Temptation Takes Root
It was early afternoon the next time Jake returned to our home. A clear, sunny day. I was at the kitchen sink, absentmindedly scrubbing a plate, when he entered the backyard. I told myself I wouldn’t stare this time, but that resolve lasted all of five seconds. I watched as Jake moved with the same easy confidence, his snug shirt hugging his thick chest and arms.
From just watching him, a jolt of desire surged through me. As Jake slipped on his work gloves, the muscles in his arms tensed, writhing under his tanned skin, putting on a show I knew I shouldn’t enjoy. I told myself to look away, but my gaze stayed rooted, betraying me.
“Dad, is Jake here?” Jimmy’s voice snapped me out of my daze. I blinked, turning to him. “Uh… Yeah, he’s setting up,” I replied, trying to sound casual, though I didn’t move from the sink. My eyes flicked back to Jake through the window.
Within seconds, Jimmy was outside, rushing to Jake with the energy only a kid could muster. They greeted each other with enthusiastic fist bumps. I dried my hands, forcing myself to step away from the window. I told myself to focus on anything else—anything that wasn’t Jake powering a shovel into the ground.
But then, their voices drifted in through the open window. “You want to help me today, Jimmy?” Jake’s deep, easygoing voice was impossible to ignore. I leaned against the counter, pretending to busy myself with the dishes, but my attention was still firmly fixed outside.
“What do you say we start with something fun?” Jake asked, playful as always. “How about a quick workout?”
Jimmy’s response was exactly what I expected—pure enthusiasm. I looked up just in time to see Jake stretching, his arms raised, pulling his shirt tight across his chest. Again, I told myself to stop watching, creeping, but I couldn’t. Every deliberate movement of Jake’s body seemed to pull me in, like a magnet.
I tried to focus on Jimmy—tried to remind myself that this was about him, about the positive influence Jake was having on him. But my attention kept drifting to Jake: the way his biceps swelled when he demonstrated a push-up, the ripple of his muscles dancing under the fabric stretched tight as he moved through the drills with ease.
It would be embarrassing to admit how long I stood there, stealing glances out the window like a schoolboy with a crush. There was just something about the way Jake moved, something magnetic. He didn’t even break a sweat, guiding Jimmy through squats and push-ups with laughter in his voice.
And then he looked up. Our eyes met for just a second, and I froze, my face flushed red. I thought about pretending I hadn’t been watching, but it was too late. Jake smiled at me—small, knowing, like he’d caught me in the act. My stomach flipped, and I ducked my head, wiping the counter even though it was already clean.
Jake’s influence on Jimmy was undeniable, and I was grateful for it. But I couldn’t ignore the way my eyes kept following him, or how my heart seemed to beat faster whenever he glanced in my direction. It wasn’t just his body, though that was definitely part of it—it was the way he filled the space, how easily he connected with Jimmy in a way that Sean never had. That’s when the guilt hit me, hard and fast.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a similar manner—Jimmy and Jake working on the back fence, while I watched from afar, struggling with my feelings. By the end of the day, I knew I’d be thinking about Jake long after he was gone.
I lingered in the doorway, watching Jake gather his tools, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow across the yard. I told myself it was because I appreciated how good he was with Jimmy, how my son was calmer around him. But there was no denying that my attraction to Jake was tied to more than his good influence on Jimmy.. There was something about Jake, something magnetic. It was more than just his stunning physique. It was the way he carried himself, his quiet confidence, his playfulness, that just kept drawing me in, whether I wanted it or not.
I told myself I should just head back inside, but instead, I stepped out the door, letting it close behind me with more force than I intended. Jake glanced up, flashing me that grin that sent my heart straight to my throat.
“Hey, Jake,” I called, trying to sound casual, though my words came out a little too loud. My hands found their way into my pockets as I crossed the yard. My mind scrambled for something to say, anything to fill the silence. “Uh, looks like you made good progress today,” I blurted, feeling the heat rise to my face. “The yard’s... uh, looking great.”
