The words hit Sophia like a slap. She opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Instead, she felt a surge of panic rising in her chest. "I can't," she whispered. "I can't risk it. What if I tell him and he laughs? Or worse, what if he pities me?"
Amy squeezed her hand. "What if he feels the same way and you're both too chickenshit to admit it?"
Sophia's heart raced at the possibility. Could Jake want more too? The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.
Sophia shook her head vigorously, auburn curls bouncing. "No, no, I can't do this. I just can't." Her voice cracked, betraying the storm of emotions raging inside her.
Emily sighed, exasperated. "Soph, what's the worst that could happen?"
"He could reject me, Em!" So
Jake's living room was a mess of empty beer bottles and takeout containers. He slumped on the couch, head in his hands, elbows digging into his knees. His usually tousled hair was a disaster, like he'd been running his fingers through it non-stop."She regrets it, I know she does," Jake muttered, his voice rough. "This has fucked it all up."Oscar leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed. His eyes, sharper than Jake's unfocused gaze, tracked his brother's nervous movements. "You don't know that, lil bro," he said, his tone measured. "You need to talk to her, tell her she means more to you than just a quick fuck."Jake's head snapped up, eyes blazing. "Of course she means more! Fuck, Oscar, I'm not you."Oscar's eyebrow quirked. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"
Sophia glared at her reflection in the full-length mirror, tugging at the hem of her too-short dress. "This is ridiculous," she grumbled, yanking the fabric down futilely. "I look like I'm trying way too hard."Amy emerged from the bathroom, applying a final swipe of lipstick. "You look hot, stop fussing," she said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, the point isn't how you look. It's getting you out of this apartment and out of your own head.""I'm perfectly fine in my own head," Sophia retorted, kicking off her heels and flopping dramatically onto the bed. "It's cozy in there. No judgment, no regrets, no..." She trailed off, unable to say his name.Amy sighed, sitting next to her sister. "No Jake?" she prompted gently.Sophia groaned, burying her face in a pillow. "Don't say
Amy's hand found Sophia's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Because we’ve seen the way he looks at you, dumbass. And more importantly, we’ve seen the way you light up around him."Sophia closed her eyes, memories of Jake's easy smile and warm laugh flooding her mind. The way his eyes crinkled when he teased her. The gentleness in his touch."Fuck," she breathed, opening her eyes to meet Amy's gaze. "I'm in deep shit, aren't I?"Amy's lips quirked into a wry smile. "Welcome to the land of the living, sis. It's messy as hell, but it beats the alternative."Sophia ran a hand through her unruly curls, her mind racing. "So what the fuck do I do?" she asked, desperation creeping into her voice.Amy's eyes sparkled with misch
She looked down at their intertwined hands, marveling at how natural it felt. How right. "So... what now?" she asked, her voice small.Jake squeezed her hand. "Now? We finish our drinks, tell our asshole siblings to fuck off, and maybe... see where this goes?"Sophia met his eyes, seeing the mixture of hope and vulnerability there. It mirrored her own. "Yeah," she said softly. "I'd like that."Sophia squeezed Jake's hand back, a surge of warmth flooding her chest. She took a deep breath, then turned her head towards the rest of the restaurant."Amy!" she shouted, her voice carrying across the room. "I know you're still listening, you nosy bitch. You can bugger off now!"A chorus of cheers erupted from a nearby table, and Soph
Sophia's heels clicked on the hardwood as Jake guided her towards the door, his hands covering her eyes. The scent of his cologne mixed with the salty sea air drifting in through the open window."Jake, where are we going? You know I hate surprises," Sophia protested, though a smile played on her lips."Just trust me, Soph. You'll love this one," Jake replied, his voice low and tinged with excitement.He maneuvered her carefully down the stairs and out onto the pavement. The cool night air brushed against Sophia's bare shoulders, raising goosebumps on her skin."Alright, ready?" Jake asked, his breath warm against her ear."As I'll ever be," Sophia quipped.Jake's hands fell
