Chapter 5

It was a bright Sunday morning when Angela opened the screen door to see Jake standing there with a wide smile, clutching a huge bouquet of roses.

"Oh, my." Angela stared at the flowers.

Jake pulled the bundle apart into two equal parts—-one of pink roses and one of all red.

He handed the red ones to Angela and the other bouquet to her shocked mother, who had followed her to the front door.

Mary-Ann took the flowers, studying them as if he'd given her a live grenade.

"Let me put these in water before we go." Angela spun and headed for the kitchen, hiding her smile at seeing her mother's expression.

"I'll be in the car," Jake called after her. "Pleased to see you, Mary-Ann."

Angela settled the roses in a vase, noting her mother's mumblings of approval as she dealt with her own flowers.

Angela left her and went out to where a smiling Jake stood.

He swept a hand toward the red pickup truck. "Your chariot awaits."

He wore jeans and a black T-shirt Angela could have sworn was at least one size too small.

The jeans were pretty darned tight as well.

Jake opened the passenger door and smirked. "Bet your mom never saw that coming."

"Smooth move." Angela slid in. "Where are we going?"

"Brunch at the Treetop Cafe. Sounds good?"

"Okay." She settled in the car seat. "Let's go."

Jake had gotten the lowdown from Grace on which places had the best Sunday buffet. He wasn't disappointed. From custom-made omelets to beautiful fresh-fruit displays, it was a good way to launch the day.

Judging from the delighted look on Angie's face, he'd made the right choice.

"So," she said as she plucked a piece of crispy bacon from her plate, "tell me how you got here."

Jake grinned. "Well, when the mama bee loves the papa bee—"

"Don't be a smart-ass." She picked up her glass of orange juice. "Last time we spoke was right after graduation when I was getting ready for law school. You packed up the car, gave me a goodbye kiss and headed for Quantico. What happened?"

"Wiped out four weeks in. Couldn't pass the physical."

"No way." She gasped. "After all those hours at the gym? How could you not pass?"

Jake tapped his knee. "Twisted it on the obstacle course, pulled the muscles all to shit. By the time it healed up it was too late for me to continue with my group. I could have waited for another spot to open up, but I'd made up my mind to move on. State police had some openings. Went to the academy and as they say, the rest is history." He shrugged. "All worked out for the best, I figure."

"And the wife?" She eyed him over the glass.

He grimaced inside. He knew she'd ask but hoped it'd be a lot further down the road.

"I met Maggie at Quantico. She worked at the restaurant near the academy."

The disapproving snort made him smile in spite of the bad memory.

"She was a waitress?"

"A chef." Jake gently corrected her. "It wasn't a crappy roadside diner. It was a good family restaurant. She ran the kitchen with an iron hand."

"She met you, fell in love, and married."

"Basically, yes. I won't bore you with the details. She kept me company in the hospital when I flunked out."

"You twisted your knee," Angela said. "Not exactly the same."

"Same result. We lived together for a few months and came back to Pennsylvania when I joined the state troopers. Then the opening came up in Glen Barrow. We moved here and she left me." He spread his hands. "All done."

"Not quite." Angela finished off her juice. "She waited until you moved here to leave. What happened?"

"Mags was in love with the idea, not the reality. She figured I'd end up back with the FBI, give her a chance to go someplace exotic, big cities out on the coast. This didn't exactly qualify." He eyed her. "She's a good woman, Angela. Just not meant to be with me. Nothing wrong, and we've both moved on. And not exactly what I was hoping to be talking 'bout right now."

"I know. But you can't blame me for asking for the details. Much rather get them from the source than ask my mother."

"Point taken." He put his hand atop hers. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Very much." Suddenly a frown replaced her gentle smile.

"What?" Jake turned around, seeking out what had changed her mood so quickly.

Hunter was in line at the buffet, chatting with a young woman. The redhead laughed as he heaped bacon on her plate and followed him to a table off to one side, away from the main floor, where Jake and Angela were sitting. It was obvious Hunter hadn't seen them.

"Who is she?" Angela asked.

"No idea." He squeezed her hand. "Do you want to leave?"

"No. I'm okay."

The emotion in her words told him the exact opposite was true.

Jake glanced over to where the pair sat. At the back of his mind, he wondered what Hunter was playing at.

