Dangerous Lies(10)

Jake laughed under his breath, snaking an arm behind my shoulder, pulling me into him. “I guess this is one way to get a girl to touch me.”

I opened one eye to see the truck had passed, letting out the breath I’d been holding. “It’d have to be an American.”

His lip twitched upward. “Maybe that’s what I’ve wanted.”

I glanced at him, the storm of nerves brewing in my gut. I should have been more terrified of them, shoving them down into my soul and ignoring them, but instead I stayed put, my heart thrumming from the simple brush of Jake’s arm along my shoulders.





Chapter Eight



Jake drove down a dirt path, swerving by trees and shrubs. A decent size ranch came into view, covered in stone. “Here we are.”

I shimmied from his side, ignoring the coldness that came with his absence.

I took in his home, surprised by how put together it was. Nothing about it screamed bachelor. The landscaping was minimal, but the scenery beyond it was to die for.

After he pulled into the garage, I hopped out of the truck, throwing my bag over my shoulder. Jake followed, taking out my luggage from the bed of the truck. His garage was fairly normal for a man. A tool bench was off to the side by the entrance to his home, surprisingly organized. There were shelves with crates filled with garage goodies, neatly in place. His mountain bike was upside down on the concrete, one wheel removed with a few tools on top of a towel beside it. Another bike was upright by a kickstand.

He followed my line of sight. “That’s my pride and joy. Giving her a tune up before I take you for a ride.”

“That’d be fun, but we’d have to start slow. I’m used to sitting on a stationary bike.”

“Good thing for you I know of a few trails. Come on, Shepley’s excited to meet you.”

I rolled my eyes. I had never had a pet before, so I didn’t understand the camaraderie they brought. I guess it made sense for Jake. He never posted or talked much about his family, only about his books, cat, and hobbies. Being buried up in these mountains was solitude. He didn’t have neighbors like I did in suburbia.

I followed him inside, unsure what I’d be in for. I’d seen pictures of his back porch, but not of the house as a whole. It was very modern, sleek furniture filled the space, taking a very mod tone with its grayscale for colors. There were abstract paintings on the living room walls. The dark hardwood creaked underneath my feet when I followed him inside. “Your home is beautiful,” I complimented, searching the tall ceilings then into the kitchen. A furry animal with a long, gray and black tiger stripe tail swayed as it pranced toward Jake, rubbing against his leg. “Hey there, mate. I’ve got a guest for us.”

Jake stopped to stroke the cat, scratching its ears, then stood. “Come on, I’ll show you your room.”

I followed him through the kitchen, stopping to give the cat a quick pet. He meowed and followed us through the kitchen. I couldn’t help but notice the fancy coffee maker and other gadgets along the countertops. Jake must have been a decent cook, or he was a sucker for late night infomercials. They were shiny, along with everything else in his house. I’d never imagined a man keeping a home so clean and tidy of clutter. Especially a writer.

“Here you are. Bathrooms down the hall. Set your things wherever you’d like.” Dropping my suitcase next to the dresser, he nodded toward the bed. It had a simple white comforter with an abundance of pillows. “I’ve got more blankets if you need them.”

“I might need more pillows,” I deadpanned.

He blinked at me, then grinned. “I’ll be sure to get you some.”

Shepley moseyed into the room, rubbing against my leg. Jake bent down and picked him up, the cat’s ears went sideways, but his body relaxed into a limp noodle. “Now, Shepley, you be nice to Cora. She’s going to bunk in here for as long as she’d like. You’ll have to settle for sleeping with me or on the couch.”

I smiled, petting the cat's head. “I’ll leave the door cracked open in case he wants to snuggle.”

“What if I want a snug?” Jake pouted.

My tongue caught in my throat, unsure how to respond. I enjoyed when he put his arm around me at the airport and in the car, but in a bed… it might lead to more than I was ready for.

“Shepley, you better not pick to cuddle with her over me,” he teased, then set the cat back on the ground.

I laughed to hide my embarrassment. Of course he meant cuddling with the cat, not me.

Jake sent me a smirked. He knew what I was thinking, and I slowly wanted to die inside.

“I’m going to go get dinner rolling. Cozy in for a while.” He strolled down the hall with his hands in his pockets. The moment he turned the corner, I sprawled on the bed, covering my face. The cat jumped next to me, pawing at my arm. “Why would I think he’d want to snuggle with me over you?” I asked the cat, petting him. He purred loudly, nudging my hand with his head.

I sighed, trying to process my thoughts. Why did he have to be so damn attractive? More so, why did I keep telling myself he wouldn’t be? I saw his physique from behind, it indicated a sexy as shit body. Why did I think he was photoshopped? His personality had captured me from the beginning, but holy crow, now that I had laid my eyes on him, my mind wouldn’t stop urging me to fantasize.