“Yes.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything.” There was another nervous smile from her.
“You know whoever wins it is just winning a meal and having to put up with me for a couple of hours. It won’t be a proper date where I’m interested in them, you know that?”
“I do.” She took a couple of steps towards him. “I don’t think you’re a playboy anymore.”
“I never really was.”
She tipped her head to one side and raised her eyebrows.
“Maybe a little. But I don’t want to be one anymore.”
“Okay.” She came even closer.
“And I’m sorry for putting pressure on you to let people know about us. I wasn’t lying yesterday: I will wait till you’re ready.” He put a hand on her hip and closed the remaining inches between them. “I’ll stop being an arse.”
“Don’t. Because then you won’t be you.”
Jake carefully pushed his fingers into her hair, not wanting to muss what she’d done. He’d do that later.
“I’m glad you think that way.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, again gently. Then he dropped to his knees in front of her, shifting her skirt to press a kiss to her calf, then higher, looking up to see her response.
“Jake…”
“The door’s locked. No one’s here yet. And I didn’t get to do this this morning.” He carried on leaving kisses up that smooth skin, rearranging the material to allow himself to get closer to that hot centre.
Her fingers were entwined in his hair, pulling on the curls he’d hated as a kid, but now he knew how useful they were for Lainey, he loved them.
“I know how sensitive you are here.” He pressed a spot on her inside thigh and felt her shiver. “And here.” He ran his finger higher up, grazing the silky material of her panties between her legs, the pressure minimal. “But I know how especially sensitive you are here.”
Her gasp was all he needed. Jake pressed his mouth to her centre through her underwear, already tasting her sweetness.
“You want me to take away any stress, Laine?” He moved the material out of the way with a finger, toying at her entrance, feeling her wetness growing. “Want me to remind you who does this the best?”
He heard her whimper as he pushed a finger inside her. She was tight and hot, and his dick was begging him to not do what he’d planned.
“Want me to make you come.”
He saw her nod. Unable to resist, Jake took a tiny lick of her clit, her fingers digging into his head. He didn’t mind the pinch.
“Oh, fuck, that’s so good.”
He smiled at her words, sucking and tasting, adding an extra finger. He could tell she was getting close, her pussy was tightening and becoming slicker. He counted down from ten, then withdrew, holding onto her hands as he stood up.
“Jake Maynard…” Her voice was overspilling with frustration.
He kissed her cheek. “Later, Lainey. Just going to leave you feeling a littlewound up. Promise I’ll make it better after.”
He dodged the half-arsed slap she tried to give him and escaped, wiping his mouth before anyone could notice anything glossy about him.
There wassomething to be proud of, that he was the third lot from the end, with only a weekend break in a five-star hotel, and a helicopter flight after him. In Jake’s mind, that made him a headliner.
Ollie and Will had both been sold off. Will, to his amusement had been bought – or a date with him had been bought – by a consortium, one which included Gran, Maud and Marian. This had made pretty much everyone’s night.
And gone some way to easing Jake’s own nerves, which had developed from somewhere he’d never visited before.
He walked onto the stage wishing to fuck that he’d changed his mind about this. He didn’t want to go on a date with anyone else, even if it was for charity. The Jake Maynard of seven or eight months ago would’ve loved to have been up there, the centre of attention, women wanting to go home with him, even if he never promised more than one night.
