by Laura Day
“You’ve changed,” Evan’s voice said from behind him.
“Changed?” Jax asked, turning around.
“In a good way,” Evan clarified. “You’ve been different since meeting Maple.”
“Different how?” Jax wanted to know.
“I don’t know... a little less aggressive, a little friendlier... kinder maybe. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but somehow it’s like your face has changed.”
“Is this your roundabout way of telling me I’ve gotten better looking?” Jax asked to try and cover up the slight self-consciousness he felt as Evan spoke.
“Joke all you want,” Evan said. “I think you realize it, too.”
Jax sat down, and Evan joined him on the bench as they looked out over the expanse of the gym. “I suppose in a sense I do,” Jax replied seriously. “I just feel different. Almost as though... I’m excited about something for the first time in my life. It’s as though I’m looking forward to something. I just don’t know what it is.”
“I think it’s your life,” Evan said.
“What?”
“Think about it. Have you ever had anything to look forward to in your life?” Evan asked.
Jax was surprised to discover that he hadn’t, at least not for a very long time. “I suppose not.”
“But now you’ve met Maple... you do,” Evan said simply.
“I never thought about it like that before,” Jax said. “I never thought it was possible for me to... have these kinds of feelings for anyone.”
Evan looked at him pointedly.
“Now before you go off and make your own conclusions, I’d just like to point out that I don’t know exactly what I’m feeling here. I just know that it’s different from how I’ve felt in the past.”
“I’ve tried to tell you before,” Evan said with a smile. “There’s a level of intimacy involved with sharing your life with the same person day in and day out. A parade of women may be fun for a short time while you’re young and stupid, but when you get older, that kind of life just gets... tired.”
“A few months ago I would have laughed in your face,” Jax said in amazement.
“And now?” Evan asked.
Jax smiled. “And now that actually makes sense.”
“Good,” Evan said with a wide grin. “That’s the first hurdle completed. Now comes the hard part.”
Jax looked up in surprise. “What do you mean? What is the hard part?”
Evan looked him directly in the eye. “Not fucking it up.”
Chapter 10
Maple
Maple came back into the gym after emptying the trash and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost six o’clock, but she still had to wash down the bathrooms and clean the lockers before she was finished for the day. She grabbed a fresh bucket and mop and moved into the bathrooms.
It took her the better part of an hour, but once she was done, the bathroom actually looked halfway decent. She backed out of the room, taking a moment to admire her work as she went, but then she stuck her foot right into the bucket of dirty soap water and it sloshed to the floor in a tirade.
“Fuck,” Maple swore out loud, balancing herself before she could fall over. She removed her leg from the bucket and shook it out, but she could feel the grease and dirt climb up her leg and soak into her pores. “This is just great,” she said to herself as she mopped up the mess.
She was dusting out the empty lockers when Jax found her. He was wearing shorts and a shirt that showed off his brilliantly muscled arms and his large collection of tattoos. He had his bag slung casually over one shoulder, and to Maple’s eye, he looked as if he could be on the cover of magazines.
“Hi,” he greeted with that slow smile that Maple loved so much.
“Heading home?” she asked.
“I was,” Jax nodded. “Shouldn’t you have been done a while ago?”
“It was just one of those days,” Maple said with a sigh.
“What happened?” Jax asked, gesturing to her left pant leg that was still wet and clinging to her leg.
Maple rolled her eyes. “I stepped in my own pail.”
Jax contained his grin. “You look like you’re in need of a nice bath and some good food.”
“That sounds like heaven,” Maple agreed.
“And I happen to have both those things at my place,” Jax said.
“I have another half hour of work left,” Maple said, shaking her head.
“I’ll help,” Jax said, putting his bag down immediately. “Then you’ll be finished in like fifteen minutes, and we can get on with our night.”
“You don’t have to help,” Maple said, shaking her head.
“But I want to,” Jax insisted, grabbing one of the extra rags that Maple had brought with her.
Maple smiled and nodded, accepting his help gratefully. Within fifteen minutes, they were done and Maple walked out of the gym with Jax beside her. The night was surprisingly cold and the dampness clinging to her left leg only made it worse. Jax noticed and wrapped his arm around her, given that he had no coat to offer her.
“Aw Jax don’t,” Maple said. “I appreciate it, but I’m disgusting at the moment. I haven’t showered since this morning, and I’ve sweated right through this t-shirt.”
“I don’t care,” Jax said, keeping his hand firmly wrapped around Maple’s shoulders.
By the time they reached Jax’s apartment, Maple was both cold and completely exhausted. She walked into the apartment with a huge sigh of relief and set her bag down on the little table by the window. Unable to ignore the ache in her legs, she sat down, leaning against the chair.
“You ok?” Jax asked.
“Just tired,” Maple replied. “I’ve been on my feet all day.”
“Of course,” Jax nodded. “Well, you relax, I’ll get dinner ready.”
“Do you need any help?”
“Nope,” Jax said firmly. “I just want you to put your feet up and watch me cook.”
“You’re really going to cook?” Maple asked incredulously.
