company, you have just taken one giant step away from one night stand country and one giant leap towards wondering if he might actually be the one you've been waiting for."
Lee released a shaky breath and folded her arms over her chest. "Your perception in matters of the flesh is uncanny and quite annoying," she said in a dry tone.
"Thank you." Marilyn opened the compact and went about removing the shine from Lee's nose. "I'll give you the same piece of advice my mother gave me. Never, ever let a relationship revolve around sex. No matter how good the sex is. And after one look at Jake, you and he are going to have no problem whatsoever in the bedroom." She finished with Lee and replaced the compact in her purse. "There is no rule in the dating handbook which says that you can't go to bed with him on the first date. There is, however, a rule which states quite clearly that it must be a mutual decision and both parties must be emotionally ready for it. I added the last part for your benefit, by the way."
"Emotionally ready for it? I'm not looking to make him fall in love with me. I'm doing this because I've never done it before and it's about time I have." The last thing she wanted to do was get into a relationship. Relationships required trust and commitment and all the things she didn't have to give. Lee would gladly have an affair with him, but letting him into her heart…?
No way. Uh-uh. Forget it.
"So you think now," Marilyn said. "Don't worry. This is what you've got me for. Honey, I'll be there every step of the way to answer your questions and echo the voice of your conscience."
Lee tilted her head back and laughed up at the ceiling. "I think my conscience can handle itself, Marilyn."
"We'll see." Marilyn shook her head. "Booker and I are going to call it an early night. The poor baby is about to turn into a pumpkin. Do you want to stay or come with us?"
Jake watched as Emily hugged and kissed both Marilyn and Booker good-bye. Marilyn waved to him and he returned the gesture. Words were spoken between the three and Jake patiently waited for Emily to come to him.
He followed her progress across the room with hooded eyes and held his breath as Emily halted in front of him and tilted her head back to gaze at him with those heart stopping blue eyes.
"Booker says you offered to take care of me tonight," she said softly.
Her words, while vague in meaning, offered a multitude of ideas for his jaded imagination. Jake jingled her house keys in his hand. "I have been instructed to return you home at a reasonable hour and… to be on my best behavior."
Emily stepped forward and smoothed her hands over his chest. The thudding of his heart increased ten fold. "And is that something which is agreeable with you?"
"That is supposed to be my question to you," he said.
The smile of the goddess on the hunt was back and Emily took the keys from his hand. "Quite agreeable." She went up on her toes and teased his chest with the tips of her breasts then he felt her breath stir the hair near his ear.
His hands settled naturally on her waist and he was barely able to control a shudder of need.
"I promised Booker I'd be on my best behavior, too. But," she said and he felt her hand travel down to his waist, "I promised that I'd be good after he left. And," she pushed the keys into his pocket, "he hasn't left yet."
Her fingers followed the keys into his pocket and Jake groaned. "Sweetheart, have pity on me. There is only so much torture a man can bare."
"You started this game, Jake. If you can't hang with the big girls, then—"
"I can hang," he replied gruffly. Her fingernails were two seconds away from forcing him to go into the office and change his shorts. It'd been much too long since his last sexual encounter. Jake knew that if it weren't for the fact that he was stone cold sober, he wouldn't have had a prayer of chance holding