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Jake looks down at the bedspread and doesn’t respond.
“Reporters might offer something,” I say, pretending not to notice his reaction.
“I could talk to them,” he volunteers. “Derek might get some spotters or pit crew teams drinking. You never know what might drop.”
“No, don’t do that,” I blurt out. “I can play detective without anyone paying attention, while you can’t. People will notice if Jake Knowles acts like there is a problem, but they won’t notice me at all.”
He strokes my cheek. “Don’t put yourself down in my presence,” he says sharply. “No, that’s wrong. Don’t put yourself down, ever, whether or not I’m around. You’re fucking hot.” The words feel harsh, but his voice is sweet.
I don’t respond. “Let me find out. Someone always talks.”
He nods, picking up on my discomfort, but doesn’t push. “I’ll clean up, and then we can watch a bad cable movie. I’m pretty sure there’s a law about watching bad cable movies in hotel rooms.”
We end up lying on top of the thick hotel bedroom comforter, choosing one of the lighter blankets as a cover instead. All the lights, save a bedside lamp, are off. Even abarren hotel room can be cozy when the right person is with you.
Jake scrolls through the channels. “Not funny. Boring. Documentary? Heck no, I want to live in ignorance. Knowledge is overrated.”
“Your sister didn’t call you to complain,” I blurt out. “She called because you’re her big brother.”
He stops scrolling. “Believe me, it’s hard to forget.” A lock of Jake’s hair falls over his forehead, and my fingers itch to run through it. “I have four younger sisters.”
Four? I knew Jake was the oldest, but that’s a surprise. He rarely talks about his family; I assumed there were only two.
“Here’s a story for you. When I was little, I found and read one of my parent’s books. One part terrified me.”
“Was it porn?” Jake wags his eyebrows before twisting his body across mine so his head rests on my stomach.
I feel exposed, but his expression stops me from shoving him away. “Gross, no. It was mysteries: UFOs, Bigfoot sightings, that sort of thing. Well, one part was on spontaneous human combustion. Have you heard of that?”
“People who randomly burn up? It’s fake.”
“To a little girl, it’s terrifying. I had nightmares and was afraid to go to bed because it could happen to me. My parents tried to explain how it wasn’t real and how I was completely safe. They put in a night light, but that didn’t work. My big brother solved it for me. That’s why your sister reached out.”
“What did Boone do?”
I chuckle at the memory. Boone and I regularly verbally spar. I’ll tell the world he’s annoying, while Boone insists I’m a nuisance. Truthfully, I couldn’t ask for a better older brother.
“He took me seriously. He put a giant piece of plywood in front of every fireplace, which is funny because it’s still wood.”
“Every fireplace?” Jake’s eyes are big. “How many do you have? Because one is a normal amount.”
“Three, I think. They moved last year. Anyway, he threw out every candle and matchstick. Then, he filled buckets with water and put up a tent in the middle of his bedroom.”
“You had bedrooms big enough for tents?”
I keep going. “He put in sleeping bags and promised to keep watch all night. If anything happened, he had the buckets of water to keep me safe. Looking back, Boone probably found the idea of dumping buckets of water on me hilarious. Still, he took me seriously, and I trusted him. My nightmares didn’t come back. Nightmares are nothing when your older brother looks out for you.”
“That’s a sweet story,” he says, and I believe him. “I can see why you are close. I’ll call her tomorrow and take care of everything.”
I give in and stroke his hair. Jake’s eyes close. “Find us something to watch.” I remove my hand before any spell between has a chance to grow.
“My feelings for you are genuine, even though you continue to deny that fact.” His eyes open, and he nuzzles my stomach. “You feel soft. Your skin and hair, everything. I always loved to touch you. I miss it.”
“Jake.” His name is a warning, but it’s a feeble one.
He turns away, though his head doesn’t move, and I don’t force it.
“One bad cable movie coming up,” he says, which turns out to be a Law and Order rerun. Very magical.
