Saving Jax (8 page)

“Just one drink, alright?”  She licked her lips nervously.

“Yes.”  He smiled happily as she got out of the car and followed him up the sidewalk to his house.

Once inside she slipped off her heels as he hung her jacket in the closet.  She followed him down the hallway and into the kitchen, blinking in surprise when he turned the light on.  She had expected something modern and sleek and, while it was modern, she was totally unprepared for the touches of vintage charm.

She ran her hand over the small wooden table and the intricate design carved into the side of it.  Four chairs with a matching design surrounded it and the table was sanded and polished to perfection.  “This is gorgeous.  Where did you buy it?”

“I made it.”  He pulled a bottle of scotch and two glasses from an upper cabinet.

“What?”  Her eyes widened.  “You made this table?”

“I did.  I like to make furniture.  It’s a hobby.”

“Jax, this – this could be more than a hobby,” she said.  “The design alone is incredible.”

He shrugged as he poured the scotch.  “It really is just a hobby.”

“What else have you made?”

“Follow me, I’ll show you.”

He handed her the glass and she followed him out of the kitchen and into the small living room.  He pointed to the rocking chair by the fireplace and the small buffet against the far wall.  “I made both of those as well.”

“They’re beautiful.  You really should consider trying to sell some of your stuff.”

“Nah, it’s not that good.”

“It is,” she insisted.  “You have no idea.”

He just shrugged again and sat down in the armchair as she studied the rest of the room.  One wall had built-in bookshelves that were filled to the brim with books.  “You like to read, huh?”

“Yes.  Does that surprise you?”

“No,” she said.  She studied the mantle over the fireplace.  “Did you make this as well?”

“Yes.  The house was a fixer-upper when I bought it.  I’ve done most of the work myself.”

“It’s really beautiful.”

“Thank you.  Drink up.”  He held his glass of scotch up and she tipped her glass toward him before taking a cautious sip of the liquid.

She rarely drank and she absolutely did not want to get drunk around Jax Anderson.  She’d be in his bed with her legs spread wide and screaming his name if she did.  The mental image made her shiver with delight and she took another hasty sip before setting the glass on the hearth.

“May I use your bathroom?”

“Upstairs, second door on the left.”

“Thanks.”

She climbed the staircase and turned down the hall.  Had he said the first or second door?  She couldn’t remember, probably because she was too busy picturing herself naked in his bed.  She opened the first door, a thin thread of light was shining out from under it, and peered into the room.  Her mouth dropped open.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she whispered.

The two bunnies stared at her from the overstuffed armchair they were sitting on.  She stepped into the room and stared around in amazement.  The floor was tile but a large plush rug covered the middle of it.  There were small dog beds scattered around the room, as well as a number of hard plastic baby toys.  A large litter box filled to the brim with fresh hay was pushed against one wall and wicker baskets, most of them with large pieces chewed from their edges, were placed strategically around the room.

One of the bunnies hopped down from the armchair and hopped nimbly to the hay bin.  It jumped in and began to nibble as the second one stretched and yawned before hopping down and joining it.

“Bunnies?”  She whispered.  “He has bunnies?”

“What are you doing in here?”

She whipped around at the sound of Jax’s voice.  He was standing in the doorway and she smiled apologetically.  “I’m sorry, I couldn’t remember what door you said so I just tried this one.”

“It’s the next door,” he said.  “Here, I’ll show you.”

“Hang on a minute, I want to know why you have bunnies.”

Colour stained his cheeks.  “They’re my pets.”

She studied him for so long that his flush deepened.  “What?”

“That’s seriously adorable.”

“Yeah, didn’t you say you had to use the bathroom?”

“In a minute,” she said.  “What are their names?”

He sighed and finished the last of his scotch.  “Ricky and Lucy.”

She grinned.  “That is also adorable.”

“Alright, you’ve seen them.  Let’s go.”

“Can I pet them?”

“Mel, I – “

“Pretty please?”  She asked.

He sighed again.  “Fine.”

“So do you have to like catch them with a net or something?”

“A net?”  He rolled his eyes.

“What?  I’ve never had a pet bunny before.  Although I have had rabbit stew.”

“Not funny.”  He glowered at her and she giggled.

“I’m sorry.”

He squatted down and she watched in amazement as the two bunnies hopped rapidly across the room to him.  They flattened their chins on the floor and he rubbed and stroked the tops of their heads and pulled lightly on their long ears before picking up the bigger of the two.

“This is Lucy.”

Mel stroked the large white rabbit’s ears tentatively before running her fingers along her back.  “She’s so soft.”

“She has some rex in her.  That makes her a bit softer.”

“Rex?”  She asked curiously.

“It’s a breed of rabbit.”

“How old are they?”

