Wallbanger (25 page)

“Mmmm. This is so good, Logan,” I said,
savoring the first bite.

“I really like the way you say my name.”

“Jake?” I squeaked around the bite of
food.

He shook his head then turned his body toward
me completely, resting one foot on the bottom rung of my stool.
“Logan. It rolls off your tongue like honey, like you
enjoy
saying it. Do you?”

I stared into his eyes, watching as his
pupils started dilating. Medically speaking this could mean any
number of things. Maybe he was having a response to some sort of
external stressor, or that the room was darkening, although neither
of us had turned off the lights. Or, it could mean he was aroused.
Bingo. I dropped my eyes to the pulse point in his throat, noting
the erratic throbbing, and dragged my peepers up in time to catch
him licking his lips. The notion that I was turning this man on was
turning me on, and adrenaline shot through my body in time with the
alarms going off in my head. I needed to pull away fast. But try as
I might, I couldn’t. Or wouldn’t.

“You always this forward, Logan?” I purred,
unable to resist.

His lids lowered to half-mast, and he licked
his lips again as if hearing me say his name was giving him the
best ear-gasm ever.

“I won’t forget that you didn’t answer the
question, and I told you before, when I know what I want I go after
it-”

“And you get it with frightening
consistency,” I finished. “So what exactly is it you want?”

“You.”

“How?” My mouth moves faster than my brain
sometimes. The way it was intended was not the way it was
interpreted.

“Any way you’ll let me,” he retorted silkily,
that easy grin returning to his face.

I playfully slapped his thigh, cutting my
eyes at him. “That’s not the way I meant that and you know it. I
mean in what capacity? Just friends? Friends with benefits? Or
something more? Cause I’m here for something more.”

He didn’t respond, so I continued in a
rush.

“We did just meet, and I can’t imagine you’ve
developed any serious feelings for me in less than a day. So, how
and why, Jake?” I really hated doing that. Making a man think when
all the blood was flowing
away
from his brain wasn’t exactly
fair. But I had the feeling any second now we’d be on this
countertop doing all the things I wanted him to do to me, and then
Char would be screwed. Well
I’d
be screwed, but you know
what I mean.

Our eyes locked, deep brown to ice gray, each
watching as lust built in the other, when Nicole rounded the corner
and entered the kitchen. We both promptly returned to our omelets
like teenagers caught making out under the bleachers.

“Good morning, Jake,” she chirped as she came
around the island, ignoring me completely. “How’d you sleep,
baby?”

I chuckled under my breath and Jake poked me
in the side, chewing furiously to keep from laughing.

“Omelets?” she asked, looking at our plates.
“You cook, Charlene?”

“Actually, Jake made these, and the mimosas.”
I can’t lie. I got some satisfaction out of that. “They’re
really
good, too.” I never skimp on the frosting.

Nicole poked her lip out into a pout. “Can I
have some of yours, baby?” she whined, hugging him from behind and
dropping her head on his shoulder. Then she cringed and backed away
quickly, her voice returning to normal. “Why are you damp and
sticky?”

“Not for the reasons I was hoping,” he
mumbled.

I nearly choked on my omelet.

“I didn’t get to shower after my run. Which
reminds me about my earlier offer, Charlene,” he said the lust
still simmering in his eyes.

“Answers first, Jake.” Finishing my food and
downing the drink, I pushed myself off the barstool and carried my
dishes to the sink.

Nicole started jabbering away as I cleaned
up. Things were starting to get complicated. When Char came in a
few days she’d be embroiled in a full-blown physical relationship
if I weren’t careful. I pushed away a feeling of melancholy and
refocused my attention on the reason I was here.

This is Charlene’s thing, Charlie. You’re
just a stand-in for the next couple days. Anything you feel for
Jake is a fabrication for Char’s sake. Okay? Okay? Okay.

Nicole came over and dumped Jake’s dishes in
the sink causing the soapy water to splash up my arms, and then
went back to chatting him up. The girl was purposefully grating on
my nerves, but I refuse to let her see me bothered. I’d get my own
back. I finished the dishes, drained the water and dried my
hands.

Leaving the sink I went behind Jake, dropping
a quick kiss on his neck and interrupting his boredom, said a
quick, “Thanks for breakfast,” and headed out of the kitchen.

“You never answered my question, Charlene,”
he called after me, stopping me in my tracks. “Do you enjoy
it?”

He asked that loaded question in a neutral
tone that belied its origin. I glanced at Nicole who looked upset
that I’d taken his attention and that she was once again out of the
loop. Pleased, I turned back to Jake, seeing that same intensity in
his eyes. “Yeah, Logan. I enjoy it.”

I wasn’t lying.