To Hire a Cheerleader Pt. 05

Chapter Twelve

After lunch, the four of them went home. Beatrice and George had to go look over something at the house they were interested in buying, so they left as soon as they arrived. That left Tori and Jake. Tori's yawn gave away her plans for the rest of the afternoon. Smiling around her yawn, she said, "We don't have to be over to Daddy's until 4:30. I want to take a nap. What about you?"

Jake wiggled his eyebrows at Tori. He teased, "Are you inviting me to join you?"

Suddenly Tori knew realized that was exactly what she was doing. Sobering up instantly, she looked at Jake with wide eyes. Licking her lips, she realized that she couldn't answer him verbally. Instead, she dropped her eyes and nodded her head.

Before Tori knew what was happening, Jake swept her up in his arms. He tilted her face back and began kissing her, passionately. Although they had shared a few kisses over the week, they had both made an effort to make them quick and chaste. But this kiss was akin to the ones they had shared last Friday. It was the kind of kiss that made Tori wish that her bed wasn't on the third floor.

As though he were reading her mind, Jake pulled back to look into Tori's eyes. "Are you sure?" Again, all Tori could manage was a nod. She saw the fire flame in Jake's eyes as he ran his finger around the outside of her lips. "Then, Ms. Banner, I'll meet you on the third floor in exactly five minutes. If you change your mind, Tori, all you have to do is close your door. I will go to my own room and won't bother you if you decide you don't want this. And I will understand. But if you are still sure after five minutes, leave it open." Then he dropped a kiss on her nose and turned to walk down the hall toward his office.

Tori raced up the stairs like demons were on her tail. She threw off all of her clothes and jumped into the shower. It had been a hot sticky day and she didn't want to be worrying about smelling all sweaty when Jake got there. As she rushed out of the shower and threw on her silky bathrobe (another item Stella had helped her pick out), she ran to the door to open it. Her eye caught the clock, though, and she realized that six minutes had passed.

Stunned, she heard the door to Jake's room open and close. He didn't even slam the door. Was he glad that her door had been closed? Tori stood in the middle of her room, uncertain what to do next. Then she saw the connecting door.

Making her way slowly across the room, Tori rested her hand on the knob. She knew what she wanted, but it was still a serious decision. She was about to alter life as she knew it and she took one last minute to wish it good-bye. Then she turned the round handle.

Sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands, Tori realized that Jake hadn't heard the door. She wasn't sure if she should clear her throat or say something to get his attention. However, when he threw his head back and she saw that his eyes were closed and his face was contorted in pain, she forgot her dilemma. She flew across the room and threw her arms around his neck.

Jake's eyes jerked open as he stared at her intently. With a voice thick with some unidentified emotion, Jake said, "What are you doing here, Tori?"

Tori groaned and responded with her too rapid explanation, "Jake, I'm so sorry. I wanted to take a shower so you wouldn't be disgusted by me, then I forgot to open the door before I got in the shower, then I ran out to open the door, but I was too late. Then I remembered the connecting door, but six minutes had already passed, and you didn't slam your door and I was afraid that you didn't want me. Oh, God, Jake, I'm so sorry!"

Jake's features relaxed as he listened to her jumbled excuse. Putting a finger over her lips, he said, "Shhh, it's ok. You're here now. That's all that matters." Then he replaced his finger with his lips. After a short kiss, he pulled back to look at Tori. He said, "But, Tori, this is your last chance. If you don't want to do this, you need to go back to your room and close that connecting door. I want you here, but you have to be sure. Once we take this step, we can never go back again."

Tori wasn't totally sure she understood all of the implications Jake was talking about, but she was sure about what she wanted. And what she wanted was Jake. She first ran her fingers around the back of Jake's neck and loosened the tie that held his ponytail. Running her fingers through the black locks, she gently massaged his scalp, content to be touching him.

It didn't take long for the passion rising in Tori to cause her to move beyond Jake's hair, though. Reaching between their bodies and pulling the tie that held her robe together, she let it fall apart. Since she had dressed so quickly that she was naked beneath the silky material. She heard Jake's breath catch in his throat when he saw her soft flesh. Then she felt his lips as they brushed along her shoulders, pushing aside the robe, causing it to fall to the floor.

