She shrugged.

Damn it. You know a man’s desperate when he’s ready to strip his clothes down and flash the man at the drug store just to prove a point.

Either desperate or eager for prison.

Holy shit when would this day end?

“Ah, here we are.” Bob said, pulling out a small white bag with a prescription stapled to it. “This should help immensely. Now, be sure to only take it when you need it. If your erection lasts for longer than four hours, seek medical help immediately. But it should truly improve the honeymoon. If you get my meaning.” He winked at Char.

She giggled back.

“I don’t need that.” Jake crossed his arms.

“Your grandmother said—”

“She’s senile! Last week she wanted to do a Vegas show with tigers!” Jake yelled.

“Now son—”

“Jake.” Char patted his arm. “It’s okay to admit when you have a problem.”

Forcing himself to grin, he turned to Char. “You know what, sweetheart?”

Her eyes smiled. “What?”

“You’re right.”

“I am?” Her smile fell as her eyes narrowed.

“Of course.” Jake wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Which is probably why Grandma opted against the liquor or wine in the basket.”

“But—“

“Drinking problem.” Jake nodded his head toward Char. “It’s okay, though. After all, you’ve been clean for how long, sweetie? A day?” He snapped his fingers. “Oh wait, never mind, I forgot about the flask in your purse. Baby, it’s good to know we can talk about these things together. Maybe now that you’ve told me you’ll stop drinking we can get pregnant. So, so thankful for that fertility test.”

Char’s eyes flared to life. “Yes. So thankful.” Her words were clipped. “After all, if you take the Viagra at least I’ll be able to remember the fact that we even had sex!”

“Oh, you’ll remember!”

“Funny, last night I made a grocery list!”

“For more alcohol!” Jake shouted.

They were nose to nose, breathing heavy, and for some insane reason all Jake could think about was kissing her. Hard. Teaching her a lesson and then pushing her against the counter, preferably away from the fertility test, and having his damn way with her, over and over again.

Her eyes flickered to his lips.

Jake reached for her but she reached for him first.

Their mouths collided with such force that Jake groaned.

Her lips were plump and tasted like wine and salt. Good Lord he wanted to lick up and down her body until she begged him to stop.

“Um, Mr. Titus.” Bob cleared his throat.

Jake jerked away from Char.

“T-the, fertility test.” Char said hoarsely. “You know, all those magical baby-making powers and stuff.” Her eyes closed as if she realized how lame she just sounded.

“We’ll take it all.” Jake wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and watched as Char shook her head once and walked out of the store. Shit.

“Now, would you like me to add in any candy for an extra fifty cents?” Bob asked.

“No candy.”

“Gum.”

“No gum!” Jake pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just what Grandma had on the list.” Bob shrugged and took Jake’s credit card then very slowly put everything into a bag. As soon as Jake got his receipt he ran out of the store. Char was waiting by the car. His footsteps echoed on the concrete as he walked up to the BMW. “You okay?” She sighed and turned to face him. “Well I do wish I had a flask.”

“Oh yeah?”

She managed a smile.

Jake shuddered. “Well, I don’t wish I had to use extra small condoms, thank you very much.”

That brought a smile to Char’s face as Jake unlocked the car for them to get in.

“So that’s it,” he said before starting the car. “Mission accomplished.”

“Right.” She nodded. “Guess so.”

“Yeah.” Irritated with himself, Jake prodded her further. “So you need a ride to the airport or anything Thursday?”

“Um, no, no I’m good.” Char licked her lips. They were still swollen from their kiss. What the hell had come over him? It was the fertility test—well, damn if it didn’t work without ever taking it out of the box.

He gripped the steering wheel hard, and managed to keep his smile as tight as the rest of his humming body.

“Jake?” Char said after a few minutes of silence. Jake was seriously contemplating just pulling over the car and attacking her.

“Yeah?”

“About the wedding. Do you think they’ll let any press inside, you know, to cover some of the pre-ceremony details and family interviews?”

Poor Char, she was probably worried her face would be splashed all over the news again. He needed to put her at ease. “Not at all. Kacey was really specific about no media. So you have nothing to worry about. They don’t want to turn it into a field day. I mean, you know as much as me what happens when the media gets involved.”

“Right.”

“No offense.” He cringed, momentarily forgetting she was a reporter. Though he hadn’t seen her on the news in a while. Not that he’d been some creepy stalker who’d Tivo’d her channel or saved them or anything. He cleared his throat. “So how’s work?”

“Swell.”

“You have any big projects coming up? Curing world hunger or something like that?”

“Something like that.” Char let out a breath and looked out the window. “I’m sorry, by the way.”

“For?”

“The condoms.” She turned to look at him; the moonlight reflecting through the windows of his car highlighted the curve of her delicate neck.

He adjusted himself in his seat and managed to clear his throat, sounding relatively normal and not at all as turned on as he felt. Damn. When was the last time just the mere appearance of a girl had him acting like he was fourteen again? “Yeah, well, I’m sorry I called you an alcoholic.”

She smiled, the type of smile guys dream about at night, the smile that holds promises of forever and stolen kisses, lots of laughter, and… He shook his head. Not on the agenda, not in his life, not his future.

He pulled up to her work where her car was parked. Soft music from the radio played in the background. It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t meant to be, except it felt like one. It was awkward in the same way first dates are. You know, the kind of date where you’re terrified of where to put your hands, if you have food in your teeth, or whether you’re giving off a creepy vibe.

Char reached for the door handle and pushed it open. “See you later, Jake.”

“Yeah.”

He let her walk away.

Again.

It seemed as if he was always doing that. She was always walking toward something and for some reason it made him want to chase her. As if she was a zebra and he was a lion in need of pouncing on her.

Did he only want her because she was angry as hell and hard to get? Or was it more? He put his car back into drive and turned up the music.

Reality. He needed a large dose of it. Either that or a cold shower. Travis had warned him away and for once in his life he didn’t really feel like letting Travis or Kacey down.

“Siri,” he said aloud to his phone. “Find me the closest bar.”

How was it fair that even though Char and Jake weren’t dating, all she wanted to do when she got home was open up a giant bottle of wine and watch bad reality TV? He’d done nothing wrong.

Other than being mind-numbingly attractive, treating her like a princess, then accusing her of being an alcoholic.

She smirked, and opened the bottle of wine, pouring herself a glass. Beth was already asleep but Char still couldn’t get the afternoon’s events out of her head. As typical of any girl, she wanted to dissect every last piece of conversation she and Jake had had until she could figure out what it all meant. Was he just being nice? Turning over a new leaf and all that? Or was it all a ploy to get her into bed again? Was he just being that guy until he had what he wanted? And did he even want her to begin with or was he suddenly just bored with his playboy lifestyle?