“I am,” Jax nodded. “I went out this morning for groceries just before training.”
“And what are you cooking for me?” Maple wanted to know.
“Pad Thai,” Jax replied.
“Seriously?” Maple asked in surprise.
“You like Asian food right?”
“I love it,” Maple nodded.
They kept up a steady stream of chatter while Jax moved around the kitchen, chopping up vegetables. Maple rested, feeling the stress and weariness slowly drain out of her. It amazed her how easily the fatigue of her day managed to sweat off her the more she spoke to Jax. Within a half hour, Maple was feeling a whole lot better and the whole apartment was alive with the fragrant smells of dinner.
“Oh, wow,” Maple said, closing her eyes. “That smells wonderful.”
“Everything’s done,” Jax said, as he spooned the noodles into a large dish.
Maple stood up and walked over. “It looks fantastic.”
“Glad you think so,” Jax said.
“Do you mind if I had a shower first?” Maple asked. “I just really want to freshen up before dinner.”
“Of course,” Jax nodded. “Go for it. The food will keep.”
Maple moved towards the bathroom, as she slipped off her top. She was at the bathroom door when she turned around to look back at Jax. “Would you like to join me?” she asked.
Jax smiled. “Best offer I’ve had all year,” he said, as he moved towards her instantly, removing his shirt at the same moment.
Maple backed into the bathroom, as Jax approached her. He reached for her hips and pulled her towards him. He leaned down and kissed her deeply, moving his tongue along her lower lip, and Maple felt the moisture begin to form between her thighs almost instantly.
She reached to pull down his shorts at the same time he unzipped her trousers and pulled them down. Within seconds they were both completely naked, and Jax was hard as a rock.
Maple reached out and encircled his boner with her palm, moving her hand backwards and forwards in slow, steady motions. She heard a moan escape his throat, and she started rubbing her hand harder against him.
“Get in the shower,” Jax said, guiding her backwards with one hand on her hips and another on her ass.
He backed her into the small shower cubical and turned on the water. It was freezing, but Maple didn’t even notice. All she was able to concentrate on was Jax’s fingers slipping inside her. She raised her right leg and fastened it around him as he moved his fingers in and out easily.
Water spilled down on top of both of them, and within seconds, Maple’s hair was drenched and clinging to her neck. The tattoos on Jax’s arms and chest glistened brightly, as water splashed down on top of him. Maple ran her hands down the hard wall of muscles on his stomach. She sank down to her knees, unable to stop the rage of desire that flooded through her. She had his penis in her hand and her fingers draped down to its apex, playing with the piercing on its head.
She admired it for a moment before she took the length of him into her mouth. She heard Jax gasp out, as though he was unable to control himself. He tasted of sweat and muscle, and she felt herself moisten further. She could feel his hands on her head, stroking her hair as she moved her head back and forth in a steady rhythm.
Jax reached out for her and pulled her back up to her feet. He hiked her leg up around his waist and slid into her easily, sending reels of pleasure shooting through Maple’s body. The combination of the water and Jax’s hands was consuming her, and she felt the strange sensation of floating. She leaned her back against the powder blue tiles of the shower wall as Jax’s hands roamed her body. They landed on her breasts, and he squeezed them while one finger brushed back and forth over her hardened nipples.
“Fuck me harder,” Maple whispered.
Immediately, Jax quickened his pace until he was ramming into her and Maple’s back was arching against the shower walls. “Yes!” Maple screamed, as he fucked her with both speed and diligence. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He pulled out of her suddenly and guided her to the clear shower door that they had closed behind them. He pushed her up against it so that her back was to him and entered her again from the back. Maple groaned in pleasure as he slid back inside her. They were standing away from the showerhead, but there was a light spray of water that fell on them, coating their bodies in little bursts of mist.
Maple could see their reflection on the mirror that hung just in front of the shower. Her breasts were pressed up against the door giving them the illusion of being much bigger than they were in reality. She could see Jax’s large, muscular form standing behind her, pummeling into her, pushing her hips forward in fast movements.
Maple’s hands were plastered against the door, palms up, with Jax’s placed on top of them. His hands looked as though they were twice as big as hers, but it was the sight of seeing them together that made Maple feel a tug at her heart, as though it signified some commitment that the act of sex alone could not fulfil.
Maple came with her eyes fixed on their interlinked hands and a calming ache in her legs. Jax stayed inside her for a few seconds longer, as he pushed back the wet hair pasted to her neck and kissed it gently. Then he pulled out and led her back under the showerhead. Slowly, they took turns lathering each other up.
“Did you always want to be in the MMA?” Maple asked, as she lathered his chest with soap that smelled of fruit.
“I never really thought about it,” Jax admitted. “But then I found myself in the world of illegal MMA fighters, and I realized it was a good way for an ex-con to make some money. And I needed money.”
“And then?”
“And then I realized that I did love it,” Jax said, taking the soap from Maple’s hands and running it down the bridge between her breasts. “I mean... I had had street fights before... but this was different. There were rules; there was a purpose to the fight.”