He's already given up on me. On us.

The thought burned through her heart, the pain almost physical.

Angela got to her feet and picked up her glass. "I'm going to get some more juice. Can I get you anything?"

Jake eyed her. "A referee." He shook his head. "Now's not the time or place, Angie. I get you want to—"

She didn't hear the rest of his sentence, because she was striding across the room toward the pair.

The redhead was in her mid-twenties, busy munching on a slice of melon when Hunter noticed her approach.

"Angela." He stood up. He wore a white dress shirt and jeans, casual wear. His gaze flickered around the room behind her, landing on where Jake sat. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"I guess not." Angela looked at the woman. "Hello."

"Hi." She extended her hand. "I'm Megan."

"Megan." Angela took hold, noting the firm grip. "And what brings you out here today with Hunter?"

"Angie," Hunter said in a low tone, interrupting the conversation. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure." She beamed at Megan. "Pleased to meet you."

Hunter led her over to the side, near a table filled with clean stacked plates. "What's wrong with you?"

"Me?" She fought to keep her voice down. "You're the one shoving this woman in my face." She accentuated each word with an angry poke in the chest. "You say you're interested in dating me, and now you're having breakfast with someone else? Is this because I didn't go home with you last night?"

Hunter caught her hand with the last poke and held it in place. "First, I am still truly and deeply in love with you. Megan's the new physical therapist for the team, started this week. She arrived yesterday, moved here from Columbus. So, being a good employer and neighbor, I decided to take her out for brunch before we tour the campus. You can ask her outright or you can do an internet search. She was hired a month ago and I've got no interest in her other than to make sure my players hit the boards healthy and happy." His grip on her hand tightened. "I told you I was interested in you. No one else."

"I—" She paused as the jealous fog dispersed, clearing her vision. "God, I'm an idiot." The pain in her chest lessened, now replaced with a slow heartburn.

"No." Hunter smiled. "You're just human."

Angela shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm sorry." She turned to see Jake approaching them.

Shit.

"Everything okay here?" Jake nodded to Megan before turning his attention back to Hunter and Angela.

"Yes." She took Jake's hand, noting the downturn in Hunter's lips. "We're going now." She waved her empty glass in the air. "I need a refill." She smiled at Megan. "Have a good day."

"Thanks." The redhead glanced at Hunter, frowning as she tried to decipher recent events.

"What the hell—" Jake whispered as she led him back to their table.

"She works at the college." Angela sat.

"Ah." Jake shook his head. "A natural mistake. Just bad luck they happened to come here."

"Yeah." Angela closed her eyes, trying to tamp down the embarrassment rushing up to choke her.

"Let's get out of here," Jake said. "How about we go for a nice walk?"

"That sounds lovely." Angela looked at him and smiled. "Sorry for the interruption."

"Understandable." He glanced over to where Hunter and Megan sat. "I'm torn between being jealous you're so possessive of him and thanking my lucky stars I'm being faithful to you. Don't need my balls handed to me."

Touchstone Park was only a half-hour drive from Glen Barrow, close enough for those looking for a day trip and far enough from town to immerse yourself in nature.

Jake pulled off and followed the wooden placards pointing toward the parking lot and hiking trails. He knew the winding road well and enjoyed the twists and turns as it led them further into one of the many deep forests covering Pennsylvania.

The gravel-covered parking lot had a few cars in it, most of them minivans. A handful of families wandered the picnic area, taking up the tables in clusters, especially those that had open barbecues available. A woman stood next to one watching the man work with the charcoal briquettes, jabbing at them with a candle lighter. A few seconds later he threw up his hands in triumph and walked back toward the table as the woman nervously watched the fire.

Jake pulled into a spot at the far end of the lot and turned the engine off. He unlocked his seat belt and turned to smile at Angela.

"Let's go clear our heads. Nothing like a nice stroll in the forest." Jake took her hand. "That work for you?"

"Sounds good to me." She stretched out one leg and waggled her foot. "Good thing I wore runners."

"Wasn't planning on climbing any mountains." Jake laughed. "Trust me."

"Okay." She leaned over and kissed him. "Show me what you got, mountain man."

The day wasn't exactly going as he planned, but he knew what would get it back on track.

Angela wasn't sure what to make of this date.