Jake stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. His shirt clung to his body in a way that made it impossible not to stare. “Yeah, it’s coming along,” he replied with that easy smile, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes, like he could sense my nervous energy. There was a moment of silence, the weight of it pressing down on me. My mind raced, searching for something to say, something normal, but nothing came. I shifted on my feet, feeling the tension build between us.
And then, without thinking, the words spilled out. “Could you stay for dinner?” My eyes widened, quickly trying to recover, “Uh, I mean, um, would you like to stay for dinner?” I asked, my voice higher than I meant it to be. Trying to cover up my awkward misstep, I quickly added, “I mean, it would make Jimmy happy.”
He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Jimmy, huh?”
My stomach flipped again. “Yeah,” I shrugged awkwardly. “I mean... I wouldn’t mind it either.”
Jake chuckled, his eyes glinting with that familiar teasing edge. He glanced down at his sweat-soaked shirt. “I’m a bit of a mess, though. Mind if I hose off first?”
I hesitated, the memory of the last time he rinsed off flashing in my mind. The way the water had traced over his chest... I cleared my throat. “Well, actually, you can use the shower inside. I could, um…. even toss your clothes in the wash. Save you from the hose.”
Jake’s smirk widened, and for a moment, I wondered if I’d overstepped. But then he nodded. “That sounds perfect,” he said, reaching for the hem of his shirt.
The breath caught in my throat as he pulled his shirt off, revealing the full expanse of his chest. His lion tattoo stood out against his skin, his abs still gleaming with sweat. I didn’t realize I was staring until Jake’s eyes met mine, amusement flickering across his face.
“Lead the way,” he said, his tone casual, though the look in his eyes suggested he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Right,” I muttered, turning quickly and heading inside. Once we reached the bathroom, I fumbled with the towels, trying not to make things more awkward than they already were.
“You can leave your clothes outside the door,” I said, my voice a little too fast. “I’ll take care of them.”
Jake nodded, already unbuttoning his jeans as I hurried out of the bathroom. I could feel the heat rising in my face as I shut the door behind me, the image of Jake’s body still burning in my mind. I leaned against the wall for a second.
Moments later, his clothes were waiting outside the bathroom door—damp, heavy with sweat. The scent of him, that mix of earth and salt, clung to the fabric, making my pulse race all over again.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I slammed the lid of the washer, focusing on the sound of the machine filling with water instead of the storm of emotions swirling inside me. By the time I got back to the kitchen, I’d almost convinced myself I could keep my cool.
Almost.
Fifteen minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open, and Jake stepped out, a towel slung low around his hips, his skin still damp and glistening from the shower. My breath caught, my eyes immediately drawn to the way the towel clung to his waist. He looked stunning!
He ran a hand through his wet hair, his eyes locking with mine. “Thanks for the shower,” he said, casual as ever. “And for tossing my clothes in the wash.”
“No problem,” I stammered, my gaze lingering on his chest. Water droplets still clung to his skin, catching the light, tracing the lines of his pecs and abs.
Jake leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossing casually, though the way his biceps swelled with the movement was anything but casual. His smirk widened, his eyes flicking over me like he knew exactly what effect he was having. “You don’t happen to have a t-shirt I could borrow, do you?” he asked, the teasing edge in his voice unmistakable.
The question hung in the air for a moment. I swallowed hard. He was toying with me. I could feel it, from the way his eyes lingered on me and the slight tilt of his head as if daring me to object. My mouth went dry. As I tried to play it off, my hand slid down the front of my shirt, silently comparing myself to him. “I, uh... don’t think I have anything in your size,” I admitted with a shaky laugh, my gaze dropping to the floor, the heat creeping up my neck.
Jake’s smirk deepened. “Yeah, I figured,” he said, his tone light as his eyes swept over me again, making the contrast in our builds all the more glaring.
Jake chuckled, his voice sending another jolt through me. “Guess I’ll just have to wait for my clothes,” he said, stepping toward me.
I swallowed hard. “You’re fine to stay like that if you want,” I blurted. “In the towel, I mean.”
Jake grinned. “You sure about that?”
I nodded too quickly, my heart hammering in my chest. “Yeah.”