“Did you get into a lot of street fights?” Maple asked, trying to hide the worry in her face.
Jax hesitated. “I was a foster kid who jumped from one bad home to the next... I suppose fighting was the language I developed to cope with those environments. I never really thought about it... it just happened.”
“I see,” Maple nodded, trying to cope with the worry that kept burgeoning up inside her.
“I guess that’s the first inkling I had of being good at something,” Jax said. “I won almost every fight I was in; I suppose—in a way—it was a stepping stone to this career.”
“That and you needed an outlet for your anger,” Maple suggested gently.
Jax nodded. “You’re right, I did. It was the perfect excuse... let off some steam and make some money all in one neat package.”
“Is that the only reason you fight though?” Maple wanted to know. “Because you’re angry and you want to let off steam?”
Jax was quiet for a few moments. “I suppose... that’s the largest part of it. But if I were to push aside all that other crap... I do actually enjoy the fight.”
“That should be your central focus Jax,” Maple said quietly. “Your love for the fight should be front and center. Everything else is just... white noise.”
“When you say it like that, it sounds simple,” Jax pointed out.
“I know.” Maple nodded. “Nothing is ever as simple as it sounds.”
With his hands all soapy, Jax leaned in and pulled Maple towards him so that their bodies were pushed together. Then he began to run his hands down her back and buttocks.
“Did you ever have something that you loved to do?” Jax asked. “Something that you were good at?”
“I’m pretty good at cleaning,” Maple said, trying to make light of her job.
Jax shook his head. “I meant something that was worthy of you.”
Maple shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion, and I happen to think that any job is worth doing, no matter what it is.”
“Still,” Jax conceded. “Do you really want to be scrubbing floors your whole life?”
“No, I don’t,” Maple said. “But at the moment I don’t have a choice. So my only option is to keep my head down, work hard, and hope that someday I will be able to use this job as a stepping stone to something better.”
Jax looked at her pointedly. “You’re amazing, you know?”
Maple looked down, trying to hide her blush. “No, I’m not,” she insisted, feeling heat rise on her cheeks.
“You are.” Jax nodded fiercely. “Another person wouldn’t have that much optimism after having been through so much. I know I don’t.”
“I have my bad days, too,” Maple admitted. “Sometimes I’m really down... on everything. But self-pity doesn’t get you very far in life. It just stalls the recovery process and keeps you in the same place for too long. It took me awhile to have that realization in the first place.”
“My opinion still stands.”
Maple smiled softly. “Thank you.”
Jax leaned in and kissed Maple gently on the lips. It was a kiss that was borne out of emotional and mental intimacy rather than anything else. Maple relaxed into him, realizing suddenly that the water falling down on top of them was warm and comfortable. It touched her skin gently, like soft kisses. She pictured the two of them sitting down to the meal that was on the table, waiting for them. It was a comforting thought. She had not had that kind of comfort or normalcy in her life... maybe ever. But as wonderful as that feeling was, Maple could not ignore the slight grating in the back of her mind that was warning her to be careful.
Jax reached out suddenly and pushed Maple’s chin up so that she was staring directly into his deep blue eyes. “I know you’re scared about things.”
Maple looked up at him, trying to remove herself from her nest of deep thought. “About what things exactly?”
“I know you’re scared about the fighting,” Jax clarified. “About the number of street brawls I involve myself in.... but I want you
to know that... I’m going to keep myself out of trouble. After this fight with Conor, I’m going to stay away from any fight that doesn’t serve a purpose.”
Maple smiled weakly. She nodded once and rested her head against his chest while he held her. She wanted to tell him that what she needed was for him to stay away from Conor altogether. What she needed was for Jax to walk away from Conor and the anger and resentment that were keeping him from moving on with his life.
She practiced the speech in her head. She even opened her mouth to say the words, but she backed out at the last minute. Instead, she closed her eyes and concentrated on Jax’s arms around her, anchoring her to the ground so that she had no option of floating away.
Chapter 11
Maple
“You look beautiful,” Jax said, as Maple walked out of the bathroom.
Maple looked down in surprise, taken aback by the compliment. She was wearing a silver-grey slip dress that she had had for years. It might have been her sister’s, but it could have been her mother’s just as easily. It had been one of the few things she had taken with her when she had left home.
“Thank you,” Maple said. “And thanks for letting me get dressed here.”
“Of course,” Jax nodded as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. “I would have loved to spend the night with you...”
“But you have to train,” Maple said. “I know, don’t worry about me. I haven’t seen Brook in a while. It’ll be nice to catch up.”
“How about we meet after?” Jax asked.
“Around eleven?” Maple suggested.
“Perfect,” Jax replied. “I should be finished with training by then.”
“Great,” Maple nodded. “I’ll come by the gym when I’m finished then.”
They kissed goodbye, and then Maple set out to meet her friend. They had agreed to meet at a new club that was right down the street from The Red Pecker. Maple had passed it countless times, but she had never actually gone in. It was only eight when she got there, but the place was teaming with people.
