Imperfect Love (18 page)

When a buzzer went off again, Jake groaned and pulled away, but not before imparting with one more quick kiss. It took another ten seconds for Holly to think straight and for the ringing in her ears to stop.

“Let’s go. The game is over, so now we see how many people we’ve injured.”

They exited through a different door and walked out into the sunlight. It was an entrance on the opposite side of where they’d entered. Once everyone had gathered back in the same room, Holly started to feel awful. Those whose colors were splattered over Holly’s overall, hadn’t been left with the bluish overalls they’d all worn into the arena. They were now green.

“Did you really have to be so violent?” yelled the girl with blond hair.

“It’s only a game, Candice,” Amelia interjected.

Jake chuckled.

“You okay?” Bernie asked Holly.

“Yeah. I’ll live.”

The party broke up and headed to the change rooms respectively. Holly could feel Ashley’s eyes boring into the back of her head as she cleaned up, and if looks could kill she would’ve dropped dead.

She couldn’t help but wonder if all women behaved in the same manner when it came to Jake Peters. If one thought about it, he was training to be a doctor, had a good head on his shoulders, not to mention the looks that made women’s knees wobble.

But Holly knew different; there was more to Jake Peters than just a pretty face. He was exactly the type of man she had been waiting for her entire life.

IT HAD BEEN DECIDED THAT EVERYONE would meet up at a nearby restaurant. Holly’s stomach grumbled and growled in such a way, it would have seemed she hadn’t had breakfast that morning. Burgers was the chosen meal, and Holly was the one every girl around the table stared at.

Amelia smiled and tried to strike up a conversation. “I love the fact that you are different from the girls my brother used to bring home.”

Holly smiled. “In what way?”

“They only ever ate salads, accompanied by low calorie wine.” She rolled her eyes. “So annoying.”

“What’s wrong with salad?” Ashley asked. “We like to take care of our bodies.”

“Oh, please, Ashley. Three months ago you were stuffing your face with McDonalds. Now it’s only low calorie food, and all it does is make you miserable. You should eat what you want; everything in moderation, of course.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Miss Perfect. You’ve never had to deal with a slow metabolism. I just look at a potato and it goes straight to my hips.”

The men were engaged in their own discussion, which more than likely involved anything with an engine, while Amelia and Ashley talked about food and calories. Holly hated the conversation, but agreed with Amelia’s reasoning. After all, there was only one life to be lived, so eating whatever made a person happy, in moderation, wouldn’t do any harm.

Holly found herself giggling inwardly as the two girls bickered. Still, she couldn’t help but like Jake’s sister. She was really beautiful. Her lips were just as succulent as her brother’s, and she was sure that had she been attracted to women in that way, she would’ve definitely gone for Amelia.

She also had the kind of laugh that made everyone want to join in. Holly loved the way Jake and her husband, Armand, teased her about how she’d ran and ducked for cover as different colored paint balls flew through the air.

They parted company at around three, which saw Holly walking like a cripple to Jake’s car. Her legs seemed to be pounding and she felt like crying from all the pain. “Don’t ever ask me to play paintball again. I’m not cut out for this,” she told Jake, deadly serious.

His expression was one she’d never seen before. It was as if he could feel her pain and winced on her behalf. It made Holly feel a different kind of pain, the kind where she needed to be patient, even though it hurt.

“I’m so sorry, Bee Puke. I should’ve protected you better.”

Bernie and Leo looked at each other, grinning like mad things. They obviously thought his nickname for Holly was hilarious. She had to admit, though, that the way Jake said it sounded special.

They dropped Leo and Bernie off and bid their farewells after Holly grabbed an overnight bag.

The ride felt long, or maybe it was just exhaustion from the day’s adventure. Her eyes flew open when Jake slowed down, turned into a driveway, and stopped in front of a garage to a double-story house. It wasn’t fancy or anything, but it was huge. Tall windows took up most of its front, and a small garden caught Holly’s eyes as one of the garage doors opened. Music blared in the background. She couldn’t tell if it was coming from the house itself, or one of the neighbors.