Even in her wildest fantasies, Tori had never imagined herself being confident enough to stand naked in front of her lover. Now, with Jake, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. Jake's hands were holding her waist as his lips assaulted her breast. The feelings rushing through Tori were enough to cause her knees to buckle. She put her hands on Jake's shoulders to steady herself. Jake seemed to notice her difficulty balancing. He pulled her to his side and sat her down on the bed.

It was Jake's turn to stand in front of Tori. He started with his top buttons and slowly undid the closures on his shirt. Tori was almost panting by the time he shrugged it off of his shoulders. She realized that Jake was watching her closely as he slid the material down his arms. She wasn't sure what he was looking for, but she had a pretty good idea what he was seeing. She could feel her nipples pointing longingly toward him, she knew that her face was flushed with her arousal and she was aware that she couldn't take her eyes off of his body. She wanted him with everything that was in her and she was positive it showed in every inch of her body.

Then Jake reached for the snap on his jeans. Tori had never had an interest in the 'boy toy' magazines that some of the girls in high school had brought for private show-n-tell. She had always thought that the men were boring and the pictures not stimulating. In fact, she had questioned her own sexuality because of her lack of interest. But sitting in front of Jake, as he disrobed, put her mind at ease. There was nothing wrong with her sexual responses - she just hadn't been exposed to the right man before!

As Jake's fingers loosened his jeans, Tori actually caught herself licking her lips. She had read enough romance books to have some idea of what Jake was hiding inside that denim and she wanted to see him. When he dropped the jeans and stepped out of them, she realized that he was wearing briefs. Last Friday, he had been wearing boxers, but Tori made herself a mental promise to encourage him to wear briefs. She really liked the way the material hugged him. Of course, just that thought caused her to want to hug him with her own hands.

Jake looked as though he was enjoying torturing Tori as he hooked his fingers into the waistband of his underwear. He teased, "Are you sure you want this, Tori?"

Tori knew that he was only playing with her now, because she was positive that her answer was popping out all over her body. Again, she licked her lips and forced herself to swallow before answering. Even then, when she did answer him, her barely audible voice cracked with her overwhelming arousal. She whispered, "More than anything I've ever wanted in my life, Jake."

In response, Jake quickly dropped the material down his legs and kicked them across the room. Tori gasped at the perfect sight of his manhood. She had vaguely wondered if his father would have extended his hateful abuse to that part of Jake's body. But it was obvious that he hadn't. Jake's entire body looked like pure perfection to Tori - scars and all.

Reaching out her hand tentatively, Tori touched Jake's erection. She saw Jake shut his eyes in pleasure. The sound he made deep in his throat made Tori want more. In all of her life, Tori had never thought about wanting to taste a man, but at that moment, it was all she could think about. She was running on sexual adrenaline, and nothing sounded too risque. She leaned forward and traced up Jake's length with her tongue. Jake's response was immediate. He growled loudly and pushed her back onto the bed. Crawling onto the bed beside her, he held her face between his hands. Looking into her eyes, he said, through clinched teeth, "Darling, if you want this to be at all slow and pleasant for you, you can't do that!"

Tori grinned at her new found power. With her best look of innocence, she laid her hand on Jake's hip and let it slide forward slowly. Using her sweetest voice, she said, "What exactly was I doing, Jake?"

Tori squealed when Jake suddenly loomed over her, his long hair hanging around them like a heavy curtain. He covered her body with his own and ground his erection into her moist curls. "You little vixen! I thought that you weren't experienced!"

The humor fled from Tori's face. With a look that she hoped Jake recognized as pure honesty, Tori gravely said, "Jake, I wasn't kidding. I haven't ever done this before. I never wanted to until I met you. You are my first, Jake. I promise."

Jake paused from kissing her neck to look into her eyes. "Tori, I was just kidding, honey. I know that you haven't done this. I believe you. And I can't tell you how it makes me feel that you want to share this part of you with me. I just want to do my best to make this a wonderful experience for you. I'm afraid that you will drive me over the edge and I'll rush the conclusion, so to speak."

