His Mission

Birthday Kiss.

"I had no idea you live with Jake," I say to Ivory as she chews her way through Jake's famous pancakes. We're all sitting in the living room, trying to ignore the large quantities of strewn cups all over the floor. Jake attempted to clean it up before tossing it aside and throwing himself down on the sofa to rest. Ivory throws a playful glare at her cousin.

"Unfortunately, yes. Our Mom's are always working away on business, which means the testosterone in the house is overwhelming. It sucks." Ivory tells me, sounding completely unimpressed. Jake laughs at her before tossing a cushion in her direction. "Oh, please. You love living with me and Tobias." Ivory scowls at him in response.

"Tobias? Is that your older brother?" I ask her. He must be the older cousin Trish was telling me about. Ivory nods before placing a hand against her chest. Her scowl turns to concern, and her cheeks begin to pale in colour. She pushes the plate of pancakes aside before jumping off the couch.

"Oh no. Here comes the vodka!" Ivory groans before sprinting out of the room. I can't help but laugh at the sight of her making a dash for the bathroom. "Is she going to be okay?" I ask Jake through my laughter. He shrugs his shoulders while looking unbothered.

"She should be used to it by now. She parties way too much," Jake tells me. He drapes an arm against the back of the couch before turning to look at me. Having his eyes on me causes butterflies to fill my stomach, and I wish there wasn't such a huge gap between us on the couch. Neither of us speak, but the silence feels comfortable. His gaze drops to my lips and he doesn't hide the fact he's staring right at me.

"Why are you staring at me?" I question him. Is he looking at me thinking of Trevor, or is he looking at me for a different reason? Jake shuffles closer and his hand gently brushes against my shoulder. He takes care to touch me with more gentleness than before. I like it and hate it at the same time. I want him to touch me how he wants to touch me without having to worry about hurting me."Am I not allowed to stare at you?" He asks me quietly, his blue eyes searching mine.

"No, it makes me nervous." I tell him truthfully. I find myself biting the inside of my cheek to suppress the nerves bubbling away inside of me. My gaze naturally falls to his lips, and I mentally scold myself for ruining the kiss between us last night. Does Jake still want to kiss me knowing my secret? His lips tug upward into a satisfied smile due to my words. His hand moves from my shoulder and he begins playing with my hair. He loosely wraps the strand around his fingers before allowing it to fall back.

"You're really pretty, Wentworth." Jake tells me. My heart skips a beat inside my chest. His words surprise me before causing me to blush deeply. I release a light laugh. "Even when I look like I've been dragged through a hedge?" I question him with a playful tilt of my head. Jake grins at me before nodding his head in response. "Oh, most definitely."

He sits up on the couch before sliding closer toward me. His blue eyes land on my lips, and I feel my heart rate beginning to pick up pace. He slides one hand against my cheek before searching both of my eyes.

"What do you want, Emily?" Jake asks me, his voice filled with a deep longing. I release a trembling breath. I can't be in a relationship with Trevor in my life, but I want so badly to explore the connection between Jake and I. I have no idea if Jake feels the same way about me. What if he's only interested in a hook up? Despite the lack of intimacy in my life, I would never be satisfied with only hooking up with someone. I need more. I want someone to touch my body and my heart at the same time. I want to bare my soul to someone and feel like I've met my person. I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. "I-I don't know what I want."

"Can I help you decide?" Jake asks me before inching closer. His warm breath tickles my lips and I breathe in his intoxicating scent. My head instantly swoons and I find myself inching closer to kiss him. Seconds before our lips touch, the living room door swings open. I jump away from Jake, and my cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment. Jake remains in the same position but he reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose with frustration. He turns toward Ivory with a look of annoyance on his face. "What do you want, Ivory? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Ivory glances between me and Jake, and her lips form into a knowing smirk. "Busy doing what? Are you guys making out?"

"No!" I instantly correct her before creating more distance between Jake and I. "We were just talking," I mutter an explanation while trying to avoid eye contact with her. How do I admit I almost locked lips with her cousin? If she didn't interrupt us, maybe we would be making out on the couch right now. The thought of making out with Jake causes my thighs to squeeze together. Ivory throws a hand on her hip before narrowing her eyes at Jake. "Stop hitting on my friends, Jake."

"Your friend? She was my friend first," Jake hits back at her. A smile forms across my lips when I realise they quarrel like siblings. It's kind of cute. My eyes travel over to the clock on the wall and I gasp with shock. "Is that the right time?" I ask with urgency. Jake frowns at me before glancing down at his watch. "Yeah, it's eleven thirty."

"I-I have to go," I jump up from the couch with panic building inside my chest. I have to get home before Trevor notices I'm missing. I have no idea whether Mom told him I was having a sleepover with Trish, but I'm sure he won't be happy at the news. I turn to Ivory before giving her a smile of gratitude.

"Thank you for letting me spend the night. It was a great party," I tell her before turning to Jake. He's watching me with a deep frown on his face. "Where are you going, Wentworth?" He questions me. I shrug my jacket on before heading for the door. "I have to leave. Will you tell Trish I'll call her later?" I call out to either Jake or Ivory.

"I will! Don't be a stranger, Emily. I like having you around," Ivory yells out from the living room. I feel warmth fill my chest at her words. It's nice to know I'm wanted. I pull open the front door before it's slammed shut from behind me. I glance up to find Jake towering over me with a deep frown embedded in his face. "You're not going home, Emily." Jake tells me firmly. I stare back at him with a blank look on my face.

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm going home. I'm late." I tell him with urgency. I don't have anywhere else to go even if I wanted to avoid home. I try to pull open the door, but Jake stops me by wrapping his hand around my wrist. He spins me around before looking down into my eyes. His eyes burn with intensity and he looks deeply unhappy with my decision to leave.

"I can't let you go back there," Jake tells me quietly, lowering his voice so Ivory doesn't overhear our conversation. I give him a weak smile in response. "I appreciate what you're doing for me, but you can't save me from this," I whisper. Jake's eyes brew with darkness.

"Why don't you let me try?" Jake hits back at me. I shake my head sadly before gently prying my wrist out of his hold. "I have to get home, but thank you for last night. I didn't think I'd ever feel safe enough to share my secret with anybody." He takes a step back before inhaling a deep breath.

"Can I call you later?" Jake asks me. I nod my head before pulling open the door. Before I step out into the cold morning, I shoot a smile at him from over my shoulder. "Yeah, I'd like that." I wrap my jacket tightly around myself before walking down Jake's driveway. I feel his gaze lingering on me as I walk away. Just as I'm about to turn the corner, he calls out my name. "Wait up, Wentworth!"

He comes jogging behind me. I whirl around, hoping he's going to give me a hug goodbye. It would be nice to breathe in his scent one last time before I leave. Jake sets his gaze on me before weaving a hand around my waist. He tugs me toward him in one swift motion before dipping his head low. His lips brush up against my cheek in a sweet kiss. The touch leaves electricity sizzling through my entire body.

"Happy birthday, beautiful." Jake murmurs down my ear before pulling away. My stomach explodes with butterflies and I feel my cheeks burn with heat. How does he know it's my birthday? A birthday kiss from Jake Melvin is definitely one of the best presents I've ever received. He turns around before walking back toward his house. I want to question him about it, but I can't risk spending more time away from home. I begin walking backward, creating more and more distance between us.

My feelings for Jake begin to deepen, but the sensible side of me warns me to be careful. I can't have romantic feelings for anyone while Trevor is in my life. The thought of Trevor causes me to tear my eyes off Jake and speed up into a light jog. I need to get home before it's too late.