She was his.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to get his emotions under control while he focused on the road. With Denim sitting beside him, her scent hit him full force and it took everything to fight the urge to stop his car, and drag her into his arms. Lucky for her, over the years, he had learned to calm his raging animal instincts. But no matter what, the burning need was still there brewing inside the vehicle.
“I haven’t had a good steak in over a year.”
Jax took his eyes off the road long enough to say, “Then you’re in for a treat.”
Denim pushed her hair away from her face and blushed prettily. “This summer is actually turning out better than I had planned.”
“What do you mean? You weren’t looking forward to coming back to Justice?”
She released a long sigh. “Not really. After my grandmother passed, I just couldn’t bring myself to come back.”
His head whipped around. “Is that why you stayed away for so long?”
“Yes, but then my asshole boyfriend broke off our engagement and Pappy needed help, so I decided I needed a change of scenery.”
“Your boyfriend is a fool. There’s no way in the world I could ever do that to you.”
* * *
Denim stared at him, eyes wide and intense. Jax could tell from the expression on her face, his comment surprised her. “Thanks. That means a lot.”
“I’m only telling the truth. You wanna tell me what happened?”
She adjusted on the seat and stared out the window. “I caught him cheating with my best friend.” On the drive to the restaurant, Denim poured her heart out, talking about finding the two of them together. There was no denying the disappointment in her voice.
“But you know what? I’m not as devastated as I thought I would still be. I’m starting to think that maybe I was more upset about him betraying me than I was in love, because I’ve barely thought about him the last few days.”
Jax took her hand and laced their fingers together. Selfishly he wanted Denim all to himself. “I hope I have something to do with that.”
Denim was blushing again as she said, “Maybe.”
He pulled into the parking lot and brought the car to a stop. He knew she was attracted to him. He saw it in her eyes. It was also obvious in the kisses they’d shared.
He turned in the seat. “To be totally honest, I was glad you didn’t come back to Justice.”
Her eyes widened. “Why is that?”
“Because of the way you made me feel. That year I was just starting the Change and I was confused as hell. When I rode you to Pappy’s that day on my moped my hormones were racing. You smelled so good, all I knew was I had to kiss you.”
Denim swallowed. “And now that I’m back?”
Their eyes locked as he said, “Now that you’re back, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.” He couldn’t stop looking at her, either—at those earthy cinnamon –colored eyes. Did she realize her mere presence kept him aroused? Jax leaned over and pressed his mouth against hers. Hard, demanding, and explosive. Confident he had given her enough to think about, he ended the kiss, then climbed out and hurried around to open her door. Jax helped Denim out the car. Clasping her hand not only felt intimate, but it seemed normal. The way it should be. He led her to the door of the restaurant. As soon as they stepped inside, the smell of charcoal beef hit their noses and he heard Denim’s stomach growl. “It’s good to know I’m not the only one who’s hungry,” he teased.
She gave him a smile that caused his stomach to knot.
Within minutes, they were escorted to a table near the window. They took a seat and he rested his elbows on the red-and-white-checkered tablecloth. Jax watched while Denim glanced around the room, eyeing the country and western photos and memorabilia mounted on the walls until their waitress arrived. A pretty teenager’s face lit up the instant she spotted him.
“Hey, Jax!” she exclaimed merrily.
He smiled with recognition. “How are you doing, Bridget? How’s your dad?”
She gave an exaggerated eye roll. “A handful, but things have gotten much better.”
He looked toward Denim. “Bridget, this is Denim. Bridget is Aidan’s friend,” he explained.
Denim shook her proffered hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Same here,” she said, then changed to her professional mode. “Today’s special is a twelve ounce, bone-in ribeye, baked potato and coleslaw, for nine ninety-nine.”
Denim looked at him and nodded. “That sounds good to me.”
He held up his fingers. “Make that two. And I’ll also take a sweetened tea.”
“Me, too,” Denim stated.
Bridget scribbled across a small pad. “All right. Two specials with iced teas coming right up.”
As soon as she moved toward the kitchen, Jax leaned forward and said in a low voice, “She’s really had a hard time this last year.”
Denim looked at him with interest. “What do you mean?”
“Her father was diagnosed with dementia. Bridget spent a lot of time trying to get her family to accept it and help her take care of him,” he replied with sympathy and anger pooling in his eyes. “She was finally able to get him around-the-clock nursing care.”
“Thank goodness for that.”
With a nod, he leaned back on the chair. “She’s a good girl.”
Curiously, Denim crossed her arms. “What happened with her and Aidan?”
Jax stared at her and paused before saying, “He doesn’t believe in mixing breeds. His mate is going to be a Were.”
She stared at him, studying his eyes, and he could tell she saw what he was thinking.
“You feel the same way… don’t you?”
“Mixing breeds complicates things,” he said, stalling for time. “But, I’m starting to think I might be a little more open-minded to the possibility.”
The corner of her lips tilted upward. “I hope I have something to do with that.”
“Maybe.”
She laughed as he tried to keep a straight face, but eventually Jax gave in and laughed along with her.
