Chapter 240

240

Daniel contemplates this for a moment as I watch in absolute silence. Jake’s ability to read people and situations has always impressed me. His ability to sometimes understand the female mind must be a rare gift for a guy? I’m sure not many men have his level of understanding.

“Why did I have to fall for the one who drives me so fucking crazy?” Daniel sighs, returning to picking at his thumb nail absently, staring at his hand with a complete utter lost boy look on his handsome face.

Jake gazes at me intensely from the kitchen.

“It’s not love if she can’t get under your skin and make you a whole lot of crazy.” He smiles, winking at me, and I can’t help but smile back especially when he opens the fridge and starts fixing me a tropical alcohol-free cocktail that I’ve been craving like mad lately.

Now that’s the man I love right there.

“Leila has always got under my skin but dating her has made it so much worse.” Daniel admits, seemingly confused that finally loving his girl would intensify what she does to him.

“Is the therapy helping?” I nudge in with a lighter, warmer tone, and Daniel turns to me, expression a little young and tired and more than a little bewildered.

“Yes, I guess, and no … Well it’s bringing up a lot of shit I need to deal with, but Leila’s been with me twice and when she’s there I dunno, it doesn’t mess me up as bad.” He shrugs, as though just the thought of her brings him some peace and the sudden flicker of heartache that runs across his face is a give-away of the fact he’s just realized it as the words came out of his own mouth.

“You know she won’t always be this way, she just

doesn’t trust you not to run again.” I soothe, a little more sympathetic at the real pain I’m seeing in his tropical blue eyes.

“Thing is, for the most part, I don’t actually mind Leila’s kind of crazy. She’s feisty and wild and stroppy as shit. Man, she’s got a temper and a hell of a right hook. I kinda dig it though … It’s the silences and not letting me near her when we fight that’s killing me. Not knowing what’s going on in that head of hers and having her freeze me out of her life.” He sighs again and just looks tormented.

“She’s hiding.” Jake interjects. “She’s probably just as messed-up as you are right now.” His husky soft tone as he watches his best friend gives me all sort of horny thoughts, and I shift to a sitting position crossing my legs. I catch Jake’s smirk and realize he knows exactly what I’m thinking about.

Jerk.

Daniel frowns, staring emptily down at his hands; he has a fidgeting tell like Jake has, and he starts picking at his other thumb nail.

“I don’t know how to do this, Jake … but I don’t want to just walk away. I’ve spent years trying to run from how I felt about her, but I can’t outrun it anymore. I can’t do it … I need her … But I know her, she won’t see me or talk to me.”

Both men fall silent as they contemplate the best way to deal with Leila and an idea hits me, a self-serving, killing two birds with one stone kind of idea.

“Sarah and I could take her out. Then casually run into you both, that way she would have no choice but to see you and she wouldn’t suspect that I side with you and set her up.” I smile innocently and flutter my lashes Jake’s way with an innocent smile.

Jake frowns at me and I know what Mr. Protective-father-to-be is thinking, I focus on him intently, seeing that frown deepening and I don’t think this is going down well at all.

“You could run into us almost as soon as we arrive, and molly coddle the shit out of me, Jake, so don’t worry about my being out on the town in such a delicate condition.” I smirk at him and he has the nerve to smirk back only confirming what is running through that beautiful head.

What am I going to do with him?

“It could work, Leila wouldn’t suspect a set up at a club. If Jefferson drops you at the door, we could meet you at the other side.” His intense look boring into me, makes me sigh. He’s trying to make it very clear that I am not allowed out of his sight.

We’ll see.

“You’re only going to get worse the bigger this gets, aren’t you?” I point at my slightly fuller stomach, decidedly less flat these last couple days.

“Count on it.” Jake lifts his eyebrows at me as though challenging me on the subject before he turns back to Daniel.

“What do you say? You want to see her this way?” Jake gives up on making coffee and leans on the counter instead, those glorious biceps straining at the fabric on his arms.

Oh man. Hot flushes.

“Any way is better than no way man. I fucking miss her so much already.” Daniel sighs and drops his head into his palms between his knees and scratches his head, then sitting back up he looks at Jake, then at me with so much pain in his face.

“How soon can we do this? I can’t stand the agony of waiting.”

Jake kisses me in the sitting room, as Mathews takes his luggage past us toward the elevator outside the apartment door, his hands cup my jaw leaving me with a kiss that curls my toes. My hormones perking up to say hello, giving me the usual warm tingling longing. I still haven’t got a handle on this panty-combusting thing he causes.

