As always, his touch sent an electric current searing through her. It traveled up her legs, singeing the sensitive area between, and didn’t stop until it reached into the depths of her soul.
Her fingers brushed against the scruff on his strong jaw. Looking into his tormented eyes, she said, “My hero. Always watching over everyone else. I can’t help but wonder, though...while you’re so busy protecting me, who watches over you?”
His eyes widened. His pupils darkened. And then, looking back at her with more emotion than she’d ever seen from another human being, Jake whispered, “I love you.”
Olivia’s tiny intake of air seemed to vibrate through the room. Shocked, she dropped her hand, letting it simply fall into her lap.
She’d wanted to hear him say those words for so long, and that moment had been so perfect...she had to have imagined them, right? This was too important not to be sure.
“Wh-what did you just say?”
For a second, he looked as surprised as she felt. Almost as if he hadn’t meant to say it. Just when she was certain he was going to take those precious words back, Jake gave her that crooked smile she loved so much and shrugged.
“I said I love you.” He exhaled loudly, as if he’d been holding the words back for an eternity. “God, Olivia...I love you so much it hurts And just so we’re clear, this isn’t a ‘I-was-your-brother’s-best-friend, you-and-I-have-known-each other-for-years kind of love’.”
He dropped out of the squat onto his knees and took her face between both of his hands. His gaze never strayed, and the blue in his eyes deepened with emotion. “This is a, ‘you’re-my-entire-world, I-can’t-live-without-you kind of love’.”
“Jake,” Olivia whispered as tears began leaving sliver trails down her cheeks. She’d never been a crier, yet it seemed like that was all she did around him, lately. Jake simply thumbed them away.
“I’m in love with you, Liv. Have been for years.”
Oh, my God! “W-why didn’t you ever say anything?”
He looked up at her with such sincerity, Olivia’s heart overflowed with love.
“Because, sweetheart. I don’t deserve you. You should be with someone who can give you the world. A guy who won’t leave you on a moment’s notice to go somewhere you can’t know even about for weeks on end. You should want someone who—”
Taking his hair in a death-grip between her hands, she interrupted him with a hard, fast kiss on the lips.
“I know exactly the kind of man I want to be with. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember, Jake. I love you.”
In that moment, Olivia’s entire world shifted. Everything changed.
The looks they gave meant more. She could feel more in his touch. It was familiar, yet new. And despite everything else that was going on in her life,
Olivia’s soul became filled with a sense of joy and peace she’d never known before.
Leaning up, Jake took her mouth with his, giving her every ounce of his love in that one kiss. Olivia did the same for him.
Without speaking, they both stood. Jake swooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he spent the rest of the night showing her just how much those three little words meant to him, too.
Chapter 7
“There’s something I want to show you.”
Olivia glanced down at the sheet covering his lower body and then back up at him. Feeling lighter than she had in months, she decided to play with him a bit.
“I hate to spoil your surprise, but”—she leaned closer, looked around her bedroom as though she were making sure no one else was listening and whispered—“I’ve already seen it.” Laying back against her pillow, she grinned, adding, “But, hey... I’ll be more than happy to look at it as many times as you need me to.”
When she started to laughed at her own joke, Jake rolled on top of her, trapping her arms above her head. “You think you’re pretty funny, don’t you?” he teased.
Olivia bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Actually,” she said, trying so hard to hold it in. “Yeah. I do.”
She lost the fight and began laughing louder than before. Jake busted up right along with her. When their laughter died down, he wiped Olivia’s tears of humor from her temples.
“Okay, funny girl. I’m being serious, now. I have something I want to show you. Someplace, actually.”
“Okay.” She smiled up at him. “And where would one find this mysterious place?”
“Well, if you get that gorgeous ass of yours dressed, I’ll show you.”
And with that, Jake gave her a fast, hard kiss before hopping off of her and out of bed.
“Wait.” She sat up, covering herself with the sheet. “We’re going to...wherever we’re going to...now?”
“Sure. You got someplace else you need to be?” Jake asked while he pulled on his jeans.
Olivia thought for a moment. Before Jake had gotten to the hospital, her boss had come into the examination room and ordered her to take the next two weeks off.
Thanks to all of the overtime she’d been working, Olivia had enough money saved up that she could afford it. So, she hadn’t argued.
“Nope. Give me ten, and I’ll be ready.”
Jake looked at his watch. “You’ve got eight. And I’m setting the timer. Make it back early, and there might just be something in it for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Challenge accepted.”
Olivia quickly grabbed some clean clothes and ran to the bathroom. She made it back into the bedroom in seven minutes and fifty-three seconds.
Her prize? Three orgasms. Technically, she got two, but Olivia considered giving almost as fulfilling as receiving.
Nearly an hour later, she and Jake were still sitting in his truck when he flipped his turn signal and turned onto a paved, two-lane road.
“Are you actually taking me someplace, or are we just going to drive around in your truck all day?”
Keeping his