Bridget returned with their drinks and Denim thanked her, then brought the straw to her lips and sipped. “Wow! This tea is really good.”
“That’s why folks buy it by the gallon.”
“And I thought Pappy’s had the best iced tea in the state.” She laughed.
“I guess we’d better not tell him,” Jax teased, with a wink.
They talked about Justice and the people they both knew until their food arrived. His stomach growled the second Bridget lowered the plate to the table. As soon as she was gone, Denim cut into her steak and took a bite. “Oh, it is good!”
Jax felt that sound all the way down to his groin. “Told you,” he said and cut into his own. It was rare, just the way he liked it. They were both quiet, enjoying their food and listening to the soft sounds of country music in the background until he finally broke the silence. “So tell me something about your plans after college.”
“Well, I am hoping to find a great job managing a business,” Denim told him between bites.
“What kind of business?”
She shrugged. “Maybe a restaurant franchise. I’ve been working at Pappy’s forever, and then I’ve worked as an assistant manager at a diner at home for the last three summers, so I think I have a pretty good idea about how to successfully run a restaurant.”
He gave her a long intense look and said, “You ever think about coming back here and help Pappy run the diner?”
Denim’s eyes widened before she drew a long breath. “Pappy would love that.”
“And what about you?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I would have to give it some thought. Being here for the summer is one thing, but year-round… I never considered that possibility.”
Jax leaned across the table and made sure he had her full attention. “Then maybe it’s time for you to give it some th
ought.” What he couldn’t tell her was that now that she knew there were Weres in Justice, he wasn’t allowed to let her out his sight. He just hoped he could convince her to stay on her own.
Dishes were cleared and dessert was served while they lingered and talked about anything and everything. They had a lot in common and shared a lot about the last eight years of their lives with each other. Jax couldn’t get enough of staring at her beautiful caramel-colored face and that wild dark curly hair that refused to cooperate no matter how much she tried. He didn’t want the evening to end and judging by the way she kept refilling her coffee mug, neither did she.
After the bill was settled, Jax escorted Denim out to his car. She was quiet on the drive back to Justice. “What are you thinking about?” Reaching over, he took her hand in his.
Denim glanced briefly his way before staring out at the traffic ahead again. “I’m thinking about how different life is here now that I’m twenty-one.”
Their eyes met and he smirked. “I hope that’s a good thing?”
“Oh, it’s definitely a good thing,” she whispered and her words caused his loins to stir.
By the time Jax pulled into the driveway, the house was quiet and the only light on was the porch. Pappy was probably sound asleep and Jax decided that was probably better than him waiting on the front porch. He came around and opened the door. Denim stepped out of the BMW and tried to skirt around him, but he shifted, too.
“What?” she laughed.
Jax also chuckled. “Thanks for having dinner with me.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” she said softly. The word pleasure had a weird affect on him and he felt his insides heating. Pleasure was something he’d been missing in his life before Denim returned to town.
They gazed at each other for another long, intense moment before he said, “I’d like to take you bowling tomorrow.”
“Why?”
He took a step closer. “Why?” Jax smiled. “Do you really have to ask?” The air around them snapped, crackled and popped with sexual tension.
She licked her lips nervously. “Mixing breeds complicates things, remember?”
Jax didn't think Denim was ready for him to tell her she was going to be his mate. “Maybe, but I’m attracted to you and that’s not about to go away.” He pulled her tighter. “How about at least agreeing to see me again?”
She had to tilt her head to meet his eyes, and then gave him a light nod. “Okay.”
Jax dropped his lips down over hers, his tongue opening her to him. Passion. And when his tongue touched Denim’s, he heard a moan. She brought her arms around his neck, locked her fingers together and leaned in closer. Her smell surged through his veins. Her mouth was hot, urgent and irresistible. This was what he had been waiting and yearning for. Her taste. Her smell. The feel of her body against his. He pulled her closer, and yet it still wasn’t close enough.
Jax slid his hands down her back, rounding her hips and cupping the swell of her bottom as he lifted her gently off her feet. Another moan slid from her lips. Pulling her even closer, he pressed her against his arousal. Knowing how badly he wanted her drove him crazy. His hand slid around to the front of her dress and cupped the swell of her breasts. Perfect. His hand was kneading, stroking while his index finger circled the peaks, straining in response. He craved her and wanted Denim so badly his body was humming with an overwhelming need he’d never felt before. A need to possess and make her his.
Suddenly Denim pushed lightly against his chest. “Jax, please, stop before Pappy sees us.”
“I don’t think a wolf howling would wake your grandfather up.” Jax laughed.
“Ha-ha! Very funny,” Denim replied, as she pulled her dress back into place and turned away.
Jax caught her arm. “I’m sorry.” Their eyes locked. “There’s something about you that makes it hard for me to behave properly when you’re around. Blame it on the animal in me.” In fact, he had no control over his emotions when she was close.
“It’s okay, I feel the same way when I’m with you,” she admitted, then he noticed her look up at the house. Probably looking for Pappy.
“Hey, why don’t you let me make it up to you and take you to a movie on Friday?”
Her brows rose. “What happened to bowling tomorrow?”
