She came hard, seeing stars, her body feeling as if it was being beautifully shattered in two. He followed after, his warm seed coating her insides, making her nipples harden even more, and then she clung on, not wanting to let go.
A bang at the door brought them both back to earth, followed by Scott’s voice.
“I charge by the minute. Hurry the fuck up and bring three bottles of prosecco on your way out and I’ll pretend I have no idea who’s in there.”
Lainey didn’t breathe until his footsteps had disappeared.
“Shit.”
Jake didn’t say anything just untangled them, helping dress her before pulling back on his own clothes.
“Everyone will know where we’ve been.”
He shook his head. “They won’t. Although I sure as hell wouldn’t mind them knowing, Lainey.”
She heard the shake in his voice. He was angry.
“Let me know when you’re ready to tell everyone. I’ll probably be the fool that waits too long.” He pushed the boxes back and left her, her head against the wall, wondering just how she wasn’t going to fuck this up anymore.
She didn’t head backinto the bar. Instead, she picked up her bag and left through the back, texting her sister to say she was leaving. She was halfway down the lane when she wiped wetness off her cheeks, unwanted tears falling.
Rain on a sunny day.
This was what she’d feared. She wasn’t the girl who was ever the centre of attention, or commanded a room. That was Immy, or even Maven. She was the one who was content to sit nearby, watch and listen, until something made her really fiery, and she did get involved.
Jake was the opposite. He was the centre, the laughter and the warmth that people gravitated to. If they were a couple, she’d be defined by him, and when things did go wrong, it’d be her walking away.
Like now.
There was a sound of heels behind her, ones that were completely unsuitable for a rural pavement but were being used efficiently anyway.
There was only one person who could run in such things. Lainey stopped, but didn’t turn round.
“What happened?”
She shook her head at Imogen. “Let’s just go home. I’ll tell you then.”
The road home had never felt so long. The town was about to start its annual scarecrow festival, so the feeling of being watched wasn’t far off accurate, only the eyes were generally buttons or coal, or in Rayah’s scarecrow’s case, something that looked far too human.
Holly and Josh were moving in together today, a couple of extra cars pulled in front of the house to help them shift – probably Josh’s parents. The last thing Lainey wanted was to see a couple making cow eyes at each other, so she dived to the side door, Imogen cursing when her heel got stuck in the soft ground.
Immy went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of prosecco.
“I don’t want anything.”
“I do.” Imogen poured herself a glass. “Do I need to call a hitman on Jake?”
Lainey shook her head. “He’s not done anything wrong.”
“So why did he look like someone had stolen his wallet and given him a gift card for a bankrupt shop when he came out from banging you at the back of the bar?”
Lainey looked to the ceiling. “Was it that obvious?”
Imogen sighed. “No. Everyone was too interested in other stuff. How long’s this been going on?”
“Months.”
Imogen’s mouth gaped open. “And you didn’t tell me?”