Jake pulled into the garage and crawled to a stop. He sighed, more out of exhaustion, Holly thought than anything else.

“Home, sweet home,” he sang in a seductively gruff voice. He was also giving her the beneath-thick-lashes look when he leaned in toward her. Their lips lingered a breath apart for a couple of seconds, her heart beat rapidly.

Jake’s hand went to her face. His thumb and fingers touched her cheek softly, and she felt as if her heart was going to bounce right out of her throat at the same time as she drowned in his ice-green eyes.

Holly felt his hand slowly moving around to the back of her neck. With a slight tug, their lips touched. Her ears started to hum as his tongue danced around hers, gently sucking. This was the mother of all kisses; she felt amazing, and could feel herself slowly floating away in pleasure.

Before long, her hands had tangled up in his hair, and without too much thought she swung one leg over the shift gear and across Jake’s lap. She winced as reality hit on her blue and purple bruised leg, but she didn’t stop. She could feel his cold hands rest firmly yet gently on her thighs. Her skin was on fire.

Holly let out a small groan when Jake pulled her closer to him and away from the steering wheel, which had kind of been digging into her back.

His hands slid down to her butt, gently kneading, back and forth, and up and down.

She grabbed him around the neck and shifted even closer, wincing again as her leg bumped against the side of his door. This made them both laugh because she was complaining under her breath.

“The car is maybe not a good idea at the moment?” he said, burrowing his face into her neck. His lips lightly touched the skin on her neck, and she felt as if she would melt like butter on a hot summer day.

How on earth can one man make me feel all of this?

Their lips found each other again and she moaned as Jake sucked her lower lip.

“We should really get out,” he whispered, through half-moon eyes.

Sitting back on Jake’s lap, Holly looked down at her legs, splayed weirdly either side of his hips, the steering wheel digging into her back once more. “How?”

Jake grinned. His hand reached down the left side of the seat. With a jerk, the seat suddenly moved backward.

The motion happened so quickly, she shrieked, nearly head-butting him when the seat abruptly stopped. Jake shook with laughter, while opening the door.

Trying to get up and off his lap proved to be really tricky. When Holly attempted to move her leg over his hips, she lost her balance and dug her knee into his groin.

“Argh,” Jake growled, the sound making its way from deep in his throat. “I deserved that.”

The pain he desperately tried to hide, told her she’d really hit bull’s eye. She prayed she hadn’t maimed him in some form or other, and hoped that it would still be able to perform in a more private setting.

Holly snorted whilst trying to regain her balance, apologizing all in one go. When she eventually managed to clamber out, she nearly stumbled again as pins and needles rushed up her legs and pain pulled on her muscles. She grabbed the door to regain her balance.

“Please, don’t take out my door,” he joked on a huge grin, revealing a perfect row of teeth and sharp edged canines, the ones Holly loved and one of the features that made his smile extra sexy.

Look away
, she rebuked herself. She turned her head, clutching her bag in her arms, and made room for Jake to get out. An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him, before he opened the door leading into the house.

They walked into the living room, where a long L-shaped couch greeted them. The room had a modern vibe feel to it; rich, dark brown and red colors accented it, and a huge TV was mounted against the wall. A fluffy, white carpet stuck out from underneath a coffee table, and tall orange lamps had been placed at two corners.

The dining room was just as gorgeous, with a huge, wooden table and high-backed chairs placed dead center. Jake steered her to the left and they entered a hallway. There were so many doors leading to other rooms as they walked down the hall that for a second, she thought she was in a maze.

She saw the kitchen and through its many windows, saw lights and people having a good time. Now she knew where the extremely loud music had been coming from, his back yard.

“Sorry about the noise, this literally happens every weekend, thanks to Robin.”

“Your other sister?”

He nodded. “Yes. I now have the privilege of living with her again.”

