Jax (The Protectors Series) Book #8

by Teresa Gabelman

  ******

  Caroline wanted to scream when Jax backed away from her. "Dammit," she hissed under her breath. He had to be the most irritating man she had ever met, and what shocked her most was that she wanted him more for it.

  "What?" Jax had been looking up the hill, but when she hissed her curse, his gaze snapped back to her.

  Shaking her head, she tried to stand. "Nothing," she lied. If she were a braver soul as well as a ho, she would just jump on him, rip his clothes off like she desperately wanted to, and make him pound her in the mud. She had to turn away from him because that thought turned her on, which made her moan deep in her throat.

  He mumbled something under his own breath, but looked away from her and back up the hill. "I don't think we should try that way." He turned and reached out for her. "Come here."

  Grasping his hand, she welcomed his strength as she slid in the mud moving closer to him. He bent and carefully picked her up. "Let me know if I hurt your side."

  "I'm fine," she replied, being more than truthful. Being held in the safety of his arms definitely made her feel fine. Not knowing exactly what to do with her hands, she put one on his shoulder and the other on top of her own hand.

  "Shit!" Jax cursed when he tried to take a step, but sank deep in the mud.

  "I can walk." Caroline started to push away from him, knowing her added weight was making him sink deeper.

  Jax didn't answer, but he grabbed her hips. "Wrap your legs around me." He positioned her where he wanted her. "You need to hold on tight. I'm going to jump."

  She did as he said without question, putting her total trust in this man. Wrapping her legs and arms tightly around him, she sighed when he used one strong arm to hold her flush to his body.

  "You ready?" His breath ruffled her hair.

  She nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't close her eyes in fear; she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Deep down, she knew it was so she could burn this memory in her mind forever. Being held like this, by Jax Wheeler, was something to be savored, and something she had daydreamed about.

  "You can open your eyes now." Jax's voice broke through her thoughts.

  Slowly, she opened them to find they were at the top of the hill, safely away from any danger of falling again. "Oh." She looked around, then at Jax. He slowly put her on her feet. Her sweatshirt rubbing against her cut made her groan.

  "We need to get that cut cleaned." Jax frowned. "Can you walk?"

  Dammit, yes I can walk, Caroline thought and yet, she totally wondered if she could lie so he would carry her back to the house. Knowing she wouldn't do that, she nodded. "Yes, I can walk." When Jax didn't say anything, Caroline started back down the trail.

  "You're going the wrong way." Jax hadn't moved, but stood watching her.

  "No, I'm…" Caroline looked around at her surroundings and frowned. "Obviously lost."

  "Yes, you are." His tone sounded angry. "And that's exactly why you need your phone and firearm with you."

  "Okay. Okay." Caroline slammed her hand on her hip, totally forgetting about the jagged cut on her side, and groaned. "Lesson learned. Now can we go, please? I'm cold, muddy, and I have to…"

  "To what?" Jax eyed her when she stopped her sentence.

  Caroline rolled her eyes at herself. She had to pee, but she'd be damned if she told him that. She almost did because her brain must be covered in mud like the rest of her body, making her a dimwit.

  "Get some coffee." She huffed, angry with herself that she let this man get under her skin to the point she always felt tongue-tied and spoke without thinking. She never did that, ever… and did she actually call him a dick? This man had her doing and saying things that shocked her. "I'm cranky until I've had a pot."

  "A pot, huh?" Jax moved to the side of the trail that fell away—or had the possibility of falling away—as Caroline moved next to him.

  Caroline walked beside Jax as he led them out of the woods. A thought came to her. "What are you doing here?"

  "Saving you," Jax replied without missing a beat.

  Okay, she'd definitely set herself up for that. "Well I didn't need saving until you spoke out of the blue and scared me, which made me slip and then the ground gave way. I was perfectly fine before that."

  "You know"—Jax held her arm to help her across a fallen log on the trail—"you suck at thank-yous. I saved you from falling through your roof and now this, but each time you blamed me."

