Chapter 46

Winnie No words can describe how surprised I am when Jake waltzes into the bedroom, handing me a tray with breakfast items. ”

Here, you should eat something.”

“Oh,” I smile at him, moved by the gesture.

Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Jake takes a seat at the edge of the bed, watching me. His dark hair is starting to look fluffy, and his eyes are magically blue.

It’s always a shock to look at the brothers.

They are all breathtaking to look at, but Jake definitely takes the prize for being the biggest. The muscles in his forearms are impressive. And even though he is hiding the rest of his body by wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, anyone can tell he is a bodybuilder.

My eyes rest on his pecs outlined in his hoodie, but when he clears his throat, I pretend to stare at the washed-out text written over his chest. And then I slowly lift my eyes to his face.

“The breakfast is good.”

“Great.”

Jesus, could a guy sound more enthusiastic?

As usual, Jake’s expression doesn’t give me any clue what is happening inside that head of his. It tends to make it awkward between us when we are alone, and I plaster a wavering smile on my lips.

“I love the bacon.”

He grunts a reply, and I look down at the food. I’m pleased by the bacon and eggs, but when I dig into the savory goodness, it becomes clear Jake wasn’t the one who cooked.

“Though I can’t help but notice that this is a bit… lackluster.”

“What do you mean?”

“No offense, Jake,” I say and place a hand over my chest. “But you didn’t make the breakfast.”

He looks surprised. “I didn’t make the breakfast?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Jake looks amused by my statement and lifts an eyebrow. “How can you tell it wasn’t me?

“Your food tastes better,” I laugh. “Mark isn’t bad at cooking. Not at all. It’s just that you’re really talented. Also, you put lots of effort into anything you make and would never just give me bacon and eggs.”

He smiles at that but says nothing, and the awkwardness returns. I have no clue what to say to Jake or how to spark his interest. I don’t think we are compatible. The air is always stale, and I have to be the one to carry every conversation. It’s exhausting.

Perhaps Jake thinks I’m boring? Is that why he isn’t putting effort into our conversations?

I wolf down my food, pausing when Jake looks at me. Wide-eyed and with a hesitant expression. Does he want to tell me something?

“I have some errands to run today.”

Oh, is he asking me to leave? “I will leave as soon as I’m finished eating. Don’t worry about it.”

“No!” I stare at him, and he breathes a laugh. “I was actually thinking you could come with me.”

Hmm, this is a bit weird…

Since when does Jake want to hang out with me alone? He is my childhood friend, and I got along fine with all three brothers but had Jake not been Mark and Tobias’s brother, I don’t think we would be friends. We are too different, but I’m not against hanging out with him.

It’s just that… I get better along with Mark and Tobias. They are both rather flirtatious. Tobias is more silent than Mark, yet they are both playful and easy to get along with.

Jake?

He is a hard nut to crack.

“Sure!” I say. “I will help you with your errands.”

***

Three hours later, I’m exhausted. Jake and I went to visit his mom, who had woken up from her coma. We bought her flowers and candy and spent time playing cards with her. Mark was there too.

It was fun, but I’m tired and now standing inside the grocery store with Jake. Mark went home, but we stayed behind. Jake is supposed to cook us all dinner, so I’m helping him find ingredients.

“Do you like spicy food?” Jake asks while spinning around a bottle and checking the label for a hot sauce.

“I do.” I look to my right, away from our aisle. Three girls are whispering and giggling. Are they interested in Jake?

“Good, then I will buy this…”

I’m still watching the girls, glancing at them from the corner of my eyes. Their sole attention is still on Jake.

“Um… don’t look now, but I think your fan club is hiding behind those shelves over there.”

“Ah, it comes with the profession…” Jake says without turning away from the labels on the sauces. He puts both of the salsas in our cart.

His playful tone surprises me, and I grin. ” Comes with the profession, huh? Look at you being all confident!”

