Cocky Roomie: A Bad Boy Romance Novel (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 1) (5 page)

“Where is it?”

“Construction company, I think. They work with water plants, desalinization and things like that. They’re looking for administrative help.”

“Well, that’s a good place to work. We need to find better ways to turn salt water into drinking water, yes we do…but Drew, you’ve never had a job!”

Sitting on my feet, tucked into Jake’s overstuffed couch, I stare out the window into darkness. It’s been so hard finding a job with an empty resume. Way harder than I thought. There is always someone more qualified than I am. I’ve submitted online. I’ve walked them in. I’ve even returned to places to make sure they didn’t fire the person they hired instead of me. When I got the call from Likuss that they wanted to see me tomorrow, I almost screamed.

“Daddy, I worked at that sandwich shop in high school.”

“How does that apply?”

“I’m just sayin’ I had a job.”

“Drew…” He trails off and we sit in silence for a minute.

The problem is he’s voicing everything I’m already thinking. I’m terrified to get my hopes up, knowing they’re not going to hire me at Likuss. I don’t have a chance in hell of winning that job over any other applicants. They must have felt sorry for me and called me in as a charity case just to say they’re good people or something. That sounds jaded, but I’m starting to see the world as a harsher place than I did when I lived in Dublin. Back when I thought Edward was faithful to me.

The key turning in our front door makes me fly off the couch. “I have to go, Daddy!”

I have been doing such a good job avoiding the sexy beast I live with. It’s been so hard to keep so distant, but it’s the best way for me to keep this apartment and not throw myself into his muscular arms. I am only human after all. That baby-maker below my belly keeps whispering that Jake Cocker’s eyes would look fabulous on my future son.

My father calmly says, “Tell Bernie I said hello.”

“I will. Bye!” I hang up, running to my room. The door swings open. I have no choice but to freeze and strike a casual pose or look like a crazy person. I manage to do both.

Jake walks in, eying me suspiciously. “Why were you running?”

“I wasn’t runnin’ anywhere.”

“You’re panting.”

Over-chuckling, I make a ridiculous face. “I am most certainly NOT.”

“I could
make
you pant.”

We stare at each other. My fake-smile disappears. His expression is totally serious…for all of two seconds. A big grin spreads on his face.

“Kidding, Drew.”

“Oh. Ha.” Fiddling absently with my phone, I picture our child running up and calling him, Daddy!

The thing is, it’s been so hard to think of him as too young for me when his voice is as low as it is, he’s built like that, he’s that tall, and he doesn’t act like one. I was expecting him to be up late smoking pot, playing video games, but Jake watches movies I like, shows I need to catch up on, and he’s always in bed on the weeknights by ten o’clock. He’s off to work by seven, Monday thru Friday, and he keeps the house clean. I have yet to see this maid he mentioned to me. I think he secretly cleans the bathroom himself. I’ve watched him clean up his pots and dishes after every meal he’s cooked for himself. And that’s the other thing, he cooks real meals!

“Oh, that smells good.”

“I like to make ribs on Sundays,” he proudly told me.

“Like, it’s a tradition?”

As he slathered on BBQ sauce, he replied with a distracted, “Mmhmm.”

I sat down on the barstool by his kitchen island and watched him cut cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and white onions, throw them into a bowl for cooking when the ribs were ready. Then he licked a thick fingertip and muttered to himself, “Almost forgot the garlic.” He peeled and minced a garlic clove, all the while wearing no shirt and jeans that begged to be ripped off. His ass in those jeans was a poem to the male form.

And the best part about it was that, because he was busy focusing, he didn’t ask me the questions he’s taken to asking me. I was able to just sit with him and not let him get too close. That was the one night where I sat on the couch with him and watched two back-to-back Game of Thrones episodes. And I didn’t try to escape.

Big mistake.

I realized that, later. That lazy, Sunday evening made me want to spend more time with him. It’s been torture to live here, but if you asked me to move out, you’d have to drag me, kicking, screaming and biting your hands. Guess that makes me a masochist.

Clearing my throat, I mutter, “I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Jake.”

“It’s eight-thirty.”

“I have a job interview in the morning.”

