Page 57 of The Last Autograph
Restless, Jake lay on his back in the darkness, watching a Starlink satellite move across the bay as he rehashed his brief conversation with his mother after Molly left the patisserie. It wasn’t in her nature to be confrontational, especially not aggressively so, but despite his efforts to convince her otherwise, she’d failed to see things from his perspective. In the end, she’d left in a huff, and apart from participating in the family conversation at the restaurant that evening, Jake had barely spoken to her since.
He was about to head downstairs for a glass of water when a car pulled up in his driveway below. Jake jumped out of bed and tugged on his boxers, and as he hurried toward the front door, his doorbell sounded over a strong gust of wind rustling through the silk trees on the neighboring property.
Neither of them said a word as he stepped back and motioned for Molly to enter. They both knew why she’d come, not only because he’d extended an invitation but also because, despite any loyalty to Jesse, the pull of their mutual attraction carried her to this very spot. She slipped off her coat and handed it to him, the sight and scent of her heightening his senses to the point where he couldn’t wait to hold her… to lose himself in her grace.
And as she followed him deeper into the house, the terms were clear. She’d come at his request, perhaps with some hesitation, but she’d still made that choice, and Jake was so pleased that she had.
Molly stood at the end of the kitchen island, the tightness of her ribbed sweater unforgiving. She wasn’t wearing a bra, something he’d failed to notice at the restaurant, and as he asked her if she’d like a drink, Jake couldn’t help but wonder if she wore any panties underneath that gold pleated skirt.
“Just water, thanks.”
“Water?”
She smiled at him, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Yes. A large glass… for beside the bed.”
There was something about the way she let her desire for him shine. It started with the kiss they’d shared at her door—that unbearably tender pairing where, for a moment, the world around them ceased to exist. And now here she was, with what seemed to be no regrets or embarrassment, and he couldn’t recall the last time a woman had stirred such a heady sense of excitement deep within him.
Jake filled a glass from the fridge filter and handed it to her before pouring one for himself. “Happy Birthday, by the way. I wish I’d known sooner. I would have got you something.”
“Thank you.” She bit her lower lip, her expression playful. “But isn’t that why I’m here? To unwrap my present?”
What?Jake set his glass of water on the counter. He’d never seen this reckless side of Molly, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her—so damn sexy in the muted light of the room that he could hardly think straight.
She stared back before shifting her gaze to the sliding doors leading onto the deck. “It’s raining.”
He hadn’t noticed. In fact, since Molly walked through the door, he hadn’t noticed anything but her.
She dropped her bag on the floor. “Before we go any further, I have rules.”
“Do you, now?” Jake smiled at this different side of her personality that, if he hadn’t plucked up the courage to invite her over, he might never have had the opportunity to witness. And his invitation had required courage. He’d always been reserved around women he was attracted to, although thankfully, that reservation had lessened over the years.
“You sound surprised.”
“Not at all. It’s the way it should be.”
She hesitated. “What’s about to happen has to be safe, respectful, and tender.”
Jake wondered if she’d had a negative sexual experience in the past, but he quickly dismissed the thought. After all, they were both mature adults, and he respected her for setting boundaries. “Absolutely.”
“And private.”
He stepped forward, cupped her face in one hand, and brushed his lips across hers. “I’m good with private.”
Molly lifted her glass between them and took a sip. “I get thirsty when I’m nervous.”
“You never have to be nervous with me.”
23
With her glass of water in hand, Molly followed a half-naked Jake up the stairs to his bedroom, a secluded space overlooking the square lawn that extended beyond the lower deck.
It had been a long day, but right at that moment, it didn’t matter. She’d completed another trip around the sun, and Molly couldn’t care less if they stayed up all night. She just wanted to be close to him. To revel in the warmth of his skin against hers and lay in his arms as he cradled her. Because, gruff exterior aside, after the way he’d kissed her, Molly had no doubt that Jake was a gentle man—one who, by default, would be protective and respectful.
The rain fell steadily now. After living close to the beach for most of her life, Molly loved the sound of the rain that traveled on coastal winds. It reminded her of home.
She glanced around the room, softly illuminated by the amber streetlight below, then back to the man himself. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen him half-naked, but the scenario she’d placed herself in that night was vastly different from the morning they’d met by chance at Petrie Bay.
Tonight, her acceptance of his invitation had been carefully considered, if perhaps with some hesitation, and despite the circumstances, Molly wasn’t here to reconstruct past conversations or foster regret. She longed to feel Jake’s essence, his breath on her neck and hands in her hair, and while she’d initially tried to fight this attraction, her primal need for him was stronger than anything she’d experienced in years.