Mostly because it was so unlike the ones she'd gone on with Jake before.

In the past they'd grabbed quick, fast, delicious couplings between classes at Penn State, between study sessions. There was romance there; there had to be. Sweet murmurings in her ear, furious physical interludes leaving her breathless. Erotic texts and e-mails sent during class would send her pulse racing and keep her blushing until she could get to him.

This, this was something different.

The well-worn trail led into the forest, the thick overhanging trees hiding the parking lot from sight within a few minutes.

Angela gripped Jake's hand tighter as they moved farther into the forest.

The rich, fragrant aromas rushed up to envelope them, a welcome change from the manufactured smell of cooked food and gasoline at the picnic area.

"I love this." Jake led her along the trail. "First time I came up here, I walked for hours, taking all the different routes. They all circle around back to the parking lot, which is good, because I got lost a lot."

A bird chirped nearby, and a red squirrel dashed up a tree with an angry chitter.

She inhaled the fresh air and sighed, the stress easing out of her muscles.

Angela realized with a start that they were no longer on the main trail. She was walking now on a slender path, the tall grass surrounding them.

"I found this not too long ago," Jake said. "I won't make a joke about going off the beaten path."

"Because you did," she answered.

He squeezed her hand. "It's amazing what you can find when you're not focused on what's under your feet."

The trail led farther into the forest, the old-growth trees swallowing up the sky.

Angela was disoriented before too long, the twists and turns of the tiny path sending her mental compass spinning.

Jake stopped. "We're here."

She shook herself out of the haze. "What?"

A small creek spun out of the rocks, dribbling over the wet moss to land in a pond at their feet. Another smaller stream drained it away into the forest, maintaining the delicate balance.

Jake sat on a large flat rock at the edge. "Come here." He tugged on her hand.

She went on her knees beside him, transfixed by the sight.

"It's beautiful," she murmured.

"I found it on my wanderings." He reached out and pulled her close. "Relax and listen."

Angela leaned into his side, taking slow steady breaths.

She heard the buzz of the insects nearby, the chirp of the crickets. A hummingbird flew by on the way to a new conquest. The brook bubbled as the water ran into the pond and ran back out, racing off to new adventures.

It wasn't a total surprise when Jake kissed her.

Jake hadn't planned all of this out, strangely enough. The brunch, yes. The heading into the forest, yes. But the rest was all up to Angela.

He had to let her set the pace. Given the recent encounter with Hunter, he wasn't sure if she'd be able to relax enough to enjoy the rest of their time together.

So when Angela let out a throaty sigh, he slid down on the cool stone, bringing her along with him. She arched up into his touch, her hands pulling at his shirt for balance as she adjusted her position.

"I've waited a long time for this," Jake whispered as he moved in. "I've been dying to taste you, feel you—-" He stared into her eyes. "Have all of you."

Her kiss was electric.

Jake growled as she tangled tongues with him, the kiss turning into a duel of wills.

She'd always liked to play rough.

He worked her blouse open and put his hand on her breast.

The whimper shot straight to his cock, sending him to attention in record time.

He slipped his fingers inside her bra and caressed her nipple. She arched into his grip, demanding more.

I can do that.

He didn't stop kissing her as he undid the rest of the buttons and pulled her blouse fully open, a short tug pulling the bra up to expose her fully.

Jake pulled away with a wet pop, grinning as he saw her clouded gaze.

"Stay with me, Angie." He lowered his head to her breast. "Don't you dare go over the top so fast. I've got plenty left I want to do to you."

Jake's teeth scraped over her nipple and Angela rose up with a soft cry, almost dislodging him. His free hand gripped the back of her neck, keeping her in place as he licked and suckled, drew his tongue over the raised tip and flicked it back and forth.

His right hand, now free, snaked down to her jeans and unsnapped them. He ran his fingers along her waistline, prompting an annoyed grunt from Angela as she writhed under him.

Angela knew this was coming—only a fool would believe she'd get off with nothing more than a walk in the woods with Jake.

The musky smell enveloped her as she tussled with him for dominance, wriggling her hips as he undid her jeans and moved his hand inside. His mouth came off her breast with a moist smack and returned to kiss her, hard and hungry, hot and demanding.

Angela heard a moan and realized it was hers.

