When it did, I lifted up the streamer of condoms.
His eyes dropped to it, his lips twitched and he made it to me. Tugging the condoms from between my fingers, he tossed them back to the nightstand then did something wondrous.
He entered the bed but he accomplished this at the same time he gathered me close to his big, strong body and pulled the covers over us. Only when he had us cozy, warm and settled, him on his back, me on him but also partly down his side, did I speak.
“How many hours do we have?”
He grinned at me. “Sucks but not that many. Leavin’ that stash in your nightstand.”
“Ah,” I murmured then pressed closer and shared, “I do take birth control, Jake, and I’m healthy.”
His face got soft and he replied, “Good to know, baby. But I haven’t had a checkup in seven months and I haven’t abstained. Except for you in the locker room, I’m all about protection and never go ungloved. Since it’s gonna be just you and me, you’re down with ungloved, okay. But you want me to move up my annual physical, I’m okay with that too.”
Just you and me.
I loved that.
I lifted a hand to his jaw and told him, “You’re really very wonderful.”
That was when his eyes got warm and he rolled into me so we were both on our sides, Jake’s thigh between my legs and he said, “You’re pretty fuckin’ wonderful too.”
“You thinking that makes me happy,” I shared.
“You bein’ happy makes me happy,” he returned and I pressed even deeper.
Yes, he was so…very…wonderful.
Jake took the cue and bent his head so he could kiss me. It was light and short but it was still sweet.
He lifted away an inch and said, “Coffee’s on.”
“Excellent,” I murmured then noted, “That’s what you did when you walked by the room.”
“Yep.”
“So you walked through Gran’s house naked.”
He grinned and his arms got tight. “Yeah. I also walked through your house naked.”
He did indeed.
My house. Jake naked.
I licked my lips.
His arms got tighter but his face got more serious.
“I take it your shit for brains boss didn’t fuck with you last night.”
I shook my head. “I’ve heard nothing from him. And I’m not contacting him until I know what I intend to say.”
“Which way you leaning?” he asked.
“I quit?” I asked back as answer.
He grinned but the grin died and he queried, “You in the position to do that?”
I nodded. “I have to meet an accountant but Gran’s estate was somewhat substantial. I also have a goodly amount in savings and investments. I’ll need to pay taxes on the inheritance but I believe I’ll still be comfortable after that.” My eyes drifted to his throat when I finished, “It’s just that I don’t fancy not being employed. I like to be busy. “
“And on the go,” Jake stated and I lifted my gaze back to him.
“Pardon?”
“And on the go,” he repeated. “Out and about. Flyin’ everywhere. Rome. Paris.”
“That, not so much,” I murmured.
His brows drew together. “Come again?”
I held his gaze and shared, “This feels good, being at Lavender House. Being in Magdalene. There’s a break, like a holiday, where you enjoy not being in your routine and you relax into another one. But in the end, you nearly always want to go back to your life. Your home. Your normal schedule. I’ve been here some time now, Jake, and even before Henry’s ignoble visit yesterday, I knew I was going to ask him if I could do much of my job from here because it occurred to me I am home and want to stay.”
“So you were gonna slow down anyway,” he replied.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
His arms got even tighter, his face softer and his eyes warmer. “Good news, Slick.”
I smiled at his apparent deep satisfaction at this news and repeated, “Yes.”
“You’ll find something to do,” he assured me.
“Yes,” I said yet again.
“Now, what the fuck does ignoble mean?”
I giggled, leaned up to kiss him in the middle of it and settled back to see him smiling.
“Not honorable. Shameful,” I explained.
“A lotta good things about you, honey. One of them is that Ethan’s pickin’ up your vocabulary. Swear to Christ, before Conner took him to school today, he said he was vexed about something and if I got it right, he used it right seein’ as he was annoyed.”
“He used it correctly,” I confirmed, but his words troubled me. “Conner takes Ethan to school?”
“Sometimes, yeah,” Jake replied. “I open the gym early so guys can get their workouts in before goin’ to work. If I can’t get back, Conner or Amber take him to school seein’ as they both have cars.”
It was then it occurred to me that he did have to open the gym. He also said last night he had to get to the club and he was going to do it when the kids were asleep.
“Do you often go to the club when the children are asleep?” I asked.
“Nearly every night,” he answered. “Gym’s runnin’ in the black but barely. Wouldn’t if I had to have an employee on the books so it’s gotta be me who opens and closes. Con helps out with that when he has time, but he doesn’t have much of it since he’s got another job, I lean on him a lot already at the house and with his brother and any time he’s got in between, he needs to be at his books, training or able to have some fun. Got a guy who helps me with the club but shit can go down there. It’s a decent place but you gotta work at that. Can’t help but attract a sleazy element no matter what you do. Shit can’t happen if they know I’m comin’ in and don’t know when. I could be there all night if the kids are cool to be home with Eath. I can show when the night’s done. They never know except for the fact that they know I’ll show so if anyone wants to get up to shit, they think again.”
“So, essentially, you have the same life you had before you owned the strip club, except you make more money and don’t have a wife to look after your kids,” I noted.
“Yeah, babe, but I got kids old enough to look after themselves and their little brother. We do all right.”
“When did you go to the club last night?” I asked.
“Just after eleven.”
“And when did you get home?”
“Around two.”
“And then up to open the gym by seven?”
He rolled further into me so I was on my back and he was on me but also partly down my side and he dipped his face very close.
“We’re cool,” he told me.
“I can tell you’re cool,” I replied. “Outside of normal teenage stuff, your children are happy. They’re healthy. They have a nice house. Rooms they like. They’re fed. They clearly love you very deeply. You make certain to be available to them and spend time with them often. They know you care. You’re a strict dad when you have to be but still approachable. All that is lovely. Beautiful, actually. And you don’t act it, which is nice for them so they won’t feel it, but it has to run you ragged.”
“So what’re you sayin’?” he asked, his head tipping to the side. “That I should dump the gym? ’Cause I can’t dump the club. That keeps my kids in rooms they like.”
“No, I’m saying that you should sleep in or feel free to get Ethan to school and I can open up the gym and sit in the office until you get in just in case someone needs something. All you have to do is show me around.”
Jake said nothing.
So I did.
“It can’t be hard. While I’m there, if you don’t have a bookkeeper, I can do your books. I did Henry’s for him. I don’t have a degree or anything but I took some classes early on when I was with Henry so I could handle that for him and have answers at the ready to any questions he might have about his finances.”