Played: Chapter Seven - Jake

I carried my duffle into Mike’s bedroom and set it beside Jackie’s. This bed was the reason I’d come. Jackie was a sexy, alluring woman. Best friend or not, I didn’t trust Mike to sleep beside Jackie without sex being involved. It was going to be damned hard for me, but we’d promised Jackie and I was here to make sure we kept our word.

Returning to the kitchen, I found Mike sitting on a stool at the bar while Jackie worked. “You’re not even going to offer to help?”

“Hey, the kitchen is the woman’s domain. Besides, I’m keeping her entertained. Aren’t I, Jackie?”

She tossed a smile over her shoulder. “Yes, you are.”

“What do you want me to do?” I walked to the sink and washed my hands.

“You don’t have to do anything. I’ve got it,” she said, eyes wide.

I leaned a hip against the counter. “Yes, I do. So point me in a direction, or I’ll blunder around on my own.”

“Better give the man something to do,” Mike warned.

She side-eyed me. “Can you boil pasta?”

“Yes.”

“There’s a box of angel hair in the bag. I want it al dente,” she said, motioning with her head.

“On it.” I grabbed the pasta and a pot from Mike’s stash and went to work.

“Isn’t this nice?” Mike said, sipping on a beer. “The three of us, spending a cozy evening at home, just like real married folks.”

I shot him a warning look. He knew how I felt about marriage.

“Ah, come on. Relax. Grab a beer. No need to be so uptight,” Mike said in response.

“I’ll pass.” I needed to keep my wits about me. Both of us knew how to hold our liquor, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

Mike shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m going to go watch a game.”

He wandered off into the living room. The condo had an open concept, so each room opened into the other without any walls to block the view. Mike’s living room had been professionally designed in shades of tan and black with splashes of burgundy to keep the room from being bland. A seventy-two-inch television held a place of prominence and served as a focal point.

While waiting for the water to come to a boil, I watched Jackie. She’d changed out of her work attire and now wore a pair of pants that stopped just below the knee and a snug t-shirt. Her hair was gathered into a loose ponytail. She took chicken breast cutlets, dipped them in egg batter, coated it in grated parmesan cheese, and dropped them into the grease.

“What are we having?” I asked, just to hear her speak.

She glanced at me. “Chicken parm.”

Chicken parmesan. One of my favorites. Tomato sauce bubbled merrily on the stove, but my mind wasn’t on food. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes.” She shifted the meat so it wouldn’t stick in the pan.

For some reason, I couldn’t let it go. “No one would blame you if you reconsidered. It’s not too late. This assignment will change things between us. You’re important to me,” I said, voicing my fear.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m a mature woman. I know how to have sex with a man and still be friendly with him. I do it with my ex all of the time. Don’t worry. I’m not going to suddenly start trying to jump your bones at the office because we gave each other a few orgasms.”

A few? Try several, as in, as many as I can manage before things return to normal between us, I thought to myself. Then I frowned. “You still have sex with your ex-husband?”

She blinked and jerked her head. “What? No! What I meant is the fact that we used to get naked on a regular basis with each other hasn’t stopped us from being friends now that the marriage is over.”

I knew she’d been married and had one daughter from it. Like my kids, her daughter was an adult who no longer lived at home, though she still visited from time-to-time. The thought that Jackie might have a lover caused something primitive to rise in me. “What about a lover? You never mention anyone, so Mike and I assumed there wasn’t a man in the picture. How’s he going to feel about you taking off to the Caribbean for a week with the two of us?”

“You assumed correctly. I’m not involved with anyone at the moment. If I were, it would have changed my answer. I don’t play around when I’m in a relationship,” she said.

“Neither do I.” It was suddenly imperative that she knew I wasn’t the kind of man who cheated. When I was with a woman, I was committed until the relationship ended. The shrinks called it serial monogamy.

The last piece of chicken went into the oil. She took the bowl and plate to the sink. After washing and setting them in the dish drain to dry, she wiped her hands with a paper towel. “The water’s boiling.”

When Jackie turned, I was right there blocking the way. She brought her hands up to brace against my chest. “Oh, I didn’t realize you were right behind me.”

I cupped her face with my hands and she glanced up. Whatever she saw in my expression caused her to still. Slowly, I lowered my mouth, giving her plenty of time to pull away. I’d planned to wait a few weeks before doing this, but the thought of this woman in another man’s arms eroded my good intentions. Just before our lips touched, she lifted up to meet me.

Groaning inwardly, I captured her lips with mine. When hers parted in invitation, I thrust my tongue inside. Her taste was exquisite. Making a hungry noise, I stepped closer, trapping her against the sink with my body. My cock pressed into her stomach, proving the effect she had on me. Jackie moaned and slid her arms around my neck.

“It was out, you blind son of a goat!” Mike shouted at the television.

I broke the kiss and stepped back, breathing heavily. Jackie’s face was flushed, her lips plump and moist. “I’d better put the pasta in the pot.”

Clearing her throat, she glanced around dazedly before her gaze landed on the frying pan. She sprang into action. “Darn it.”

“Did it burn?” I asked, calmly placing the noodles in the water.

“No. It’s a little browner than I like, but it’s not scorched.” She busied herself scooping the meat out onto a paper-towel lined plate. Watching her closely as I did, I noticed she took pains not to look at me though we stood less than two feet apart. Despite her cool, unflustered demeanor, her puckered nipples proclaimed her arousal as loud as a shout.

I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction.

Two hours later, I berated myself for being a fool. I knew better than to touch Jackie. Now I had a boner that wouldn’t go down, but I refused to hide it. She’d have to get used to seeing both of us aroused and pretty quickly, but it would be hell to sleep next to her and not be able to release the pressure. I supposed I could jack off, but it would only be a temporary measure. As soon as I saw her again, my hard on would return.

Though I normally slept naked, I showered and put on a pair of sleeping pants. After leaving the guest bathroom, I entered the bedroom and noticed Mike had done the same. We had time to ease her into this. Jackie came out of the master bathroom dressed in a tank top and knit running shorts, and she’d braided her hair. I’d looked forward to having the mass of curls spread out on the pillow.

Mike frowned. “Is that normally what you wear to bed?”

She looked down at herself. “Why?”

“It’s not sexy,” he grumbled.

I thought it was damned sexy. Every curve of her body was highlighted. She’d removed her bra, and the knit material lovingly molded to every hill and valley.

Laughing, Jackie said, “Everyone knows sexy lingerie isn’t for sleeping in. It’s to be stripped off as soon as possible. I’m not trying to seduce you two.”

Yet she was accomplishing it without even trying.

“I suppose I get the middle,” she said, motioning to the king-size mattress.

“I sure don’t want to sleep next to Jake. Even though he should be sleeping in the guestroom,” Mike added pointedly. “Wait until it’s your turn, buddy. I’m horning in on your weekend, too.”