It was as if they'd never been apart.

She yanked at his T-shirt, pulling it up to run her hands over the rock-hard muscles she'd admired earlier in the locker room.

Jake grunted as she drew her nails along his back, now slick with sweat.

The man was, for lack of a better word, built. If anything, he'd gotten tighter and leaner over the years, the tension in his body sending shudders through them both.

He wanted her.

He wanted her bad.

Jake pulled free of her mouth and moved along her jawline, his tongue tracing a sensual line.

Suddenly he lifted his head, frowning as he glared at her shoulder.

"What's this?"

Angela silently let loose a string of curses and turned her head as far as she could.

The flesh-colored bandage stood out against her pale skin. She'd seen it in the mirror as she got dressed but had nothing else on hand.

Not that it mattered. She'd learned in the past there was little that could hide a determined love mark.

Jake poked at the offending bandage with one finger.

"Angela." The single word held a sentence.

She bit her lip, trying to find the right phrasing.

"I—It was—"

Jake took hold of one edge and ripped the bandage free with a single yank.

"Hey!" Angela reared up, pressing against him.

Jake studied the crimson hickey for a second.

"Hunter."

Angela nodded.

There was no point in lying.

A smirk spread across Jake's face. "I'll have to give you a match. Make the set complete."

Before she understood what he was saying, he'd descended on her left shoulder, nipping and sucking at the delicate skin.

"No." She put both hands on his chest and pushed him up. "That's not—-"

He turned to stare at her full-on, and Angela felt the walls crumble.

The smoldering glare reminded her of a panther eying its prey, the muscles coiled to strike.

"You let him mark you," the slow rumble echoed through her body, sending her nerves ablaze. "Do you think I'd let that go?"

She froze, shocked by his tone.

This wasn't the college boy she'd rolled around with years ago.

This was a man—a man with a mission.

Jake's mouth descended on her shoulder even as his hand slipped under her panties again, cupping her with a familiar intimacy.

His lips and teeth skimmed over her skin as his fingers worked their magic, drawing her out of herself with uncanny accuracy. He pressed against her, the heat from his hand scorching her skin even as he drove her onward, now stroking her with long, leisurely draws of his fingers, slick with her juices.

Angela kicked against the rock, her running shoes unable to give her much purchase. Her hands moved to skitter over his bare skin, finally landing on his jeans and hooking into his belt loops as she fought to move and yet not move, torn apart by his touch. Her hips thrust up against him as Jake slipped a single finger inside her.

Her vision narrowed as his mouth continued their punishing attack on her shoulder, sucking and nipping.

The hoarse whisper came as he increased his pace, his thumb pressing against her nub.

"Now, Angela. Now."

He accentuated the last word with a final nip of his teeth against her shoulder.

Her world whited out, thrashing against him as her hands fell away to press against the cool rock under her. Angela screamed, unable to hold back any more.

Tremors shook her body as she came back to herself. Jake cradled her against his chest, dropping kisses into her loose tangled hair.

Angela listened to the brook burbling beside them. She was acutely aware of the cool stone under her and the smell of the soft moss.

The smell of Jake.

"You okay?" he murmured into her hair. "I'd forgotten you could be so loud." He chuckled. "Don't want them calling out the cops thinking a woman's been murdered. Might be a bit embarrassing."

She bobbled her head forward, using what little energy she had left.

"Yeah." Angela forced the single word out. "Hard not to be loud with you." She slumped against him again. "I'd forgotten how good you are."

"Only gotten better with time." Jake nuzzled her ear. "If you want, we can take this back to my place. If you don't mind the smell of freshly baked bread." He pulled back as she frowned. "My apartment's over a bakery."

"I just—" She paused. "Give me a few minutes to recover. Please."

"Take your time." He cradled her in his arms. "I'll lie here and be flattered."

She couldn't hold back the confusion surging through her mind.

Because while Jake had been teasing her, drawing her out of herself to a mind-shattering orgasm, there'd been another man there with them.

Hunter.

In her mind, he'd been behind her, holding her tight while Jake kissed her, nipped her shoulder to match Hunter's mark. It was the shower all over again, her imagination adding a second man and pushing her over the edge in record time.

She needed to figure out what to make of all this, all these emotions surging through her jumbled thoughts.

