“What people?” I mumbled. “You’re inside the only person who should be seeing you shirtless, mister.”
He chuckled and I burrowed deeper against the sound in his throat. “The guys and I don’t really care about walking around the apartment shirtless.”
Despite my exhaustion, I found the energy to jerk away from him, my hands pressed to his chest as I scowled down at him. “In other words, you’d love to explain those marks to Lowe.”
Inured to my glower, Jake tucked my long hair behind my ear before following the wavy strand of platinum down over my breast. “It would make a point.”
“A point he is well aware of. The traitor dumped me in your hands last night.”
Jake offered me an unrepentant grin. “That’s true.”
Before I could respond, he took me by surprise, wrapping his arms tightly around me as he sat up. Our lips almost brushed as he brought us chest to chest. Sensing I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, I shifted off my knees and wrapped my legs around his waist. Jake’s eyes darkened with the movement.
“No way,” I said. “You can’t possibly…”
“Not yet.” He crushed me against him, whispering the words across my mouth. “Anyway, we have stuff to talk about.”
I instantly wanted to pull away but Jake cupped his hand around my nape, forcing me to look at him. I jerked against his hold.
“Good, we’ll start with that,” he muttered darkly. “Why do you keep pulling away from me?”
“I told you I don’t like it when you hold me by the neck. It’s not a big deal.” It was so a big deal. And Jake knew it was. He just didn’t know why.
The truth was he used to hold me like that when he wanted my entire focus. It was kind of intense and more than kind of sexual, and I thought it was something he just did with me. However, I’d once witnessed him holding his ex-girlfriend Melissa in the same way, and as stupid as I knew it was, it bothered me. A lot.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Next question,” I sighed, tugging his hand off my neck.
Jake didn’t look happy but he relented. “When are you thinking about telling your parents about us?”
“Well,” I wriggled on him with a cheeky grin, “I was thinking we should uncover the plot of some evil mastermind and you can save the world first. There’s no way they won’t be happy for us after that. It would be petty.”
Kneading the muscles in my lower back, he said, “I’m trying to be serious and I can’t do that when you’re sitting on me na**d, acting cute.”
“Then I guess my work here is done.” I kissed him hard. Jake’s arms turned to steel around me as he hauled me closer, deepening the kiss with a groan that reverberated through me in such a delicious way…
I wrapped my arms around him. Jake broke our kiss, grabbing my upper arms to push me gently back.
He scowled at me. “Play fair.”
I slumped. “Why should I? You’re not.”
“How is trying to have a conversation with my girlfriend not playing fair?” He narrowed his eyes. “How did I become the chick in this scenario?”
Laughing, I ran my fingers through his hair, loving the way his lashes lowered over his eyes in pleasure at my touch. “You did that all by yourself.”
“I’m being serious.” He turned to kiss my wrist. “I’m not asking you to tell your parents. I’m just asking you if you’re planning on doing it at some point. We can’t,” he exhaled heavily, eyes locking with mine, “we can’t move forward until you tell them.”
“I know. I will. Just… it’s hard. Give me time.”
“And while you’re at it, tell them about the police academy.” He crushed me close again, his breath hot on my lips. “Please. This is your life, Charley. Live it how you want to. Four years ago, you were solid in your decision. I don’t know if it was because of me, if I made you doubt yourself somehow, made you doubt your ability to make the right choices…” He tilted his head back, looking at me with such belief and love, I wanted to melt all over him. “Stop compromising who you are. They’ll love you. They’ll understand.”
As the chat-request bubble popped up on my laptop screen, I sucked in a deep breath and kept Jake’s words with me as I clicked the answer button.
Chapter Three
Although I’d been worried about leaving Mom and Dad when our relationship (my relationship with my dad, really) was in limbo, I could breathe a little easier now that Claudia and I had settled into our old apartment in West Lafayette. The apartment was in a picturesque red-brick building with whitewashed balconies. It looked over a green, and had a communal pool and gym. The apartment itself was big, contemporary, and we each had a good-sized bedroom and bathroom to ourselves. It cost Claudia’s parents a small fortune in rent every month. However, they could afford it and Claudia couldn’t give a crap if she milked them for all they had, considering money was the only currency they offered up in terms of affection.
“Well, I think I’m finally unpacked,” I announced, walking into the open plan living room and kitchen area. Claudia was playing Carrie Underwood on her laptop while she—“Why are you rearranging the furniture?”
She stood from pushing the sofa, wiping sweat from her brow. “New year, new everything.” She grinned as if that was an answer.
“Watch your back, okay?” I said, eyeing the brown leather couch dubiously. “It’s not exactly a poodle you’re pushing around there.”
“I’m fine. I’m done.” She strode into the kitchen and pulled two bottles of water from the fridge, throwing one my way. I caught it as she said, “Did you check in with your parents?”
She knew too well I had. “They’re going to Chicago this weekend. That usually does them some good. I just wish things weren’t still so strained between us. I was hoping it would miraculously return to normal before I left for school.”
“Maybe if you’d go with them to Chicago once and a while…”
“Don’t,” I snapped.
“Okay, shutting up.”
Turning the tables on her, I said, “Speaking of parents… have you spoken to any of yours?”
Claudia’s expression soured. “My mom. She’s been calling more since Barcelona.”
Surprised by the seeming show of parental concern, I said, “That’s good?”
My friend raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “We’ll see.”
“Cautious as she goes. Smart.” I glanced around at the exceptionally clean and tidy living space, knowing it wouldn’t stay that way for long once classes started. “So… are we meeting Alex and Sharon tonight or are you planning on something else for the ‘new year, new everything’ attitude you got going on?”
