Stronger

Stronger- Kanye West

Jake: Whatcha up to?

Me: Nothing much, just corrupting the youth with some good ol Kanye.

Jake: ???

I snap chat a video of EJ rapping and dancing along to Kanye West's "Stronger" in the kitchen. He was helping me cook for the dinner at my brother's apartment Thursday night. We just finished shaping up sirloin patties for chopped steak. When we finished washing our hands, I saw I had a text from Jake.

Jake called me back while I was checking the baked potatoes in the oven. I could tell it was him by the ringtone.

"EJ, answer that for me!" I called to him, while I juggled hot potatoes from the oven rack to a waiting pan.

"Hello?... Yes.... she's right here." EJ then laughed. "She told me too...My dad is at work.... she's at work too... I don't know. Ok." I listened to half the conversation as I made my way to him.

"It's Jake." EJ said, handing it over.

"Hey." I said, with a smile. I haven't seen Jake since Sunday night. I know it's only been two days, but I missed him. Urgh, I need to get it together.

"Hey. What's EJ doing there?" Jake asked.

"He's gonna spend the night. I'm gonna drop him off at his camp in the morning before I go to work." I explained to Jake.

Ethan just needed me to watch him after his basketball camp until he got off work, but I told Ethan that EJ could spend the night instead.

"Do y'all want some company?" Jake asked.

"Yes! And chives. And a chocolate bar." EJ's eyes widen. "Two chocolate bars." I corrected.

I was finishing up scooping out the last potato from the skin and into the bowl that EJ was mashing, when the doorbell rang. I went to go answer the door. Through the peep hole, I saw it was Jake. I opened the door and greeted him with a smile.

"Hola!"

"Hola. Ven aqui y besame." He replied.

 I stepped up on my tip toes, rested my hands on his shoulder and pecked him on the lips.

"Uno mas." He said, when I pulled back. I kissed him again, a little longer this time.

"Uno mas." He repeated. I giggled and kissed him deeply. When his hand that wasn't carrying the grocery bag wrapped around my waist, forcing our bodies together, I pulled back.

"Stop it. There is a child present." I scolded him, with a grin on my face.

He returned my grin. "So? How does he think he got here?"

"Like all other babies. The baby store." I replied, letting him into the apartment.

He shook his head. "I heard of the stork, but not the baby store."

"Everyone knows the stork is not real. That's just the logo of the baby store's delivery van."

He chuckled as I led him to the dining room. EJ was still hard at work at the table, mashing potatoes.

"What's up EJ?" Jake greeted him.

"Nothin. I'm helping Lily, then were gonna play the Xbox Kinect she bought." EJ informed him.

"What? You did not buy him a Xbox." Jake asked me.

"Nope. I bought myself one. I wanna test it out before I buy one for Amber and her family." I replied, while walking to the kitchen to wash my hands.

"That's generous of you." Jake commented, following me in the kitchen.

"Not really. I've been slacking with her and her kids for 2 years. Besides, she wants to lose weight and I heard it's a good work out." I explained, pulling sour cream, butter and milk out the refrigerator. Jake took them from me. I smiled, gratefully and grabbed the salt and pepper. We went back into the dining room.

"Why not just workout with her?" Jake asked, putting the ingredients on the table.

"Cause she feels guilty leaving her kids. She feels like they're her responsibility, so she can't put them on anyone else. I figured with the XBox Kinect they can have fun and workout together." I finished. I added milk, sour cream and butter to the potatoes that EJ mashed.

Jake nodded. "Speaking of, where are your parents at?" Jake asked EJ.

"I told you at work." EJ responded. I let him sprinkle in a little salt and pepper.

"Good job EJ. Go wash your hands. We're almost done." I said, stirring up the potato mixture.

He left the dining room table and headed for the kitchen.

"But really, what's up with his parents?" Jake asked me.

"Nothing. Ethan just needed me to watch him for a couple of hours. He's working more because he's up for partner. I told him EJ can just spend the night here."

"I didn't know he was up for partner. That's cool." Jake responded.

"Yeah. I don't think he wanted anyone to know in case he didn't get it. Which is silly cause I don't know anyone more ambitious than him. He works his ass off." I reasoned.

