Champagne hangovers were the worst. Generally Jake didn't drink the stuff but on this occasion.
His mouth felt like the bottom of a bird's cage and all he wanted was liquid. Standing shakily he made his way to the door in an unfamiliar house. Winding down the stairs he entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, relieved to see the bottles of cola in the door. A few drags and he felt the life return to him as the sugar hit his blood stream.
What a day... what a night. Bracing his hands against the worktop Jake stared out into the night and sighed, he was in over his head and frankly, he loved it.
Sammie Barrett was everything he'd ever wanted and she was so close he could and had, tasted her. She wanted him bad which was good because he wanted her more. Something about her made him whole again, made him feel better, greater. Those moments when he'd been inside her had thrown all of his other liaisons into the wilderness, no other woman had ever existed.
He'd never been so hot, so hard, so involved. She was the sun around which he orbited. Lost in thought Jake didn't realise he wasn't alone and as she spoke he winced, wrenched as he was from his thoughts,
"If you hurt her, I will chop you into little tiny pieces."
Jake turned and saw Sophia pour herself a glass of water. He blinked and she smiled sarcastically before drinking the entire glass,
"I'm serious. I like you Jake. We've been friends for a long time. But if you hurt her in any way you will rue the day."
Jake gulped, Sophia was beautiful, sexy and undoubtedly dangerous. If she wanted to cause him pain she could and would.
"Soph, I don't want to hurt her. I want to make her happy."
"How? You planning on marrying her? Making babies? Setting up house?"
Jake paused, wanting to shout out yes to everything but fearful,
"Soph, I just want her to be happy."
Sophia stalked towards him, empty glass in hand and he balked,
"Like I said Jake, you hurt her you pay for it. She loves you. She might have loved you for years and whilst I'm all about the quick fuck I don't think she is. Be careful, I don't think you want to hurt her, and I don't really want to hurt you!"
Jake snatched the glass from her hand and placed it on the counter,
"Soph, I won't ever hurt her either but damn it, I don't know what she wants!"
Sophia grinned and Jake saw her as the indomitable woman she was. Clad in her underwear, beautiful, sexy, dominant and yet not even rating a stiffy,
"So ask her Jake. Be a man. What have you got to lose?"
...
The drive home was fruitful. Rosie was hungover but the introduction of a motorway station bacon roll worked wonders. She was still riding the Jake and Sammie wave and as Sophia glowered at Jake through the rear-view mirror she waxed lyrical about the benefit of their hook up.
"You could actually be my sister!! That would be awesome Samurai! I always wanted a sister and your brother sucks as a sibling so it would be perfect... think about it?"
Jake bristled,
"And what if Sammie doesn't want to be with me Rosie. Thought about that?"
Rosie laughed,
"You're hot Jake. Even I see that. She'd be mad not too!"
Sammie tensed in her seat, uncomfortable with the conversation. Sophia was unreasonably quiet and Jake... Jake just wasn't himself. He glanced at her and smiled weakly. Her discomfort making him bilious.
"Rosie!! How about not pimping your brother out? Maybe he was just being nice? Did you think about that? Maybe he was just being chivalrous and helping me out?"
Rosie sniffed and glared at Sammie,
"I'm just looking out for you Sammie!"
Sammie bristled at the lack of her nickname hating that her best friend was pissed off at her,
"I know that Rosie Puds and I love you for it but the party is over and we are going home. Jake did a lovely thing and I owe him for it but you can't force people together. Sometimes you have to just things be and if they work, they work. I'm fine Rosie, honestly!"
Rosie mumbled and Sophia hugged her, smiling at Jake in the driver's mirror.
...
As they dropped Sophia off Sammie got out the car to hug her. Her friend swept her up in her arms and Sammie felt the tears spill down her cheeks,
"He cares Sammie. Believe that!"
Sammie clutched at her and Sophia kissed her cheek,
"I sort of... threatened him and well, he didn't back down. He likes you Sammie. Ride the wave."
Sammie blanched as Sophia swept her bag out of the boot and sashayed into her flat.
Buckling her seat belt, Jake glanced at Sammie as she turned to Rosie, caught between the two most important women in his life,
"Rosie puds... Pizza or Curry?"
Jake laughed as his hanging sister mumbled "Pizza with everything!" from the back seat before falling asleep.
...
Thankfully they got home late and each of them went to bed quickly. Jake lay there, his thoughts whirring around his head. He liked her, hell, he might just love her, but what could he offer her? At 30 he had one failed relationship and a long line of one night stands to his credit. He adored the girl she had once been and was really attracted to the woman she was now but how did you know?
He'd thought that he loved Olivia and that had crashed and burned and now... now he had a taste of Sammie, Olivia didn't even register. But what next? Marriage was premature, especially considering they hadn't even had sex yet. He liked her and shit, he wanted to date her, find out more about her... but what next. There were no guarantees.
His sister and her best friend would kill him if he hurt her and Jake smiled as he imagined Sammie taking her own revenge. Sammie knew the score but did he? Was fucking her really worth the emotional fall out?
...
Sleep came swiftly and Sammie dreamt of babies. Twin boys with her colouring and Jake's features. Waking abruptly she winced, what the hell?! Babies were so not on her radar and this thing with her and Jake was practically a joke. Bundling into her pillows Sammie took a deep breath and prayed for a peaceful sleep.
...
"Helen's Cafe. 1pm. No excuses"
Sammie read the text and smiled, Sophia was now in the know and nothing would stop her. Walking towards the cafe, Sammie winced, knowing that she was walking towards a level of honesty she probably wasn't ready for.
Finding Sophia, she sat, her Caramel Latte ready and waiting for her. Within seconds, Helen sat down beside Sophia and they both stared at her. Sophia spoke first.
"Here's how I see it Sammie. You like him. He likes you. I'm guessing you haven't done the deed yet and I think you should. Don't commit yourself until you know what he's packing. So as much as I fear you getting hurt, I have to trust that you know best."
Helen grinned and Sammie wondered what the hell was coming next,
"If he hurts you I will destroy him, "
Helen nodded vigorously and momentarily Sammie feared for Jake,
"But I trust you enough to believe you know what you're doing so..."
Sophia took a sip of her coffee and Sammie almost died inside,
"Helen and I are going to Paris for the weekend, you know, eat lots of government endorsed cheese, take in the art and go to the Crazy Horse... and I thought that Rosie might enjoy the break..."
Sammie gasped,