“Done,” I nod. “Me first, though. How many girls have you slept with?”

He moans and rolls his eyes. He pours himself another glass of champagne as he says, “Shit, I’ve gotta hit the gym tomorrow.”

“All right, ‘Caption Deflect-O’, answer the question.”

He sighs. “I can’t give you a number, Kayla.”

I look at him, eyes wide, asking him to continue. “I dunno,” he shrugs, “between like 30-50, I guess.”

My nose scrunches when I give him a disgusted look.

“Don’t look at me like that, and don’t judge me. I was a different person then,” he says.

“A different person? As in maybe there were 5 or 6 physically different persons? That would make it less pig-ish then.”

He chuckles. “My turn, I dare you…” he pauses for dramatic effect, “to let me touch your boobs.”

“Errrr, I’ll take truth thanks,” I say through a chuckle.

“Dammit!” he spits out mockingly. “Okay, is it true… that… you want me to touch your boobs?” He starts reaching his hand out for a grab. I swat it away and laugh out loud.

“You kinda turn into a horny creeper when your drunk, this game’s over.”

I start to get into bed, and he follows.

Once were snuggled under the covers and I’m nestled on his chest, his arm around me, hand on my waist, he kisses my forehead.

We’re both a little sleepy drunk.

“I was just kidding about the boob thing, Kayla,” he says through a yawn.

“I know.”

There’s silence for so long I don’t know if he’s fallen asleep. His breathing is even and his chest rises and falls rhythmically.

“Hey, Jake?” I whisper, hoping not to wake him if he has fallen asleep.

“Mmmm?”

“Have you ever been in love?”

He sounds so sleepy when he answers, “You’ve already asked me this.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t get a proper answer.”

“Yeah you did, and that’s all you’ll get. Goodnight, Kayla.”

“Hey, Jake?”

“Yeah, Kayla?” He’s almost asleep.

“I more than a lot like you.”

It’s quiet for so long I don’t know if he heard me.

Then, “I more than a lot like you too, so much more than a lot.”

***

True to his word, Jake gets up early the next morning and goes to the hotel gym. I meet him there about an hour and a half later. I feel guilty about all the desert and alcohol I’ve had over the last couple of days and figure I should do something about it.

When I get there, I see Jake in his work out clothes lifting weights.

His arms, tanned and defined, flexing with every movement.

I’m not the only one that notices, a group of women, who I think are a few years older than us, pretend to be stretching in front of him, but I know what they’re really doing, and it pisses me off.

The truth is, Jake, he’s a whole other level.

Jake Andrews, the could be Pro Baseballer.

I mean, there are boys, and then there are men.

And even though we’re the same age, I still feel like a little girl next to him.

James was a big dude, he was a jock too, but with him, it felt the way it was supposed to, like we were high school sweethearts. I felt like were on an even playing field, while he felt like playing the field. I roll my eyes at the thought.

I’m in the real world now.

And in the real world, there are no Jake Andrews for me.

I suddenly don’t feel like working out anymore.

I just want to go back to the hotel room and be the frumpy stupid little girl that I am.

As I turn to leave, Jake sees me and calls out my name.

I turn back and wait for him. He puts his weights down and starts walking over, but not before a more than stunning blond stands up to block his path. Great.

He almost crashes into her, and has to hold her up, one hand on her arm, the other on her waist.

“Woah,” he says, “are you all right?”

I see her eyes widen when she hears him speak, his deep manly voice, his accent.

She puts a hand on his chest, rubs up against his side and goes on her tip toes to whisper in his hear. She’s tiny, so he as to bend down to hear what she’s saying.

After a couple of seconds his eyes widen and he raises his eyes to look at me, head still bent to listen to whatever Slutbag has to say. I few seconds later, which feel like fricken hours, Slutbag straightens up and hands him a piece of paper.

Her phone number.

Of course.

He takes it with a nod and puts it in his pocket.

My heart drops to the floor into a pool of my idiotic childish jealousy.

I can’t stand to see any more and I’m sure the lump in my throat is a sign that soon, I will burst into tears. And if I do, when I do, I sure as hell don’t want it to be here.

I’m heading to the exit when I hear him yell my name, asking me to wait.

But I don’t.

I can’t have him see me like this.

I walk faster to the room until he catches up to me. He calls my name again, but I don’t turn around.

“Kayla!” he grunts, grabbing my arm and forcing me to turn and face him.

He takes in my face. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I spit out and cross my arms, like a 6 year old brat. I stare daggers into him.

A huge smile slowly creeps on his face, he straightens up, crosses his arms over his chest, and winks at me.

Fricken Winks.

“What are you smiling about?” I almost yell.

“You’re jealous,” he says, matter of fact. Huge shit eating grin smeared all over his beautifully smug ass of a face.

“I am not.” Brat.

“Are so.” He nods.

“Am not.” I stomp my foot. Brat. Brat. Brat. “I have no reason to be.” I can’t help the pout that develops.

“Yeah you do,” he states, putting his arm around me and turning us to walk back to our room.

I look up at him with a question on my face.

He looks down and kisses my forehead.

“Why should I be jealous?” I ask.

He shrugs once. “Because I’m your Jake,” he smiles, “and you’re my Kayla,” he says, as he fishes in his pocket and throws the piece of paper in the trash.

He’s my Jake. And I’m his Kayla.

I like it.

I more than a lot like it, so much more than a lot.

Chapter 22

*Jake*

When we get back home the house is empty, so we decide to crash in my bed for a few hours.

By the time we wake up, it’s early evening and we can hear chatting going on downstairs.

I slowly peel Kayla off me and start to stretch out, when I sit up, I almost shit myself.

Julie is sitting cross legged on the end of my bed watching us.

“Holy shit, Ju-ju.” I place my hand on my heart. “What the fu… I mean, how long have you been sitting there?”

Kayla is awake now and sitting up next to me, sleepy Bambi eyes and hair all messed up.

Shit, she’s hot.

I look back to Julie, who’s still staring at us.

“Are you guys married?” she asks.

“What?” I answer, exasperated by her presence.

“My friend Michelle, her dads sleep in a bed together. She says they’re sad because they can’t get married, are you guys married?”

What the fuck? I look to Kayla. She’s got a shocked, panic look.

“What are you saying, Ju?” I ask her.

“Well, you and Kayla do everything together, you can get married. Michelle’s dads can’t get married, so why do they do everything together?”

I don’t know what the fuck to say. I look to Kayla for help.

She smiles at Julie, “Because they’re in love, just like your Mommy and Daddy.”

Julie thinks for a second, then shrugs, “Cool, you guys wanna play ‘garage band’?”

I blow out a huge breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Sure, go set it up, I’ll be down in a minute.”