Stripped

Chapter 16

"Are you insane?" I said as I threw the window open. "What the hell are you doing?" Jake motioned for me to join him outside. "Nope!" I blurted when he reached for my hand. "I am not stepping foot on that roof Jake!"

But with an adorable smile, he easily lured me through the window. I clutched him tightly until I realized it was basically flat and I could walk easily. I smiled when I saw the blanket that Jake had spread out. "Pulling out all the stops?" I said as I sat cross legged on the blanket.

Jake laughed and joined me, stretching his long legs out in front of him, "For you Baby? Always."

"So...do you do this with all the girls?" I asked playfully.

Jake shook his head, "This is something I've been waiting to do for ten years Layla."

I cocked my head to the side, "What? Sit on your parent's roof?"

When Jake looked at me there wasn't a single trace of laughter. Jake, who was never serious, wore the most sincere face I'd ever seen. "The night they took you from me I sat right here. I wouldn't talk to anybody. My parents begged me to come inside but I wouldn't move. I just sat here, looking up at the stars and hoping that you were safe and warm. I swore that one day you would be sitting here, right next to me. And now, here you are." His eyes glistened in the moonlight with unshed tears. For a while we were silent, we let the sounds of the night soothe our frayed nerves and calm our beating hearts.

"Jake," I whispered softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful night, "Are you sorry you ended things with Megan?"

Jake looked at me curiously, "Why?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. I just, I can't really figure out why you were with her? She was...well she was kind of a bitch."

Laughter filled the night, "She was different when I first met her Layla. She was exciting and so different. But once I put that ring on her finger she changed. It was like day and night. It was something I thought I could handle. Maybe it was the stress of the wedding. But then the bachelor party happened. I don't want to be with someone who could do that." He looked sad for a split second but he was quick to recover, "But, more importantly, what happened with Mark? I thought you guys were in looove." He stretched the word love teasingly and nudged my shoulder with his.

"I took him to my house today," I began, absentmindedly twirling a piece of hair between my fingers, "I wanted him to understand why we are the way we are. So I took him there to show him what my life was like then. After hearing the story of that night,  he said I had to figure out how I felt about you before I could feel anything about him. " I avoided eye contact with Jake my heart was still aching as I thought of the last kiss Mark and I shared. "So he said he had to let me go." I left out the part where he said he loved me. Thought I wasn't sure why.

"I'm sorry Layla," Jake said with sorrow in his eyes that was quickly replaced with a glint of humor, "I never liked that guy anyway."

I stuck my tongue out at him, "Typical dude answer." I said through a chuckle.

"He does bring up a valid point though. How do you feel about me?"

If only I knew the answer to that. I sighed, "Why don't we take some time to figure that out?"

Jake smiled and played with the gold hoop that dangled from my ear, "That's a great idea. It's been a long time we should take our time. Why don't I take you to your apartment in the morning and I'll take you out tomorrow night? Kara is so worried about you."

I was apprehensive to return to the apartment, "I should. She didn't really do anything wrong."

"She felt terrible after the party. She regretted staying if that helps at all." Jake told me.