The Storm Inside (27 page)

His hand on my face and the depth of his eyes were a footnote to the overwhelming weight of his words on my heart. For as strong and confident as Jake was, there was one thing that could destroy it all.

And that thing was me.

“I would never let that happen to you, Jake,” I whispered. “I’m yours, you’re stuck with me, I’d rather die than let anything come between us again. I will fight for you, just like you fight for me.” I needed him to understand.

He wove his hands up into my damp hair, the clean scent of our body wash overwhelming me and the spicy undercurrent of Jake making me dizzy. Or maybe it was just how much I loved him.

He ran his nose along mine, the tingle of his skin taking my breath away. Then he kissed my forehead and pressed his against mine. “I know.” His voice was deep and rough, I could hear the real fear behind his words. “But there are so many things we can’t control, Eve. Those things scare the hell out of me.”

I tightened my hold on Jake. I didn’t want to let him go… he was right. I really wished I had something comforting to say to him… I would have liked to have heard it myself.

Chapter 20

It was Friday night and Jake’s company was involved in a big project with the Channelside Entertainment District and all the initial plans were being unveiled. Everyone involved was going from the architects to the investors, and that meant Jake and his partner Greg. It was black tie and I was very much looking forward to seeing Jake in a tux. His tux was at his apartment so he’d gone there to get dressed, giving Jennie and I a chance to be girly.

“You two seem to be doing well,” Jennie asked casually, handing me a glass of champagne. “Are you going to let the poor man move in?”

Ah, the ever sticky subject of our living situation. “Yes. Tonight was the final straw… it’s ridiculous that he had to go to an apartment he’s never in to get a tux.”

Jennie smiled triumphantly, “Good. Living together is nice, by the way.”

I could tell by the dreamy look on my friend’s face. I didn’t need an explanation. “I’m really happy for you two crazy kids.”

Jennie smiled some more but I saw a flicker of something in her expression.

“What?”

She took a quick sip of her champagne, “Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

Jennie laughed, “You are going to a very nice affair, Eve. You might want to clean that mouth up.”

“Spill. The. Beans.” I insisted. My language was just fine, my best friend on the other hand, was not.

“Max came to see me at work today.”

I lowered myself onto the bed, “And what happened?”

She shrugged, “He told me he thought he might love me and to give him a chance.”

My mouth fell open, “You have got to be kidding me.”

She shook her head and she looked so sad. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for him to say that? And even then he still couldn’t say it. It was still ‘I think’.
I think
. You know what Eve?
I
think I stopped loving anything about that man right then. I don’t know what I thought I loved about him, but it’s gone now. I can’t possibly love someone who doesn’t know what they want. I want what you have with Jake… absolute certainty. And I have that with Andrew. I know he loves me unconditionally and I love him more than I ever thought I could love a man.”

The conviction on her face made it clear it was exactly how she felt. Her eyes flicked up to mine, “But you know what? I’m glad he came to see me today. I think I would have always wondered in the back of my mind…
what if
? Now when Andrew asks me to marry him, I will know with every fiber of my being that I am ready to give him all of me forever. No doubts.”

I was happy for Jennie, but her words suddenly made me keenly aware of Jake. Was I ready to give him all of me forever? That was a pretty bold statement.

“You look fantastic, Eve. Finish getting ready, I didn’t mean to stop you.”

I’d picked out a soft and simple black strapless dress. It accentuated my shoulders that Jake loved so much. The front wrapped together in a delicate fold before falling and clinging to every inch of my body on the way down to the floor. I felt like a goddess in it.

My makeup was dark. Dark smokey eyes, my skin was powdered until it was flawless, and my lips were a deep shade of red. I’d styled my hair straight with a soft wave, parted on the side, and the short side pinned seductively back over my ear with a glittering pin. But my favorite part was the jewelry. I’d managed to find a bracelet to match the sun necklace Jake gave me. I’d barely taken the necklace off since that night, so I was glad to find more ways to add it to my wardrobe.

I knew I looked good, but I was dying to see Jake’s reaction. I wanted his jaw to drop.

I was well rewarded for my efforts.

At exactly six o’clock he opened my front door and called up for me. Jennie squealed with as much excitement as I did. She hid in the corner to watch as I slowly descended the stairs.

Jake was checking a message on his phone, so he didn’t look up until I was half way down. It gave me a chance to check him out. He looked good. His black tux was fitted to his broad shoulders and trim waist. He looked like pure, hot sex.

And he was all mine.

His eyes caught my legs first as they peeked out with each step. He froze, his fist locking around his phone, as his eyes traveled up. By the time his eyes reached mine they were a smoldering, brilliant green. His jaw wasn’t hanging open, but it was locked shut and I could see the muscle straining to keep it there.

I walked right into his arms and he pulled me close, growling in my ear, “You look amazing.” Then he spun me around, slamming my back up against the front door, and ground against me with his hip and his very firm erection. “You might look too good. Shall I fuck you first?”

I grinned, completely pleased with myself, and coyly looked up at him through my lashes, “Jennie is watching us from upstairs…”

He growled again, “I don’t care.” Then he raised his voice, “Jennie can close her eyes if she doesn’t want to see this!”

To his delight, Jennie yelled back, “You’re gross! Glad you liked her dress, though!” and we heard the stomp of her feet as she very obviously walked away.

I swallowed hard, trying to control my breathing as Jake inched my skirt up, finally reaching underneath and running his fingertips along the edge of my panties. I sucked in a breath and leaned my head back against the door. He was teasing me in one of my most sensitive spots.