Tori smiled tentatively into Jake's eyes. She quietly said, "I just didn't want you to think that I was . . . was . . . "

Jake chuckled and said, "Tori, I would never think that about you - whatever it is that you are afraid I would think. Now, can we get back to more pressing matters?" With that, he once again pressed his body into Tori's. The feeling caused her to moan in delight and to forget her concerns. She gave herself over to the sensations coursing through her body, trusting Jake with her very heart.

While he cupped her cheek with one hand, Jake dropped his other to stroke Tori's breast. Tori had never felt anything like that before and it caused her to quiver under his touch. Jake grinned as he stroked her face with his thumb and moved his other hand lower over her stomach. Tori had never heard that her belly might be an erogenous zone, but she quickly discovered the truth. It only took a few strokes of Jake's hand over her soft skin to have her groaning and arching into him. She only vaguely heard Jake's chuckle as he traced his fingers to the curls nestled between her legs.

When Jake slipped his fingers inside her, Tori felt a jolt race through her body. It was so strong that, if Jake hadn't been laying on top of her, she would have sat upright in the bed. But, as it was, Jake's body pressed her down and absorbed her thrashing. Tori wasn't sure what to expect next, but she was positive that Jake was taking her places she had never been before.

Jake took his time, causing Tori to feel like she was about to explode, time after time. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Tori, Jake positioned himself between Tori's legs. She wrapped her legs around him and felt him push himself into her. Tori felt a twinge of anxiety, but Jake's fingers quickly stroked her back into a state of enjoyment. When she felt him slide his length completely into her, the moment of pain passed so quickly that she almost didn't notice. It was quickly consumed by the pleasure of feeling Jake inside her.

When Jake paused to let Tori get used to these new feelings, she wiggled restlessly under him. She wanted him to finish what he had started and she felt like a fire was building inside her body. Dragging her nails down his back, she pulled him to her and whispered in his ear, "Come on Jake, take me all the way."

It was as though Tori's words sparked something deep inside Jake. Suddenly, he was thrusting into her wildly and moaning out her name passionately. When Tori felt like she might pass out if the feelings got any more intense, she crested and felt her climax rush through her body. Jake crested his wave of passion right along side Tori and they both fell, exhausted, onto the sheets of Jake's bed. The cool material felt wonderful against Tori's heated skin, but the feel of Jake beside her at that very moment, was, by far, better than anything she had ever felt before.

Jake raised his head and looked at Tori. She smiled shyly at him and he chuckled. "God, woman, you wore me out, then you look at me like you could do it all again! Give me a few minutes and we'll give it another go!"

Tori smiled in satisfaction. She had pleased Jake. With that thought on her mind, she snuggled up to him and drifted off to sleep, safe in Jake's arms.

When Tori felt Jake kissing her neck, she opened her eyes to face him. "Wake up, sleepy head, or we're going to miss your dad's party."

"Daddy's party! I forgot all about it!" Tori said as she jumped out of bed. When she realized that she was naked, she looked back at Jake as though it were his fault.

"Don't look at me that way! All I did was help you slip out of your robe. I don't know what you did with all the rest of your clothes," Jake teased.

Tori spun on her heel and ran back to her room. The clock said 4:00. Tori quickly climbed back into her shower stall. Even though she was rushing to get ready to go to her dad's, Tori couldn't help thinking about the afternoon in Jake's bed. He had been an incredible lover, showing her things that she didn't even know were possible. Except for always dreaming of her lover shouting out his love for her in the throes of his orgasm, the experience had been more than she had ever hoped for. Smiling to herself, she dried off, grabbed a pair of shorts and a tank top, then went to find Jake.

Walking down the hall, Tori found herself humming a happy tune. Life was turning out well for her in California. She was learning to love and accept herself more each day. She had found a job that she was good at and was learning to love it more each day as well. And now she had Jake and she was learning to love him more and more each day, too.

Tori almost fell down the steps when that last thought registered in her brain. Love Jake? Come on. It was just a . . . he was just a . . . well, maybe more than . . . oh, great! Steadying herself by holding to the banister as though it were the thread of life, Tori finally admitted what her heart had already known - she loved Jake. Now what was she supposed to do?

