The Wager

Chapter Thirty-eight

Jake stood in the middle of the Pleasure Room and tried to keep his eyes focused on the lady telling him all about the party. Her lips were moving but damn if he wasn’t having a hard time paying attention. Any guy would. Damn, he was uncomfortable.

“Now.” The lady pulled out a sheet of paper. “Just put a check mark next to all the products you’d like me to display, I’ll be sure to show up early. Oh, and there’s an extra charge for costumes.”

“Costumes?”

She nodded. “Yes, of course! I thought Nadine told you on the phone! The bridal party will be in costume. She’s picked the theme: Leather and Lace! Fantastic, right?”

The lady popped her gum and winked at Jake.

Consequently, he almost swallowed his tongue. “So you’ll be bringing the costumes and then we—”

“Wear them.” She smiled. “While I display the products. People will eat, drink wine—“

“Scotch.” Jake corrected. “Large amounts of Scotch.”

She waved him off. “Whatever your preference, yes. And then people can go into rooms and have a closer look at the items, if you get my meaning.” She bit her lip and squeezed Jake’s arm.

“Great.” Char said crisply to his right. “I’ve been wanting to try the uh”—she read from the list—“Whip me pack for a really long time.”

Jake gave Char a helpless look. It was impossible that she seemed to expect him to keep a straight face. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate? Leather? Lace? Whips? He gripped the table and tried to keep his breathing even.

“Well, I’ll just leave you two to decide.”

“Do that,” Jake snapped. His teeth were clenched so hard he was going to get lockjaw.

Once the lady was out of earshot, Jake exhaled and leaned over the table.

“You all right?” Char patted his back.

“Don’t touch me.” He didn’t mean to sound like an ass, but he was literally two seconds away from losing his mind.

“Ah.” Char continued touching him, damn her. “Sexual tension. Been a long time, my friend? You feeling a bit… stressed?” Her hands moved across his back and then to his neck. He groaned.

“Enjoying the list, I see!” The lady’s voice came from the back room.

Shaking himself a bit, Jake stepped away from Char. “You pick. Just put check marks next to things. I don’t care.”

“Really.” Char slowly walked toward him. Even the metal of the counter jabbing into his back wasn’t enough to cool his arousal. “You don’t care?”

“Nope.” He lied. Oh he cared; he cared way too much.

“How about”—she lifted the sheet and read off a few things he didn’t even know how to spell let alone pronounce. “You think those would be good products?”

“God and Grandma have it in for me,” he said honestly. “That’s what I think. I also think”—he pushed away from the counter and stalked toward Char as she backed up—“that if you don’t stop looking at me like that, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”

“Like what?” Her eyes pleaded with his. Shit, they were practically begging him to kiss her.

With a curse he turned away, breaking eye contact. “Like that.”

“Ready?” The lady came back around the corner.

“Not really.” Char handed her the sheet. “Can you just pick for us? I’m sure whatever you choose will be fine.”

With a shrug, the lady grabbed the paper and then handed them a card. “I’ll be at the house around seven to set up. See you tonight!”

“Tonight?” Jake and Char said in unison.

The lady looked confused. “Yes, tonight. I’ve been told the rehearsal dinner is on Saturday, and today’s Friday. It’s the only available night for this type of demonstration.”

“Well, how long does it take?” Jake asked.

“Oh, honey.” She winked. “If that’s your question, you really aren’t doing it right.”

Char had to physically pull him from the store. Not doing it right? Not doing it right?

If the look on Jake’s face was any indication, he was just ready to slap someone. “Whoa, there, cowboy. Calm down.” She walked him to the car, feeling every inch of his muscles as they flexed beneath her hands.

“Not doing it right?” he repeated, this time in a softer voice, as if he was really trying to figure out if he’d been doing it wrong this whole time. “Char?” He looked up. Oh no. Oh hell no.

“Hmm?” She played with her hair and looked away.

“Did I?”

“Did you what?”

He was silent.

And then he cursed for a good few minutes. “You know what I’m asking.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t think I—”

“Char.” Jake walked around the car and reached for her. What she should have done was laughed off his concerns and pulled away. The smart choice would’ve also been to lie her ass off, but she couldn’t, not with him touching her like he was. Or with the full force of his chiseled face so close to hers. “Answer the question.”

With her heart slamming against her chest, Char swallowed past the dryness in her throat and answered. “You may have to remind me since the memory’s kinda fuzzy…”

He broke out into a grin. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I can manage that.” His hands slid up her sides.

And then her damn phone went off again.

Work.

Crap. Jake took a step away while she hit ignore.

“Something wrong?” His brows drew together in concern.

“Nope. It’s actually, really good.” She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him hard on the mouth.

With a groan he placed both hands on either side of her and used his body to push hers against the car. “What are we doing?” he whispered against her lips.

“Kissing.”

His tongue dove into her mouth. It was impossible to describe the way he kissed, the way he tasted. Heat pounded in hundreds of places all over her body; her nerves were on edge so that every single touch of his tongue sent shivers all the way to her toes; and even when he touched her lightly she was a puddle at his feet.

Everything he did seemed to singe her, mark her. If this was kissing, she would be ruined for all other men’s kisses.

“Are you”—he pulled back—“sure you want this?” It was the most vulnerable she’d ever seen him. His eyes were filled with need but it was more than that; it was… desire and insecurity. Her whole life she had wanted to be his security, his rock. She’d wanted the best of both worlds, friends turned into lovers, and now she felt as if she could actually have it.

“I’m sure.”

The phone rang again.

Jake cursed. “Seriously, I’m going to throw your phone into the river.”

She stole a peek and sighed. “It’s Grandma. We either take the call or suffer the consequences.”

Jake took the phone from Char and answered it, putting her on speakerphone. “This better be good.” His eyes darkened as he licked his lips.

“I’m dying!” Grandma wailed from her end.

“Are you at the house? Where are you?” Jake shouted.

“The house! Hurry!”

“Shit!” Jake unlocked the car doors and they scrambled inside.

Panicked, Char could only grip the seat as he drove and hope that Grandma would be okay. She had to have the worst timing in the world!