Part of her was dismayed, horrified at the idea of adding a second man.

The other part… not so much.

"I think—" She drew a shallow breath. "I'm sort of wiped out." Angela reached up and caressed Jake's cheek. "I can't move."

"Of course not. I do good work." The note of pride in his voice brought a smile to her face.

She sighed. "Can I take a rain check on going back to your apartment?" Angela spoke quickly, seeing his eyebrows come together in a frown. "I'm still sort of unsettled from seeing Hunter and making a fool of myself."

Jake paused. "Okay. But we're good, right?" He stroked her arm. "I didn't push you, did I?"

"No. No." Angela sat up. "I hate to promote a cliché but it's me, not you." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't… this thing with the two of you is screwing with my head."

Jake pulled his knees up, brushing off some loose leaves. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I see that." He nodded. "I'll take you home."

"Thanks." Angela pulled him close for a long, lingering kiss. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, no problem. In a way it's my own fault." Jake smiled as he got to his feet and stretched out his hands to her. "You see Hunter on Friday, I mess that up and now it's Sunday and we run into him when we're on our date. Not your fault at all."

"Thanks." Angela brushed her jeans off. "But for the record, it's not all you."

It's me.

And what I want.

Now I need to figure out if it's really what I want, or just a fantasy best left in my dreams.

Hunter looked out the window at a group of students jogging by, their matching shirts and sweatpants making him imagine a single multi-legged beast.

It was Monday morning, and he was still kicking himself for the misstep yesterday with Megan and Angela.

When he'd asked the new therapist out for breakfast, he hadn't even considered how it might look.

Because he couldn't imagine being with anyone other than Angela.

Megan had been supportive at the buffet after Jake and Angie's departure, grasping the awkward situation.

"She's very taken with you," she'd said, sipping her coffee. "I can see why she got the wrong idea."

The reassurance hadn't gone far to soothe his invisible wounds at hurting Angela.

"But—" Megan smiled. "She likes being with the other guy as well." She let out a short laugh. "Hot, handsome cop." She smacked her lips. "Nothing against you, but I can see where she'd have a problem choosing."

Hunter had held back a grumble at her impression of Jake.

They'd finished eating and returned to the campus to complete the tour, nothing more and nothing less.

"You better get a move on," Megan said with a laugh when they parted. "She's not going to be able to bounce between you two forever."

Hunter leaned back in the chair and rubbed his eyes with both palms. This competition was only a few days old, and he was already losing his mind over it.

A rapping brought him out of his reverie. Sally stood in the doorway, holding a small white envelope in one hand. "You got a letter here." Sally walked over and handed the envelope to Hunter. "Angela dropped it off a few minutes ago."

"What?" Hunter reached for the letter, trying to ignore Sally's curious gaze. "That's odd. Why didn't she come in and see me?"

"Why didn't she, indeed." The secretary didn't move, didn't leave as he ripped the envelope open and pulled out the single page.

He scanned the short sentence. "Sally, call up Jim. I'll need him to take the afternoon practice today."

"And the reason why is?"

He didn't have to answer her but knew there was no chance of him getting out of the office if he didn't. "Seems I'm being summoned to Ms. Kenzie's office for a two o'clock meeting."

Jake sat at his desk, plowing through some paperwork he'd put off for far too long. It was easy enough to patrol the streets but hard to manage the small business that was the Glen Barrow Police Department. Training classes had to be arranged and officers assigned to attend, schedules reworked to allow it to happen. Receipts to be turned in to the town council for reimbursement and requests for more equipment and upgrades, community outreaches scheduled and attended. All the little details kept the force running and the town as safe as he could make it.

It didn't make the paperwork any less annoying, but at least he knew where everyone was and what they were doing.

Grace walked up to his desk and handed him a plain white envelope. "This got dropped off. For you."

Jake saw Angela's neat, efficient writing on the front and his heart skipped a beat.

Has she decided?

Already?

Grace eyed him, her forehead furrowed with concern.

He ripped the envelope open and looked over the short, clipped words.

"I'll be taking a late lunch today."

"So, the date with Coach Hunter went well?" Jenny bounced around the office with her arms filled with pages, headed for the photocopier in the far corner.

"They both did." Angela reached for her coffee and took a sip, trying to calm her racing heart.

