“I’ll just get him tucked in really quick,” Jake says, standing to lift the child into his strong arms.
I nod and watch them trundle off together before collecting the dishes and heading to the sink to wash them. Over the flow of warm, running water, I hear Jake’s voice rumbling from Ryan’s open door. I glance over, catching sight of Jake’s massive, muscled body bent over Ryan’s small bed. The boy is still barely managing to keep his eyes open, watching Jake read from a storybook.
“And then the wolf said, ‘and I’ll huff and I’ll puff!’” Jake reads, his voice perfectly deep for the wolf and high-pitched for the little pigs.
I'm so enraptured by the scene that I can barely focus on the dishes. Ryan’s request rings in my ears. How beautiful it would be to do this every day?
Jake is such a tough and burly guy with such a gentle heart, a heart that I'm beginning to love.
Love?
Really?
I slam off the faucet, swallowing hard.
Am I truly falling for Jake Eckhart—The Hartbreak Kid?
Ryan’s tired voice slips through the doorway. “I like having Stacy here, Uncle Jake. It makes me miss Mom less.”
Jake smooths his hand over Ryan’s forehead. “Me too, buddy. Me too.” I watch Jake stiffly wipe his eyes. “Stacy’s pretty great, huh?”
“The greatest,” Ryan answers with a yawn.
Tears bloom in my eyes. It’s impossible to fight the fact that I have feelings for the man in that room. And I care deeply for Ryan too. But what if we start seeing one another and things go south?
Will everyone just end up even more hurt in the end?
That’s the last thing I want.
“Want some wine?” Jake asks softly as he walks behind me, Ryan’s bedroom door now closed.
“Yes,” I answer instantly, gulping down a healthy sip of the crimson cabernet he pours before following him to the couch.
We sink down together, each on opposite ends. We stare at one another, while my mind reels.
“Thanks for cleaning up,” Jake says looking completely relaxed with a wine glass perched in his strong hands.
I clear my throat. “You cooked. It’s only fair. Next time you’ll be on dish duty.”
“Next time?” he asks, the faintest glimmer of hope rising in those beautiful chocolate eyes of his.
I just blush and distract myself with my drink.
He scoots forward, setting his wine glass down. The couch, large and cozy, feels suddenly small as he gets closer. I watch the space between us disappear, unable to convince myself to put any distance between us. All I truly want is to be in his arms.
“I appreciate what you’ve done for me and Ryan so much, Stacy. I don’t think I can ever make that as clear as I want to. Seeing Ryan smile, actually smile . . . I almost thought neither of us would smile again after the year we’ve had.”
“You two have both come a long way,” I answer softly.
“Thanks.” His smoldering gaze makes my pulse race.
I gulp down another sip of wine as a charged silence stretches between us.
Jake breaks it first.
“I’ve got to admit I'm nervous about this charity event. I want to make a good impression on your friends, so they know I'm good enough for you.” He cracks a sideways grin, one that makes my heart flutter.
It's hard to believe the confident, flirty football star would actually be nervous about something. His posture is the picture of ease, one arm draped over the back of the couch, his fingers dangerously close to my shoulder.
“Believe me, they’ll love you,” I whisper as he sidles closer.
One of his fingers brushes the nape of my neck. This time, I move toward him.
He pulls me against him. “Then they’ll be easier to impress than you are,” he cracks. “You make me work for your attention something fierce.”
“Who says you get to stop now?” I murmur, tilting my head to grin at him.
In the dim light of the apartment, he smirks back. Then, slowly, as though he’s giving me ample time to change my mind, he cups my face in his hand. His thumb drifts lazily back and forth over my jaw, but I have no intention of pulling away.
I simply can’t. Not anymore. There’s no resisting him now.
His mouth descends on mine, his tongue sweeping the curve of my lower lip, and I finally give in to everything that I’ve been longing for since meeting him. He dips me backwards so that he can deepen the kiss, clutching me against him as though any amount of space is unbearable.
Sparks fly, every hair on my body standing on electric edge, as our lips move in perfect time.
In his arms, all of my doubts and fears fade away.
With a kiss this perfect, how could we not work out?
Chapter 17
Jake
The suit hangs in my closet, freshly pressed and ironed. I’ve seen to it that it’s perfectly tailored, too. For Stacy’s friends, I'm going all out.
Time seemed to stand still while I waited for this day to finally arrive. But now I’ve only got about two hours before Ryan and I head out to pick Stacy up. She hasn't told me the dress code for the event, but I’m a firm believer that you can never look too sharp for something.
Plus, I know the media is going to be there and my image needs some desperate rehab since the night of the party and Ryan’s outburst.
Fortunately, things have been looking up in that regard. The soccer club implemented some basic security at the field to keep the paparazzi far away. I also released a statement to the press making them understand that my focus and priority is always on my nephew, so he doesn’t feel ignored. I asked them to please grant some leniency and not photograph me when he’s present. So far, they’ve been pretty respectful.
Stacy’s also done an amazing job helping me explain to Ryan why it sometimes feels like other people want to steal my attention. It’s still a little too complicated for the six-year-old to comprehend, but at least now he grasps why the media shows up at places while we’re out. He also understands that if he ever tells me he’s uncomfortable with the crowd, we will immediately remove ourselves.
That being said, Ryan has become quite taken with the cameras. Now he loves posing and making funny faces while I politely wave on our way to the soccer field.
I walk over to the window of my bedroom, listening to the little thumps of Ryan’s room through the wall. He’s already getting dressed for the event. The kid is possibly more excited than I am, though that’s partially because he heard there’s going to be dogs present.
The sun is fading over the horizon, making the buildings glow with golden light. It fills me with sudden excitement.
I can’t wait to see Stacy again.
My fingers lift, brushing over my lips. Sometimes, I swear I can still feel her there, her body nestled gently against mine.
She’s been reserved ever since our kiss, not allowing me to kiss her again even though I’m dying to. I get it. She doesn't want to accidentally let Ryan catch a peek of the intimate behavior. He’d have questions and Stacy isn’t sure he’s ready for his uncle and his teacher to be dating.
Plus, she’s not sure she’s ready to make whatever we are official.