“Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry I said anything. I don’t want things to be awkward between us. Let’s just pretend none of it happened.”
“Even the sex?” he asked.
“Especially the sex.”
“Here’s the thing. I spent most of the day thinking about it, and I’m willing to give it a try.”
“Give what a try?”
“Us. A relationship. I really wanted to wait until you got your memories back, but if you’re okay with going for it anyway, I’m game.”
“Jake, why do you want to wait so badly? Is there something you’re not telling me about why we didn’t date before?” Now that they’d slept together and were talking about a relationship, she had a right to know.
He took a minute to think about his answer. “I just wasn’t ready,” he said. “I have a small fear of commitment, and I wasn’t in the market for a long-term thing. You were looking for your soulmate. I doubt that’s me—I’m hardly good enough for you—but if you want to try, I do, too.”
She had a feeling this was a monumental step for him. That maybe she was the first person he’d decided to take a chance on.
Still getting the impression he wasn’t being completely truthful, she hemmed. “So, you’re saying I didn’t want to date because I wanted more than a fling? And that’s all you were offering, so I didn’t want to waste my time with you?”
“That was the gist of it.”
“But you’re ready now?” She crooked an eyebrow in doubt.
“Yes. I mean, I think so. I’m sort of in uncharted territory, relationship-wise, but I like coming home to you, like having meals and hanging out with you. I just…like you.”
She smiled. He was trying. That much was evident.
“So, all right. What does that mean then? To you?”
“Honestly, I have no idea.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “You wanna go out to dinner?”
“We could do that. Or, we could see if make-up sex is as great as they say it is.”
His eyes widened, and then a smile spread across his face. Clearly, he hadn’t expected that.
Memories or not, soulmate or not, she was tired of messing around. It sounded like in the past she did all of her thinking with her head and focused only on attaining a particular set of goals—graduate, get married, buy a business. She decided to give following her heart a try. If she came to her senses and decided it was a horrible mistake, then she’d deal with that then. For now, being with Jake felt right.
He leaned in and kissed her tenderly. She looped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to allow him better access. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.
“I have to warn you. I’m probably not going to be very good at this.”
“Sex?” she said with a smile. “I already know you’re good at that.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“I know. Let’s just take it one day at a time. No pressure. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but at least we can say we tried.”
“Okay.” He took a deep breath. “There’s just one thing I need to tell you…”
She put a finger to his lips to shush him. “Hold that thought. I was just about to take a bath and could use some help.” She stood, took his hand, and led him to the bathroom.
“This tub can easily fit two,” she said, starting the water and adding some bubble bath. While the tub filled, she slowly undressed as he watched, his eyes never leaving her body. Naked, she pushed him to sit on the side of the tub and then climbed on to straddle him. He sucked in a breath and cursed.
She didn’t say a word but kissed him and rubbed herself on his jean clad crotch. She pulled back a little to give him room when he begged to touch her.
“Holy shit, Hannah. You’re already wet.”
“Hm, your fault,” she murmured. Her head fell back as he found the sensitive spot that in no time had her panting and grinding into his hand. He flicked and rubbed and toyed with her until he finally sent her over the edge. Loose and languid and still completely turned on, she climbed off of him.
