Free Fixer-Upper by Meg Harding Page B

their lips brushed together. He deepened the kiss slowly, flicking his tongue against Jake’s front teeth, which had the odd reaction of making Jake laugh. He tried to pull back, but Jake sank his hand into Dakota’s shirt and kept him in place. “No,” he said, “it’s good.”
    And it was.
    Jake wanted to crawl across the console and right into Dakota’s lap. It had been so long since he’d had this, this feeling in his stomach and the silence in his head. He wasn’t thinking about the list of things he needed to do; he was thinking of the way Dakota’s lips felt against his and the way Dakota’s jaw flexed beneath the touch of his hand. He was fully aware of the heat of Dakota’s body next to his, and the barely there scrape of Dakota’s teeth over his tongue. Everything was heat and wet and good.
    When they pulled apart, it was because they needed to breathe, and Jake’s mouth was stretched in the widest of goofy smiles. He leaned back in almost immediately, took tiny kisses, feeling giddy. Dakota laughed against him, returned the favor with sharp nips to Jake’s bottom lip and soft kisses to soothe.
    “I’m not coming in,” he said, after this went on for some time. “I want to do this right.”
    Jake nodded, a little disappointed but at the same time not. Some things were better if you didn’t rush them.

Chapter Nine
     
     
    WHEN DAKOTA said he wanted to do it right, he meant he wanted to drive Jake insane. At least, that’s what Jake came to believe. He’d waited an entire week before taking Jake on a second date. An entire week where he’d treated Jake like he always did, except sometimes when Jake looked at him, Dakota would sidle forward and drop a quick kiss on his lips before walking away with a satisfied smile.
    Their second date had involved dinner and a movie. Dinner went smoothly, conversation coming easily to them by this point and any initial awkwardness having been dispersed by the first date and subsequent gap. The movie was another matter. Jake felt like someone had plugged him into a light socket, buzzing with anticipation and nerves. He was painfully aware of Dakota right next to him, of their arms brushing, their hands bumping as they reached for the popcorn at the same time. Halfway through the movie, Dakota put his hand on Jake’s thigh and left it there. Jake couldn’t really say what happened in the movie after that; he was too busy focusing on the heat of Dakota’s hand and just what it was so close to.
    But once again Dakota didn’t come in when he dropped Jake off. He stopped his car in the driveway, and he kissed him till he couldn’t breathe properly, and he was painfully hard in his fancy dress jeans, and then Dakota sent him on his way with a “good night” and one last quick peck to his lips.
    Now, after yet another week’s painful gap, they were on their third date, and Jake was hoping beyond hope that this was the one. He didn’t think he could take waiting any longer.
    “Where are you getting these date ideas?” he asked him, tearing off a piece of cotton candy and popping it into his mouth. “Not that I’m complaining, ’cause I’m not,” he added when he was done chewing.
    This date was taking place at the local fair, and Jake felt twenty again. It was a surprisingly pleasant feeling. He hadn’t done anything like this in ages. The last time he’d been to a fair was before he’d even started to date Kevin. He didn’t think he’d even known him at the time.
    Dakota shrugged, reaching out to tear off a chunk of cotton candy for himself. “Jasper, my mom, my sister.”
    “Tell them kudos,” said Jake, leaning across the picnic table to steal a cotton candy-flavored kiss.
    Dakota looked smug when Jake pulled away. “I will.” He knocked their ankles together beneath the table. “Want me to win you a stuffed animal?”
    “Those games are rigged,” said Jake. “But you can try.”
    “I’m going to win you the biggest, most obnoxious