To my surprise, he laughs at me. “I’m only being honest.”

“Nah, man,” I pat his chest and keep the grin as I look up at him. “That right there was some major self-

confidence with a slight cockiness. You should keep it up. It’s sexy.

“You think I’m sexy? Thanks.”

I open my mouth to correct Jake and say I was just fooling around like usual, but I close it once I see how satisfied he seems with this compliment. His chest is puffed out, and he looks one hundred percent proud to have been called sexy. I can’t take this away from him.

“Yeah, you’ve always been cute…” I say and get starry-eyed once I notice avocados are on sale further down. I lift my finger, excitingly pointing toward the vegetables and the fruits. “Oh wow, we should get some of those avocados-”

The words fall off my tongue. A super hot dude is standing right by the avocados. He tests a few, puts one in his cart, and picks up another to feel it and see if it’s ripe.

“Holy shit… I whisper in amazement and let my eyes roam over his masculine body. He is slim, but there is a definition to his arms. They are beautifully shaped, and I swoon. ” That guy is like… so freaking hot…”

Jake breathes a laugh above me. “You’re into THAT?”

“Uh, yes?” I peer up at him. “That guy is buff.”

His nostrils flare. “His arms aren’t even half the size of mine.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “No shit, Sherlock! You work out religiously for your dear hockey career, so I bet normal mortals can’t compare.”

“Yet you’ve never once asked me out.”

I gasp and laugh at his crazy words. “Well, of course not! You’re my childhood friend!”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jake’s eyes are narrowed.

I laugh some more. “It means we have known each other since forever, and I couldn’t possibly see you more than a friend!

“Even though we slept together?”

“Oh,” I blush. “I had forgotten about that, but yeah! It was just a one-time thing and won’t happen again! Besides, you’re not my type.”

“You have a type?”

“I sure do! It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but you know the names of my earlier crushes, so I can probably share this: I’m a size queen. I like it when the dick is large. I’m also into buff guys. Oh! And blue eyes!”

Jake stares at me in disbelief before finally muttering, “You got to be fucking kidding me…”

“What?”

He lifts his hand, massaging his eyelids with a bitter smile. “How the fuck do I not qualify for being your type?”

“Well…” I don’t have a good answer other than the fact that Jake is just… he is too nice for me.

“Is it because I’m not enough of a bad boy?” Jake asks, and it shocks me to the very core. Can he read minds?!

I laugh, which seems to be a mistake. Jake’s eyes pierce mine, and I sweat in my jacket.

Why is he mad at me?

“Look, I’m not sure where to sudden interest in me is coming from, but I like guys that take charge-”

I turn silent when Jake laughs as if in pain. ‘ You got to be kidding me, Winnie. Are you for real right now?”

“What do you mean?”

He takes a step closer, and with him looking so angry, I’m even more aware of his size of him. Jake seems pissed off, and everything about him is imposing. But he wouldn’t hurt me… right?

“I’ve liked you for the longest fucking time.

YEARS, Winnie, but you’ve always been interested in some other guy. You must have noticed how kind I was to you and nobody else!”

Wait, Jake has liked me for years?

I gape at him, and Jake continues. “And you like guys in charge?” He scoffs and shakes his head. “I show you in charge!”

Suddenly Jake grips me underneath my arms and effortlessly lifts me off the ground. I stare at him, unsure of what he is doing, until I feel his lips crash over mine.

But his kiss is anything but sweet. It’s good, rough, and passionate-lots of tongue, lots of touching his shoulders. But when I mewl and want more, Jake places me back down on the ground again. The kiss ends as abruptly as it began.

“There…” Jake growls. “Hope you liked the kiss because I’m fucking done chasing a girl who makes me feel invisible.”

With that, he pushes the cart forward as if he can’t get away from me fast enough and leaves me hanging by the vegetables. I should follow him to the line, but I can’t. All I can think about is that perhaps I’ve had the wrong idea about Jake all along.