Unrefined (Monroe Series Book 3)

by Nicole Dykes

  Chapter 28

  Jax

  Shit, it’s been a long fucking day.

  I had to go into the shop early because Tate Fucking Rimes had a question about his car. For some reason, he needs to have Dylan and I’s undivided attention.

  Seriously, he won’t even say a word until both of us are in the room.

  Spoiled little fucker.

  When I walk into my house, I don’t see Charlotte anywhere. I know she had an appointment with her realtor today, but surely she would be back by now.

  I’m really not used to wondering where someone is.

  I walk into my kitchen and I’m relieved when I see a note from her to let me know she went over to the community pool.

  I’ve lived here for a few years and never been swimming.

  Maybe a dip in the pool would wash away this fucking day? I quickly go upstairs, and change into my swim trunks I bought for the last trip to the Ozarks with the Monroes.

  It’s fucking cold outside, so I slip sweats on over the trunks and a coat over my bare chest.

  I make the short walk over to the pool and walk inside. No one is here except a certain gorgeous blonde who is soaking in the hot tub.

  She seems to be in her own little world; her head is back and her eyes are closed, but that changes when she hears the door close behind me.

  Her head pops up and she smiles over at me, “You got my note?”

  I nod, “Yeah, I thought it sounded like a good idea.”

  I strip off the coat and sweats, placing them on one of the many tables in the enclosed pool room and walk over to join Charlotte in the large hot tub.

  She’s still avoiding looking at my body. How she is still shy, I’m not sure.

  The bubbles from the jets in the Jacuzzi hide most of Charlotte’s body, but I can see that the halter top of the suit shows off some enticing cleavage. It’s tasteful and definitely not risqué.

  “How did the house hunting go?”

  She looks discouraged, “Not great. Every condo she showed me reminded of the house I share with Nicholas. She’s going to try again and call me, hopefully by the end of the week.”

  “Cool.”

  “I guess that means you are stuck with me for a little longer.”

  I grin, “That’s okay with me. It’s nice having someone to chill with after work.”

  She beams at that, “It’s been great for me also. Nicholas was rarely home, so it’s wonderful to talk to someone.”

  That may be one of the saddest statements I’ve heard from her, but I keep a smile on my face.

  That fucking prick had no clue what he had when he had it.

  “Well even when you move out, you’ll still have me. And it sounds like Brooke too.”

  She smiles at that, “She’s so sweet.”

  “She cares, but you aren’t hard to care for, Charlotte.”

  She seems pleased with that and then looks over at me cautiously from the hot tub. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Shoot.”

  “Last night when Alex announced she was getting married, you seemed a little…unhappy about it. I was just curious if you still had feelings for her?”

  Yeah, I was fucking shocked last night when Alex told us all her news. How can I explain this without coming off as jealous? “No, there were never actual romantic feelings between us in the first place. I was just surprised.”

  “They seem happy.”

  “Yeah, but they just got back together after months apart. The last time Alex and I talked, I knew she wanted to date him—but I didn’t think she wanted to get married. Her greatest fear is becoming a suburban housewife.”

  “So you never thought you would have a relationship with her?”

  I laugh, the hot tub seems to have loosened Charlotte up a bit, “No. It was never like that with Alex.” I decide to test the waters and be totally honest. “But it’s strange over the years we have been there for each other. When she wasn’t dating someone we would occasionally hook up when we were going through a rough time. Now, it’s like that’s really over. The end of an era.”

  I examine Charlotte’s pretty face, “I understand that and I believe you, but part of me thinks she may not feel the same way. I think she may have had hopes of a relationship.”

  I chuckle at that, “She’s getting married to another dude, I think she’s moved on.”

  She smiles, shyly, “Maybe—I’m not great on picking up on social queues, but it seemed like she was jealous of us last night.”

  Alex’s reaction to meeting Charlotte officially last night was a little strange. I’ll give her that, but they are polar opposites. Besides we’ve both moved on. We squashed this issue when I went to her apartment a while back. “She’s just protective. Really the whole family is. Truth be told, she told me to stay away from you from day one.”

  She looks taken aback by that, “She did? Why?”

  Ah hell, we’re in this now, “Because you’re gorgeous, and she thought there was no way I would be able to resist crossing the line.”

  She blushes, “Well, you’ve been a perfect gentleman. So she was wrong.”

  Not entirely true, I did kiss her. Of course, we don’t talk about that. “It hasn’t been easy.”

  Her voice comes out in a hoarse whisper, “For me either.”

  Well, fuck.

  I can’t help but notice that we are all alone, half naked and talking about how hard it’s been not to cross a very dangerous line. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out this is a bad idea. “Maybe we should go back to the house and figure out something for dinner.”

  She nods her head like that’s exactly what she was thinking, “Yes. That sounds great.”

  I climb out of the Jacuzzi first and then hold my hand out to help her up the steps. She takes it, and then I take in her fucking heavenly body clad only in her red halter bikini.

  Fuck. Me.