His face lights up with genuine interest, and I’m so lonely for company.

“You do? Well, that’s great. What’s it for?”

Painfully, I whisper, “I don’t want to talk about it, if that’s alright.”

Disappointment – or was it annoyance – flickers across his face. He shoves his hands in his front pockets. He seems to do that every time he’s thinking or unhappy. “Well, keep me company a little while, Drew. I was just with the twins and I could use some female energy for a change.”

“Like you lack in female company,” I dryly mutter.

“Have you seen any women here?”

Truth is, I haven’t. I’m not looking forward to the day when I do, I know that.

I smile, “Just when I look in the mirror.”

He grins, “Exactly. Come here.”

Reluctantly, I follow and stand by the kitchen island as he pulls out a bag of microwave-popcorn.

“You have brothers?” I ask, leaning against the granite counter.

“Yep. Five.” He throws the bag in and sets the cook-time.

“Six boys? Are your parents Catholic?”

Jake laughs as he pulls out a couple of beers from the fridge. “I think they were hoping for a girl. They didn’t get one.”

“I would say not!” I’m watching his muscles flex as he pops the tops and hands me one. “Six boys. Wow. Where are you in that?”

“Second to last.” He counts on his fingers. “Jaxson, Jerald, but we call him Jett now. Then there’s Jason and Justin, they’re identical twins. Me then Jeremy.”

“All Js.”

Jake taps his bottle to mine and smirks like he’s mentally stripping me naked. “You have siblings, right?”

“Only child.”

I wish I had a different answer to that question. I’ve always wanted a bigger family. There were a lot of lonely days growing up an only child, especially when my father kept being taken away at all hours of the night to talk with troubled people. A pastor’s work is literally never done. Dinner was interrupted frequently. Then it would be just me and Momma, because his talks would go on into the late hours of the night.

“They didn’t want more kids?”

Playing with my bottle, I sigh, “They tried. Guess God didn’t want it for us.” I glance down and take a sip, reading the label for the first time: Orpheus. “Is this local?”

“The only beer I drink is made here in Georgia.”

I love the pride shining off him. “That’s very loyal of you, Jake.”

He nods. “Runs in my blood.”

We stare at each other in a silence so charged I can hear chemistry humming.

I meant what I said when he first showed me the place: I will not sleep with Jake Cocker. I need this fresh start too badly. I’m not the sleep-around kind. I never have been.

But then he reaches over and tucks a long lock of hair behind my ear and steps closer to me, his calloused fingertips lingering on my neck. I hold my breath as my ovaries scream to let him do what he wants. His eyes darken with an intended kiss and my throat goes dry.

“Don’t do this, Jake.”

“Do what?” he murmurs, staring into my eyes. God, he’s stunning close up. The power coming off Jake Cocker is weakening my resolve by the second.

Oh, why aren’t my feet walking away?! Maybe because I’m throbbing in my panties.

“You’re lookin’ at me like I’m a…”

He leans down so closely I can smell the sweetness of the beer on his lips. “Like you’re what, Drew? A soft cat I want to pet?”

“Are you implying something with that?” I whisper, my eyelids falling.

His baby browns sparkle. “Am I meaning your pussy when I say cat? Yes, I mean your, hot, sopping wet, tight little pussy.” I gasp. He pauses and adds, “But I want to do more than just pet it.”

“Oh my God,” I moan and my lips stay open, ready for the inevitable. My chance to run is gone. I am his slave now because I made the mistake of staying and talking to him when I should have disappeared. This is what I’ve avoided so carefully. Jake is so dangerous and off-limits that I am drenched with need for him to fill me with that enormous cock he’s got. Every night that I see him walking shirtless to the couch with his home-cooked dinner, I think about that monster between his legs. And then I successfully make a break for it. There’s no running now. I want him. I need him. When this happens, he will be the first man since my husband. And Edward was the first ever.

I want someone other than my cheating husband to be my only lover. Jake is perfect for the job. Maybe I won’t fall in love with him.

