There’s something so sexy about being in the dark, it’s like it isn’t really happening, but it is. It’s like a dirty little secret, something we can plausibly deny if we regret it in the morning.
Will we regret it in the morning?
Right now, I don’t care.
27
Waking up in Jake’s arms feels good – it feels almost as good as everything we did last night. Almost.
We didn’t sleep much; in fact, we were still all over each other when the sun started to come up. Then it was even hotter, being able to see each other all of a sudden.
I was worried I might wake up and regret it, but I don’t. At least I don’t think I do. God, I hope he doesn’t regret it.
I inhale sharply, which is how I discover Jake is awake too, because he tightens his arms around me.
‘You awake, darlin’?’ he mumbles.
‘Yeah,’ I reply in a whisper. ‘You?’
I feel stupid the second I say it. He just laughs and rubs my shoulder sleepily.
A bang on the door makes sure I’m awake.
‘Whitney,’ I hear JJ call out. ‘Whit? I’m coming in…’
We both sit a little more upright and make sure we’re covered.
JJ laughs as she sits down on the end of our bed.
‘I appreciate you making the effort, but you don’t have to pretend you’re sharing a bed in front of me,’ she insists.
‘Good morning to you too,’ I reply. ‘Hungover?’
‘Not as much as you would think,’ she replies. ‘It was a good night – who knew board games were so fun?’
‘Everyone but you,’ I tell her. ‘Although they’re not usually so horny.’
‘That’s why I don’t play them,’ she replies. ‘How you doing, big boy?’
Jake laughs. I’m not sure he’s ever been called that before.
‘Doing good, ma’am,’ he replies.
‘I swear he’s only calling me that because I told him it gets my knickers in a twist,’ she jokes. ‘Anyway, Whit, I need to talk.’
‘I’ll grab a shower,’ Jake replies. ‘Is the power back on?’
‘Yeah,’ JJ says. ‘There was a power line damaged somewhere locally, but it’s fixed now – at least that’s what I heard Andy and Cordelia talking about.’
‘Won’t be long,’ he says with a smile.
Jake grabs the spare throw from on top of the bed and wraps it around his waist, hiding the fact that he’s totally naked, so that he can go to the bathroom without flashing JJ.
‘You’re really committed to the bit, huh?’ she calls after him.
‘I won’t let you down,’ he calls back with a laugh.
Jake goes into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
