9. Jake

9

JAKE

S he loves me.

Those words have been echoing in my head ever since Leta told me how she feels.

She loves me.

And I think I love her back.

It's taken me several days to process it all. Hell, I'm still processing it. I've never been here before, and it's hard to know how to navigate these unfamiliar waters.

Which is why right now I'm logging onto a video call with my brothers, Shaw and Reid.

My computer connects to the call, and my brothers' faces pop up in separate boxes on the screen. They're each at their own houses, and I can see glimpses of their homes behind them—warm, lived-in, family homes that are messy with kids' toys.

"Hey, guys," I say, resting my forearms on my thighs as I lean forward. "Thanks for jumping on this call."

"Is everything okay?" asks Reid, frowning. Shaw looks equally as concerned.

I suddenly realize how worrying it must have been for them to get my request to have this call. This isn't something we normally do. Usually we just text each other about stuff.

"Yeah, don't worry," I say. "It's nothing bad."

Both of my brothers look relieved.

"What's this about, then?" Shaw asks.

"It's, uh…" I shake my head. "Well, it's about a woman."

Like that, the whole mood of the call shifts. Both Reid and Shaw grin at me, each with an expression that says, Holy shit, it finally happened.

"What's her name?" Reid asks eagerly.

"Leta," I say. "She's incredible. She's passionate, she's funny…she's everything. We've been spending a lot of time together, and I can't get enough of her."

"But…?" Shaw prompts.

I run a hand over my jaw. "I think I'm in love with her, and that terrifies me."

Silence falls over the call as my brothers absorb how serious I am.

"Why does it scare you?" Reid asks.

"It's unfamiliar territory," I say. "It's raising the stakes. It's one step closer to the thing I've gone my whole life believing I don't want—marriage."

"And why don't you want it?"

It's a good question. I don't want to answer it, but I know I need to.

"I'm not convinced I'll be any good at it," I admit.

Both Shaw and Reid look confused. "What the hell would make you think that, Jake?"

I shrug. "I work . That's what I do, and it's what I'm good at. I've always known it's my strength. I'm a leader. A decision maker. I know how to run a company like nobody's fucking business. But I don't get that same assured feeling when I try to imagine myself as a husband or a father. I can't even picture stepping into those roles at all. That blankness has to mean something."

"First of all, I think you're getting way ahead of yourself," says Reid. "Second of all, I disagree with your logic. So what if you can't picture having a wife and kids? That doesn't mean anything. Hell, look at me. The first time I met Mackenna, I had a whole list of reasons why she was a bad idea. Things change , man. Sometimes our logic is flat-out wrong."

"Yeah, don't talk yourself out of something that could be really good," says Shaw. "What if she ends up being the one?"

I listen to my brothers, their words sinking in deeper than I expected.

"Look, Jake," Reid continues, leaning closer to his camera. "Being scared is normal. But you can't let fear make your decisions for you."

"But what if I fuck it up?" I ask, voicing my deepest fear.

Reid laughs. "Dude, we all fuck up sometimes. That's part of the deal. But you've gotta keep trying, keep showing up."

"Yeah, man," Shaw says, his voice more serious than I've ever heard it. "You've built an empire from the ground up. You've faced countless challenges in business and come out on top. Why do you think love will be any different?"

I pause, considering his words. He's got a point. I've never backed down from a challenge in my professional life. Why the hell am I letting fear hold me back in my personal life?

"You're right," I admit, feeling a weight lift off my chest. "Both of you. I can't let fear dictate my life. Leta…she's special. I can't lose her because I'm too scared to take a chance."

My brothers smile, and I can see the excitement in their eyes.

"So what are you going to do?" Reid asks.

I'm standing outside Leta's door, my heart pounding. The bouquet in my hands feels like it weighs a ton. I take a deep breath and knock.

The door opens, and there she is. God, she's beautiful. But her eyes are wary and guarded. I don't blame her after how I've acted.

"Jake?" Her voice is quiet, uncertain.

"Hey." I clear my throat. "Can I come in?"

She hesitates, then steps back. I follow her inside, the silence between us thick and uncomfortable.

"These are for you," I say, holding the flowers out to her.

She takes them, a small smile flickering across her face. "They're lovely. Thank you."

I run a hand through my hair, struggling to find the right words. "Leta, I'm so fucking sorry for disappearing on you."

She doesn't say anything, just watches me with those big eyes.

"I pulled away, and that wasn't fair to you. It wasn't because of what you said the other night. It was because of me. My own feelings."

Leta's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I was scared. Not of your feelings, but of mine. They're just as strong as yours. Maybe even stronger."

Her eyes widen, but I press on before I lose my nerve.

"Love scares the shit out of me. It means things are serious between us, and that makes me think about the future. About...marriage."

I start pacing, the words tumbling out. "I've always been terrified that I'd be a bad husband. That I'd fuck it up somehow. And with you, it's all becoming real. Too real." I stop and look at her, my heart in my throat. "I love you, Leta. And that scares me more than anything ever has."

