Instead of walking behind him, she walked beside him as they made their way to his home. It looked like a beacon in the ocean, with all of its lamps inside radiating like a greeting. Jake shifted back just outside where Casey had parked, then took the shorts she had carried with her along the path.
“We can go fishing anytime you want,” he said, settling into his pants. “Just say the word, and we can go out there on my boat.”
Casey grinned widely, taking Jake’s hand as he led her inside. There was still an apprehension inside her that worried such decadence wouldn’t match her lifestyle, but she wanted to trust Jake and understand him.
The feeling of his hand in hers made her feel worthy.
CHAPTERTEN
CASEY
They headed up the main drive to the house. It loomed over them in the darkness, throwing a massive shadow against the stars. Casey didn’t think it was foreboding. She found it mysterious and kind of cool.
The big front door gave a satisfying shriek as she pushed itopen, and Casey grinned at the haunted house vibes. Sections of the walls even had impressive patterns of ivy scattered across them. The whole place had a lot of character, and Casey couldn’t wait to explore it in the daylight.
As they entered the foyer, Jake kept his back to her with his junk barely covered.
Kind of like Tarzan.
Casey giggled at the comparison. It wasn’t far off.
“I’m just going to head upstairs and change,” Jake said. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” she said, watching him jog up the nearby staircase. It was a nice view…he had a very tight butt.
Casey headed through the nearest door, figuring that the kitchen would be at the back of the house. She passed a few parlors and closed doors, but she didn’t pry. Even though Jake had told her to make herself at home, she didn’t feel familiar enough to just barge into closed rooms.
She started to feel she may have gotten lost and might have to wait for Jake to come and find her when she came to a much wider doorway than the others. When she hurried over to it, she saw the kitchen and felt a small surge of triumph that she’d found it on her own. The house was bigger than it appeared from the outside.
The kitchen was massive, with open spaces, long benches, industrial-sized ovens, and massive sinks lining the walls. Every kind of kitchen appliance was crowded in the corners. Two huge refrigerators took up the other side of the room.
Casey flicked on a light and headed inside. One end of the kitchen had a small bench and a little table, and it seemed to be a private ecosystem in the vast wilderness and space of the industrial kitchen.
The main area must be for big parties and stuff. This nook is where they just make toast or whatever.
For a moment, Casey wondered if rich people even made toast for a snack.
Did they ring for the butler and order caviar and crackers at ungodly hours of the morning?
The bench next to the small table had a coffee pot and a few other items, including a toaster. She smiled at the idea of Jake standing there in fuzzy slippers buttering toast. It was nice to think of him doing simple, ordinary things. Seeing him at the truck rally really had changed her perception of him.
Casey busied herself making coffee, finding everything she needed to brew a decent pot on the small bench. While it bubbled away, she took a little walk around, amazed at all the expensive appliances. She wondered if Jake even knew how to use them.
She jumped a bit when he came to the door, and he grinned at her. He wore a blue shirt that almost matched his eyes and wore casual, pale tan slacks.
“Did I scare you?” he asked. She shook her head.
“Just surprised me.”
“Who were you expecting?”
“Maybe the big bad lion,” she said.
He laughed. “I’m not so bad. I might be big, though.”
Casey raised her eyebrows, a dirty joke blistering her tongue as she fought to hold it in. Jake grinned at her as if he knew exactly what was on her mind.
He’s a shifter, not a mind reader. Get a grip.