“All right then,” Jake said, turning toward the living room. “Guess I’ll make myself comfortable.”
I stood there, frozen, watching him walk away. The sight of his broad back and muscular calves filled my vision. My pulse thundered in my ears, and I knew, no matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t going to keep my cool for the rest of the night.
I tried to focus on preparing dinner, but that work did little to calm the storm inside me. From the living room, the sound of Jake laughing with Jimmy carried through the house, making my chest tighten. They had spent the last hour playing video games, bantering back and forth like they’d known each other for years.
Listening to them, I felt moved by the bond they were building. Jimmy had never connected with someone like this before, and seeing how effortlessly Jake stepped into that role filled me with a mixture of warmth and unease. It wasn’t just how good Jake was with him, it was the ease with which he fit into our lives. And that’s what gnawed at me the most. I found myself thinking about what might happen next. There was no denying that Jake’s vibe was titillating but how far could this really go? Was I really going to keep inviting him back? How was Jimmy going to feel when Jake was no longer around? My mind raced with guilt, reprimanding me for letting Jake get this close, for generating expectations I wasn’t sure I could keep.
After a few minutes of fumbling around the kitchen, I gathered the plates, my hands trembling as I set them on the table. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to sit across from him without staring like some awkward teenager.
“Dinner’s ready,” I called out, my voice cracking slightly. There was no response from Jimmy. A moment later, Jake appeared in the doorway. “Jimmy’s out cold on the couch,” he said softly, an amused grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. My pulse quickened at the sound of his voice, my heart beating faster as I realized it would just be the two of us for dinner.
Jake stood there, still wrapped in the towel, his muscles on full display as his pecs slowly tensed. I forced myself to look at the table, but his physicality was impossible to ignore. I look back at him, he stood by the island, and my heart leapt into my throat when his eyes locked with mine.
“You think my clothes are dry yet?” Jake asked, his tone casual, though the teasing glint in his eye made it clear he took great delight in provoking me. “Or should I just stick with the towel?”
My heart hammered in my chest as I scrambled for words, my gaze darting between the laundry room and Jake. “I-I’ll grab them,” I stammered, almost knocking over a chair in my rush. I hurried to the laundry room, fumbling with his clothes, my hands trembling as I folded them.
When I returned, Jake hadn’t moved. He stood there, watching me with that same amused look. I handed him the clothes, trying not to react when our hands brushed.
“Thanks,” Jake said, flashing me a grin. Then, without hesitation, he dropped the towel. “Be back in a minute,” Jake called over his shoulder, as though nothing had happened. I froze, gasping softly as I got a full, unobstructed view of Jake’s naked body before he turned and walked away toward the bathroom. My eyes locked onto the curve of his glutes—round, firm, moving like two perfectly sculpted melons in rhythm, playfully mocking my inability to look away with every flexing step. My face burned with the image of his physique as the door closed behind him.
When Jake returned, now dressed in his t-shirt and jeans, I still hadn’t fully composed myself. His clothes clung to him, splendidly outlining his statuesque physique in a way that made it hard to focus on anything else.
“All set,” he said, smiling easily as he moved to the table. I sat across from him, my hands shaking as I reached for my fork, the tension between us almost suffocating.
For a few minutes, we ate in silence, the only sound was the clinking of our utensils. I could feel Jake’s presence with every second, my pulse thrumming in my ears. The air between us was thick with tension. Finally, Jake broke the silence, his voice slow and deliberate, like he had been waiting for just the right moment.
“So…” His eyes glinted with mischief as he leaned back in his chair, casually stretching his arms behind his head, making his chest and biceps flex under his shirt. “I’m guessing your boyfriend doesn’t work out much?”
The question hit me like a jolt, catching me completely off guard. “What?” I croaked, struggling to keep my voice steady.
“Sean, right?” Jake continued, his tone light but laced with teasing. “You don’t talk about him much, but I’m guessing he doesn’t spend a lot of time at the gym.” His eyes swept over me knowingly, his smirk widening as though he already knew what my response would be.