I watch her face, seeing the uncertainty still lingering in her eyes. My heart aches, knowing I put that doubt there. I step closer, needing her to understand.

"I love the way your eyes light up when you talk about your work. I love how passionate you are about helping those kids. Your kindness, your determination…it amazes me every day."

My voice grows softer. "I love the little crinkle you get between your eyebrows when you're concentrating. The way you chew on your lip when you're nervous. How you always smell so goddamn good."

I reach out, gently taking her hand. "I love that you challenge me, that you're not afraid to call me out when I'm being an ass. You make me want to be better, Leta. You make me feel things I've never felt before."

I swallow hard, feeling more vulnerable than I ever have. "I'm sorry I pulled away. I'm sorry I made you doubt how I feel. You deserve so much better than that."

Leta's eyes are shining now, her lips trembling a little. She squeezes my hand.

"Jake," she whispers, her voice full of emotion. "I forgive you."

I lean in, my heart thundering, and capture her lips with a kiss. It's slow, tender, filled with all the emotions I've been holding back. Her lips are soft and yielding, and I pour everything I feel into the moment.

As we kiss, the heat between us builds. My hands slide down her curves, pulling her closer. She sighs into my mouth, her fingers tangling in my hair. Our kiss deepens, growing more urgent.

Without breaking away, I scoop her up into my arms. She lets out a surprised little gasp that turns into laughter. I carry her to the bedroom and lay her on the bed, finally pulling back to look at her. She's breathtaking, her cheeks flushed, eyes bright with desire and affection. I slowly undress her.

"God, you're beautiful," I murmur, trailing kisses along her collarbone. My lips move lower, across the swell of her breasts. "I love how soft your skin is here."

She arches into my touch, a soft moan escaping her. I continue my journey downward, pressing kisses to her stomach. "I love your sweet little belly."

My hands caress her thick thighs as I move lower still. "I love how strong your legs are," I tell her, nipping gently at the insides of her thighs.

I look up at her, taking in her flushed face and parted lips. "I love every inch of you, Leta. Every single part."

"Jake," she pants, "I need you inside me. Now."

My cock throbs painfully at her words. I quickly strip off my clothes, desperate to feel her skin against mine. As I position myself between her legs, a sudden realization hits me.

"Shit," I mutter. "I don't have a condom."

Leta bites her lip, hesitating for just a moment before she speaks. "What if you just don't come inside me?"

My breath catches in my throat.

"Is that what you want?" I ask, my voice low and husky. "You want me to fuck you raw?"

She nods, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of pink. "I want to feel all of you."

The moment I push into her, skin on skin, it's like nothing I've ever felt before. The heat of her surrounds me, tight and slick and so fucking perfect. Our lips crash together in a searing kiss, all tongues and teeth and desperate need.

"Christ, honey," I groan against her kiss. "You feel amazing."

I've always been the one in charge, both in the boardroom and the bedroom, and this is no exception. I guide her movements, telling her exactly how I want her, and she follows my commands with a breathless eagerness that fuels the need raging inside me.

I grip her hips hard, angling her body just how I want it. "That's it, sweetheart. Just like that. Take every fucking inch of me."

" Jake ," she moans, her mouth hanging open and cheeks red. "Oh, God."

She cries out as I pound into her relentlessly. Her curvy legs wrap tighter around my waist, heels digging into my ass to take me even deeper. The room fills with the slick sounds of our bodies colliding.

"You feel so goddamn good," I pant, pressing kisses along her jawline. "Your tight little pussy was made for my cock."

She whines at my words, hips rocking up to meet my thrusts. I can feel her pussy clench around me with each rough stroke.

The urge to fill her, to mark her as mine from the inside out, is overwhelming.

I want to watch her belly swell with my child, our future sealed forever…

I shake my head, pushing those thoughts aside for now. I focus on chasing the blissful oblivion where nothing else matters except Leta and the intense pleasure building between us.

"Look at me," I command, needing to see her eyes as we move together. They're dark with lust, locked onto mine as I thrust into her. "You're so fucking beautiful."

"Jake," she moans.

I drive into her with even harder strokes, determined to send her over the edge. "That's it, sweetheart. Be a good girl and come for me."

And then she's shattering, her body convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over her. The feel of her tightening around me is nearly my undoing, but I manage to pull out just in time, my cock slipping free from her warmth as I come with a guttural roar.

Hot jets of cum spurt across her stomach, marking her as mine. I watch, transfixed, as my cum glistens on her skin.

Then I raise my eyes to hers. She's watching me with a sweetly dazed expression, her cheeks flushed with the afterglow of her orgasm.

"I'm so in love with you, Leta," I whisper, dipping to press a tender kiss to her lips. "I never thought I'd say those words to anyone, but I'm so fucking happy I was wrong."

She smiles affectionately at me, her eyes shining. "I'm so in love with you too."