Rachael considered her future as she watched Jake get dressed while Bryan Ferry sang “More Than This” on the clock radio beside the bed. The guy in the song didn’t know where he and his love were going, but after last night if Rachael had any say in her own life, she’d be spending the rest of hers with Jake. Maybe near the beach in California. Because this felt like more than love. This felt like freedom.
Dressed, Jake took her in his arms. “Are you sure I can’t at least take you to the edge of Ross?” Jake whispered into her hair as he held her. “I don’t want to let you go yet. It’s too soon.” They swayed to the music.
“I know. For me, too. I want to spend the rest of…”My life.“…the day with you in this room. Preferably in bed.”
Jake gave her a wicked grin. “You liked all that, huh?”
“He asks if I liked it, as if that wasn’t the best fucking sex I’ve ever had,” she said, poking Jake’s nose. “As if you didn’t make me come like five times.”
“I thought it was six.” Jake pretended to pout.
“Could have been. Math is hard, especially when you are.” She moved her hand down to the obvious bulge pressing against his jeans.
Jake laughed and Rachael was more than happy to join him, especially when he slipped her bra straps back down her arms and unfastened it.
Before they left the room, they did a little more math, and made it a solid eight.
Twenty-One
Jake knew three things. One, he needed to talk to Deputy Lewis Broggart Junior as soon as possible, and two, he couldn’t just stroll into the sheriff’s office to do it. Luckily, thanks to what he’d learned at The Hideaway the night before, he didn’t necessarily have to do that, though the route he had to take instead might prove even more difficult.
The third thing he knew was that he needed to make a phone call before his shift at the plant. As he drove back to Ross, he put his phone on speaker and dialed his partner.
“How’s the job going?” Camden asked.
“Great. I got a promotion.”
“Did you?”
“Yup. Comes with a bump in pay and special perks.”
“Perks like what?” Camden sounded amused.
“If I’m good, he’ll pimp his daughter out to me.”
“No shit?” Now Camden sounded disgusted.
“No shit. Guy’s a sick fuck.”
“What does she have to say about it?”
Jake flinched at the thought of Rachael finding out her own dad offered his daughter up like a Christmas bonus. “She doesn’t know and I’m not planning on telling her.”
“Unless you can use it to your advantage.”
Jake said nothing as he let a semi fly past him.
“Unless you can use it to your advantage,right?” Camden spoke each word deliberately.
Jake growled. “I don’t see how that would be advantageous.”
“Dammit, brother. Stop thinking with the little head.”
Fuck. “I’m not.”
“Bullshit you’re not.”
“She’s not some piece of ass and I’m not going to make her feel like one.”