  "I place blame where blame is due, Mr. Wheeler." Caroline huffed, then felt bad. "And I did thank you, I think, when you saved me on the roof after you made me angry enough to stomp across the rotten wood. And I do thank you for stopping my descent down the hill when you caused me to slip by scaring the crap out of me."

  Jax actually laughed. The sound was enough to make her stumble as tingles and goose bumps shimmered across her muddied skin and other parts that only he could bring alive.

  "Yeah, you definitely suck at thank-yous." Jax didn't even look down at her, watching the trail in front of them, too focused on getting them out of the woods. "And I was getting ready, along with Blaze, Sid, and Steve, to come and work on the roof, but then Sid told me you called, frantic, so I rode out earlier with him and Lana. What had you so frantic, Caroline?"

  Okay, now she felt like a total ass. He had been worried about her and all she could do was blame him for her own clumsiness. And no way was she going to tell him about her dream because, honestly, she didn't want him to disappear again, and knowing how he felt about his brother, he would do just that. In his own idea of making sure everyone was safe, he would walk away. Before she could apologize or explain anything, her house came into view and Lana, followed by Sid, was running toward them.

  "Where in the hell have you been?" Lana reached her, her eyes roaming first down Caroline's body and then Jax's. "And what exactly have you been doing?"

  Sid also checked them both out, a huge grin spreading across his handsome face. "About time, buddy." He elbowed Jax with a wink.

  "Shut the fuck up, Sid," Jax growled, then looked at Lana. "She fell and has a cut on her side, that's it. We need something to clean the wound."

  "Are you okay?" Lana's knowing grin slipped into a worried frown.

  "I'm fine." Caroline started walking toward the house. Jax didn't have to sound so disgusted at Sid and Lana's misconception of why they were muddy. "But no one will be fine if I don't get a cup of coffee." She pushed past Sid who still wore a grin, mixed with concern.

  Steve and Blaze stood by the side of the house, both looking at her. "So," Steve began and just the look on his face clued Caroline in on a joke coming on. She didn't know Steve well, but knew him well enough to know she didn't want to hear what he was about to say. Her mood had soured greatly.

  She walked right up to Steve and stopped. "If you're not going to say, 'Caroline, you have a strong steaming cup of coffee sitting inside waiting for you,' I highly suggest you say nothing at all, Steve."

  Clamping his mouth shut, Steve nodded. As Caroline continued on her way, he cursed. "Shit!"

  "You unplugged the coffeepot, didn't you?" Blaze pinched the bridge of his nose when Steve didn't answer, but took off, passing Caroline to run into the house.

  Chapter 4

  The hammering, cursing, and noise that came along with remodeling was killing her already pounding head, but the sounds were welcome because it meant soon, she wouldn't have to worry about the rain anymore.

  Lana had left to grab some lunch, but Sid had stayed to help with the roof. After her shower, Caroline had cleaned her wound, which wasn't deep at all, and then grabbed her first cup of coffee. It was already late afternoon, but she didn’t care. She needed her coffee. Steve had panicked because he'd unplugged it, not realizing her absolute need for it. He was still apologizing.

  Picking up another pot full of rainwater, she headed out on the front porch to dump it. She had five more to go before all the pots were emptied, and that was just downstairs. She had more up
stairs to get to. They had helped, but not much. Every time she'd thought she had it, another stream of rainwater broke free, so she would have to run upstairs and try to find where it was coming from. She just hoped she wouldn't have to replace all the upstairs' flooring. Why hadn't it rained the day she looked at the house? Maybe… nope, she would have still bought it.

  Hearing her ringtone, she stopped pouring the water and listened. She hadn't seen her phone since that morning, and it sounded like it was coming from above her. Jax appeared in front of her as he jumped from the roof.

  "Is that my phone?" She frowned, reaching for it, but he held it, looking at the screen. "Why do you have my phone?"

  "Why is Rod calling you?" Jax's eyes shot up to hers. "I told that son of a bitch—" He growled out the words, but stopped before saying anything more.

  "Told him what?" Caroline reached again for her phone.

  "To stay the fuck away from you," he replied, not holding back his feelings whatsoever.