I blinked, trying to regain my composure. My gaze flicked over him—his shirt perfectly showcasing his bulging muscles. “Why would you assume that?” I managed to ask, though my voice sounded weak, unconvincing.
Jake’s smirk deepened, his eyes locking onto mine with a playful gleam. “Because you’ve been staring at me all day,” he said smoothly, his voice low. “And, I mean… dude, you’re not exactly subtle.” He chuckled, leaning forward slightly, his forearms rippling with the movement. “First time around a bodybuilder?”
I froze, feeling my face grow hot. “No, it’s not that,” I stammered, trying desperately to play it cool. “I mean, Sean and I go to the gym regularly. We both work out.”
Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Sean looks like this?” He flexed his arm slightly, drawing attention to his bicep, the thick vein snaking along the curve of his muscle. He let his fingers glide over it, tracing the vein with a casual cockiness that made it impossible to look away. His grin widened, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on me.
I swallowed hard, unable to tear my eyes away. My heart raced and I felt the pressure building inside me. And then, as if reading my mind, Jake leaned back again and asked, “You sure you don’t have a thing for muscle?” His voice was softer now, almost intimate, like he was gently teasing out the truth he already knew.
My mind raced, the heat rising to my face. “I-I don’t…” I started, but the words trailed off as my gaze flicked back to his bicep, then to his chest, and I could feel the tension in the air growing. Jake’s grin told me he wasn’t going to let this go. And then, it all spilled out, uncontrollably.
“I... I —It’s just—you were playing volleyball at the beach, you looked so amazing. Your grace and strength… I couldn't help watching. And then you saved Jimmy. You were so calm, so strong. And now, you’re so good with him!” My breath hitched as the words tumbled out faster than I could stop them. “And then, on Tuesday, when you rinsed off... It was… all the muscle... I couldn’t look away. And today... in the towel... you looked... stunning. Like, I didn’t know what to do with myself. And I—”
The more I spoke the faster I talked and my voice went up in octaves. As I started to process what was happening, what I had just said, well, all I could do was bow my head waiting for the penance to accompany my impromptu confession. My heart pounded, unable to say another word. It didn’t take long for Jake to process what he had just heard. He chuckled. I slowly looked up at him.
Jake leaned back in his chair, a slow, satisfied grin spreading across his face. His eyes gleaming with amusement. “So… it’s a recent thing,” he teased, his voice full of playful arrogance. “The muscle.”
My face flushed deeper as I sat there, speechless, the weight of my own admission hanging heavily in the air. Jake’s grin widened even more, and the smugness in his eyes told me he had enjoyed every second of watching me unravel. I couldn’t meet his gaze, instead I stared at my plate.
Jake’s voice softened. “Relax, Noah,” he said gently, putting his hand on mine, reassuring me. “It’s all good. I like it. I’m having fun spending time with you... and Jimmy.”
His words washed over me, easing the tension that had built inside me. When I finally looked up, his eyes were warm, the teasing still there, but softer now. We sat there in silence for a few minutes as we finished out drinks. I kept looking at him, blushing faintly, but for the first time all night, I felt like I could breathe again.
I was still reeling from the intensity of our earlier moments when the sound of the front door opening shattered the silence. My breath caught in my throat, and I stood frozen in place as Sean’s familiar footsteps echoed down the hallway. The quiet intimacy I had shared with Jake felt abruptly and painfully exposed.
Sean appeared in the kitchen doorway, his tie loosened, his hair slightly dishevelled from a long day at work. His eyes scanned the room, quickly landing on Jake, who was sitting comfortably across from me, in Sean’s usual place. His expression tightened—subtle but unmistakable—as his gaze lingered a second too long on Jake’s broad shoulders and freshly showered form. The shift in energy was immediate, like a storm cloud forming overhead.
“Oh,” Sean said, his voice clipped. “And I assume you’re Jake?”
The tension in the room thickened, and my stomach twisted into knots. There was no way for this to look right—Jake, sitting here after dinner, freshly showered, while I stood beside him with my heart still pounding from earlier. I opened my mouth to explain, but Jake, ever calm, spoke first.
