“I’ll be here.” Her body tingled from the heated look he gave her, before turning and walking into the bathroom.
****
Jake wasted no timestripping down and getting into the shower. As the hot water ran down his back, he pictured Olivia, sitting out there in that damn dress.
Even with the bruises, she’d come out of the bathroom looking gorgeous. And the best he’d come up with wasfine?
He silently cursed himself as he lathered the soap and began to wash his body. If he had any thoughts of turning their friendship into something more, he was definitely going to have to step up his game.
Not tonight, though. Liv had been through too much for him to pounce on her now, even if that was exactly what he wanted to do.
She needed food and sleep. In that order. Jake looked down at his hard length, and wished someone would send his dick the memo.
Turning the water to cold, he finished with his shower and dried off. He threw on the boxers, jeans, and plain gray t-shirt the guys bought, before quickly swiping on some deodorant and brushing his teeth. And he did it all while trying to ignore the box of condoms still sitting at the bottom of the sack.
Jake shook his head and spit into the sink. Derek might be a wiz at all that technical shit, but the guy was about as subtle as a killer whale in a fucking blow-up kiddie pool.
He rolled his soiled clothes into a ball and put them into the sack, hiding the blue box from sight. The last thing he wanted was for Liv to think he was planning to take advantage of her.
After picking up his gun from where he’d set it on the sink, Jake shoved it in his waistband and ran his fingers through his towel-dried hair. He stepped out of the bathroom, freezing at the sight before him.
Trevor and Olivia were sitting on the edge of the bed...and she was laughing. Not the tiny chuckles she’d given him a few times since he’d found her. This was a full-body, head-tilted-back, shoulders-shaking laugh.
It did things to him he couldn’t explain, and Jake knew he’d never forget the way she looked in that moment. He was still standing there, staring like an idiot, when the two looked over at him.
“Damn, man. You almost look human again,” Trevor joked.
Jake flipped him off as he made his way into the room.
To Olivia, Trevor asked, “What do you think of the cleaned-up version of the boss man?”
She tilted her head, playfully answering, “Eh, he’s...okay.”
“Nicely done,” Trevor whispered to Olivia before turning to give Jake a smartass smile.
Jake glanced at Olivia, who was struggling not to laugh. Normally, he’d give back as good as he was getting, but the sparkle in her eyes was back. For that, he’d take whatever ribbing they wanted to throw at him.
He ran a hand over his jaw and grinned. “Funny girl.” Olivia bit her bottom lip as she smiled up at him, and damn if he didn’t get hard again. “I guess I deserved that,” he admitted as he walked past them, praying neither one would notice.
Olivia started to say something else, but a knock on the door silenced all three. Trevor stood, and he and Jake drew their guns. Jake motioned for Olivia to go into the bathroom, thankful when she did so without question.
Both men stood on either side of the room’s door. Jake leaned over and looked through the peephole. His shoulders immediately relaxed.
“It’s just D.”
He could hear Olivia’s sigh of relief behind him. Jake hated that he’d scared her, but it couldn’t be helped. He finally had her back and was taking zero chances with her safety.
Thumbing the gun’s safety, he tucked it back into his jeans before opening the door.
“Hey, boss. You look a lot better.” Derek sniffed. “Smell better, too.”
Jake stepped aside to let the other man into the room, glaring as Derek passed by.
D went to the table and sat down two bags, along with two Styrofoam cups with lids and straws. Jake turned to see Olivia still hovering by the bathroom door.
“Sorry,” he offered sympathetically. “I just don’t want to take any chances.”
She started walking back toward him. “I’m good.”
