She glared at him as he closed the door behind him, although the glare lacked heat. Jake’s presence in her life was becoming both increasingly comfortable, in that they’d developed an easy rapport with each other, sometimes seeming to know what the other person was going to say before it was said.
But at the same time, there was nothing easy between them. Because she couldn’t look at him without her fingers itching to tear at the buttons of his shirt. And from the way he always found ways to touch her when they were in the same room, she didn’t think she was the only one who was finding their platonic “game” to be sexually frustrating.
“This cab-crashing habit of yours is going to get you into trouble. Someday you’re going to jump into a cab with a woman who has pepper spray, and then you’ll be sorry.”
“Where are we going?” he asked, ignoring her threat.
“I’m going to my place. I have no idea where you’re going. But I’m happy to drop you off at the local dive bar. Someplace where I’m sure some classy broad won’t mind you feeling her up uninvited.”
As she spoke, she halfheartedly removed his hand from her knee, when what she really wanted to do was curl into him.
Don’t you dare, 2.0 insisted.
Grace sighed, because 2.0 was becoming a serious, serious pain in her ass.
He didn’t leave your side the entire time at the party, 1.0 shot back. He likes you.
With a roll of her eyes, 2.0 replied, It’s his job to like you. Literally. As in, his boss is paying him to court you and then tell the world about it.
2.0 was right, of course. but 1.0 was also right. Jake hadn’t left her side. And she hadn’t left his as they mingled among mutual friends.
And in the two hours they’d been there, neither one of them had mentioned anything having to do with the website.
Which hadn’t stopped anybody else from mentioning it. There’d been plenty of winks and elbowing and Where’s the hidden camera? But she’d had the strange feeling of camaraderie with Jake all evening. For longer than that, really. As though they were on the same side. The only two on their side.
And then there’d been that moment when he’d accidentally-on-purpose let his fingers play over her palm and she’d almost dragged him by his tie into the coat closet.
All because he’d touched her hand.
No wonder 2.0 kept hollering at her to watch her back.
“Don’t worry, I’m not inviting myself over,” Jake said, resting his head against the back of the seat and closing his eyes. Grace watched his face in the shadows, grateful, for once in her life, for the traffic jam that was New York City. They were going nowhere fast, and for all her posturing about dropping him off, and her certainty that under no circumstances should she invite him up to her place, the pathetic truth was that she just liked spending time with this man.
However she could get it.
With his eyes closed and his features relaxed, Jake looked every bit as classically handsome as when he was smiling and vibrant, despite the purple shadows under his eyes. But there was something else there too.
There was a loneliness about him that made her ache. As though he held himself just a little apart from everyone else, but only revealed this solitude in repose.
“You look tired,” she heard herself say softly.
He smiled without opening his eyes. “A woman would slap you for such words.”
“One of those double standards, I’m afraid. I’m guessing you can handle it.”
“I haven’t been sleeping much,” he said, opening his eyes briefly when their cabby honked futilely at the unmoving taillights in front of him.
“How come?” she asked, resisting the urge to touch him. To soothe.
“Got a woman on my mind,” he said, in a bad imitation of a cowboy voice.
“Just one?” she teased.
He turned his head to face her, his eyes locking on hers. The answer was written all over his face, and Grace’s mouth went dry.
“Oh.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. “If I kiss you, will you write about it?”