"You love them very much?" she asked.

He fixed his eyes on her, sadness washing over his face. "Loved. They've both pa.s.sed on."

"I'm so sorry." A pang of guilt hit her hard. Her grandparents were still alive, and she barely made an effort to visit.

"Thanks." He straightened his shoulders. "I know it's customary to ask if you would like a tour, but this is pretty much it." It seemed as though grandparents were a soft and sore spot for him.

Jake pointed out the various areas. "Kitchen, bathroom, great room."

He was forgetting the most important room. She sauntered closer, wetting her lips, heat washing over her body at the thought of what dirty things she could entice him to do if they just walked up those stairs to the bedroom.

She sidled up to him. His lips parted, making room for her tongue to swipe across his bottom lip. Oh yeah, she had him.

Liv whispered in his ear, "You're forgetting one room."

He swallowed.

"Why don't you show me the bedroom?"

Chapter Nineteen.

Liv gasped when Jake grabbed at her waist and pulled her to him with a sharp tug. "Ms. Crawford, are you trying to seduce me?"

She brushed her nose against his neck as her hand settled on his lower back. "Is it working?"

Thrusting his pelvis, he pushed his throbbing erection into her. He lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "You had me the moment you took off your coat."

As if like magnets, their lips fused together. He probed her needy mouth with his tongue. With each soft caress her heart pounded a little harder, the room spun a little faster.

"I'm hungry," he mumbled.

She was hungry, too. Hungry for Jake.

But just when she thought he was going to take their kiss to the next level, he grabbed her biceps and pulled away. "Are you hungry?" By the smile that had curved at the side of his mouth, she knew it wasn't food he had on his mind.

"You tease," she spat with a flirty slap to his arm.

"I would love to show you my bedroom, gorgeous, but with our track record,"-he kissed the tip of her nose-"we'll never come back down."

They ate at one of Jake's favorite Italian restaurants in the downtown area. Truthfully, all Liv could think about was seeing his bedroom. Maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe that was all they were good at.

They were seated at a table in the back corner-romantic and secluded. Liv wondered if this was his usual table, the one that secured him a sleepover with all his dates.

The waitress brought their entrees to the table. The smell of garlic and tomatoes had Liv's stomach growling.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" The waitress stood at the side of the table, her attention focused on Jake...again.

"No, thank you." He answered without even looking at her. Maybe Liv was special after all.

He picked up his knife and fork and she eyed his chicken Parmesan from across the table, disappointed with her own choice of gnocchi.

"So, is your first week as a small business owner everything you thought it would be?"

Her chest puffed out. She couldn't help the swell of pride that coursed through her at the thought of her bakery.

"I'll take that as a sign it's going well." Jake smiled.

"It started off rocky, but with your help, the last two days have been fantastic. I've even booked two kids' birthday parties."

He stared across the table with a look of...she didn't know what that look was, but it rocked her to her core. Appreciation. Pride. Affection.

She slid her gaze away and continued telling him about her week. "If I can book four events a week, I'll be in the black in no time."

"I have no doubt you can pull that off. Whatever you need, just ask. I have no problem pimping out good cupcakes."

"Thanks." He meant that. But she was uncomfortable always talking about herself. It was time to turn the tables. He had braved Patti, Austin, and Brett. Surprisingly with great ease. He'd have his work cut out for him when she met his friends. When? If. If she met his friends for longer than it took to serve them a beer. "So, you know way too many things about me. What about you? Tell me about your friends."

"My friends?" Jake dropped his fork and wiped his mouth with a serviette. "Well, you've met them. Brian. He's an accountant, a whiz with numbers. I've known him almost my entire life."

"I don't have anyone I can say I've known forever. Except for maybe a few cousins. You're lucky."

"He's the best guy I know." He took another bite of food, quickly chewed.

"What about the rest of your crew?"

He wiped his mouth before speaking. "Tony is a sound engineer for a recording studio and Miles designs video games."

She laughed. "Wow. You guys couldn't be any more different."

"Why? Because they're smart and I'm just a smooth talker?"

Liv recoiled. "No! That's not what I think at all." A breach in his armor. He always seemed so confident, so sure of himself. She had finally figured out his weakness. He felt inadequate compared to his friends.

"It's true, though. Brian is a math genius, Miles is a computer savant, and Tony has a Master's in engineering. I arrange parties and date pretty girls." He pushed his food around on his plate.

"I think you do more than that. I've seen what you're capable of with my own eyes. Right in those round frames at the gallery." She could identify with his self-doubt. She battled it every day.

"Thanks."

This vulnerability was a new side to him. An unexpected one.

He had so many layers. She wondered how long it would take to peel them all away. And the weirdest part, she wouldn't mind sticking around, for as long as it took. She would hang on until she knew every quirk, every memory, every nuance to his character.

