Suzy put the coffee machine on and bit her lip, wondering at the perfect male specimen sprawled on her too small antique chaise. His head was flopped on a pillow at an awkward angle on the lone arm which was curved and therefore uneven. His dark hair was messy and stood at odd angles. His jaw was slightly open and he was snoring softly.
His jean-clad legs protruded nearly two feet from the other end of her chaise. The black t-shirt had ridden up and as Jake had kicked away the blankets in his sleep, she had an enviable view of tight abs. She could even see the dusting of hair on his stomach, which trailed down under his jeans. It was seven a.m, and he sported a masculine stubble. Suzy gulped as her gaze lingered on the fly of his jeans. Definitely masculine and pretty impressive.
Purely male, utterly sensuous specimen.
Suzy bit her lip again and sighed. Jake was too perfect. So much that, she was pretty sure she would never meet someone like him again. He was damn good-looking with rock-hard abs which put her own squishy stomach to shame.
But, he was a cop. And Suzy could never get involved with one.
Oh God! Only if he wasn't!
She would be jumping his bones right this instant. Suzy wondered how serious Jake was about being a cop. If it was something he always wanted to be or something he had stumbled upon and actually hated to do. Lots of people hated their jobs. He could really want to be a firefighter or something. Or maybe even a male model.
She debated whether she could broach the subject of changing careers with Jake?
Suzy sighed. Probably not. An intense man like Jake was deliberate, he never stumbled upon anything.
She could stare her fill though.
Last night, Jake had been mostly uncommunicative. In terse sentences, he had asked her about the vandalism and she had given the same answers that she had given the other cop. She had asked him repeatedly to take her roll-up bed but he had resolutely gone to the chaise and curled his legs and lay down.
She knew he was uncomfortable because of his tossing and turning, but not once had he grumbled aloud with discomfort. Suzy found his grunting noises as he readjusted himself to the couch oddly comforting. After a quick message to Gwen that she was OK and that Jake was keeping her company, Suzy drifted into a dreamless sleep.
She had gotten up half-an-hour back, cleaned up and started the coffee machine.
She bit her lip and allowed herself another leisurely perusal. Starting from the jean-clad legs, noting the tightness of the jeans, to his flat stomach peeking out, to his impressive chest. Then finally, her almost loving gaze landed on Jake's face.
Pale blue eyes were staring back at her with a quirked eyebrow. She startled and swallowed.
"Good morning Suze." Jake sat up. "See anything you like?"
#
Tamara made them coffee and breakfast and Bert sat down on the dining chair obediently, scarfing down an everything bagel. He was hungry and tired and cranky.
"I really need to start my phone back up. I need to contact my family." Like a petulant child, he addressed Tamara.
Tamara who was dressed in a smock that came up to her knees, sighed and stood up.
"You know you can't, Bert." She sighed and walked to the kitchen. Bert followed her inside.
"I'll go mad, cooped in here all day. And I need to tell my family that I'm alright."
Tamara turned to him, her red fingernail tapping her chin.
"Well, if it's so important for you, I'll take them a note. What do you have, a wife and kids?"
"No, it's my mom, she worries if I don't touch base with her." No way was he going to send a hooker to his mother.
"Oh, that's sweet honey. But if she's an adult, and she can take care of herself. Unless she wants you dead."
Bert gulped. He was going to go mad without any news from the outside world. And he wasn't sure if he should trust Tamara.
He knew that if Joe Busconi knew that he was with Joe's favorite hooker, he would blow a gasket. But, what should he do?
He must have said that part aloud. Tamara turned to him. "I told you, lay low then skip town!"
"Yeah, I know." Bert turned around and scratched his chin. He perked up and turned to Tamara. "What about disguises?"
Tamara laughed. "Honey, how old are you? It isn't Halloween!"
"Well, I have to do something! I'll go mad inside these walls."
Tamara looked at him thoughtfully. She was wearing heels so she came up to Bert's shoulder.
"Tell you what." Tamara propped herself up on the counter. Slowly, she spread her legs. Any red-blooded male would look down and so did Bert. He gulped.
She wasn't even wearing underwear!
"Why don't you get lost in these walls, honey?"
Bert's gaze was transfixed on the treasures Tamara was offering. Slowly, she linked her arms around his head and pulled him closer. Bert couldn't bolt even if he wanted to.
Tamara was a skilled whore. She rubbed herself on his chest with her breasts jutting out. She blew an enticing breath on his neck.
And whispered in Bert's ear. "Don't you like me?"
Bert gulped. Tamara freed one hand and placed one of his on her waist. "I'll help you get your mind off your troubles, honey."
Her head dropped and her lips moved towards his. She didn't close the distance though. She labored and panted and her lips begged Bert for a kiss. Bert cursed and brushed his lips against her. She returned his kisses and moaned when his hands mapped her body.
With another curse, Bert pulled away.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Bert silenced the roaring in his head and turned to Tamara again. She looked lost and forlorn and Bert almost felt bad for her.