“That’s right, darlin’. You look so good I could eat you…”

And then he plunged two of his fingers inside me. I cried out, panting from the pleasure he was giving me with just a few quick strokes. Then he eased his fingers back out, let my skirt fall back to the floor, and stuck his glistening fingers in his mouth, sucking hard. “You taste amazing… as always.” His free hand grabbed me around the nape of my neck, folding his fingers behind me. “You stay that way all night and I’ll fuck you in the bathroom, in the car, and all night long in our bed.”

I grinned and groaned in pleasure at his promise.

Jake had fun on the way to the party, his hand gently stroking further and further up my leg between gears, until he found my panties again. But by then we were there. I think he was enjoying drawing out the teasing. He knew how much I enjoyed it, plus that way I was on the edge of orgasm at all times. It made his job easier. Knowing he’d promised to fuck me in the bathroom had me grinning as we walked into the busy party. I think we enjoyed having sex as much where we shouldn’t as we did where we should. At least we’d gotten it under control, saving our wild sides for special occasions… like tonight.

But everything changed in an instant. The moment my eyes fell on Sebastian.

The moment I saw him, I knew we had to leave.

“Babe, I don’t feel so good. Can we go?”

His face immediately fell with worry and he clutched me to his side, “Of course. What’s wrong?”

I just shook my head and tried to forcibly drag him from the room before it was too late.

It was too late.

Jake’s partner was on him in a heartbeat. “Jake! Finally! Hello Eve.”

Jake paused to shake Greg’s hand. “I’m sorry, but Eve’s not feeling well, we’re leaving.”

“Oh no… what’s wrong?”

I shook my head and held up my free hand, the other still firmly wrapped around Jake for support. “My stomach just isn’t right. Maybe I ate something…”

He turned and shouted at a waiter, “I need a water over here!”

It drew the attention of everyone around us. To Jake’s credit, he knew how that would make me feel and pulled me closer to his side, tucking my head against his shoulder. “I think I’ll just get her out of here…”

But it was too late. Sebastian caught my eye, his jaw going slack. He crossed the room in three strides. “I thought that was you, Eve. My God…” he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, a move I wished I could have stopped. “I haven’t seen you in forever. You look fantastic.” Then his eyes raked over Jake with a dubious glint.

At that point I stopped trying to leave and stopped fighting Jake and Greg. I smiled weakly at my ex, “It’s good to see you, too.” Then I looked up at Jake. He could see the lie in my eyes and had a million questions in his. Questions I was about to answer with a simple introduction. “Sebastian Monroe, I’d like you to finally meet Jake Spencer.”

The minute I said Sebastian’s name, Jake’s arm tightened around me and he straightened just a little bit. I felt his mood shift completely into the cold zone and I could have sworn I smelled testosterone. It was coming off of both men like a perfume.

To both their credit they played it off well. Sebastian extended his hand with a warm, practiced smile, “Well, well, well. It is good to finally meet the man I’ve heard all about.”

Jake smiled back, “Same here. Eve has told me all about you.”

They gave each other a good once over, it seemed understood between them what they were doing: assessing the competition. Not that there was an actual competition taking place. I was with Jake. Period.

Jake cleared his throat, “And this is my partner, Greg Hamilton.”

Sebastian smiled at Greg politely, “Yes, we’ve already met. I’m the main architect on the project. But I didn’t realize you were the ‘Spencer’ of Spencer and Hamilton.”

Greg looked completely confused so I decided to help him out. “Sebastian and I used to date a couple of years back.”

A look of complete realization dawned on his face and he shot a sympathetic look at Jake. “Small world.”

Sebastian ignored Jake and focused entirely on me. A move I was quite sure was deliberate. “How is your family, Eve? I see June is enjoying Yale… she’s up to what? Her third major now?”

I laughed uncomfortably. This was getting awkward fast. “Fourth actually. I keep telling her she doesn’t have to actually change it until she’s sure, but I think she enjoys the drama.”

Sebastian laughed so smoothly. I’d forgotten how smooth he was. Everything about him, as a matter of fact. I think that may have been why I was never completely attracted to him. I liked the rough around the edges, scruffy, casual element of danger too much. Sebastian simply didn’t have it. “And Cassandra just had baby two?”

I nodded again, feeling Jake’s mood plummeting beside me. “Yes, William.”

He smiled politely, “Well, please pass along my congratulations when you talk to her.”

“I will.”

Sebastian smiled at both Greg, then Jake, before returning to me, “I am so glad to have run into you, Eve. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you throughout the evening, enjoy the party. Gentlemen.”

Chapter 21

The moment Sebastian’s back was turned, Jake gave Greg a look that said he’d better get the hell out of the way. Which he did—fast.

Then he trained his burning gaze on me. “So that was
the
Sebastian,” he said through clenched teeth. Jake’s anger and jealousy was palpable. And his grip on my arm was nearly painful.

“Yes, are you ok?”

His eyes flashed with fury, “Of course I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”

Then he did something I never would have expected, Jake shook his head like he was shaking away everything that happened since we walked through the door. It was an act. A very good act, but an act just the same. Jake had put up a front, he was handsome and polite when interacting with me, but underneath he was hurting.

“Please don’t do this.”

He stared at me long and hard, to the point I thought he might actually listen to me, but then he shook his head and sighed, “I have to be here tonight and I’m not getting through it unless I pretend all of this didn’t just happen. I promise to talk later.”

If he hadn’t looked so completely sincere right then I might have dragged him home and made him talk. But he really did look like he just wanted to get through the evening. “Alright.”