I dumped my purse in one of the chairs in front of Jake’s desk as I took the call and put it to my ear.

“Hey, honey,” I greeted, tugging on the belt to my coat.

“Ohmigod!” she cried in my ear. “You…would not…believe,” she stated.

She was quite excited but then again I had a feeling I knew what she was talking about since Conner had secured her daughter’s number.

“What wouldn’t I believe?” I asked, eyes on Jake as I shrugged my coat off one shoulder.

“Is it too late?” she asked back.

“No,” I answered, shrugging my coat off the other shoulder and watching Jake’s eyes drop to my rather clingy dress.

“Get this,” she started. “I just got a call from one of my girls who told me that Pearl Milshorn pulled her money out of the new development that was supposed to be breaking ground in two weeks up by Mills jetty.”

I tossed my coat over the back of the chair, eyes to Jake, assessing his reaction and uncertain why this information so excited my friend, thus murmuring, “Hmm?”

“Pearl is pulling her money out of that development, Josie,” she mostly repeated as Jake’s eyes came back to mine and I held them but his dropped again when I shimmied up my tight skirt. “The one out by Mills jetty. The fancy one with all the shops and stuff they’re putting in. Pearl’s the biggest investor. She was doing it for her kids. She knew inheritance taxes would eat some of it up so if she did that and turned over the shares before she died, she’d be able to give a gift that keeps on giving without Uncle Sam taking a chunk.”

Hand under my skirt, I hooked my fingers in my panties and slid them down my legs until they fell freely to the floor.

I stepped free of them.

Jake’s eyes darted back up to my face and a quiver glided along my inner thighs at the look in them.

As this happened, I said to Alyssa, “That’s quite interesting.”

“Josie,” she sounded impatient. “Pearl was investing in that development. And I mean big time. The woman is drowning in money. She’s the biggest investor in the project, except for Boston Stone. But her pulling her money means that huge project is dead in the water.”

At the mention of Boston Stone, I blinked and looked to the floor.

“Pardon?”

“She heard what Stone was doing to you and she yanked her funding. That’s massive Josie. She told the other investors the only way she’d go forward is if they found someone to replace Stone. She’s squeezing him out and they’re breaking ground in two weeks. We’re talking jobs, material, a lot of people are depending on this and everyone is looking to Stone who screwed the pooch because Pearl made it known she wouldn’t do business with a man who behaved the way Stone behaved with you. This project is gonna cost millions but word is it’s gonna rake in millions more to the investors. Stone backs out, he’s taking a huge hit. Those investors are not gonna let this deal die. They’re going to find someone else and he’s the mastermind behind that. He’ll lose all his time and effort and he won’t make a penny.”

“Oh my goodness,” I breathed just as Jake’s body came into my eyesight which was a fraction of a second before my skirt was yanked all the way up to my hips and I started moving backward because Jake was pushing me that way.

I lifted my eyes to him, caught the look on his face and my mouth got dry as I experienced a full body spasm.

“Isn’t that awesome?” Alyssa fairly shrieked in my ear.

“It is, sweetheart. Very awesome. But I have to go. I’ll call you back tomorrow,” I told her.

“Everything okay?” she asked when the backs of my legs hit couch and Jake’s hands found my behind.

“Yes,” I said breathily. “Thanks for calling me and telling me that. I have a feeling it’s very good news.”

“No probs and I have a feeling it is too,” she replied. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, honey.”

“’Night, babelicious.”

I barely heard her finish her farewell before Jake had my phone out of my hand. He tossed it without looking in the general direction of the chair in front of his desk. I heard the plonk, however, and knew it hit the floor.

I put my hands to his biceps and told him, “I have some news about Boston Stone.”

“Right now I do not give one fuck about Boston Stone,” he replied.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“You got something else you wanna play out here, baby, or is it my turn?” he asked.

I actually had an entire scenario I wished to play out but although I thought Alyssa’s call was only making that scenario better, it distracted me.

Now I wanted Jake to have his turn.

“Your turn,” I answered.