Almost, because her emotions didn't quite reach her eyes.
She was playing a part, a whore who slept around with men for money.
Bert had bedded whores before. But they were vacuous beauties who enjoyed him and his money. They hadn't been smart and definitely hadn't saved his life.
He found he couldn't use Tamara the same way he had used the other women in his life.
Bert gulped and looked at Tamara again. She was still on the counter-top, but her legs were closed. She looked almost sad. Almost.
She had been playing a part for so long, that she had no idea who she even was.
Just as him.
"Tamara, I'm sorry I kissed you. You know, I think of you as more than a hooker. You're my friend. You've helped me and I was about to take advantage of you. I'm very sorry about it."
Tamara looked at him with an amused smile. She crossed her legs and sat in a demure pose. "Out of all the men I've been with, you're the smartest one that I didn't sleep with."
Bert's brow furrowed. "Thank you, I think?"
Tamara gave him a wry smile. "Has anyone told you that you overthink everything? You aren't paying me, so I ain't a whore today. You might like to think of my feelings before you reject me. I wasn't offering myself in exchange for money."
This time, she really did seem hurt. Bert swore under his breath. Tamara got down from the counter.
"I know where we can get some disguises."
"Really?" Bert smiled. He would finally get to go out? "Oh, thank you!"
Impulsively, he lifted Tamara and twirled her about and, in his exuberance, he placed a kiss on his lips. She smiled at Bert and this smile actually reached her eyes.
"Thanks for being such a good friend, Tam."
Tamara gave a bashful smile.
#
"G-Good morning!" Suzy blushed and ducked her head. She was dressed in her PJs, a soft cotton pink t-shirt that said "Whatcha lookin' at?" across her breasts and orange shorts which had a heart on the back right across her cute tushie. Jake had checked it out last night.
When Teddy had told him that Suzy's home was burgled, he had wasted no time getting to her. He told himself that it was his job as a cop to make sure she was ok, plus he had kinda promised his mom that he would try to look out for her. He kept making up excuses on why it was his civic duty to see Suzy, but he simply wanted to see her.
Seeing her so close when Jake had thought that they were done was unnecessarily cruel to Jake's raging libido. He had behaved like such a dick to her yesterday, because it had been nearly impossible for him to keep his hands off of Suzy.
She looked cute, fresh and vulnerable. All he wanted to do was take her into the bed and comfort her. No, that wasn't all that he had wanted to do, but they weren't dating anymore and sex was off the table.
But Suzy looked even more gorgeous in the morning against the soft rays of the morning sun. And she had definitely been checking him out.
"I-I was wondering if you wanted some coffee.." Suzy hastily turned away in embarrassment and Jake grinned. She was usually quite confident, but he loved this side of her too.
She turned back, gulped and finally met his eyes. "I've laid out a spare toothbrush for you on the sink."
Jake stood up and sauntered towards Suzy. Her face was flushed and she saw him approach her warily.
Jake smiled and placed a kiss on her adorable nose. Suzy blushed again and moved away, skittish as a cat.
"Good morning, Suze." Jake turned to go to the tiny bathroom on the side. Suzy, the same woman who had drove him to anger and exasperation for the past few days had brightened his day up with just a look.
#
Suzy blushed again as Jake went to the bathroom. She was sending him mixed reactions, but how could she know that Jake would catch him ogling her?
She had to be careful. She didn't want to lead Jake on, as it would just end up hurting them both.
To keep herself busy and stop reliving the fact that Jake, even with a bedhead, looked like a centerfold and she was a complete idiot to walk away from such a guy, Suzy got busy laying out breakfast. She poured coffee in two mismatched mugs, remembering that Jake took his coffee black and without sugar. She placed a plateful of chocolate chip and blueberry muffins that she had snagged from the café and were still fresh. Then she sat on the stool by the table, crossed her leg and started sipping her coffee. She hoped she affected a look of cool nonchalance. She wanted to present Jake with a picture of her that was calm and collected.
Jake emerged from the bathroom, looking adorable with finger-combed hair, still wet face and a slight stubble. Suzy sighed internally. Life wasn't fair. It was definitely not going to be easy to show him that she wasn't affected by him. He probably thought she was crazy.
Jake brusquely came up to the table, saw her carefully laid out spread and grimaced.
"What's wrong?" Suzy piped up immediately, noticing his reaction.
"Well, thank you. But I'll just have the coffee. I don't usually eat carbs for breakfast."
"Ohh." Suzy laid down her blueberry muffin which she had been in the process of peeling. It hadn't occurred to her to ask him if he didn't like muffins for breakfast. But then, who didn't? "Would you like something else?"
Jake gave a quick smile. "No, and thanks for the coffee."
He sat down across her. Their legs bumped under the table and Suzy shot up from the jolt that passed through her.
"Ah, would you like some eggs then?"
Jake shot her an amused glance. Her thinly veiled attempts to put some distance between them must be apparent to him.
"Sure."