“They’re both four years old.  I adopted them from a bunny rescue on the outskirts of the city a couple of years ago.”

She stepped back as he gently set Lucy on the ground.  She hopped back to the hay bin, the smaller grey bunny followed her immediately, and Jax smiled faintly.

“Ricky does whatever Lucy wants.”

“Smart bunny.”  She grinned at him as he brushed the white fur from his suit jacket.

“Since you’re up here, I might as well give you a tour of the upstairs.”

“Sure,” she said.  “Just give me a minute.”

He nodded and she left the room and entered the washroom.  She peed quickly and stared at herself in the mirror as she washed her hands.  “Get a quick tour and then head home, Thomas.  Don’t let the fact that he has pet bunnies make you start thinking he’s all sweetness and light.”

Pep talk over, she let the bathroom and followed Jax down the hall.  “This is the guest room.  It still needs some work.”

“It’s nice,” she said.  It was nice, just lacked the small touches of warmth that permeated the rest of the home.

He led her to the next door.  “This is my bedroom.”

She stepped into the room.  It was decorated in shades of blue and grey and she stared for a long moment at the bed before swallowing and examining the rest of the room. 

“Do you like it?” 

He was standing behind her, his breath stirring her hair, and she nodded.  “It’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you.”  His arm snaked around her waist and his hard hand cupped her hip as he brushed her hair aside and kissed the side of her neck.  She shuddered against him.

“Jax, you – you said just a drink.”

“I lied,” he whispered before licking the column of her throat.

“This is such a bad idea,” she moaned as his hand moved upward to cup her breast.

“Is it?  I think it’s an excellent idea.”  He squeezed her breast firmly, rubbing his thumb across her nipple.  “Stay the night with me, butterfly.  Let’s finish what we started earlier.”

“Just tonight, right?”  She whispered.

“Yes.”

“You can’t tell Cal.”

“I won’t.  I promise.”

He turned her and pressed a soft kiss against her mouth.  “Stay the night, butterfly.”

She stared up at him, her entire body vibrating with need for him, and nodded.  “Yes.”

Jax gave her a sexy little grin before sliding his hands down and squeezing her ass.  “It’s going to be so good, butterfly.”

“You keep saying that,” she said a bit breathlessly.  “Maybe it’s time you stopped talking and started showing.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe.”

“Challenge accepted.”  His fingers found the zipper on her dress and pulled.  He tugged on the material and she shimmied out of it.  He bent and picked it up and she watched with amusement as he shook it out and draped it carefully over the dresser.

“What?”  He asked.

“For someone who keeps saying he’s dying to fuck me, you’re certainly taking your sweet time.”

He laughed and pulled her into his embrace, his hands reaching for the clasp of her bra.  “Are you always this impatient?”

“I just know what I want.”

“What is it that you want?”

“You.  Inside of me.”

“Jesus, butterfly.” His pelvis pressed against her and she rubbed herself against his erection before pressing kisses against his throat.

“I suppose you want me to be sweet and submissive?”  She asked as she undid his pants and wiggled her hand into his briefs.  She wrapped her fingers around his cock and stroked firmly.

“Butterfly, you can be whatever you want to be,” he groaned as his pelvis arched.

“Good,” she murmured as she tugged his pants and his briefs down before sinking to her knees in front of him.

Without hesitating she slid her mouth over his cock.  He made a muttered curse and his hands threaded through her hair to hold her head tightly as she sucked on the head of his cock.  He moaned and she took more of him into her mouth, running her tongue over the smooth skin as he twitched and shuddered.

She sucked hard, her cheeks hollowing with the effort, as he pumped his hips back and forth.  She gripped the base of him with her hand and stroked him firmly as her tongue teased and tasted the head of his cock.

“Fuck, Mel!”  He pushed her back and yanked her to her feet before reaching again for the clasp of her bra.  He snapped it open and pulled it from her body, dropping it carelessly to the floor.

“Hey,” she teased, “aren’t you going to pick that up?”

He didn’t reply.  He was staring at her breasts with a feral look of hunger and her pelvis throbbed in response.

“Jax?”  She whispered.

“Playtime’s over, butterfly,” he growled.

He stripped off the rest of his clothes and she squealed softly when he picked her up and carried her to the bed.  Every muscle in his body was hard as granite and she swallowed nervously as he dropped her on to the bed and covered her body with his.  He pushed one hard thigh between her legs and pressed it against her aching pussy.

“Jax, are you alright?”

He bent his head and nipped her neck.  “I’m going to eat your sweet pussy until you’re screaming my name, butterfly.”