Holly giggled as they reached the end of the hall. An iron gate met them and Jake unlocked it.

Holly just looked at him.

“Don’t give me that look. This is for my own safety.”

“Your own safety? What about the rest?” she asked, thinking about burglars entering the house at night or something.

“Not that kind of safety. If I told you how many times I’ve woken up with Robin’s friends in my bed—and I wasn’t drunk by the way—I would need all my hands and toes, and probably yours, too. This gate has literally saved my life from further awkward situations.”

Holly grabbed the handrail and started to climb the stairs, laughing. She could hear Jake locking it behind him and his footsteps followed right behind her. When she opened the door, she found herself in a very organized room, too organized to belong to a guy.

Her eyes fell on the king size bed covered in a black duvet and matching pillows; it looked extremely comfy and inviting. She felt his arms wrap around her as the door closed.

He slowly turned her around to face him. Jake grabbed her ass softly and guided her backward toward the bed, and when the backs of her knees hit the end, he picked her up gently and lowered her onto it. As the kiss broke, their eyes met. Holly’s insides twisted into knots; his bedroom eyes and sly smile made her blood boil.

Jake took a step back and started to pull his shirt up and over his head.

Holly’s mouth turned into a desert. She couldn’t stop staring at his body, her eyes traveling up and down the length of his perfection, until they noticed the green and purple bruises on the side of his torso where she’d accidentally shot him. Her mouth pulled down as she stared at the spot.

Reaching out, she ran the back of her hand over them. “I’m sorry, Jake” she whispered, without taking her gaze from the bruises.

“I’m a big boy. I can handle it. Besides, you’ll make it up to me.”

Holly blushed a very deep shade of red, but Jake was having none of it. He looked serious, seductive, and most obviously turned on.

She swallowed hard.

His face lingered only inches from hers, the intensity of his stare all-consuming. Jake maneuvered his legs between hers and winked.

Holly felt her teeth grind in anticipation.

Their lips touched, lightly. The beginning of the kiss was slow and tentative; it was gentle yet hungry, so much so, all Holly wanted to do was rip off her clothes. She not only wanted to feel his naked body on top of hers again, but she needed to. And she no longer cared about the unsightly bruises dotting her body, because just thinking about Jake and wanting him with her whole being made her shiver. It was still hard to accept the fact that for now, he wanted her like no other man ever had. For now, though, he was hers, and she was equally his.

Almost shyly, Holly ran her hands over his chest, pausing to allow her fingers to brush his nipples teasingly, moving lower over the lines of his abdomen, and then softly over his bruise. She really felt awful, but of one thing she was sure, and that was that she couldn’t keep her hands off his body, off him.

Growling low and deep, Jake slid his arms around her back, lifting her slightly so she could wrap her legs around his waist. She complied, and once she did he placed his right knee on the bed and then his right arm in order to support them both, bending her backward gently until she was flat on her back. He ran his hands down her sides, over her stomach, and around to her ass. Gripping her butt cheeks, he pushed her further up the bed. And then, crawling on his knees, he covered her body with his.

For a few beats, Jake’s eyes wandered over her body, making her slightly uncomfortable. Women tended to always think their bodies were flawed in some way, and sadly couldn’t help wondering how they compared to previous lovers. As quickly as these thoughts entered her head, they left, because Jake’s masterful hands had started an erotic stroke up her legs and over her denim shorts, before sliding softly under her top.

Holly inhaled sharply in anticipation. At the same time, a fair amount of contractions were taking place between her legs. She couldn’t stop herself from groaning out loud into his mouth. The kiss became more demanding, hungrier, needier, and breathing for both become labored.

Almost as if Jake could read her mind, he started to rock back and forth, rubbing his groin where she ached the most. Instinctively, Holly hooked her legs around his waist, forcing Jake’s shaft to rub at her center in an almost rough way. If she died now, before any penetration even took place, she’d die happy.