He came into her tiny kitchen and rummaged in her ancient fridge like he owned the place. He pulled out the carton of eggs. Suzy quickly laid out a bowl, whisk, frying pan and a spatula for him.
He shot her a grateful smile and proceeded to break six eggs in her mixing bowl.
"Do you have an old plastic bottle?" Jake asked Suzy and she handed him one, fascinated by how easily he moved in the kitchen.
Jake used the plastic bottle to carefully pull out the egg yolks into another bowl.
"Oh no, don't squeeze out the yolks!" Suzy cried and he shot her a grin.
"The yolks contain cholesterol and unnecessary fats," he said and Suzy stuck his tongue out at him.
Jake then efficiently chopped a few vegetables and added them into the egg whites. They worked together as Suzy handed him the frying pan and Jake had two omelettes on two mismatched plates in no time.
Suzy was watching Jake wide-eyed. "Wow, you're pretty good in the kitchen!"
Jake gave her a small smile and she saw his gaze linger on her face a tad too long. "My mamma's Italian so we all know how to cook. And you haven't tasted the omelet yet."
Suzy took a bite. It was really good, but really healthy. Jake had cooked the omelets in a stingy drop of oil. "Hmm, not bad. But I can cook these better. Of course, my omelets have their yolks in them and come with fried bacon."
Jake pulled a face and Suzy grinned. He was so adorable!
They ate in companionable silence. Jake cleared his throat. "Uh- I'm sorry for snapping at you at the Halloween parade, that was out of line."
Suzy was surprised that he had apologized and looked at his face. It was blank now. It was as if he measured the emotions on his face as carefully as he measured the ingredients in his omelet.
"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry that I led you on and-"
Jake abruptly got up. "It's ok, it's all in the past now. I need to go home then head to the precinct and you need to go to the café as well."
Suzy saw that he was done eating. She pulled a piece off of the blueberry muffin and chewed it in rumination.
"You know what," she piped up. "If you're going to protect me, I think we should be friends."
Jake frowned at her. He turned to the sink and quickly washed his dishes, not heeding Suzy's protestations that she would clean them later.
Suzy scarfed down her breakfast and followed him, washing her plate and cleaning the crumbs off of her table. These actions were charming in their domesticity and it would have been perfect if Jake hadn't shut down again.
"You didn't answer me Jake. Can we be friends?"
Jake moved to the living room and grabbed his jacket. He pulled it on and frowned. "Why do you want to be friends?"
Suzy moved towards him. She was scared that he was leaving so soon. Couldn't he wait for her to get ready so they could leave together?
"Well, we are friends. Unlikely friends, though. You treat food as "nutrition"", she emphasized with air-quotes, "and I treat it like just food. We do like some of the same things though, it won't hurt to be friends now, would it? Our moms are friends and they're dying to meet each other."
Jake turned to her with a sigh. "I don't treat food like "nutrition"," he added the air-quotes. "I'm half-Italian after all. We'd shared croissants the first time we'd met."
"Yes, but I bet you were calculating the protein contents of the croissant when I was scarfing them down." Jake gave a wry smile and shrugged. "Well, no, I mean I get it. You need to be fit for your job." She touched her soft belly. "You need the abs." She went up to him and touched his abs. "No flabby guts for you."
Her hands got in touch with a rock-hard stomach. She splayed her hands to span it. OK, why the hell would she do that? Had she completely taken leave of her senses?
But she didn't want him to leave and he was leaving. And her brain had short-circuited long back. Probably since this morning. Oh, and man, were his abs tight! His belly was flat and hard as a rock.
Her fingers moved over his abs over his t-shirt, counting them. She had never met such a fit guy before.
Suzy's nails grazed his abs and his t-shirt rode up. She watched in fascination. He didn't have an ounce of fat on his belly. She had a tire on her belly that she was very comfortable with.
Suzy gulped. She hadn't realized if Jake had moved closer or she had, but he was towering over her and she was shamelessly playing with his stomach.
His breathing was hitched and so was Suzy's. She trailed her fingers over his t-shirt. His body was hard and warm.
Her hands went under his jacket to his thumping heart. She laid her hand over it.
The world around her started moving in slow circles. All she could focus on was her hand over his heart over a thin layer of cotton.
She felt Jake's arms come around hers and she felt him move closer. He had hugged and comforted her last night, so his arms felt like home. Her favorite place in the world.
"Suzy," his voice was raspy but she didn't look at his face.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her. Her hands wandered over his chest, mapping the contours over his t-shirt and he let her.
His arms moved across her back and pulled her closer. Her chest collided with his and she was forced to look up.
His gaze was full of passion. He looked at her tenderly and still his gaze was so hot she felt like melting.
Suzy gulped. He was so close and so striking. His eyes had turned dark and his eyelashes were long as he stared at her down his aquiline nose. He had a square jaw with stubble and soft pink lips.
She wet her lips. Jake groaned.
Jake cursed and then his mouth descended on hers.
----
A/N: Pretty hot right? Next chapter, next week!
In the meantime, vote, comment and share this story. Pretty please?
Love,
S.