She dragged in a harsh breath of air as her pulse thudded heavily.  He pressed his lips against it before dipping his head and closing his lips around one nipple.  It hardened in his mouth and he growled his satisfaction before sucking firmly.  Her back arched and she muttered a soft plea as he kissed the hollow between her breasts and traced his tongue along the soft underside of her breast before taking her other nipple into his mouth.  He worried it into the same aching hardness as she rubbed herself shamelessly against his hard thigh.

He slid down her body, kissing and tasting her soft skin before circling her navel with his tongue.  He pulled lightly on the waistband of her panties.

“Lift your hips,” he growled.

She obeyed immediately and he pulled her panties down her legs with infinite slowness.  He kissed her calf before dropping her panties on the floor and moving to his knees beside the bed.  His hands circled her waist and he dragged her toward him until her ass was on the edge of the bed and her legs dangled off the side of it.

“Spread your legs,” he demanded.

She parted her legs eagerly and he growled softly when her sex was exposed to him.

“Such a pretty little pussy,” he whispered.

He pressed a kiss against the small triangle of hair at the top of her sex before licking a slow path down the bare lips of her pussy.  She moaned loudly and arched her hips as her hands tugged restlessly at his hair.

“Jax, please.”

“Patience, butterfly.”  He took her hands, his fingers closing around her wrists, and held them tightly at her sides.  Trapped, she could only writhe against him helplessly as he pressed his tongue between her wet lips and licked at her clit.  He stroked it repeatedly, each brush bringing her closer and closer to the edge, and she made a loud whimper of need.

He sucked firmly on her clit and she clamped her thighs around his head as her back arched and she cried out.  He released her wrists and pried her legs apart, holding them firmly in his big hands before sucking on her clit again.

She grabbed the bedcover in her hands, clenching it tightly, and twisting and turning against Jax’s warm mouth.  He rubbed his tongue over her clit and her entire body lifted from the bed as she screamed his name and came violently against his mouth.  He held her firmly as she shuddered and moaned before collapsing against the bed.

She breathed harshly, dragging oxygen in and out of her lungs, as Jax stood and opened the drawer of the bedside table.  He pulled out a condom and tore open the foil package, rolling it on hurriedly before kneeling between her splayed thighs.

“Open your eyes, butterfly,” he said.

Her eyelids fluttered open as he propped himself above her and kissed her.  She could taste herself on his lips and it sent another shiver of desire through her. 

“Jax, I want you to fuck me,” she moaned as he rubbed the head of his cock against her clit.

“Then put me inside of you, butterfly,” he whispered into her ear before sucking lightly on her earlobe.

She reached eagerly between their bodies and grasped his cock, guiding it toward her wet entrance.  He moaned when the head of his cock slipped inside of her and she bit her bottom lip.

“You’re so damn big,” she muttered.

He grinned at her as he pushed his way steadily into her wet and willing body.  “You’re so damn tight.”

He seated himself fully in her, both of them gasping with pleasure when he began a slow slide and retreat motion.  Almost immediately he began to move faster and she wrapped her legs around his lean hips and urged him on.

“Fuck, butterfly,” he muttered, “I’m about to embarrass myself.”

She grinned at him before nipping at his thick neck and then using her tongue to trace the tattoo that covered it.  “I won’t hold it against you.”

“Touch yourself,” he demanded. 

She squeezed her hand between their bodies and rubbed lightly at her swollen clit.  It was still sensitive and she squeezed her inner muscles around Jax’s cock at the feel of her fingers.  He groaned loudly and jerked against her.

“Shit, bad idea.”  He stared at her.  “Stop that, butterfly.”

She shook her head and licked his collarbone.  “No way.  It feels so good, Jax.”

She rubbed again at her clit as Jax slid in and out of her and squeezed him once more.

“I’m going to fucking come if you keep doing that, Melanie,” he grunted.

“Self-control is very important, Jax.”

“Mel, please,” he suddenly begged and the need in his deep voice brought on a powerful wave of lust deep inside of her.

She rubbed furiously at her clit as he thrust almost desperately in and out of her.

“You feel so good, Jax,” she panted into his ear.  She wanted to make him lose control.  She wanted to watch his face as he came inside of her and she bit the base of his neck, marking him as hers.

He bent his head and kissed her hard on the mouth, sliding his tongue between her lips just as her orgasm, unexpected and immensely satisfying, started through her.  Her pussy squeezed around him as she moaned into his mouth.  He broke the kiss, his back arching, and he threw his head back and made a short, hoarse howl of pleasure as he climaxed deep inside of her.

He collapsed against her, breathing harshly, and she stroked his damp back as he kissed the hollow of her throat. 

“So good,” he murmured into her skin.

“Yes,” she panted. 

He rolled off of her and disposed of the condom before turning her on her side and spooning her.  She was sleepy but she forced her weary eyelids open.  She shouldn’t stay the night with him.  There was no point in –

As if he had read her mind, Jax mumbled, “Stay the night, butterfly.”

