a hug, and as we do, “Got to be real” by Cheryl Lynn blasts through the speakers.
“Come on,” Jessie shouts.
She pulls me onto the stage, and we start dancing around the pole again, sliding up and down. We’re practically mating with it, we’re so brazen. We’re giggling and laughing so hard that I almost pee myself.
When the song comes to an abrupt end, I’m still in a state of giggles. I haven’t laughed this hard since Jake and I were together. Just as that thought enters my head, the song “Feelin Love,” by Paula Cole comes on.
My laughter abruptly stops at the sound, and my stomach tightens in knots. I stand frozen and look over at Jessie who just appears confused. This is the song I danced to when Jake was handcuffed to his chair. The same dance I wore my red shoes to—the same ones I’m wearing now.
Queasiness forms in the pit of my stomach as Jessie stares at me questioningly. I shake my head at her as that is all I can manage to do without falling apart. The ache to have Jake here is so all-consuming now that it hurts.
The crowd is still cheering, and I know I must do something soon, but my body is glued to the spot. I glance towards Jessie for help, but she is looking elsewhere, a smile spread wide across her lips. I see movement in the corner of my eye, and when I turn to see what it is, I find a hand held out towards me. But not just any hand.
Jake’s hand.
He’s staring at me with those piercing green eyes, and I melt then and there. He knows what this song means, and he’s come to rescue me—just like he always does. With no thoughts in my head but Jake, I grab his hand and he helps me down, encasing me in his arms.
“I got you, baby.”
I’m gone. Completely and utterly lost to this man who makes me feel like the safest, most precious woman in the world whenever I’m near to him.
He fixes me with those hungry, pleading eyes—eyes which hold so many promises and fulfilled dreams to come. When I convey a silent message back to him, Jake pulls me through the crowd of people before heading out the door. We both don’t acknowledge anyone.
It’s just him and me.
We get to the elevator and wait for the ping. My mind is racing, but my body has taken over completely. We step in, his hand still clasped in mine. We don’t say a word to each other as the doors open to the eighth floor. As it pings again, he lightly tugs at my hand as he guides me to what I can only imagine must be his room.
Putting the key card in, he pulls me through the door. The room is dark, but Jake doesn’t take a moment to switch on the light. All I can see is the silhouette of him and I through the moonlight pouring into the room. He presses his body up against mine, and at last my voice is found. My mind is racing to stop this, but my heart and body take over. “Jake, we can’t...”
He halts my token effort at making us both see sense by kissing me gently, only pulling away to say one word. One word that holds me hostage yet simultaneously yields me to his touch. One word that wills my mind, body, and soul to relent completely to him.
“Stay.”
All thoughts of my mum and the baby fly out of my mind. All I can think about is Jake. Sweet Jake, who I have missed so much that my heart aches. Jake, who I know belongs to me, no matter what the circumstances. Just for these few precious moments, I allow myself to wander off in to a world where only he and I exist. A world where not only is Stella not my mother, but she’s also not pregnant with Jake’s baby. A world where it’s not sick to want him, to be with him … to have him make love to me.
My body instantly relaxes, giving in to him completely. He senses the moment I do and wastes no time giving us both what we have been missing for what seems like an eternity in hell.
His mouth hungrily finds mine again, causing a deep, relieved moan to fall from my lips. Suddenly, he pulls away and starts stroking my face so lovingly that the hunger