Don’t be stupid, Drew. Walk away. You will fall for him. You’re already hyper-sensitive to every move he makes. You think it will get any easier if you feel his strength pressing between your thighs? If you let him touch you, you really think his hot kisses won’t haunt you every second of every waking hour? You think you won’t have to move out when it all blows up in your face?

Oh God.

I don’t care.

I need him.

“Drew, I can tell you want me, too. The way you’re looking at me is saying everything.”

“No, I really don’t,” I whisper right before he brushes his lips against mine and I moan.

Turned on by the sound I made, he growls, “Fuck. You know what I’m gonna do to you? I am gonna lick that cunt until you can’t walk. I’m going to suck on your clit until you don’t want to run away from me anymore. I will slide my tongue in and out of your tight little pussy until you beg me to fuck you and give you a release. Imagine how good my hot breath will feel down there, Drew. Just let your mind wander around that image a second for me.” He turns my face to whisper with his deepest voice into my ear, “I will make you scream.”

The microwave beeps. Jake leans up and looks over. I take the opportunity to escape, quietly placing the beer down and sliding my backside against the granite island until I’m safely away. I can feel him watching me but I do not look back for fear of losing my resolve.

“I have to get up early, Jake. I’m sorry, but I need this job.”

Before I shut my door, and with my body pulsing, I glance toward the kitchen. I guess I was expecting to see him standing there, glaring at me for leaving him like that, but instead I hear him swearing at himself, “Fucking idiot, Jake. You just had to push it.”

I shut my door as quietly as I can.

JAKE

T  
he popcorn gets thrown in the trash without being opened. I grab onto the countertop and grip it tightly, growling to myself. Am I pissed that I tried to kiss her or that she rejected me? Fucking both.

She was going to let me. I know she was.

At least, I think so.

Fuck!

Downing a few glugs of my beer, I slam it on the counter and head for my room. “Night, Drew!” I call to her closed bedroom door.

Her muffled, sweet voice calls back. “Night!”

Dammit, I want to knock on it.

Placing both my hands on the nearest wall, I brace against the desire crackling through my torso. I wasn’t expecting this. I hadn’t planned on the seduction attempt and I sure as shit didn’t plan on its failure. Now I’m all riled up and rock-hard. I want to touch her again. Her hair smelled like heaven. Her eyes, they kill me. They’re so vulnerable to everything I say, it’s like we’re dancing every time we speak to each other.

Fuck!

I start pacing around the living room. I’ve driven myself into this frenzy and now I want to go knock on her damn door and try harder.

It was innocent. I thought maybe we’d watch a movie, have some popcorn, and I could find out about her mysterious life. But then I came home and saw her running to her room with her braless tits bouncing, and how pretty she looked when I told her about my brothers. She was relaxed, just like that Sunday night, and I had to go and blow it.

But if she’d let me kiss her, it would have been worth the try.

FUCK!

I walk to her bedroom and knock. After seconds that feel like months, she calls out, “Yes?”

Let me in.

Come sleep in my room.

Hell, let’s just fuck on the couch, or against this wall, or anywhere you want. Just let me into your body. Take your wall down and let me in.

Through gritted teeth, I say, “Good luck on the job interview.”

“Thank you, Jake. Sweet dreams.”

“You too.”

Even though there’s nothing else to say, I’m waiting for a reply from her. Who am I kidding? I’m really just standing here hoping for footsteps and a turning doorknob, followed by a night in her arms.

I head for my room and accidentally slam the door.

Didn’t mean to do that.

Cringing, I pace around my room, hoping she didn’t hear and knowing she probably did.

This hard-on won’t go down. My stomach is clenched and my balls are tight. Unzipping my pants I free myself with a long grunt of relief. These jeans were too tight for all this. I grab a wall with my free hand, leaning forward and closing my eyes as I stroke my length as rough as I want to.

Knock knock. “Can I come in?”

“Fuck yeah, you can. Get your sweet Georgia ass in here and get on your knees.”

She goes down without objection, staring up at me like she does, like I’m a god and she worships me.

“Open your mouth, baby.”

She licks and moistens her lips up for me, then looks at my cock with need as her tits heave, the nipples hard as always.

“You want this?”

“I want to suck it until you cum in my mouth,” she whispers, eyes always on my cock.