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.”


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    “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 ster 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


    bes clear Jake wasn’t the one who


    cooked.


    “Though I can’t help but notice that this is a


    bit…ckluster.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “No offense, Jake,” I say and ce 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,” Iugh. “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 arepatible. 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 augh. “I was actually thinking you coulde 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 yful 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 hourster, I’m exhausted. Jake and I


    went to visit his mom, who had woken up from hera. We bought her flowers and


    candy and spent time ying 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 thebel 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, ncing 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, ites with the profession…” Jake says without turning away from thebels on the sauces. He


    puts both of the salsas in


    our cart.


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


    confident!”


    To my surprise, heughs 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 thispliment. 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 augh above me. “You’re into


    THAT?”


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


    buff.”


    His nostrils re. “His arms aren’t even half


    the size of mine.”


    Now it’s my turn tough. “No shit, Sherlock! You work out religiously for your


    dear hockey career, so I bet normal mortals can’tpare.”


    “Yet you’ve never once asked me out.”


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


    “What is that supposed to mean?” Jake’s


    eyes are narrowed.


    Iugh 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 isrge. 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?!


    Iugh, 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 ising from, but I like


    guys that take charge-”


    I turn silent when Jakeughs 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 ces 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.