"I know how you feel, though. Patti's the smart one. She's a University professor, for goodness sake. And Austin is good with words. But I'm no less smart. Just in a different way."

She let her shoulders drop. All these years, she'd hidden herself away from the opposite s.e.x, not wanting anything to do with love or a relationship. Then in swoops Jake Miller to change everything. She was on a date, for cupcake's sake. And it hadn't been the inquisition she had been expecting. It was easy and fun and...

"It's not that bad, is it?" His voice knocked her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry?" It was bad enough she didn't talk. The least she could do was listen when he did.

"The date?" he asked. "It's not that bad, is it?"

It never failed to amaze her, and scare her at the same time, the way he seemed to know what was going on in her head. "That's actually what I was just thinking about."

"I could tell you were thinking about something. Your face gets very serious."

"Sorry. I tend to do that." Her friends were used to her zoning out. Probably the effects of being alone with her own thoughts for so long.

"So?" He waited patiently for her answer.

"It's nothing like I expected. Way better."

By the smile on his face, he seemed pleased with her confession.

"I think this is actually the first real date I've ever been on." She cringed. Had she just revealed that information?

"You're how old?"

She laughed. "I know, but I don't think pub night or a campus party can really be considered a date. I've never really wanted to. I don't see the point of staring across the table at a complete stranger trying to think of things to talk about."

"If we're being honest, this is probably my first real date, too. At least my first real date where getting into a woman's pants isn't my only motivation."

"You don't want to get into my pants?"

"I fully intend to get into your pants, but this dinner isn't the..." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "The payment, so to speak, for having s.e.x with you."

Liv shook her head and laughed.

"Going on a date makes getting the s.e.x a little easier," he added.

"You're such a romantic."

But she knew he was. Maybe he believed that he had to sleep with a lot of crazies in order to find his princess.

He pushed around the food on his plate with his fork. "Since we're being honest, I guess I should be totally honest."

Liv's stomach tightened. She braced herself for the worst.

He took in a deep breath and said, "I'm not as much of a player as you might think."

"I was beginning to question your skills." Things just weren't adding up.

Jake laughed. "For the last two years, I've been focused on pursuing photography. I've been taking cla.s.ses, visiting galleries, doing just about everything other than dating."

He wasn't a player. The real Jake-the one who surprised her, the one who she connected with on a level she never thought existed, the one who sat across from her, vulnerable and hesitant-that's who she was falling for. The man who risked embarra.s.sment in order to be honest. Maybe real men did exist.

"Thank you for being completely honest with me."

His face darkened, but only for a second, because he quickly shook off the look that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was time to lighten up the conversation.

"Shall we get dessert? If this is my payment for s.e.x, I'm eating as much as I can."

Once dessert was eaten and the bill settled, they stepped out into the cold evening air. Liv pulled the collar of her jacket up to cover her neck. The temperature had dropped and she was now sorry they'd decided to walk.

He pulled her to him. "Come on, gorgeous. I'll keep you warm."

She took his hand and they walked into the night.

For someone who wasn't actively dating, he knew all of the right "boyfriend" moves-hand holding, leading her into a room by the small of her back, buying her favorite beer.

About a block away from Jake's place, she started to feel like a fake. He had been so honest during dinner. The least she could do was be honest with him. If she was going to have any hope of making this work, she felt she needed to come clean.

"You're not getting serious on me again, are you?" Jake nudged his cheek against the top of her head.

"I want to tell you something."

"Okay." He pulled her to a stop and squeezed her hand in rea.s.surance. "What is it?"

"Jake?" Liv looked up into his green eyes. They were watery from the cold, his nose red at the tip. He looked at her with support and kindness. "I just think you should know that this isn't me." She stepped back and waved her hands in front of her body. "I feel like I'm trying too hard. The boots aren't mine. At least they weren't until today, and the jeans are so tight. I'm not usually this stylish."

"And that's a problem why?"

"Without Austin, I would probably need one of those wardrobe makeover shows. I know about fashion, I just can't seem to incorporate it into my own life."

"Well..." He leaned in and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her body. "I may not know that much about fashion, but I know those jeans are the perfect size." He lowered his hand to lift up her coat, exposing her denim covered behind. She giggled as he gently rubbed her left cheek. "In fact, I have been strategizing on how to get those off your body all night."

Her stomach fluttered. She was finally going to see his bedroom. "Is that so?"

"Yep. I think I finally have a plan."

She wondered how long his plan took to devise. Maybe that's what he was thinking about whenever he winked at her from across the dinner table. "Does it include the Jaws of Life? Because you may need them."

"I think I'm man enough to battle a pair of jeans, don't you?"

Definitely. He was all man.

"Then if everyone's in agreement, let's take this party upstairs." He kissed the top of her head. "My bed is dying to get to know you."