Slowly beginning to descend the rest of the stairs, Tori argued with herself mentally. Jake had never promised anything other than letting her be his cheerleader. What foolishness had caused her to put more to their relationship than that? Jake was her best friend. He was the first person that she had ever had in her life who cared about her on so many different levels. He genuinely wanted to know who Tori Banner was. And now, Tori Banner had blown it.

Chapter Thirteen

As she rounded the door to the kitchen, Tori saw Jake sitting at the table, looking over the newspaper. It was such a happy domestic scene that Tori felt tears rise up into her eyes. It wasn't fair that she had been so blindsided by this. Why hadn't she noticed and put a stop to such foolish feelings. Now it was too late. She loved him and there was no going back.

A sob escaped Tori's throat and Jake looked up at her. The smile that had been forming on his face stopped. His brow furrowed in concern as he rose to his feet and crossed the room in record time to pull her into his arms. "Tori? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Tori balled her fists up between Jake's chest and her own. She told herself to get a grip on her emotions. But when Jake called her by such an endearing term, it was all she could do to keep from pulling him down to kiss her.

In a voice that sounded hollow even to her own ears, Tori said, "I'm fine, Jake. Honest. I just have had an emotional day, what with learning that Beatrice and George are leaving, then us . . . you know. . . doing what we did. It was just a lot to take in for one day. I'll be fine. Let's just go."

Jake let her pull away from him, but Tori could feel his eyes boring into her back as she walked toward the garage. When he held out the keys to her, Tori shook her head. "I think you ought to drive."

Narrowing his eyes, Jake said suspiciously, "What makes you think that I can drive?"

Tori shook her head in weariness, "I don't know. I just assumed that you could. Don't you have a license?"

Jake continued to stare at her doubtfully, "I think Beatrice has been talking to you. What else did she tell you?" When Tori shook her head, Jake raised his voice and said, "Tell me what she told you!"

Tori frowned at Jake. "She told me about some of the times that you used to go out - things you used to do."

Shaking his head, Jake said, "She told you about Candy, didn't she? My God, can't I have a private life? I can't believe she told you that. Is that what this afternoon was about? Was that your idea of an act of mercy? Have sex with the pathetic excuse of a man?"

Tori had walked away from Jake as he had been talking, planning on getting into the car. But his last statement had her rounding the car so fast, she didn't have time to think about it. She didn't stop until her body was actually touching Jake's. Fury was pumping through her and she felt like flames were leaping out of her ears, she was so angry. "Don't you ever say that again! How can you even pretend, even for one second to believe that what happened between us this afternoon was anything less than the act of love that it was!"

Tori's own eyes popped wide open as she realized what she had just said. Not really knowing how to get her foot out of her mouth right then, she spun around and headed back to the car. She slid into the passenger side and sat, waiting for Jake to make the next move. She didn't have long to wait.

Jake opened the driver's door and sat down. He didn't face Tori, but she knew he could see her out of his peripheral vision. She crossed her arms and refused to look directly at him. The silence hung in the air for a couple of minutes before Jake said, "I'm sorry. I seem to be really good at making poor assumptions. Especially about you. I know that you aren't the kind of person who would do what I just accused you of doing. It just hurt so bad to realize that you knew about the darkest day of my adult life. I wanted the pain that Candy caused to evaporate - drift away into nothingness. I almost took my own life over that relationship."

Turning in the seat to look at Tori, Jake turned her face toward him. "I am so glad that I didn't. If I had, I never would have met you and had today. What happened upstairs was the most beautiful thing I can remember experiencing in my life. I'm sorry that I degraded it by what I said. Please forgive me."

Tears were rolling down Tori's face. She wasn't sure she could even talk at all, let alone put together some sentence of forgiveness. Instead, she wound her arms around Jake's neck and lightly kissed his lips. Pulling back, she pressed her nose against his nose. When her voice came back, she whispered, "Let's not think about it for the next few hours. We can talk about it later. I'm not worried about you running away from that discussion. I know where you live!"

Jake's quiet chuckled warmed Tori's blood. She pressed another kiss on his mouth, then sat back in her seat. "Show me what this baby can really do," Tori said, patting the dashboard.