  "Oh, ah…" That set her back a second. "I haven't answered. I would block his number, but I don't know how and haven't had a chance to figure it out so I just hit Ignore." After she spoke, she wondered why she felt the need to explain anything to Jax, but his demanding voice made her do things she normally wouldn't do.

  "What's your passcode?" When she didn't answer, Jax's frown deepened.

  Heat moved from her neck straight to her cheeks. "Here, I'll put it in."

  Jax actually chuckled, handing her the phone. "Afraid I'll know all your secrets?"

  Oh, wasn't that a loaded question that no way in hell she would ever answer. The fact was, she just got this phone because she'd dropped her other one in a damn bucket of water from her leaking roof. She was able to keep her old phone number, but she had to input a new password. Her cheeks burned as she punched in 5299, unlocking her phone. She didn't want him to figure out that 5299 had no other relationship to her other than it spelled out JAXX with two Xs. God, she was such a freaking loser, and at that moment she hated herself for crushing on this sexy Warrior standing in front of her who obviously didn't find her attractive enough to take full advantage of her in the mud, and no, that wasn't the lowest point in her thought process. That had come when she'd showered. She had fantasized about him wiping off every bit of mud from her with his bare hands.

  "There." She handed him the silenced phone. She couldn't even look him in the eye.

  "You have over fifty missed calls from the bastard." It was not a question, but an angry observation. Jax tapped on her phone in total concentration, then looked up and handed it back. "Blocked."

  "Thanks." She stuck it in her back pocket, grabbed the pot, dumped the rest of the water out, and turned, all without looking at him.

  "Caroline." His voice stopped her, actually made her cringe. When she didn't turn around or say anything at all, he walked up on the porch, standing directly in front of her. "How's your side?"

  "Fine." For an educated woman, she sure was limited with her vocabulary when it came to talking to Jax Wheeler. She didn't want to look up at him because she was afraid he would be able to actually see every secret she had, and they all involved him. In avoidance, she stared at his chest, but that wasn't very safe either. Her eyes moved lower, but then jerked quickly to his arm. Holy hell, there wasn't anywhere safe to put her eyes on this man. Quickly, Caroline gave a short nod and stepped around him. "Good," she added, before practically running into the house.

  Once inside, she took a deep breath and set the pot down, then stared at the other full pots. Well, they were going to have to stay there full, because no way in hell was she going to go back out there and face Jax again, not after her one-word replies, as if she didn't truly understand the English language.

  Grabbing her phone out of her back pocket, she rubbed her fingers against the screen, thinking of Jax using her phone. "Stop it!" Caroline scolded herself. "Just stop!"

  Entering the passcode on her phone, Caroline knew as soon as possible, she was going to change it. It was a little-girl move, using Jax's name, and it wasn't cute. It was dumb and just plain sad if she were being honest. Maybe it was time she moved on and stopped this silly infatuation she had with the Warrior.

  Her stomach pitched with the thought of not seeing Jax anymore, but sometimes it was important to be honest with yourself and maybe she was at that point. He'd had plenty of opportunities to take it further, but hadn't. She knew he had to know she was interested, but he hadn't taken advantage. Caroline actually laughed at where her thoughts were going. She was upset and giving up because a man hadn't taken advantage of her. Boy, wouldn't the women's rights movement be upset with her.

  Caroline snorted at herself, but frowned when she checked the missed calls. Jax wasn't exaggerating; she did have fifty missed calls from Rod, and one from her friend and fellow teacher, Rachel. She had hoped Rod would disappear, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. What confused her was Jax didn't appear happy about it. He'd actually looked enraged before he hid his anger behind the calm he portrayed so well. The ass.

  ******

  Jax went back to the roof, but had actually been one step away from hopping on his bike to find that son of a bitch. Fifty fucking missed calls. He guessed Rod hadn't learned his lesson, the little prick. He'd forgotten he had put her phone in his back pocket until it had started ringing, and he was glad he had. He was sure Caroline wouldn't have told him that asshole was bothering her. Picking up the hammer, Jax grabbed a board and nails. With more force than necessary, he pounded them in place.