Sophia's retort was cut short as a sudden change in the vibration pattern sent a jolt through her body. The steady hum transformed into a pulsing rhythm that left her breathless and struggling to maintain composure."Fuck!" she hissed, her nails digging into the tablecloth. She glared at Jake, who was casually sipping his wine as if nothing was amiss. "You bastard," she whispered fiercely.Jake smirked. "Problem, darling?"Sophia's foot connected with his shin under the table, earning a satisfying grunt from her tormentor. "You know damn well what the problem is," she growled, her voice low and husky.Jake leaned forward, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I thought you liked it when I kept things... interesting."Sophia's min
Sophia squirmed in her seat, the sleek fabric of her dress sliding against her overheated skin. She wanted to hate him for putting her in this position, for making her feel so exposed and vulnerable in public. But God help her, a part of her was thrilled by it."You're evil," she managed to gasp, her eyes locked on his. "Pure evil."Jake's smirk widened as he reached for his wine glass. "And yet, you love every second of it, don't you?"Before Sophia could formulate a response, the waiter appeared with their desserts. She nearly jumped out of her skin, certain the man must be able to hear the buzzing emanating from between her thighs."Everything alright, miss?" the waiter asked, noticing her flustered state.Sophia nodded frantically, not trusting her voice. Jake, the bastard, just smiled politely and thanked him.As soon as the waiter was out of earshot, Sophia hissed, "I'm going to get you back for this, Jake Summers. Just you wait." Jake leaned back in his chair, eyeing her with
They strolled hand-in-hand along the cobblestone streets, the salty breeze tousling their hair. Sophia's red dress fluttered around her legs, drawing glances from passersby."You planned all this, didn't you?" Sophia mused, nudging Jake with her shoulder.He grinned, that surfer-boy charm in full effect. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just that good at improvising."As they reached the seafront, Jake guided her to a secluded spot on the rocky shore. The waves crashed rhythmically against the cliffs, a soothing counterpoint to the lingering buzz of the vibrator inside her."You gonna turn that thing off anytime soon?" Sophia asked, half-joking, half-serious.Jake's hand slid to the small of her back. "Depends. You want me to?"Sophia bit her lip, considering. The constant low-level stimulation was maddening, but also... exciting. "Not yet," she decided, surprising herself.Jake's eyes darkened with desire. "That's my girl," he murmured, pulling her close for a deep, passionate kiss under the sta
Freya shook her head, chuckling despite herself. "You know, you were one of only two sober people I had come through last night." She paused, remembering the bizarre parade of drunken mishaps. "The other poor bastard fell down the stairs and broke his ankle. Stone-cold sober, just spectacularly clumsy."Dan raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "So what you're saying is, I was the most interesting patient you had all night?""Don't flatter yourself," Freya retorted, fighting back a grin. "I'd take clumsy stair guy over your macho bar fight nonsense any day."She could feel Emily's eyes on her in the rearview mirror, practically radiating smugness. Freya studiously avoided her friend's gaze, focusing instead on the passing streetlights of Seabridge. The familiar scent of salt and p
Freya's bedroom was dark and quiet, the blackout curtains doing their job to keep out the morning sun. She collapsed onto her bed, not even bothering to change out of her clothes. As she drifted off, her last coherent thought was of Dan's hand in hers as she'd examined his cuts.Seven hours later, Freya's eyes cracked open, her body protesting the meagre amount of sleep. She fumbled for her phone, squinting at the bright screen. 1:07 PM glared back at her, along with a string of notifications. One name jumped out: Emily.Freya swiped open the message, her heart rate picking up slightly.Emily: Heard through the grapevine (aka Lucas) that you played Florence Nightingale to our favorite ex-army medic last night. Spill the tea, darling! 🍵👀
Ten minutes later, Freya leaned back, surveying her handiwork. Dan's arm looked like a patchwork quilt of gauze and sutures, but the bleeding had stopped and the worst of the damage was dealt with."All done," she announced, peeling off her gloves with a satisfying snap. "Keep those dressings on for a couple days. The stitches will dissolve in about a week." She paused, a wry smile playing on her lips. "But I'm sure you know that already, Mr. Army Medic."Dan flexed his arm experimentally, wincing slightly. "It's been a while since I've been on this side of things," he admitted. "Forgot how much it sucks."Freya snorted, her eyes dancing with amusement. "What, getting sliced up by flying bottles isn't your idea of a good time? And here I thought you military types were all about the danger."