She made a face at my sarcasm. “Be like that if you want, but I actually got the idea from you. You said you wanted a fresh start. Well, you’re absolutely right. We’re starting over almost from scratch. I have a plan—now you need one.”
“And what exactly is yours?”
“Life is for living, right?” Claudia grinned, her green eyes glittering. “I’m finally going to ask Will out.”
“The hot TA?” Will McPherson was a TA in our second-year criminology class. Claudia had crushed on him. “Do you think he’ll still be there?”
Her face fell. “I did not think of that.”
I turned away to hide my smile. “He could still be here. Don’t lose hope. Your plan to distract yourself from the fact that you’re in love with Beck could still work out.”
“Don’t, or I’ll whip out my Jake card.”
I flinched at his name. “Fine. Your plan: ask out Will. My plan: pass the LSATs.”
“Unimaginative, but if it’s what you want, I will help you attain it.”
“I appreciate it. Now get your butt in the shower. We’re meeting Alex and Sharon in an hour at The Brewhouse.”
“An hour?” She tugged on a lock of silky, black hair. “It takes me an hour just to blow my hair out.”
“Then you better get a move on, Pocahontas.”
The Brewhouse was a bar close to campus that was a little slack on the ID thing. A lot of the campus bars were but The Brewhouse hosted live bands on the weekend. Claudia complained all the time that there were never any country singers booked to play. I pointed out that the usual clientele weren’t really country people.
As soon as we walked in, I saw Alex and Sharon. My eyes met Alex’s and an overwhelming sense of home washed over me. When I’d hurried back from Scotland months ago to be with my parents, Alex was there for me. He returned to Lanton from Purdue. Once the worst was over, he still came home on the weekends to see me.
However, he’d taken off this summer with Sharon and they’d gone traveling around Europe. I’d missed him. I’d missed his support and how he withheld judgment.
All I really wanted to do was throw myself into his arms and hug him tight.
However, as nice as Sharon was, she was a little cagey of me being affectionate with her boyfriend considering he was my ex, and I understood enough to keep my distance when she was around.
Alex, however, was clueless that way.
He grinned at me, got up out of his chair, and strode across the bar with determination. Next thing I knew I was crushed in his bear hug.
I hugged him back, squeezing my eyes shut and taking in the familiar smell of his sandalwood and musk cologne.
“It’s good to see you, Charley,” he said quietly.
“You too.”
“Don’t I get a hug?”
Alex let me go, smiling at Claudia over my shoulder. “Always.”
They hugged as Sharon approached. She was a five-foot nothing, cute-as-a-button blond who had a nice thing to say about everybody. Bubbly and sweet, she was my complete opposite. She reached out to hug me and I hugged her back. “How are you?” she asked as she pulled away.
“Getting there,” I answered honestly enough. “How are you? How was Europe?”
Her blue eyes lit up. “So amazing! We have so many great stories to tell you guys.”
We settled down at their table with drinks, noting that the stage was set up for a band tonight. “Who’s playing?” I asked.
Alex shrugged. “No clue. More interestingly… did I hear a rumor you’re taking the LSATs?”
Glancing over at Claudia, I saw her looking away innocently. I sighed, turning back to Alex. “Yes, you heard correctly.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He threw me a boyish grin.
“I thought you might be.” When we were together, Alex had fervently pushed me toward law school. He hated the idea of me becoming a cop as much as my parents had.
“Testing, testing!”
Our attention was drawn to Duke, a thirty-something bartender who’d worked The Brewhouse for years. No one really knew anything about him, a fact he played up to deliberately, often referring to himself as “mystery bartender guy,” which kind of took the cool out of the enigma. Duke stood on stage, tapping the mic. Satisfied, he gestured behind him. “For those not in the know, every Friday and Saturday night it’s live music night here at The Brewhouse. So if you’re looking for a quiet drink, you might want to try The Turtle down the street. But I promise you the jukebox selection there is as slow as the service.” He grinned waiting for laughs. They did not come. “Anyhoo, tonight I’d like to welcome to the stage some local boys—neighbors, really, from the Windy City. They’ve been making a name for themselves touring bars across the Midwest this summer. Please give a warm welcome to The Stolen.”
What the…
I stopped breathing as Lowe, Beck, Matt, and Denver made their way on stage.
What the…
Lowe lifted his guitar over his shoulder and sidled up to the mic. He looked the same, rimless glasses, lip ring, tattoos. Except not having seen him for five months made him more attractive. I’d missed him and the guys. Lowe’s eyes swept the bar and as soon as they hit our table, his shoulders seemed to lose some of their tension.
Our eyes locked and he smiled. “Thanks for having us at The Brewhouse. It’s nice to be here. We’ve got some friends in the audience, so tonight is for them. Charley, Claudia, The Stolen missed you this summer.”
Beck’s eyes were on Claudia as the band started and when I turned to question her, I found her staring right back at him in total surprise. Okay, then, so she didn’t know we were going to be hijacked tonight, either.
“These are your friends you met in Edinburgh?” Alex said, confusion and curiosity in his tone.
Claudia tore her gaze from Beck’s. “Yeah. I told Beck months and months ago that they should play here. Obviously he didn’t forget.”
Sharon’s brow wrinkled. “I thought they went to Northwestern.”
“They do,” I answered, willing my heart rate to slow. If The Stolen was here, then…
“It’s a bit of a trek just for one gig.”
“Uh…” Claudia gripped my arm hard and gestured toward the bar with her head. “That’s because this isn’t about a gig.”
My heart was full-on galloping, trying to burst out of my chest.
Jake.
I braced myself against my chair as he strode through the crowd toward our table. His eyes were on me but his face held no expression whatsoever.
Honestly, I felt like the world dropped from beneath me.