“Look, Jake. I’m sure you’ve been with plenty of other women, but that doesn’t mean you’re totally irresistible to us all, you know.”
This time he didn’t even try to hide his amusement. Jake’s mouth rose into that sexy half-smile that would have dropped her panties in an instant...had she actually been wearing any.
“Oh, really?”
He raised a brow and moved toward her, the tilt of his lips deepening the bracket on that side of his mouth. It was too long to be a dimple, but still had the same, irritatingly charming effect.
Jake’s steps were purposeful, like a predator getting ready to strike at its prey. “I don’t recall you resisting me last night.”
When he talked to her that way, his voice low and sensual, Olivia couldn’t keep from becoming aroused. Focus, Bradshaw! She opened her mouth—to say what, she wasn’t sure—but Jake cut her off at the pass.
“You can deny it all you want, sweetheart, but it was written all over your face when you kissed me last night. In fact”—he took a couple more steps—“it still is.”
It took everything she had not to throw herself into his arms and grab hold of her dream. Of course she wanted him to kiss her. Wanted him to do a hell of a lot more than that, actually.
Closing the small gap between them, Jake stood right in front of her. Olivia’s body vibrated with nervous energy as he leaned in closely, the rough whiskers on his jaw brushing against her cheek. Shivers raced down her spine as his warm breath caressed her ear.
And it was only by the grace of God that she was able to stand her ground and not jump his bones when he whispered, “I bet if I were to put my mouth on those pursed lips of yours right now, you wouldn’t do a damn thing to stop me.”
****
Jake leaned back just enough to look into Olivia’s eyes. He searched for any hint that her resolve was crumbling, but saw none. Oh, she was turned on as fuck, no question. The signs were all there.
Dilated pupils. Flushed skin. And two perfectly shaped, rock-hard nipples.
He knew as well as anyone, however, that there was a big difference between having a physical attraction toward a person and feeling a true, deep emotion for them. Looking at her now...if Olivia felt anything more for him than lust, she was doing a damn good job at hiding it. You should’ve known better.
Jake’s heart sank deep into his chest. He should be relieved. After all, he was going against the very thing he’d fought long and hard to ignore.
He’d been telling himself for the past decade that they weren’t a good idea, and should probably be thanking his lucky stars, but relief was the furthest thing from what he was feeling. Why? Because he fucking loved her.
Jake wasn’t sure about anything else. Not where they’d go from here, or how they’d deal with the risks that came with his job. He could only imagine how she’d react when he finally told her the truth about her brother’s “accident”, as well as the part he played in it.
What Jake did know, was that, in this very moment, he felt as though he was fighting for his life. And for Olivia, he would fight to the fucking death.
They’d danced around each other all day—for more than ten years, really—and that dance needed to end. Or, at least change its pace.
The timing sucked, and Jake knew he should be focusing on getting them the hell home, but enough was fucking enough. One way or another, this thing between them was going to get settled. If it had to be while they were held up in this dingy-as-shit cave, so be it.
“Just admit it, Liv,” he demanded. “You want me.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed, those small arms still stubbornly crossed in front of her. “Are you really that arrogant?” she asked, jutting her chin up even higher.
Jesus, she’s so damn cute. He grinned and shook his head, “Nope. Just that confident.”
Something flashed in her eyes, but it wasn’t what he’d been hoping to see. Before he could decipher exactly what it was, she turned away from him.
Like hell, sweetheart.
Jake stood behind Olivia and gently took her shoulders into his hands. He felt them shudder beneath his touch, making him feel like the biggest asshole on the face of the planet. He’d meant to push her into confessing her feelings for him, not make her cry.
“Liv? Baby, what’s wrong?”
And if that wasn’t the most ignorant question he could have asked, given her circumstance. Real fucking smooth, McQueen.
She shook her head and raised her hands to her face to wipe away her tears. Then, Olivia stepped out of his reach, toward the entrance of the cave.
“I just...I can’t do this with you, Jake. I’m sorry.”
No way in hell was he alone in all of this. She felt it to. Jake knew she did. Question was, why was she fighting so hard to pretend otherwise?
He clenched his teeth. “Then, at least, tell me why. And, be honest, Liv. We’ve been friends a long damn time. I think I deserve the truth.” The hypocrisy of his words wasn’t lost on him, but he ignored it. “None of this you-don’t-want-me bullshit, because we both know damn good and well, that’s a fucking lie.”
She turned around, the pain he saw there nearly breaking him.
“I do want you, Jake.” She blinked, sending silver streaks down her cheeks. “I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember. But, this”—she made a back-and-forth motion between them with her hand—“Us? It won’t work.”
The muscles in Jake’s jaw tensed. “Why not?” He knew he sounded pathetic, but didn’t give a shit.
“Because...” She looked away from him. “You deserve better.”
Chapter 12
Olivia’s last three words were nothing more than a whisper. Spoken so low, Jake wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. Of all the things he