I don't know how he does it. I was that way in school, just so I could relax when I got a good job. Ethan is just non-stop. I think being a dad made him more relentless.

Jake nodded but didn't comment. He watched for a moment as I scooped the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins.

"What are you making?" He asked, stepping closer to me to watch.

"Twice baked potatoes." I answered, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through my body. This was getting ridiculous. The man was just standing next to me.

"I picked a good night to come over." Jake smiled at me. I had an overwhelming desire to lick his dimples...

"Done!" EJ declared, coming back in the room. And interrupting my naughty thoughts.

"Me too. Go ahead and look through the folder in the living room and see what you want for dinner tonight." I instructed him. Patrick and Lamar gave us a late moving in present. They composed a binder of all the delivery places around our area. EJ ran off to the living room.

"What's all this for?" Jake asked.

"Dinner with my brother tomorrow. They don't believe I can actually cook. Since I'm spending the night over there so that we can head to the airport together, I figured I'll show off my skills." I bragged.

"Ok. What time are we eating?" Jake smiled.

I didn't even think to invite Jake. Did that sound like an invitation? I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step with him. And if I was, I wouldn't do it at my brother's place. Cam didn't need home court advantage. "Uh, I'm heading over there after work. You can go over anytime you're ready to explain to my brother what we are." I answered, smartly, before grabbing the pan of potatoes and heading to the kitchen.

I was putting the pan in the refrigerator when Jake joined me. "I'm not afraid of your brother. I'm a big brother too. I know how it goes."

I smirked. "Not with my brother, you don't. He beat a man who had the audacity to sleep with me."

"Been there done that." Jake replied.

"Mid hook up? As in, pulled him off of me and beat him while he was half dressed?" I asked.

That got his attention. He looked shocked. "Alright, you gotta explain that one to me."

"I try to forget it." I shook my head.

"How bout pizza?" EJ asked, joining us in the kitchen.

"Sounds great!" I smiled, taking the menu from him.

After we ordered the pizza, we set up the Xbox Kinect. Kinect Sports came with it so that's what we played. It was so much fun. It consisted of soccer, volleyball, ping pong, track events, bowling and boxing. The camera on the Kinect really picked up on our every move. It was an amazing little workout. I was having so much fun, competing with Jake and EJ, I didn't realize how tired I was until the pizza arrived 35 minutes later.

"You did not just uppercut me!" I heard Jake exclaim to EJ as I set up dinner in the dining room.

"TKO! TKO!" EJ cheered. I smiled.

"Guys. Dinner! Wash your hands and let's eat." I called to them.

They joined me in the dining room and we had dinner together. I tried my hardest not to focus on how easy it was with Jake. And how good we were together. I just focused on enjoying both of their company.

After dinner, we played the Disneyland Kinect game I bought with the XBox. I was more excited for this one than EJ was. We went through swamps on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and ran for our lives in Phantom Manor based of The Haunted Mansion. Jake took over for EJ on the Peter Pan attraction. EJ was having trouble flying. I think it was the height different with the Kinect sensor trying to pick us both up. Jake and I had no problem. And we were having so much fun. We both were laughing and working together to defeat Captain Hook. When we finally did, we smiled at each other.

He then looked behind me to where EJ was sitting.

"You ready to go to bed EJ?" He asked.

I turned around to see EJ leaning against the arm of the couch. He just nodded. I should have known he was tiring out. He gets quiet when he's sleepy.

I took him upstairs and washed him up before helping him into his pajamas and putting him in my bed.

"So I don't have any books. Do your mom and dad still read to you at night?" I asked.

"Sometimes." He yawned.

I pulled out my laptop and pulled up YouTube.

"So this was the first book you ever read. Sorta. I read it to you before your naps when you were 4. It was the only kid book I had because my brother used to read it to me. You knew it so well, you could tell me what each page said." I explained.

I showed him a video of the dramatic reading of "There's a Monster at the End of This Book."

"I have this book. At my dad's house. We read it all the time." EJ exclaimed.

I smiled. It warmed me knowing that we shared that. I know it's not much, but it means the world to me. I watched him as he watched the video. He read along with it, smiling at the funny parts. His facial expression normally remind me of Megan, but just then, with him smiling, he looked like Ethan. I felt a pang of regret. I pushed it away.