“I’ll call you when I land okay?” He brushes his nose against mine and lightly kisses me.

“I’ll miss you.” I sigh against him, my arms around his neck, I reach up to be wrapped around him tightly. He slides his hands down my sides and around my back pulling me in further still. There’s nothing in this world that feels like a full-on cuddle from Jake. Nothing will ever compare to this.

“No sneaking off to Chicago until I’m back. Promise me.” He narrows his eyes at me, and I sigh.

Last night and again this morning he predictably used his “sexpertize” against me and had me screaming out in agreement that I wouldn’t go. I can’t believe he can still maneuver me that way and yet here we are.

I really am pathetically submissive when he gets me naked.

“I’m only agreeing because you’re agreeing to Operation Leila and taking me on a night out when you return.” I smirk at him. His green glare hits me again, he isn’t too enamored with the finer details yet.

“We could’ve just arranged for them to meet here you know?” His voice hitting a slightly edgy tone.

“She wouldn’t fall for that and I wouldn’t get my night out on the town that I so badly need. All this lazing about and being housebound is getting old. I’m so bored.” I sigh and give him my most appealing smile, fluttering my lashes and pouting my lip slightly.

“You do know I’m putting a curfew on this, right? No alcohol, minimal dancing and home in bed by ten.” He is focusing on my mouth, making me think about kissing him again.

Yeah, I think not, Mr. Carrero. You sound like a father right now, not a fiancée!

“We’ll see.” I smile sweetly.

“No, that’s what’s happening!” He’s narrowing his gaze on me and I kiss him quickly. Sometimes that mouth is too tempting, even when he’s being difficult.

“We shall see,” I shrug, slowly and deliberately, watching that twitch of a smirk start at the corner of his sexy mouth. Jake likes to be bossy and in command, but he also likes me defiant too. He’s getting a kick out of my standing up to him lately, but he can’t keep his temper when I do. I’m glad though, life would be dull and tiresome if he expected compliance from me. He never got much of it when I was his PA so he sure as hell won’t get any more of it just because we’re together.

“I need to go, bambino. When I call you tonight, we’re going to try some phone sex. If I have to leave you for work, then we’re definitely doing that.” He grins, and I roll my eyes at him and his typical guy-ness.

Well, you wanted this side of him back and in full roaring glory after all.

“You know you’re only going for forty-eight hours? You sound like it’s going to be weeks.” I laugh at him, swiping a hand at that delicious ass, as he turns away.

“Forty-eight hours without you does feel like weeks.” He catches my hand and uses his hold on it to twirl me around so he can deliver a hefty smack on my ass, showing me how to do it. I yelp at the contact, grinning.

Oh, Casanova, still very smooth, aren’t you?

“Well you better get going then so I have time to brush up on my most seductive chat up lines for your call Mr. Carrero. I might start with what I’m wearing.” I giggle, and he catches me in one final kiss that melts my bones. I wonder if all couples still kiss this way after the honeymoon period has worn off? I can’t ever imagine him not doing this to me, even when we’re old and crippled.

“I’ll expect our kind of phone sex to be conducted naked, via Skype, on video call baby,” and I get the Carrero wink that makes my knees go weak.

Of course, he does.

The naughty look he throws my way says he’s serious, then he turns, and I walk with him to the door. He kisses me one last time before sauntering out, dressed to impress in an immaculate three-piece gray suit over a crisp white shirt. He doesn’t often do waistcoats under his jackets, but this Saville Row number makes him hotter than hot. I sigh blissfully, watching that ass move out the door, then muse a little sadly when it shuts, and he’s gone again all too soon. He is far too tempting nowadays, and I still can’t get a handle on the craziness of my sex crazed hormones.

Damn. Maybe video phone sex isn’t such a bad idea after all?

Especially if I need to get through forty-eight hours alone.

Forty-eight hours to amuse myself and I’m determined to find something more productive to do than sitting around twiddling my thumbs, feeling like a crazy horny pregnant woman. There’s no denying it, that man has simply ruined me.

Tomorrow I am going to shop, maybe abuse that sexy gold card Jake always leaves in my purse, buy some things for this little tadpole seeing as I can’t get round the fact of it coming. We’ve already picked the nursery in our new home. I’m sure spending money on Jake’s offspring is acceptable seeing as I’m still getting used to this money thing. I did agree to accept this part of his lifestyle and indulge a little, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

At least try to.