  "Dude, we're trying to fix the roof, not destroy it. Who called Caroline's phone?" Sid asked as he sat on a beam. When Jax just looked up at him without saying a word, Sid rubbed his chin. "I know it was somebody that pissed you off, because, not that you aren't pleasant to be around, but when you checked and hopped off this roof, I actually feared for someone's life."

  "Her ex is calling her again," Jax finally said, his mood becoming darker. One thing that could send him into a rage was when people took his threats lightly, and it seemed like this stupid fuck was one of those people.

  "Muscle head?" Sid's eyes popped open in shock. "Damn, he either has a big set of balls or he is the dumbest son of a bitch breathing."

  "He won't have any balls when I'm finished with him." Jax picked the hammer back up, grabbed another board, and pounded fiercely.

  "Can I watch?" Sid replied, then quickly added, when Jax looked at him from under lowered lashes, "Not cutting his balls off, but if you're a man of your word, which I'm sure you are, you did threaten him with a scalping."

  One eyebrow cocked as Jax looked away to begin hammering again.

  "I mean seriously, man." Sid looked thoughtful. "I always wondered how in the hell Indians did that to people with so much precision. And I bet you're damn good at it."

  "I am," Jax agreed with a sinister grin. "And you are a sick son of a bitch."

  "Yes, yes I am." Sid nodded in agreement before turning to finish what he was working on. "But I've much respect for you."

  Jax didn't respond, he just kept his focus on his work. His mind, however, kept going to Caroline. She was definitely a puzzle and in all honesty, he hated puzzles, but she was one he wanted to slowly put together. He knew he could have had her in the mud today; she'd been primed and ready. She deserved more, much more, than a quick fuck in the mud by a Warrior who had nothing to his name other than a brother who wanted to shower terror down on anyone he showed any fondness for. He had learned that the hard way.

  "Hey, what's everybody doing here?" Steve, who was doing his best to look like he was actually busy and doing something, pointed with his hammer. "Please tell me they're here to help. Roofing sucks monkey nuts and if they help, we can get done so much faster. And how in the fuck did Adam and Jill get out of this when I'm up here sweating balls? They better be here now to do some damn work."

  "I doubt they're here to help." Sid got up and headed toward the end of the roof, ignoring Steve's o
utburst. "Sloan doesn't do roofs. Something's up."

  Jax remained where he was, but frowned when he spotted Sloan walking up to Caroline, who had come out to greet everyone. His frown deepened when she smiled up at Sloan, her face blushing beautifully. Sloan glanced up, his eyes meeting Jax's, a slow smile tipping the corner of one side of his mouth before his focus went back to Caroline. Jax gripped the hammer tighter. Any tighter, and the wooden handle would explode within his grip.

  "So, what do you think?" Caroline was asking Sloan. Jax could hear everything perfectly and waited for Sloan to reply.

  "You did real good, Caroline." Sloan's voice sounded closer, making Jax glance their way. They were walking toward the back of the property while everyone else stood talking in the front. "It's a lot of work, but I have no doubt you will make this place your own in no time."

  Jax snorted and growled at the same time.

  "Thank you." Caroline had stopped to shine one of her beautiful smiles back at him. "Everyone who has seen it so far has told me that I've made a big mistake and to burn it down, but I see something different. This is already home to me."

  Everyone? Jax looked away with an angry sneer. He didn't see anyone else up on the roof at the moment working their ass off to help her make this place livable. And he'd never once told her to burn the place to the ground, though he may have thought it. He raised the hammer to angrily slam it down on the nail he hadn't finished hammering. Sloan was lying his ass off.

  "I'll be more than happy to stop by and help out where I can." Sloan's reply and tone of voice hit Jax.

  Instant rage radiated throughout Jax's body as the hammer missed the nail and found his thumb. He may be a tough vampire who had been shot, stabbed, hell, you name it, but smashing one's thumb with a hammer hurt like a bitch.

  "Motherfucker!" Jax dropped the hammer and grabbed his thumb.

  "Jax!" Caroline called, heading his way. "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine." he growled, then cursed when the pain throbbed all the way up his arm. Fuck, that hurt.