Freya's eyes were starting to burn as she squinted at the chart in front of her, the fluorescent lights of the A&E seeming to grow brighter with each passing hour. The steady stream of drunken idiots with various self-inflicted injuries was becoming a blur."Alright, what've we got next?" she asked the nurse, stifling a yawn."Twenty-something male, cut his hand trying to open a beer bottle with his teeth."Freya snorted. "Brilliant. Send him in."As she waited for the next patient, Freya found herself longing for her bed. Or a stiff drink. Possibly both. The irony wasn't lost on her.A lanky guy with shaggy hair stumbled into the exam room, cradling his hand. The sharp tang of alcohol preceded him."Evening, champ," Freya said dryly. "Let's see the damage."The guy grinned sheepishly and held out his hand, revealing a nasty gash across his palm. "Looks like that bottle put up quite a fight," Freya observed, carefully examining the wound. "You know they make these nifty things called
Sophia sank deeper into the warm, fragrant bathwater, her muscles practically melting as Jake's strong arms enveloped her from behind. She let out a contented sigh, feeling utterly spent yet blissfully satisfied."Holy shit, that was intense," she murmured, her voice still a bit hoarse from screaming Jake's name. "I think you broke me in all the best possible ways."Jake chuckled, the rumble in his chest vibrating against her back. "You can take it, little one. I know how tough you are."Sophia smirked, though her eyes remained closed as she basked in the afterglow. "Tough, maybe. But if we did that too often, I might actually die. Death by mind-blowing orgasms - not a bad way to go, I suppose.""Nah, can't have that," Jake replied, his fingers lazily tracing patterns on
Sophia's breath caught, a delicious shiver running through her despite her exhaustion. God, she did love it. Her mind flashed to memories of Jake stretching her open, filling her completely."You're insatiable," she managed to gasp out, her voice hoarse from screaming.Jake chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "You love it." His calloused hands gripped her hips, flipping her over onto her stomach. "Now be a good girl and arch that back for me."Sophia complied, pressing her face into the pillow as she lifted her ass. Her body ached in the best way, oversensitive and trembling."Fuck," Jake growled appreciatively. "Look at you, so eager for more."His fingers trailed down her spine, making her shudder. 
Sophia shivered in anticipation, wondering if she could handle what was to come. But the challenge in Jake's voice sparked her competitive spirit. Bring it on, surfer boy, she thought.Jake's fingers traced lightly over Sophia's flushed skin. "How do you feel, little one?" he asked, his voice low and husky.Sophia's body hummed with lingering pleasure. Every nerve ending felt electrified, oversensitive. She took a shaky breath before responding."Wrung out, sir," she murmured. A smile tugged at her lips. "But so good."Her muscles ached deliciously, reminding her of everywhere Jake had touched, everywhere he'd been. The soreness between her legs made her squirm.Jake chuckled, the sound sending a fresh shiver down her s
Sophia's body tensed as Jake removed the clamps from her tender nipples. A sharp whimper escaped her gagged mouth as sensation flooded back, the rush of blood both painful and exquisite."That's it, little one," Jake murmured. "Let me hear you."His warm breath ghosted over her sensitive skin before his tongue flicked out, circling one aching peak. Sophia's back arched involuntarily, pressing herself closer as waves of pleasure radiated through her.Jake's lips closed around her nipple, sucking firmly. His teeth grazed the sensitive bud and Sophia cried out, the sound muffled by her makeshift gag.‘Fuck, that feels so good,’ she thought hazily. Her mind swam with competing sensations - the full
Jake's fingers deftly tightened the clamps on Sophia's nipples, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. She let out a muffled whimper around the panties stuffed in her mouth, her back arching involuntarily off the bed."That's it, little one," Jake murmured, his voice low and husky. "Let me hear those pretty sounds."He lowered his head, teasing her sensitive nipples with his lips and tongue. The dual sensations of the tight clamps and his warm mouth had Sophia writhing beneath him, desperate whines escaping past her makeshift gag.‘Fuck, this is torture,’ Sophia thought hazily, her mind clouded with pleasure and need. ‘Delicious, perfect torture.’Jake flicked h