Free The Exception by Brittany Wynne

different. He can make my heart beat faster just by being in the same room. One look from him and I am suddenly aware of every nerve ending in my body. At that moment, I knew one thing for sure. I did not want Jake to step back. In fact, all I really wanted was for him to press his lips into mine.
    “I don’t want you to step back. Yes, Gabe crawls through my window sometimes. He is one of my best friends, but that’s it.”
    That must have been all he needed to hear. Before I could say anything else, Jake took another step forward, closing the gap between us, and kissed me. I was completely lost in his kiss and didn’t even think about the fact that we were standing in the middle of my room with the door open.
    “Oh, shit. Um, sorry.” I looked up to see Maya with her hand over her mouth trying to back out of my doorway. Jake and I took a step back, looked at Maya, and then looked at each other. Both of us were wearing the same stupid grin. “Oh crap. Sorry you guys. I wasn’t even thinking.”
    “It’s fine, Maya,” Jake said kindly. “Emma and I were just leaving anyway.” He looked over at me with that perfect smile.
    “Right. Well. Then I will see you guys outside.”
    As soon as Maya was out my door, Jake turned to me, “After you.” He gestured with his hand for me to go first. When I went to take a step forward, Jake grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward him. “Wait. One more thing.” Jake crashed his lips into mine for a second time before stepping back with a smile that reached both of his ears. “Now you can go.”
    “Oh that’s how this works, is it?” I asked slightly breathless.
    “Yeah,” he uttered in a low, commanding tone. “Would you like me to show you again?”
    “As much as I would like to say yes, everyone is going to start to wonder what happened to us.”
    “Alright. I will just have to steal you away again later.”
    “I’m counting on it,” I said as sultry as I could, then turned to walk out my door.
    “Are you flirting with me, Miss Crawford?” he teased.
    I stopped and whipped around to look at him, placing a hand on my hip. “I would never.”
    “Oh, we’ll see about that.” He lunged forward and with one quick motion threw me over his shoulder. Despite my attempts to wiggle free, he carried me like that all the way outside where we rejoined the group.
    When Maya saw us coming she yelled “Ow ow,” then slapped my butt before he put me down. “So what happened to the two of you?” she asked innocently.
    “Got lost.” Jake shot back with a wink.
    “It’s official. He’s a keeper, Em,” Maya joked.
    “Oh good Lord.” He was just as bad as she was. “Maya, looks like you might have met your match,” I giggled.
    “Hell yeah,” she exclaimed. “That’s why he’s a keeper.”
     
    ***
     
    When the pizza got here, Ryan and Gabe brought it and some drinks out to the gazebo. Maya made sure that she and I grabbed what we wanted before she let them unleash on what was left.
    By the time we were done eating, the sun had gone down. The guys decided to build a fire in the fire pit, even though it was still like ninety degrees outside. Dylan was hell bent on making s’mores. I never understood why he liked those things so much.
    “I just realized I kinda hijacked your day. Hope I didn’t ruin any of your plans or anything,” I said, turning to Jake as he sat back down beside me.
    “Even if I had plans, I would have changed them if it meant getting to spend all day with a sexy blonde in a black bikini.”
    “Oh, your good.”
    “That’s what they tell me.”
    “They?” I questioned.
    “OK, that’s what you tell me,” he said before pulling me over onto his lap. “Speaking of you, do you know what I would like to do with you right now?” he asked mischievously.
    “Do I want to know that answer?” I challenged.
    “Well,” he said, standing up with me in his arms, “You’re going to find out the answer.”
    “Oh, no. Don’t even