well, I won’t be mobbed by fans, but I’m happy with it.”
“You should be.” He was watching me closely; I could feel his intent stare.
“So, now what?” I asked, taking a step back and looking up at him.
“What do you want to do?”
“What time is it?”
Jake pulled his cell phone from his pocket and checked the time. “It’s just now noon.”
“We can always grab lunch.”
He was still staring at me, but this time, I noticed the heat in his gaze. “Lunch works. Have a place in mind?”
“My place?” I blurted before I thought better of it.
His eyebrows lifted in question. “You sure about that?”
“Are you doubting my cooking ability, Chapter One?”
“Never.”
“Good.” I slid my fingers in his again and turned toward the door. “So, how do you feel about tofu?”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Jake
“Tofu?” I glanced down at Presley as we stepped out onto the street, secretly hoping she wasn’t serious.
She laughed, squeezing my hand, confirming that she was joking. At least I hoped she was joking. I could deal with a lot of things, but tofu was not one of them. I had tried it once and it had been an experience I would never forget. Nor would I repeat it.
“I’m kidding,” she said, beaming up at me.
I opened the car door and waited for her to get in, then closed it behind her and made my way around to the driver’s side.
“Seriously, though,” Presley said when I pulled away from the curb. “I can cook and I’ll even make something with meat in it for you.”
“So, your place?” I asked, confirming once again that this was what she wanted to do. After the conversation at the coffee shop that morning, as well as her reaction to what had happened at the bookstore, I truly hadn’t expected her to invite me back to her place. Definitely not yet and certainly not until we had cleared the air between us.
“Yep, my place.”
I glanced over at her.
“Don’t worry, Chapter One. I’m not gonna jump your bones. I’ll make you lunch and there’s something I wanna show you.”
I smirked. “Do you now?”
She laughed, then smacked my arm. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m gonna keep all my clothes on.”
“I’m sure I can work around them,” I joked. Although I wasn’t joking entirely.
“I’m sure you can. Now come on.”
Fifteen minutes later, I was following Presley into her condo. It smelled like bacon and aftershave and I could hear the sound of grease popping.
“Hey,” Gil greeted us almost instantly. “Didn’t know you were gone,” he told Presley.
“Aren’t you working today?” Presley asked him.
“Not till later tonight. Blaze and Charlie are over there now.”
“Gotcha,” she told him. “Gil, you remember Jacob Wild.”
“Oh, yeah,” Gil said, grinning. “The voyeur.”
I laughed but didn’t deny it. Since it was the only time I’d seen Gil other than at the tattoo shop, I knew he was referring to the night he’d invited me over here for a beer, which had turned into a long night. I hadn’t participated in the wild and crazy activities, but I definitely hadn’t had a problem watching, which, I guessed, by definition was a voyeur.
“What are y’all up to?” Gil asked, turning back to the kitchen. “Want me to make you something?”
“I wouldn’t,” Presley warned with a chuckle. “Then again, it’s not tofu.”
“Fuck no,” Gil said with a grimace. “Who eats that shit?”
“I do,” Presley said sweetly before both of them looked at me.
“Thanks,” I told Gil, “but I’m good.”
“Oh, come on,” Gil said. “Live a little.”
“Where’s the screamer?” Presley questioned, taking a seat at the bar and motioning for me to take a seat on the other stool.
“She’s … uh … sleeping?” Gil explained, tossing something into a skillet.
“You know that for a fact?” Presley laughed. “Or you’re guessing?”
Gil glanced between me and Presley. “She said she had to work early, so I thought she’d be gone by now.”
“Where does she work?” Presley asked.
Gil shrugged.
“Isn’t this the chick you tattooed?” Presley grimaced when Gil nodded. “You didn’t ask where she worked?”
“I’m sure I did,” Gil said, meeting Presley’s gaze, then mine. “Just don’t remember.”
I felt Gil’s pain. I’d been there numerous times. Not that I was proud of myself, but hey, it was the way it was. Hookups were meant to be just that. No strings.
“What’ve y’all been up to?” Gil inquired as he continued to focus on his bacon.
“Jake got mobbed at Book People, then I took him over to the gallery to show him my work.”