  She is tall and slender—like Cassie so kindly pointed out last night—but she still manages to have the perfect hourglass figure. Her waist moves inward until the subtle curve of her hips and her legs are long and lead up to a perfect round ass.

  She climbs out and we both dry off and bundle back up before braving the cold to go back to my place.

  When we get back, we both shower and change and then settle in for pizza at the dining room table—a table I had never even used until Charlotte moved in.

  It’s easy and natural, with the exception of my dirty mind going back to Charlotte in that fucking bikini.

  The next day, I call Alex to meet me for lunch. I’ve thought a lot about her engagement and my reaction was less than stellar. I need her to understand that I’m happy for her, if it’s truly what she wants. I just have to make sure that it is what she wants.

  She walks into the little café and sits down in the booth across from me, “What’s up, Jax?”

  I grin, “Don’t you want to order first?”

  The waitress must have heard me because she comes over, taking our simple order, both getting a BLT and iced tea. Something else we have in common.

  She asks again, “So—what’s up? We haven’t met for lunch just the two of us for a long time.”

  I shrug, “I just thought it was time.”

  She gives me a ‘don’t give me that bullshit’ look, “Please. You want to talk about Stephen.”

  “I’m just confused. I thought you didn’t want marriage.”

  “No. I don’t want to be a soccer mom that lives in the burbs. We aren’t doing that. He knows that I may not want children for a while and he’s actually moving into my apartment with me.”

  “Holy shit, that’s fast.”

  She folds her arms across her chest, irritated, “Really? You moved little miss pageant queen in as soon as she left her husband.”

  “Hey, I’m giving her a place to stay. There’s nothing going on between me and Charlotte.”

  She rolls her eyes, “Oh please, Jax. I see the way you two look at each other
. You’re smitten.”

  I laugh at that in disbelief, “I’ve never been smitten in my life.”

  “I saw it.”

  She sure is acting jealous… Maybe Charlotte was right. “So what if I am. How exactly does that effect you?”

  “Jax, she’s married.”

  “Yeah, but she’s separated from her abusive, prick of a husband. If something was going on between us, I’m not sure it would be that terrible.”

  Whoa. Do I really believe that?

  “So… there is something going on with you.”

  “Why do you care? Is there something else going on?”

  She huffs, “No.”

  “Alex.”

  She throws her arms up, “Yeah okay, just tell me why her? I just don’t fucking get it Jax. You don’t want a relationship and want to stay unattached. Fine, but then 'Barbie' comes along and you’re just so taken by her that you would risk your business and possibly your friendship with Dylan all for her. A washed up southern beauty queen, that literally looks like a fucking doll. My total opposite.”

  “I’m still not getting this, Alex. Are you pissed because I didn’t want to be in a relationship with you?”

  “Yes, you dumbass.”

  Holy shit. “You’re getting married. To the opposite of me.”

  “Exactly, he’s the anti-Jax. I adore him. I’m happy that we are getting married, and that you didn’t want to start anything serious when we first hooked up. I just…shit Jax! I wanted more at first. That’s no secret, but I always told myself that it was just because you didn’t want anything real. Turns out—you just didn’t want me.”

  I grab her hand in mine, “Alex. I’m not in a relationship with Charlotte. I don’t even think that’s possible, knowing myself. And you are still to this day the coolest fucking chick I’ve ever met. But if we were in a relationship, it would be disastrous. I think that’s why you and Stephen work so well. You and I, we are way too much alike.”

  She smiles, “Yeah, I think you are right about that. He was everything that was missing for me.”

  “I’m happy for you.” How about that? I actually am. “Stephen’s a good guy, and I do think he might actually deserve you. And if he hurts you, I’ll break his fucking legs.”

  She laughs, “This is so weird. It’s like an end of an era.”

  “That’s exactly what I said, but it’s good. Things have to end, so new ones can start and all that sappy shit.”

  She laughs, “I agree, but be careful with Charlotte. I’m not saying that because I’m jealous. That girl has indecision written all over her. I just don’t trust her.”

  I ponder that statement for the rest of the day.

  It’s hot, really fucking hot. It’s raining, more like pouring down. When the raindrops hit the car, it’s like they evaporate immediately from the heat. I can see the steam coming out of from under the crushed hood.

  Emma’s crying. I can’t move her, so I hold her hand.

  I tell her that the ambulance will be there and to just hold on. Her black hair is matted with blood and when I use my other hand to push it out of her eye’s it’s not Emma’s face I see.

  It’s Charlotte’s.

  “Jackson, wake up.”

  Shit. I sit up in my bed, the air refusing to fill my lungs.

  Charlotte is sitting next to me on the bed, her hand on my shoulder and a horrified look on her face.

  Not again.

  It’s now Friday, and everything has been going well this week. We’ve settled into a comfortable routine of swimming and dinner in the evenings with no drama.

  “Charlotte. Shit, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry, just tell me what is going on.”

  I rub my eyes, still trying to get my breathing to go back to normal.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “You’ve said that, it’s obviously something. Just trust me. If you don’t want me to tell anyone I won’t. But I care about you, and I want to know what’s going on.”

  “It’s just something that happened a long time ago.”