“Do you know what it does to a man to have a beautiful, classy woman who is looking more than her normal fine—when her normal fine is off-the-fuckin’-charts—walk into his office, show him her fantastic body in a fuckin’ amazing dress then take her panties off right in front of him?”

“Um…” I mumbled.

It must be said I knew what I’d hoped it would do to him.

But by the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice, it was clear I’d succeeded well beyond my wildest imaginings.

He didn’t share this wisdom overtly but he still did.

And he did this by stating, “You got one choice, you either suck me or I eat you. After that, I take over.”

This was hard. His mouth between my legs was heaven.

But I very much enjoyed how it felt when I had him in my mouth, the way he tasted, how big and hard he got, the noises I could make him make, the satisfaction it gave me that I could excite him in that way.

“Josie—” he started.

“Um…” I mumbled.

“I eat you,” he decided for me. “I want you spread on my couch in that dress and you can’t do that blowin’ me.”

“Uh…all right, darling.”

He dipped his head and his mouth came to mine but he didn’t kiss me.

He ordered on a whisper I felt everywhere. “Down, baby, and spread.”

Then he brushed his lips against mine.

After that, I lay down on the couch and spread.

Jake’s eyes raked over me before his hands moved to the backs of my knees, shoved them up which slid me up the couch so I was nearly hanging over the arm and then he joined me, well down from me, his mouth closing over me between my legs.

My legs tensed in his grip and my head fell back.

Jake ate me.

And not that he hadn’t already taken over, after he made me come with his mouth between my legs, he made me come three more times “taking over.”

It was better than making out.

Much better.

In a big way.

* * * * *

The next afternoon, with my uncle incarcerated and unable to come up with bail money, even for a minor breaking and entering (although, since he had a record, minor had turned into somewhat major), we were back at Jake’s.

And it was me who had a bag in his bedroom.

I was heading to the living room from the kitchen with a bowl of Ro-Tel dip I’d nuked and another of chips when the doorbell rang.

“Got it!” I called and moved to the door.

However I saw who it was through the windows and stopped dead.

He saw me too. I knew this when his already hard face got harder. But when I didn’t move the doorbell rang again.

“Babe? You got it?” Jake yelled from the family room.

I stared at Boston Stone through the window and yelled back, “Darling, I think you need to come here.”

I had not moved an inch before I felt Jake’s presence and then I heard him growl, “Oh no. This shit is not happening.”

He then stalked around me, threw open the door and ordered, “You get off my property in five seconds or you get to have another conversation with Coert and slapped with a restraining order.”

“It’s necessary I speak with Josephine.” I heard Boston say but I only heard it. Jake was barring the door and I couldn’t see him.

“The fuck it is. Five seconds, Stone,” Jake returned.

“I came to apologize,” Boston announced.

What on earth?

“Write her a letter,” Jake clipped.

“If I apologize, this is done,” Boston told him.

“One,” Jake started counting and it was then I moved.

I got close to him, put the bowls on the table by the door and my hand to Jake’s back.

Through this, Jake didn’t move a muscle except the ones around his mouth in order to say, “Two.”

“Jake,” I said softly.

“Three,” Jake said to Boston.

“Jake.” I pressed my hand into his back. “Please. If we can get this done, let’s do that.”

“Listen to her, Spear.”

Jake stopped counting but still didn’t move.

I pressed my hand deeper into his back.

Finally, he shifted to the side.

But barely.

Nevertheless, I had a view to Boston and he looked directly to me.

“Right, Josephine,” he bit out. “I apologize. Now call off your dog.”

I felt my brows draw together.

My dog?

Was he referring to Jake? For he couldn’t be referring to Pearl.

Could he?

“I’m uncertain what you mean, Boston, but if you’re referring to Jake or Mrs. Milshorn, that’s quite offensive.”

Boston straightened his shoulders even as he continued scowling at me. “You know what I’m talking about, Josephine. Now tell your dog I apologized and this is done.”

I straightened my shoulders as well and informed him, “I can’t control Pearl. And Jake’s right here so if it’s him you’re attempting to appease, I would suggest you do it in a less insulting manner.”