Naughty Neighbor - Lauren Runow Page 0,68
watch a movie or something. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Are you saying you want me naked, in your bed, waiting for you to come home?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
He grips my hips and holds me still. “Sex is definitely in the cards, but I was talking about a date. I want to take my girl out tonight. Maybe some drinks and dancing. A night where we get dressed up and hit the town.”
His smirk makes me want to stay home and forget meeting Wendy altogether.
I lean up to kiss his lips. “A date, huh?”
“A real one. Not the kind where one of us is trying to prove something to the other.”
With a grin on my face, I nod in acceptance. “Jake Moreau, I will absolutely go on a real date with you.” With a quick kiss, I get up and rush into the bathroom for a shower.
I get ready with rapid speed. Jake is still in the bed, wrapped up in my sheets, watching me with a grin on his face. On the nightstand is the Advil and water he promised would be there when I got out of the shower.
I pop the pills and drink the entire full glass. Then, I lean down to kiss him good-bye.
“Love you,” he says, and this time, I can’t ignore it.
I don’t know how to respond to that, but he’s staring at me with his eyes narrowing slightly as he looks at my puckered face.
He tilts his head with a soothing glance. “It’s okay, Lace. You don’t have to say it back.”
“It’s just … it’s sudden. We’ve only been dating for a few days. Seriously, like, one week really, and it feels so—”
“Sudden. Yes, I know.”
“Very. And you see … well, I just don’t think you love me as much as you lust for me.”
“Excuse me?” He sits up in bed fully.
“Great sex is often confused with love.”
His mouth pinches, and I know I hit a nerve with that one.
“I know what love is. The question is, do you?”
“I don’t do love, Jake.” My tone is entirely rude, but not on purpose. I care about this man deeply. “Shit. Sorry. This is not how I wanted to have this conversation and certainly not now when I’m rushing off to a really important meeting. Can we talk about this when I get back? Stay here. Or if you go home, I’ll knock, but please, let’s have this conversation later today.”
“Yeah.” He takes a deep breath. “Go. Good luck.”
I lean in to kiss him, and thankfully, he kisses me back, though it’s short and rushed.
“I won’t be long.”
I race out the door and down to my car. Once I know my phone is connected through the Bluetooth, I dial Charisse.
“I’m a horrible mom this morning, thanks to you,” she says as her hello.
“My agent loved the book, and she’s having brunch with someone from Winston Arms, so I’m rushing to meet them, but before I left, Jake said it again.”
“Whoa, wait. That’s a lot to take in after everything we drank last night. So, first, OMG! Congratulations. That’s super exciting. I’m talking about Winston Arms and Jake being candid with his feelings.”
“Yes, but …”
“But what, Lacey? Stop pretending you don’t love him too. I was there last night. I saw the way you two looked at each other. It’s obvious that he loves you. Even if you hadn’t told me he said so, I would have thought it. Stop fighting this. You’re getting your dream career the same time you found your dream man. You need to sit back and enjoy life, not worry about what might or might not happen.”
I sit silently as I drive down the road. My mind is a mess with everything that’s going on. I’m so freaking happy yet so absolutely terrified that something has to go wrong because it’s all too good.
“Get out of your head,” Charisse says when I don’t say anything. “Let every single thing happen with Jake. And treasure it!”
I let out a deep exhale.
“Now, tell me about this publishing house,” she says like the Jake topic is solved and over with and it’s time to move on to the next.
The meeting went amazing even though I felt really awkward, just appearing to be in the same area. My acting skills were severely lacking. Thankfully, I was ushered into a seat, and the three of us discussed romance tropes and writing styles like we’d been in the same book club for years. A few Bloody Marys