Confessions of a Teenage Caffeine Addict

34 // Cheers

Eventually soul mates meet, for they have the same hiding place.

—Robert Brault

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JAKE

OCTOBER // 4 MONTHS EARLIER

I awoke to fourteen pounds of cuteness being dropped on my chest, listening to the sound of Jules's footsteps, fading away and then the bathroom door closing moments later. Shower on. Me and the kid. Alone. I opened one eye and peeked out at Emma. Her hair was gathered up and secured by a little black and orange bow, small blondish-brown curls fanning out in every which direction, slightly resembling a mushroom. I couldn't help but smile as I wrapped my arms around her. "Morning, buddy." I said before closing my eyes. Maybe she would go back to sleep, because that's all I wanted to do right now. Emma wriggled against me, clearly not likely the idea of being on her stomach, but as soon as I started making small circles on her back and humming, she lied perfectly still.

I heard the door click open twenty minutes later and sensed Jules's unhappy tone before she even opened her mouth. I just imagined her standing there, clutching a towel to her chest with this disappointed frown plastered across her pretty lips. "Jake!" she said. I knew she had stomped her foot, but her voice was louder.

"Yep," I mumbled.

"You were supposed to get her ready."

I opened my eyes to find a very unsatisfied Jules mimicking the look I had pictured only moments ago. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling," I snipped at her. "I didn't know dropping Emma on me meant I was supposed to get her ready." I pushed myself up into the sitting position, cradling Emma in one of my arms. Jules rolled her eyes after taking a long glance at my chest. I'd chalk it up to more of a gaze. She was trying so hard to be mad at me right now. I couldn't help but smirk. "Julianne," I began.

She sighed before walking over to my dresser, sifting through it for something to wear. "What Jake?"

"Were you just checking me out?" I couldn't stop the excitement from creeping into my voice.

"You're my boyfriend. Last time I checked, I was allowed to look at you." Jules sounded like she was way past caring, but I knew her better than that.

"Still..." I got out of bed and set Emma down in her rocker before meandering over to Jules. "You were checking me out." I wrapped my arms around her towel-clad waist, her body heat seeping into me. I rested my chin on her bare shoulder that still had a few water droplets on them, and felt all the tension in her dissolve. It was quiet for a few moments before I whispered, "You were totally checking me out."

Jules broke out in laughter and turned around in my arms. "So what if I was?" she looked up at me and bit her lip. "What are you gonna do about it? Hm?" She hung her arms around the back of my neck.

I took a few steps forwards, closing the gap between us and lifted Jules up, sitting her on top of my dresser. "You're sexy when you try to be angry with me, you know that?" I placed a small kiss on her jawline. "But I hate to break it to you, babe," I kissed her neck. "I'm completely immune to your charm." I bit down lightly.

"Really?" Jules asked, her hand sliding down my chest, tracing the lines on my stomach before deftly slipping it into my boxers. My lips froze on her neck. "That's interesting," She said and I let out a sigh, clenching my jaw together. "Because I'm calling bullshit." She whispered into my ear, giving a light squeeze.

I pushed her back against the wall. "You know that's not fair when you do that to me," I growled into her ear.

"Coming from the boy who's immune." She gave me an innocent look, like she had no idea what I was talking about.