  “With Emma? Who is she?”

  I lean back against the wooden headboard of my bed. For the first time in many years, I talk about her, “She was my girlfriend in high school. Emma Richmond.”

  Charlotte settles next to me, also resting her back against the headboard, quietly saying, “Go on.”

  “She came from a really wealthy family. Both of her parents were heirs to a family fortune and she hated it. So she rebelled like fucking crazy. She ended up at my public high school our sophomore year when she got kicked out of her private school for fighting one too many times. She had dyed her platinum blond hair, black, gotten a tattoo without permission on her back and had her nose pierced. And then started dating a ‘miscreant’.”

  I smile at the memory of her father calling me that.

  “You.”

  “Yes, I also had some rebellion in me and was always in a fight. Although I tried to keep it out of school, so I wouldn’t get kicked off the football team.”

  “Your first love?”

  I swallow, “My only love.”

  Emma and I were attached at the hip from the second we met in Mr. Fuller’s science class. We were a terrible couple though from traditional standards, we pushed each other to every limit we possibly could. We fought and then made up almost every day.

  Both insanely jealous.

  Both flirtatious.

  There was a sadness to Emma though, she was trapped in her parent’s world and was dying to break free. She found that freedom with me.

  I can’t count the times we snuck out together in the middle of the night, just to go for a walk or drive out to the lake to fool around.

  Both used each other’s bodies to find a bliss that neither of our real lives could provide.

  Charlotte’s voice is shaky, “What happened?”

  I turn to her. I can’t go into that. I won’t. “She was in an accident, but I really don’t want to talk about that.”

  Her hand brushes my cheek, “I’m so sorry, but maybe it would help.”

  I shake my head, our lips once again near touching. She smells so fucking good and I want more than anything to taste her again, “I don’t want to talk.”

  Her breathing has increased and I know she wants it too. “Don’t you trust me?”

  “Of course I do, it’s not about trust.”

  “I’m here for you.”

  I grin.

  Not thinking it through—and just like before—our lips meld together. Our tongues dancing in a vigorous urgency, that I don’t want to end.

  I pull her onto my lap. Each one of her long legs is draped over either side of me. I run my hand through the loose curls of her soft hair.

  My cock hardens underneath her. I pull away from her mouth to slowly suck and kiss at her neck. I breathe in her scent. A light moan escapes her beautiful mouth and I move back up to her lips.

  And then, my fucking brain kicks in—I recall Alex’s words about how she's always indecisive echo in my mind.

  Charlotte is at turning point in her life. She has a huge decision to make. If we sleep together—if I let this go further—and she chooses to leave Nicholas… I’ll never know if it was because of this, or if she really wants to leave that motherfucker.

  I pull back and place my hands on her delicate shoulders. “Charlotte, we can’t do this.”

  Her hand goes up to cover her mouth, probably feeling the sting of rejection yet again at my hands. Why do I keep letting it get to this fucking point?

  “Why?”

  “Because you don’t know what you want right now.”

  She looks hurt. Good going, shithead.

  “I know that I want this right now.”

  “Exactly, right now. But what about after this?”

  “You don’t seem to care about definitions when you are with other women. With Alex.”

  “You aren’t like them, Charlotte.”

  She angri
ly leaps up, ready to leave.

  I have never seen this woman so angry.

  “You’re right. I have another appointment with my realtor tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll be out of here soon so you can resume your normal life.”

  “Charlotte, wait.”

  She doesn’t. I watch her go back to her room.

  I fucked up.

  Chapter 29

  Charlotte

  The next morning, I wake up after tossing and turning all night long. I’m so humiliated by my actions again.

  What on earth was I thinking?

  Jackson had just confided in me something that he hasn’t even told Dylan, and I jump him like he’s a piece of meat.

  He just looked so vulnerable and lost, I got caught up in the moment.

  And then he rejected me. Again.

  I know that I’m not his type. I’m sure he just sees me as a “spoiled little rich girl”, with no real problems. I can’t seem to keep my hands off of him.

  You don’t know what you want.

  No truer words have ever been spoken. It’s so true, I’m so confused and astonished by my behavior.

  I get out of bed early and climb into a hot shower. I let the water run, trying to wash away Jackson’s dismissal.

  After getting dressed and fixing my hair and make-up, I sneak downstairs. All the while praying that Jackson isn’t home. I can’t face him so soon after my humiliation.

  Luckily, there is a brief note that he went to work out, so I write on the same paper that I have a meeting with my realtor.

  I take the opportunity and escape like a coward.

  I meet my realtor at the same little coffee shop as Monday and join her in her Lexus. “Hey, Charlotte. I found one place. I hope it will work out. It was no easy feat to find somewhere up to your requirements.”

  At this point, I’m pretty sure I will like anything.

  I think I’ve overstayed my welcome at Jackson’s home.

  “Great. I can’t wait to see it.”

  It’s not very far from Jackson’s townhouse, and we are there before I know it. It’s not in a gated community, but it does still have a safe atmosphere.

  When Michelle unlocks the unit, I’m pleasantly surprised by what I see.