When the video ended, I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night EJ. I'm right downstairs if you need me."

"Good night Lily." He replied. I turned the light of and headed downstairs.

When I went into the kitchen, Jake was wiping down the table. He already put the few dishes away.

"I think this is the most turned on I've ever been by you. Seeing you clean my kitchen? That's hot." I joked. He threw the sponge in the sink and stalked towards me.

"Guess I'm gonna have to find another way to turn you on, cause that ain't happening again." Jake said.

I laughed as he kissed me. It was deliberately slow, teasing me into wanting more. When he led me to the couch, and laid me on it, I had to stop him before I couldn't help myself.

"EJ. He might come down. He has never slept over before."

"That kid is worn out." Jake argued.

"But still."

Jake groaned and pulled me up. He sat down on the couch and pulled me into his lap.

"Ok. So tell me about the guy who got his ass kicked by your brother." He said, wrapping his arms around me.

"I already did. My brother walked in on us. Pulled him off. And beat him up. " I repeated.

"You thought you had the house to yourself?"

"Yeah. My dad was working. Cam wasn't supposed to be home but he got leave from the air force." I explained.

"I didn't know your brother was in the air force."

"Right after he graduated."

"So how old were you when all this happened?"

"15."

"Ok. Your brother wins. That's a little extreme. That kid was probably traumatized. He probably never had sex again." Jake chuckled.

"It wasn't a kid. It was my dad's business partner." I admitted.

I could have lied or said nothing. I didn't care about being completely honest with Jake. At least not about my past. But part of me wanted to see his reaction. I got it when I felt him stiffen up. I immediately broke his embrace and scooted out of his lap.

"Cariño, that wasn't sex. That was rape." Jake said, grabbing my hands. When I looked up at him, he was looking at me with a sad look on his face. That was worse than disgust.

"No it wasn't. I never told him no. He didn't hold me down. It was more than once. And I liked it." I countered.

Jake sighed. "If I was to start dating a 15 year old, what would you think of me?"

When I didn't respond, he continued. "Exactly. It doesn't matter if you jumped naked in his lap, he should have stopped it. He was an adult. You were a child."

"Were you with anyone before him?" Jake asked. I shook my head.

"And you never had a boyfriend after him?" I shook my head again.

"You didn't date in college?" Jake asked.

"No. After that whole thing, I started gaining more weight. I was like 60 lbs overweight." I explained.

"So who was your first time?" Confusion must have been written all over my face.

"After that man. Who did you have sex with?" Jake asked.

"Ethan."

He shut his eyes for a moment. Before I could ask him what was wrong, I heard the front door open.

"Hey guys." Sammy said, cheerfully.

"Hey." I said, forcing my voice to sound fine. Jake didn't even respond.

"I thought EJ was sleeping over?" Sammy asked, coming in holding a garment bag.

"He is. He's already in bed." I explained.

"Ok. Don't move! I have something to show you!" Sammy exclaimed, heading up the stairs.

"I'm gonna head out." Jake said, as soon as she disappeared. I didn't know if it was because of what I told him or if it was Sammy presence. I followed him out the door.

"Besame." I said as we walked on the porch. He turned around and pecked me on the lips. My heart dropped. Maybe it was what I had told him. Maybe he wasn't attracted to me.

"Uno mas?" I copied him. He kissed me again, and I pulled him down in a tight embrace. I teased his mouth with my tongue until he was kissing me back. He pushed me back against my front door and the evidence of his growing attraction rubbed against me. God, I was thrilled to feel that. Even if there was nothing I could do to help him out. When he finally pulled back, we were both breathless.

"5:30."

"Huh?" Jake asked.

"That's what time were eating tomorrow." I elaborated. He nodded before leaving. I went back into the apartment.

"Ta-Da!" Sammy announced, gesturing over her body in a tight, tube top mini dress. I recognized it as the Honey B's uniform.

"Very Nice."

"Thank you. Where did Jake go?" Sammy smiled.

"He had to get going." I said, simply. I realized I didn't give him my brother's address. I texted him the address before going to bed.


Spanish to English 


Hola- Hello

Ven aqui- Come here

Besame- Kiss me

Uno mas- One more

Cariño- Sweet heart