Chapter 287

Going back to the boat Jake had been disappointed to find the entire party followed them, so they had
no time alone. The boat ride back had been eye-opening though, with Emma standing between his legs
as he had perched on the edge of the side and her arms around his neck. She had been about an inch
from his face the whole time talking about nothing specific, her eyes had kept moving to Jake’s mouth
longingly and he had to curb kissing her about a thousand times even though his hands were on her
hips and she was pulled practically into his groin.

One little inch forward and a tiny head tilt was all it would have taken, she was already mirroring his
pose and screaming “kiss me”. He didn’t know if she had any idea what signals she was giving him
right now or if she was subtly telling him to go for it, she was obviously drunk and feeling more carefree
and it just confused him as to what to do. She was giggling enough, touching him enough, and if she
had been any other girl, he would have high-fived himself as all the cues were there that he had
scored. But this was her, and she was innocent in all ways sexual, she trusted him, and he didn’t want
to kiss her in front of these people, anyway. If and when he did make a move he wanted it private, so
she could relax and decide without pressure if she wanted it. He didn’t want to ruin anything between
them and that kiss so long ago in the hotel had made him wary of trying too haphazardly.

On the boat, he had left her to wander the deck with Leila and headed to the lounger, he was going to
let her make the moves if that’s what she wanted. Let her relax, let her come to him and play it by ear.
It was the only way he could think of playing this where she was concerned and that way he couldn’t
screw this all up by assuming it’s what she wanted.

He kicked back and decided to let it go a little, drink more and get as merry as her if he was going to
stop overthinking all of this. Maybe that was half his problem, he was trying to stay sober so he
wouldn’t make moves on her when he should really be throwing caution to the wind and going with the
flow. That’s what she seemed to be doing tonight and watching her dance, drink, and get in the party
mood was definitely doing it for him.



“You’re in there, you know?” Daniel slid down on the lounger next to him and smiled his way, waving a
bottle toward Emma and Leila on deck. “She’s been giving you the come on since she got to the
restaurant, man, what are you waiting for?”

“You don’t know her like I do … She’s nothing like the women we normally chase, Danny, she requires
a little gentle handling.” Jake frowned his way and then back at Emma. She was laughing with Leila
and falling over one another while trying to change the song on the stereo. He smiled at just how
adorable she was.

“Is this what love does to you? Makes you wimp out and over cautious. The normal Jake Carrero would
have had that chick naked in less than three minutes, fucked, and back on deck to party within the first
couple of hours on this boat. Man, by now you would have fucked her a dozen times in every position
and moved onto someone else … You really are pussy whipped.” Daniel slumped back and shook his
head at Jake, smirking uncontrollably.

“Shut up … I don’t want to be that guy anymore.” Jake mirrored Daniel’s pose and slid another beer
from the table to cradle on his abdomen. Both staring up at the perfect starry sky contemplating things
in general.

“No, you don’t want to be that way while your head is all invested in her. If she was out of the picture,
you would revert to kind, mate.” Daniel prodded him in the shoulder and he flicked him away.

“Maybe she made me realize that doing all the shit I’ve done in my past isn’t enough, it was fun, but it
was never fulfilling enough to make me happy. It’s why I hit it so hard and so constantly … Looking for
more and never finding it … Until her.” Jake looked towards his best friend with a sigh. Daniel regarded
him coolly.

“Look, she’s obviously hot for you tonight so go for it, do me a favor though. If she doesn’t want more
when you’re both sober, Jake, then you need to move on, get back in the saddle and put this shit to



bed. Bang her, spend the night making her fantasies come true but know if a line is drawn then all of
this stops. You go back to who you were, and you let that chick do her job.” Daniel’s stern tone was not
that of a guy being a dick, but a best mate offering wisdom.

Jake had to agree with what he was saying despite it not being what he wanted to hear. Tonight, was
the turning point. If he made moves, and she wanted it, then he would go for it, but if she didn’t then he
would stop it all. And by all, he meant all of this celibate shit and pining for her and accepting it was
never going to happen. None of this was healthy, and he had no more energy for it.

“I should stop! I think I’ve had enough.” He could hear her protesting Leila’s advances with more
alcohol. Voices coming their way and Daniel raised an eyebrow at him before sliding off to join the
twins dancing badly on deck with Marissa and Miracle.

“Hush now, we’re on vacation … party, party, party!” Leila was loud and obnoxious like her normally
drunken ass could be.

“End up comatose or throwing up in my own shoes, you mean?” Emma sighed as he watched her
grabbing the rail for support. That perfect little body encased in that short floaty red dress and looking a
little too divine.

“Your loss, sweet cheeks.” Leila pouted cheekily and turned toward the dancing group with a smile,
swinging her hips and leaving Emma to either follow or not. Emma turned his way looking at him in a
way he knew meant she wanted to be beside him right now.

She wants this … Take her cue, Jake.

“Come, bambino!” Jake’s eyes met hers, a look between them that he couldn’t mistake. Years of those
same looks from women meant that, even on her, he could recognize it. Emma most definitely was
finding him attractive enough tonight to want something more than just platonic touches and with a little
beckoning finger wiggle, he patted the lounger beside him suggestively.



She wants you, she wants this! Relax and go with it.

His heart had upped its beat and his body was definitely feeling a little clammy, nerves kicking in and
telling him he should drink a hell of a lot more. Jake never got nervous around women … Ever.

She pushed herself off the rail without hesitation and with a sultry look pasted on her face, chewing her
lip, she made her way toward him on unsteady legs. She got within a foot of the bed and fell
ungraciously on top of him. Luckily even drunk Jake had fighters’ reflexes and caught her soundly.
Okay, maybe in some awkward places that his hands shouldn’t have strayed, but he pulled her to the
side of him and wrapped an arm around her quickly to avoid drawing attention to the hand that had fully
palmed her breast.

She has amazing tits.

“Crap.” She breathed through a giggle that made him only want to pull her closer, her skin was a little
cool from standing up on the deck all night and he wrapped his warmer body around her to cocoon her
in his own heat.

“Bit drunk there, Miss Anderson?” He laughed at her, enamored by that twinkling set of eyes and the
precious smile stuck in place. Trying to erase the feel of her breast from his hand.

“Of course not,” she slurred and then looked immediately confused.

Jake just cuddled her more, too goddamn perfect for words. He had it bad, and he knew it. Everything
she did had him weak for her and even something as simple as cute slurring of words had him wanting
to squeeze the life out of her.

“Glad to see you letting go.” He smiled, almost nose to nose with her.



“I think falling on top of your boss is more than letting go.” She laughed, relaxing in his arms and
regaining control of her vocabulary once more.

“I’m not your boss for the next two weeks.” He winked suggestively, plying on the hints thickly that he
was completely on board with however she wanted to play this. Full flirt mode coming out but being
played low.

“Okay, I shall rephrase … Falling on top of your temporary, not boss, is overdoing it.” She giggled
again, the breeze blowing her hair up around her face suddenly, and he reached out to smooth it back
so he could continue to stare into those cool blue pools of perfection. Her eyes had always drawn him,
from that first time in his office those baby blues had captured him and haunted his mind, always. She
could unravel him with one look.


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