“Yeah, I’m Jake,” he replied smoothly, leaning back in his chair with an easy, confident posture. His arms rested casually on the table, but there was a subtle edge to his body language, a quiet message being sent. He added, “Noah’s been kind enough to feed me after a long day.”
Sean’s jaw tightened, and I could see the flicker of something sharp in his eyes. His lips pressed into a thin line before he forced a tight smile. “Another dinner, huh? You’re getting comfortable around here, aren’t you?” As he looked Sean over, a bit of a smirk was forming on his lips.
The comment stung, even though it wasn’t directed at me. I looked quickly at Jake and I could already see him dismissing Sean as inconsequential to him. Nonetheless, I felt guilty. I should have said something, should have tried to smooth things over before it came to this, but instead, I fumbled with my words, barely managing a stammered explanation. “Jake’s been great with Jimmy,” I said, my voice too fast, too high. “He’s really good with him. It’s... it’s helped.”
Sean’s eyes cut to mine, sharp and questioning, as if he was trying to read between the lines of my fumbling explanation. The silence that followed felt heavy, awkward, the weight of unspoken accusations settling between us. Jake, however, seemed entirely unfazed. His gaze remained calm, his posture relaxed, as though Sean’s words didn’t rattle him in the slightest.
“Helping,” Sean repeated, his tone thick with sarcasm. He shot Jake a look that was meant to cut, but Jake just smiled—an easy, knowing smile that only seemed to amplify the tension in the room.
“I guess I’ll leave you two to it, then,” Sean muttered, his voice edged with bitterness as he turned on his heel and stalked out of the kitchen. He didn’t wait for a response before his footsteps echoed loudly up the stairs, followed by the sharp slam of the bedroom door. The sound reverberated through the house like the final note of something breaking apart.
I stared where Sean had been standing. Confusion flooded my thoughts, twisting together with the remnants of my earlier confession, making it impossible to think straight.
I glanced over at Jake, half expecting him to crack a joke or downplay the situation, but he didn’t. He just sat there, calm and composed, with an expression that was hard to read. That steady gaze only made the knot in my chest tighten further, pulling me in two different directions at once.
“You okay?” Jake asked after a long beat of silence, his voice gentle but firm. His question wasn’t just about Sean’s outburst—it felt bigger than that, like he was asking if I was okay with everything that had just happened between us.
I nodded, though the word felt hollow in my chest. “Yeah,” I muttered, though I wasn’t sure what I was feeling anymore. The air between us was still charged, buzzing with unspoken tension, but I didn’t know how to move forward from here. I couldn’t look at Jake without replaying the way I had confessed everything, without feeling the rush of emotions that followed.
I stood up quickly, gathering the dishes from the table in a clumsy attempt to distract myself. Behind me, I could feel Jake watching, his calm presence an anchor in the middle of the chaos swirling inside me. The clatter of plates was the only sound that filled the space, but the tension that had built up over the course of the night still pressed down on my shoulders, heavy and unrelenting.
The house felt too quiet, the tension from dinner and Sean’s untimely entrance hanging in the air. Eventually, I turned to face Jake. My hands rested on the counter, but my mind was a mess—part of me wanted to go after Sean, to fix what had just cracked between us. But another part of me was completely focused on Jake.
Slowly, Jake rose from his seat and stepped closer, his movements deliberate but unhurried. The tension in the room climbed as I watched him, my heart hammering in my chest. “You deserve better than that,” he said quietly, his voice low, carrying a strength that I should have found reassuring. Yet, his words hit me harder than I expected, filling the room with an intensity that almost left me breathless.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as I tried to process what he was saying. “Better?” The word felt foreign on my lips. The idea that I deserved more than the life I had with Sean sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing through me, but it was buried beneath the pull I felt toward Jake. His words made me feel seen, in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Jake took another step closer, and before I realized what was happening, his arms were around me. The warmth of his body hit me first—solid, reassuring, and strong. My breath hitched as his broad, muscular chest pressed against me, his embrace gentle but undeniably firm. For a moment, my body stiffened with the intensity of it all, but then I melted into him, my head resting lightly against his chest as I let the tension slip away, just for a second.