Jax laughed. “That too. You can even have some popcorn if you want it.”
Smiling, she turned on her heel and moved toward the house. “Jackson Wilde, I might just take you up on that offer. I’ll be in touch.”
Chuckling, he called after her, “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”
Jax waited until she was safely inside the house before he climbed back into his car and backed out the driveway. At the blink of an eye, Denim Barr had managed to wiggle her way into his life. And this time he wasn’t letting her leave again.
12
After Jax left, Denim took a hot shower and padded across original wood flooring into a large, pink bedroom that had been decorated for a young girl. The air condition unit was blowing Grandma Bea’s handmade pink curtains that hung in front of a window. There was a full-size canopy bed, two white dresser drawers and an old wooden desk with a reading lamp that had once belonged to Denim’s father. He had often commented on spending hours studying in that same room.
In the corner was the Barbie Dream House Denim had begged Pappy to buy her. Barbie and Ken were seated in their pink convertible ready for their next adventure.
Denim slipped on a pair of panties with Beauty stitched across the ass, then laid across the cool sheets. Instantly, thoughts of Jax filled her mind, not that they were ever far away. All she kept thinking was just how much she still liked Jax and that she wanted so much more. Dinner had been amazing. She had enjoyed spending time getting to know him and discovered he was a passionate man with hopes and dreams. Two things she lacked. Every time he spoke and gave her one of those white teeth smiles, he took her breath away. It was the kind of smile that made a woman do anything. She wanted Jax so badly her core ached. For once in her life she was going after what she wanted, and to hell with the consequences.
Her cell phone started dancing on the nightstand. Denim reached over and then swiped her finger across the screen to read the text message.
Meet me at the treehouse.
Instantly, she sprang off the bed, yanked a grass green sundress over her head, then with sneakers in hand, she tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen long enough to grab the flashlight. Her heart was pounding and she was feeling warm all over at the thought of seeing Jax again so soon.
Denim stepped out the side door and sat on the sturdy old porch swing long enough to slide her feet into her sneakers, then took off into the forest and had to force herself to slow down. She was acting way too desperate and anxious. And just because that was the way she felt didn’t mean that’s the way she had to behave.
Denim was giving herself a firm pep talk when she heard something that wasn’t human. She stopped and listened closely. It was a low growl of some kind of dog, maybe even Jax, howling in the distance. She kept moving towards the treehouse, faster this time, but the sound got louder. Uneasiness trickled along her spine and she kept looking over her shoulder with this feeling that someone was watching her. She increased her speed and was almost to the treehouse when a shadow zipped to her left and then something jumped in front of her. Immediately Denim screamed, then jerked back and banged her hip against a tree.
What the fuck!
It was a large beast just like Jax, the werewolf, only this one wasn’t blonde. It was red. She stood there stunned, momentarily immobilized, not sure what to do.
“Jax, is that you?” her voice came out in a whisper. Denim knew it was a stupid question, but she didn’t know what else to say.
The wolf growled, reared back on its hind legs ready to attack. Nope. That’s not Jax, she thought as she stared into a pair of piercing green eyes that looked as lethal as those long teeth hanging from its jaws. “Okay… maybe not,
” Denim murmured and started to back up at the fury gathering in its eyes. “But I don’t think Jax will be too happy to know you tried to eat me.”
Snarling, the wolf then stalked toward her. Denim spun around and took off running toward the treehouse, heart pounding, legs burning, but she knew she was running for her life. The big red monster was faster and stronger and eventually jumped in front of her. Denim reared back in surprise and let out a loud scream, certain she was about to lose her head, among other things.
The bushes shuffled and there was another growl. In a rush something sailed through the air and landed onto the ground with a loud thud between the two of them.
A blonde wolf.
Jax? She wasn’t sure. He was beautiful and snarling, showing large, long, white teeth. He lunged at the red wolf and they rolled around for a few moments, before his claws raked the back of the first perpetrator. The red wolf howled in pain, then ran off and disappeared into the forest.
Denim refused to stick around to see who her possible hero was and fled the scene at full force. Her chest was burning, thighs tight from running, but she refused to stop. There was rustling in the trees, and then the blonde wolf was in front of her, blocking her escape. She startled and the wolf growled and slowly she backed away. He took a step forward and she was instantly afraid.
“Please don’t eat me,” she begged and backed up slowly. Denim stared into his eyes, watching him just as he was focused on her. Mesmerized, she couldn’t look away. Soon there was a familiar glint in that golden gaze. “Jax?” She kept backing up because she wasn’t taking any chances. He tilted his head, howled into the sky and then her lips parted in an O as the wolf began to shift. Bones cracked, fur disappeared, paws and claws changed to hands and fingertips as the beast transformed into a man.
It was Jax.
“Jax!” she cried out with joy and couldn’t begin to express how happy she was to see it was him. Although he had completely transformed, his teeth were still sharp and long.
“What the hell are you doing out here alone?” he finally said when he was no longer a wolf, and yet he was still growling. Jax moved like a predator toward his prey, backing Denim further into the forest.
Wilde About Her (Wilde Pack Series) Page 8
