting on the amount of crap she’d managed to hoard already, and the odd pair of shoes they came across.
When they got to her bedroom, he spent longer, teasing her about the state of the floor that had clothes cast over it, a contrast to his neat freak.
Lightning split the darkness through the window, thunder following straight away.
“Will this spoil what you’ve set up for the festival?” she asked, thinking of the work that had been put in, especially this week.
Jake shook his head. “No. We planned for a deluge. This will be heavy, but it’ll be gone by morning and the air will be fresher.” He sat on her bed and pulled off the T-shirt he’d had on that was stuck to his skin. “We’ve checked everywhere. I think we’re alone in the house and I’m staying here tonight anyway, if you still want.”
“I still want.”
“You still want to keep this between us?”
“For now.” She pulled off her own top, leaving her naked from the waist up. Jake’s eyes lingered over her breasts, feasting on the sight of them that didn’t hurt her confidence at all. “But not forever. Although won’t that damage your playboy reputation?”
“Happy for it to be damaged.” He patted the spot next to him. “Will you sit here with me?”
She headed over, hearing the rain grow heavier through the open window. “What is this between us?” Her head settled against his shoulder, one of her arms covering her chest so she felt less exposed.
“I don’t know. But I didn’t like watching you talk to Olly and not me.”
“Were you jealous, Jake Maynard?”
“Yes.”
She was surprised by how directly he answered the question. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”
“You can always make it up to me.”
“Really? How’s that?” She looked down at where his erection was obvious in his shorts.
“I can show you in the shower.” His grin was beyond cheeky.
