Love In Secrets (Love Distilled #3) - Scarlett Cole Page 0,47

who looked like a Barbie on the outside. And I figured there wouldn’t be enough room for intestines on the inside.”

“That’s a pretty morbid curiosity, Jake.”

“I glued her back together again, dressed her, and Liv was none the wiser for about two months until she changed her outfit.”

“You drew stitches on with a Sharpie.”

Jake laughed. “I’d forgotten that part.”

When they left the bathroom, Jake went right toward his bedroom and Cassie went left toward the spare room.

Jake paused. “You know, you might as well move the rest of your stuff into my room while you’re here.”

Cassie looked at the bedroom, and then recalled Jake’s comments in the bathroom about Em wondering if he’d had an accident because he was never late. “I think it’s probably better if they stay in here. You know, so it’s less weird when Liv and Em are here.”

Jake fixed the towel on his hip and stepped toward her. “Why would they think it weird?”

“Well, you know. Us. It’s a lot. I mean. You weren’t planning on telling them, were you?”

He ran his hand through his hair, and she tried to ignore the way his muscles flexed. “I wasn’t planning on walking into the distillery and telling everyone you and I had sex, if that’s what you’re asking. I heard what you said last night, but I didn’t think it included my sisters.”

Cassie bit her lip. “I don’t think it’s so straightforward, though.”

“Why not?” The playfulness had gone out of Jake’s eyes, replaced with a wariness.

“Isn’t it . . . I don’t know . . . this is so unbelievably new. And we both know it’s going to end when I go back to New York. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone involved if we . . . kept it to ourselves, maybe?”

“So, if I see you in the distillery, you want me to pretend like this didn’t happen? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Jake,” she pleaded. The hurt in his tone made her heart bleed. “Em is my friend. Liv is my friend. Heck, you're my friend. And then there’s my dad. He won’t understand this. He doesn’t even understand me. I don’t want to be the person who arrives like a whirlwind, throws everything up in the air, and then leaves.”

“Let me repeat myself. If I see you in the distillery, you want me to pretend like this didn’t happen? Is that what you’re saying? If Em or Liv swings by and we’re watching a movie together, are we gonna break apart like high schoolers when their parents get home? Am I gonna need to check exactly what I say for the next month in front of my sisters so I don’t accidentally reveal that we went on a date or spent the night together?”

“You’re putting words in my mouth. But yes, if you’re asking me if I’d like to keep this on the down low, at least for now, until we’re sure it’s . . . something, I would.”

“I said I wouldn’t merely be friends with benefits,” Jake said.

“Christ, Jake. We slept together this morning. I haven’t even had time to process what happened.”

Jake ran his hand through his hair again and huffed. “Didn’t realize it needed processing, Cass. I thought we were on the same page.” And with that, he stormed to his room and shut the door, leaving her standing in her towel, wondering how their lovely morning had suddenly gone to hell in a handbag.

10

The following day, Jake woke up in his bed, alone, after only five hours of sleep. He’d been avoiding Cassie, and they needed to talk. After he’d finished at the distillery the day before, he’d accepted Emerson’s invitation to go over and watch baseball and eat hot dogs with her and Connor.

He’d deliberately stayed late, shooting the shit until Emerson noticed him yawning and sent him home.

He’d had two beers mid-afternoon at Emerson’s and was thinking about another when he arrived home to find the porch light on, and Cassie asleep in bed.

She’d left the porch light on for him. He’d let her know he’d be home late so she wouldn’t worry. Surely those thoughtful things weren’t something you did with someone you were just fucking.

The idea that that was how she saw them cheapened everything he’d felt the day before.

It had left him slightly dazed and confused. One minute she was sucking his dick with a look in her eyes that said he meant everything to her, and the next, she was telling him they needed