A Reason to Stay (Oak Hollow) by June Stevens, DJ Westerfield Read Free Book Online Page B

guess if it will keep you from passing out on me later. I like my ladies to have plenty of energy and spunk in bed."
    The moment he said it he wished he could take it back. How could he be so stupid? She was going to think she was just another fuck to him. He knew she thought he slept around way too much, that women were little more than playthings to him. And he had just put her in that category. But she was so much more than that. Why the hell did he have to open his big mouth?
    "Oh God, Ellie, I didn’t mean it that way."
    Ellie smiled, but her expression had lost the fun of moments ago. "I know you didn’t, Jake. But we do need to t—"
    Jake placed a finger over Ellie’s lips, silencing her. "Shh, don’t say it. I know we need to talk, but it can wait. There is no way you’re going anywhere in this weather, so you’re stuck here until at least tomorrow. There will be plenty of time for talk; can we just enjoy being together for now and analyze all this later?"
    His stomach was clenched so tight he felt as if he’d been punched. This couldn’t all be over so quickly. He needed the rest of the day with her. Hell, he needed the rest of his life with her, but right now he’d take what he could get.
    Ellie’s smile widened and Jake’s stomach unclenched and his heart did a flip-flop. Damn! Would her smile always make him feel like he was floating? He sure as hell hoped so.
    "Okay, we’ll talk later," Ellie said. "Right now I need to take a shower; I’m smelly and my hair is scary. And you are going to fix me breakfast."
    "Well, how can I refuse such a polite order? How does a nice fluffy western omelet smothered in cheese sound?"
    Ellie’s grin was impish. "With toasted cinnamon-raisin bread?"
    Jake laughed heartily, "You aren’t demanding, are you? Of course with toasted cinnamon-raisin bread."
    Ellie laughed and started off towards the bathroom, squealing when Jake stepped on the edge of the sheet, causing it to slip off, giving him a full view of her naked body. She blushed at his openly appreciative look and hurried into the bathroom.
    After she’d left the room, Jake pulled on a pair of shorts and headed downstairs to make breakfast.
    He quickly threw together two delicious omelets. As he began slicing the homemade cinnamon-raisin bread, his thoughts drifted back to Ellie. She knew him so well. That was one reason he loved her so much. No other woman would know that there was always fresh raisin bread in his house. Growing up, his mother had made it for him every week. He was the only one in the house that would eat it, but she made two loaves every Saturday. He loved the stuff so much that when he’d bought this house, his mother had bought him a bread maker and taught him how to make it himself.
    Only Ellie knew that. A pain shot through him. He couldn’t lose her. She was his best friend, the only person who truly knew him. Not to mention the fact that he’d had the best sex of his life last night. He was going to have to tell her how he felt. Even if it meant moving to Chicago, he would do it. He would do anything to make Ellie his wife. Now he just had to ask her. Jake was buttering the toast when he heard Ellie come down the stairs, enter the living room and call out, "I’m going to call the moving company to reschedule." He didn’t answer. He didn’t want to think about her leaving. He continued getting the breakfast together.
    A few minutes later she called out from the living room again. "Jake, I need a pen and paper to write this stuff down."
    "In the desk, top drawer," he called back, automatically. Picking up the plates of omelet and toast, he headed towards the kitchen table. He froze in his tracks. The desk. "Ellie, wait—" he yelled, but it was too late.
    He heard her voice, strained and bewildered, from the other room, "What the hell?"
    "Oh, shit." he muttered. The plates hit the table with a loud clatter, spilling egg and cheese and toast as he dropped them and ran towards the