The summons hadn't been hard to write and deliver.

Getting the courage up to follow through with her plan would be.

"Both?" Jenny piped up. "You saw Coach Hunter on Friday. What's the other one? Did you see him again already?"

"I saw Chief Weatherly yesterday." There was no use trying to deny it. She was surprised the news hadn't been scrolling along on the bottom of the community television channel next to the listings for yard sales. "We went out for brunch and to Touchstone Park."

"That's a lovely place." Jenny paused as she exchanged pages and hit the copy button again. "Busy weekend."

"Yeah. But it was awkward. Date with Hunter, ran into Jake. Date with Jake, ran into Hunter." She didn't fill in the details.

Jenny scrunched her face up. "Ouch. No fistfight though—right?" She jabbed the air in a mock punch. "Might be flattering, but hardly practical to have them brawling in the middle of the street."

"No." Angela smiled. "They both knew better. And part of the problem was me. I sort of over-reacted to something." The jumbled words strained her ears and she winced inside.

Jenny flipped over the page and put the white plastic cover down again. "Don't take it to heart. As long as you're still on talking terms with the two of them." She giggled as she pushed the copy button. "Or better."

Angela shared her laugh, unwilling to tell her what she'd done that morning. A restless night had twisted into an early-morning mail run, one she hoped she wouldn't regret.

"I'm closing up early today." Angela looked up at the wall clock. "One thirty, and you're out of here."

"Okay." Jenny plucked out a stack of photocopied pages and sorted them into folders. "Got to tell you, I'm sort of envious. And a bit worried."

"Worried?" Angela frowned. "For what?"

Jenny looked over. "You have to pick one and let the other go. And you sound like you still care about both of them. Going to be a hard choice."

Angela didn't say anything, afraid to jinx herself.

Jake was the first to arrive, rapping politely at the front door. She went and let him in, relocking the door as he moved in to stand by her desk.

"What's going on?" His attention flashed around the room before landing back on her with an intensity that sent a shiver through her body. "Are you in trouble?" His eyes narrowed. "Are we in trouble?"

"We're good." Angela peered out through the blinds, looking for Hunter's car. "At least, for a bit longer."

"What does that mean?" He was in civilian clothing, a light blue shirt and jeans.

"I'll explain when Hunter gets here." She looked back to see his confused frown. "Trust me. Please."

Jake said nothing but settled himself in one of the chairs reserved for clients. He leaned forward, rubbing his hands together.

Angela turned to see Hunter approaching. A few seconds later, he was in the chair next to Jake, and Angela had locked the door again, making sure the CLOSED sign was clearly visible.

"I don't want anyone disturbing us." She went around her desk and sat, keenly aware of the image she was presenting.

My world. My rules.

The two men glanced at each other before focusing in on her.

Jake was the first to speak. "So that's it? One date and you've decided?"

Hunter glanced at him. "One date might have been enough." He smirked. "What can I say—I've got the magic touch."

Angela put up her hand, stalling the argument. The butterflies in her stomach spiraled up to hurricane levels.

"First, I care for you both. I do." She smiled at each man in turn. "And I appreciate that you gave me this time to set my mind right. After Eric—" The name caught in her throat. "After being played for a fool by Eric, I wasn't sure about what I wanted, what I needed out of my life. Out of being home here, in Glen Barrow." Angela glanced up at the framed diplomas on her wall, her qualifications out in the open for all to see. "I started this business and I love it. I love being here, at home, with the people who need and appreciate me and my legal skills."

Both men nodded in turn, keeping silent.

Waiting.

Angela heard her pulse pounding in her ears, loud and demanding.

"Last night I thought a good long time about what I want out of a relationship. What I need to make me happy." She forced herself to speak slowly and carefully, afraid of racing through her rehearsed speech. "And I figured it out."

Both Jake and Hunter leaned in, hanging on each word.

"What I want, what I need—" She looked at each man in turn. "Is you."

Silence filled the office.

Hunter blinked rapidly, processing the words.

Jake frowned, lips pressed into a tight line.

She crossed her arms and waited.

Jake was the first to speak. He jabbed a thumb at the man beside him. "'You' me or 'you' him?"

Angela held her breath for a second before replying.

"Both of you."