Imperfect Love by Isabella White Page A

was much bigger at that time, so I could’ve won easily if I’d just sat on him.”
    Holly laughed.
    “But, Leo was much faster than me, so he found a way to get the upper hand every time. I only found out years later from my sister when she graduated, that the punches between him and me were some sort of therapy. After I finally managed to control and get rid of all my anger, he picked me up every morning for a two mile run. I owe him my life and getting this back, of course.” He pointed at his body, in a very elaborate manner.
    Laughing and shaking her head, Holly asked, “And that’s when you decided to become a doctor?”
    “Yes, I tried so badly not to walk in my family’s footsteps but I became intrigued with the brain. It’s truly one of our most fascinating organs, and that is what I ultimately want to specialize in.”
    “So, you’re studying to become a neurologist?”
    He nodded, a huge grin illuminating his face. “I thought you knew because of your previous statement regarding Josie’s head.”
    She laughed. “Wow, I’m impressed. I take it you’re smart, too?” Holly rolled her eyes in a dramatic way.
    Jake just shrugged in an ‘I guess so’ manner. “I did plenty of sexual favors for professors so that they could teach me everything they knew, you know, having started my studies so late and everything.”
    Holly’s eyes rose. “What?”
    He laughed. “I’m joking, you really think I would do that? No, I have a photographic memory.”
    “Ugh! That just sucks,” Holly complained, which made him chuckle again. She started wringing her hands nervously, only because of what she wanted to ask next. Trying to look nonchalant, she forged ahead. “So, this girlfriend of five years, was it Sonic?”
    Jake smiled. “No, her best friend, Melanie. They’re not friends anymore.”
    “I can’t imagine why,” she replied sarcastically.
    “You sound like Bernie now,” he answered on a grin.
    “Well, maybe she has a point.”
    “Yeah, maybe she does. I learned my lesson with Melanie, though. I’ll never go for an airhead again. They don’t stick around when you need them the most, and Sonic only started speaking to me again when she bumped into me two months ago.”
    Holly shook her head. “Not everyone is like that.”
    Jake gave her the eye, the one that meant he totally disagreed.
    “You dated that many?”
    “Holly, if only you knew. There was a time when Bernie hated me. Seriously. I was not one of the nicest guys around, and my morals were way out of place.”
    “At least they are in place now,” she said, glancing around the room. “I hope.”
    “They are.” His tone was seductive.
    He tugged on Holly’s shirt again, until she finally gave in and leaned forward. Their lips touched, and the butterflies in her stomach turned into tiny fire crackers; it felt as if she were going to explode. She’d never experienced anything like this, and with all the stories about his life swimming in her head, she knew she was done for.
    She had somehow crashed into love with him.
    His hand cupped the back of her neck gently, his thumb rubbing the side of her neck, and the kiss grew in intensity. It felt as if she couldn’t get enough of this man, and the urge to dispose of his clothes rose up inside her gut.
    But, Holly couldn’t do that. She needed to be sure about his feelings for her first. Tomorrow, it could all be over and she would be left in the dumps again. Jake was far from safe when it came to getting over Brandon. Heck, she didn’t even think that Brandon would be able to help her get over this, if it turned out to be a one-night stand.
    They were both out of breath when they finally broke away.
    “I could kiss you forever,” Jake told her, his eyes still closed.
    Holly smiled, both on the inside and out, as she felt exactly the same. “It takes two to make kissing a success.”
    He nipped her bottom lip in reply.
    “So, this Brandon guy…” he started asking.
    “Who?”