She hesitated and he pulled her more tightly against him.  “Stay.”

“Alright,” she whispered.

He nuzzled the back of her neck affectionately before cupping her breast possessively.  She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

* * *

“Jules, you’re selling the house?”  Mary gave her a look of surprise.

“I’m thinking about it,” Julie shifted on the couch as she stared around the room.  “I hate everything here.”

“Yeah, but, you grew up in this house.”

“It doesn’t hold any good memories for me.”

“I suppose it doesn’t,” Mary replied.  “Oh!  You should totally buy a condo downtown.  Live in one of those luxury high rises and experience everything the city has to offer.”

Julie laughed.  “Mary, you know that isn’t me,”

“But it could be,” Mary said.  “You’re just starting to discover who you really are.  You might make some mistakes along the way but you’re richer than hell, you can afford to make mistakes.”

“I can’t live in a condo downtown, Mary.  It isn’t my style and it definitely isn’t Court’s.”

“Are you and Court moving in together?”  Mary asked.

Julie shrugged.  “We haven’t talked about it but we spend every night together, either at his place or mine.”

“Yeah but, living together is a totally different thing, Jules.”

“How’s Mark doing?”  Julie asked abruptly.  “Court said he was out sick for a couple of days.”

“He has that bug that’s been going around.  He’s on the mend though.”

“You’ve been dating him for a while now,” Julie said.

“He’s a good guy.”

“So is Court.”

Mary leaned forward.  “Honey, I know he is.  I just think you might be moving a little too fast.  I’ve been dating Mark for the same amount of time you’ve been dating Court, and you don’t see us moving in together or declaring our love.”

Julie sighed.  “Why is everyone so insistent that Court and I don’t love each other?”

“Because knowing someone’s sexual likes and dislikes isn’t love, Jules.”  Mary said gently.

“I know more than that about Court,” Julie said hotly.

“Do you?  What’s his favourite colour?  Where did he grow up?  How is he with money?  Does he wants kids?”  Mary asked.

Julie glared at her.  “I thought you would be happy for me, Mary.  Didn’t you say I needed to find Mr. Right?  Well, I’ve found him.”

“I know you think you have, but, honey, he’s your first real boyfriend and he just got out of a bad relationship.  Mark told me all about Janine.  Court really loved her.  He wanted to marry her and less than a year later he’s declaring his love for you.  I don’t want you to be some sort of rebound for him.”

“Did Mark also tell you that Janine lied to him and cheated on him?  Court and I have talked about Janine and I’m not worried, Mary.  Court loves me and I love him and I’m sick to death of people insisting we can’t possibly be in love.  Frankly, it’s none of your business!”

Mary blinked in surprise at her sudden anger before nodding.  “You’re right, Jules.  It isn’t any of my business and I apologize.”

“Thank you,” Julie said as Mary leaned forward and picked up the stack of papers on the coffee table.

“What are these?”

“Court printed them off for me.  It’s information about the architectural design course.”

Mary leafed through them before glancing at Julie.  “You’d have to move.”

“I know.”

“What does Court think of that?”

“He thinks I should do it.”

“Really?”  Mary said thoughtfully.  “That’s admirable of him.  Not many men in a new relationship would be urging their girlfriend to move away from them.”

Julie didn’t reply and Mary set the papers on the table.  “Honey, do you still want to be an architect?”

“I – I don’t know,” Julie said honestly.  “I thought I did but the idea of moving away from Court makes me sick to my stomach.”

“You shouldn’t base your life on a guy, Jules,” Mary said gently.

“I know that,” Julie replied.  “But I can’t help the way I feel.”

“I know.  I guess you need to decide if this is the career you want.  If it isn’t, what do you want?”

“Sometimes I think I just want to be a wife and a mom.  Is that awful, Mary?  Shouldn’t I want a career?”

Mary shook her head.  “It isn’t awful.  Besides, from what my sister says, being a mom is a full time career in itself.”

“I really don’t know what to do,” Julie confessed.  “Court is really pushing me to apply for this course and I don’t want to disappoint him, you know?”

“I do, but you have to do what’s right for you, Jules, not what’s right for Court.”

“I don’t want to disappoint him,” Julie repeated.  “He has so much faith in me and he’s so adamant that I would be good at this.  Which, honestly, I don’t know if I would be.  I mean, how would I even know?”

“I guess you wouldn’t unless you tried.”

“I guess,” Julie said.  She stood and smiled at Mary, “C’mon, let’s have some lunch and you can tell me all about Mark.  I feel like we haven’t had girl time in forever.”

She left the room and Mary, with a final glance at the papers on the table, followed her.