away,” he says, noticing me stiffening. “I need to hold you … just for a moment. Can you give me that?”
My body immediately relaxes in his arms, savoring the smell of him. I close my eyes and feel and hear the pounding of his heart, pressed to my ear. It’s a moment like this that I wonder how I ever took for granted a single second I had with this man. Every touch, every taste. He’s like my addiction.
“Fuck, I miss you, Ana. I only wish you knew how much. I want to be able to make this all go away so that we can be together again. I’m torn over what to do to make this right, but no matter how much I think about how I can, nothing I come up with will ever change the situation.” Breaking away, he cups my face in both his hands. His eyes roam my face like he’s committing it to memory. “It’s like the universe wants us apart for some reason, but by fuck can I think of a reason why. You and me, Ana. We’re meant to be. Can’t you feel it?”
Fuck, yes, I can feel it. I feel it every single second of the day that passes. My weakness for this man, no matter the consequences, has me coming back for more. I know I will eventually leave here broken hearted, but he’s worth it.
Jake’s worth it all and more.
So for this moment, I let the feel of him surround me. I let him lean down towards my lips because I need this just as much as he does.
With a small stroke of his hand, he caresses my face. My eyes close as my body hums.
“I fucking love you, baby,” he whispers, making me open my eyes. He’s inches away from my mouth as he leans closer. I feel my eyes glisten with an onset of tears as he leans his forehead against mine. “I want to make this right, but I can’t. I want to kiss you so fucking much right now, but I can’t do that either.”
I want that too. More than anything. In a moment of weakness, I’m about to ask him what’s holding him back when I hear someone calling Jake’s name.
Stella.
Stepping back from his grip, I glance into Jake’s eyes, searching for the answers. I feel like I’ve just been slapped in the face, the sting of it so forceful that it’s radiating through my whole body. “What is she doing here?” I grind out, feeling my anger rise.
Panic surfaces in Jake’s eyes as he steps towards me. “It’s not what you think. Please believe me.”
“Jake, where are you?!” I hear again, but this time it’s closer. The door opens, and Stella stands there, looking as pregnant as ever. She smiles when she sees me and makes extra effort to make sure she strokes her belly in front of me, emphasizing how big she is. “Ana, so nice to see you. Are you stopping for some tea?”
She knows hell would freeze over before I came in for tea with her. “No. I hadn’t heard from Jake in a couple of days, so I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
She steps forward, placing a hand on Jake’s shoulder. I notice him flinch and grit his teeth when she does. “That’s nice of you to care. Things have been a little fraught recently, so I’ve been keeping Jake busy the last couple of days. He’s been so attentive.”
She emphasizes the word like it has some hidden sexual meaning. It makes me feel sick to my stomach.
Jake brushes Stella off and moves closer to me. “The house she’s in has some electrical problems, so she’s staying here until the landlord sorts it out.”
The words were said, but I can’t take them in. All I can see right now is Stella standing there pregnant with what could be Jake’s baby and the image of her hands on him. She’s still rubbing her belly in a loving manner, but I know it’s all for show. She wants me to see that she has something far more important for Jake then I could ever offer him. How can I compete with that?
“I’m going to go,” I murmur, stepping down the path. “I’m glad everything’s okay.”
Stella smiles sweetly. “Feel free to visit anytime.”
I hear Jake warn Stella under his breath before I turn away and walk towards my car. Once there, I open the door, and I’m about to