His breath brushed lightly against my temple as he dipped his head, his lips hovering just above mine. My pulse roared in my ears, my body trembling under his touch. I glanced up, caught in the moment, and then his lips were on mine—slow, searching, as though waiting for me to pull away. But I didn’t. I leaned into the kiss, my lips parting to let him in deeper, the warmth of his mouth sending a surge of emotion rushing through me.
The heat of Jake’s body seeped into mine, every inch of him solid and unyielding. My heart pounded wildly, betraying me as I felt myself growing hard against his quad, my body responding instinctively to the closeness, the intimacy. I fought to stay calm, to stay composed, but it was impossible whilst in Jake’s muscular embrace.
The kiss deepened, each second pulling me further under. My mind raced, but my body was on autopilot, responding to Jake’s touch with a need I couldn’t control. The feel of his lips against mine, the taste of him—it was overwhelming. By the time we pulled apart, I was breathless, my chest heaving as I stared up at him, dazed and confused by the intensity of the moment.
Jake didn’t say anything at first. He stood there, his hands still resting lightly on my waist, his eyes holding mine with a look that made my chest tighten. There was something raw in his gaze, something that told me this wasn’t just a casual moment for him. This kiss—it meant something, something more than I was ready to face.
“Are you going to be okay tonight?” Jake’s voice was low, filled with concern, his protective tone wrapping around me like a warm blanket. The softness in his words made my heart ache in a way I couldn’t explain.
I nodded. “Yeah,” I whispered, my voice small and uncertain. The reality of what had just happened with Jake clashed against the fact that Sean was still upstairs, oblivious to everything that had unfolded.
Jake’s hand slid gently from my waist, but he didn’t step back right away. His eyes remained locked on mine, his voice dropping even lower. “I don’t want to stop here, Noah,” he admitted softly, the raw honesty in his words sending another wave of heat through me. “But I don’t want to complicate things for you... and Jimmy.”
His words lingered in the air, heavy with meaning. I knew what he was offering, and God, I wanted it. But the weight of the situation, the complexity of my life with Sean and Jimmy, pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe, hard to think clearly.
“It’s not... it’s not that simple,” I stammered, my voice barely audible. I looked up at him, my chest tight with the conflict raging inside me. I didn’t know how to explain the mess of feelings that had taken root, the way I felt both drawn to Jake and trapped by the life I had built with Sean.
Jake reached up, his hand cupping the side of my face, his thumb brushing softly across my cheek. “I get it,” he said gently, his tone full of understanding. “But just know... I’m here. For you. For Jimmy. You don’t have to go through this alone.”
His words soothed something deep inside me, easing the knot that had been twisting in my chest for days. I leaned into his touch for a moment, closing my eyes and letting the comfort of his presence wash over me—a realization that something had shifted between us. I looked up at Jake, my throat tight, my heart heavy with all the unsaid things. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.
Jake offered me a small, understanding smile, his hand slipping away as he stepped back, giving me space. “You deserve better, Noah,” he said again quietly, his words filled with a conviction that made my chest ache. “Don’t forget that.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The room felt charged with everything that had just happened, and I knew there was no going back to how things were.
Jake glanced toward the door, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he stepped away. “I’ll see you soon,” he said softly, and then, with one last look, he turned and headed for the door.
I stood there, frozen, listening to the sound of the front door closing behind him. The house felt eerily quiet, the weight of the evening pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. My mind raced, my emotions a tangled mess as I stood in the kitchen, staring where Jake had just been standing.
I didn’t move, didn’t breathe, my heart still pounding in my chest. And then, finally, I turned toward the stairs, my legs heavy as I made my way up to bed. The weight of the night followed me, the memory of Jake’s kiss lingering on my lips as I climbed into bed, unsure of what tomorrow would bring.
Author's note: A long one today, thanks for sticking through to the end. Chapter 5 let's us cool off a little with a reflection from Jake and an invitation that Noah can't refuse.
