by Brooke May
“I think you’ve had enough.” Leaning forward, I do my best not to fall out of my chair and take the coin from her, placing it on the coffee table where our glasses now sit with all the others. The bottle of Jack still somehow holding liquor.
Ax is going to love this.
He didn’t get a chance to clean before we left for the party.
“But we are still clothed,” she whines, her nose wrinkling in the cutest of ways.
“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Grabbing her hand, I pull her up to her feet. “I will gladly remove the last of what is between us.” Never have I been so glad that Axle isn’t home, and my wallet is in my pants pocket on the other side of the coffee table.
Pretty pink nipples line up with my face, my hands finding her narrow hips once I’m sure she can stand on her own. The material matches the softness of her tattooed skin.
“Allow me.” My lips dust across the skin between her breasts.
“Yes.” Hands once more find their way into my hair, and I revel in the feel of them, guiding me but at the same time allowing me to move my head in whatever way I want.
With my eyes still cast up at her, I skate my lips over her until I have captured one of her taut nipples. Sweet ecstasy bleeds through me with her moan. Her boy shorts skim down her hips until they are free to fall to the floor without my assistance.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on, Lennox.”
“Oh, Jax.” Darting my tongue out, I allow it to skim across the valley and up to the other nipple, taking my turn with this one as well. Len writhes before me, her hips rocking back and forth as she rubs her thighs together, a failed attempt to ease the ache my simple manipulations of her body are causing.
While one hand absentmindedly digs into the side pocket of my chair, the other slips down her slightly trembling stomach and over her quaking mound. I hiss around her nipple when I glide against her slick flesh.
Fuck, she’s wet.
With a single digit, I flick her clit I know is swelling with need before moving farther into her body to sink the same finger into her wanting pussy.
“Shit, Len.” I’m struggling to find a condom in my wallet as I release her nipple with a pop. Finally finding one, I try to figure out how to put it on while also removing my boxers without releasing my hold on her. I don’t want to move my face or my hand, but I don’t think I have a choice.
“Here.” Len’s hands leave the hold on my hair and trembles her way down to almost too expertly help me remove my boxers. I am forced to remove my hold on her while I try not to think about how she knows how to help me get undressed while I’m still in my seat.
If I let my mind go there, we won’t get very far this evening.
All that flies out of my head when her small hand grabs me, and she slides the condom on.
“Holy fuck.” Her hot hand leaves me yearning for another warmth to surround my dick and fill my chest. The condom isn’t warm without her hand. “Come here.” Grabbing her, I pull her onto my lap to the best of my ability. My broader upper body doesn’t leave much room for her legs to go anywhere. Even if I’m unable to work them out or do anything with them, my legs are still relatively thick.
Thick like my dick brushing across her wet heat.
She’s teasing me.
“Are you okay?”
“With this?” She wriggles. “With your chair?”
“Yes.” I hiss.
“We can make it work.” Excruciatingly slowly, Len impales herself on my dick. Faster than our first time but still slow enough to consider it torture, Lennox begins to rock over me. I have enough of a mind to put the brakes on my wheels so we aren’t moving around the room and breaking shit.
My hands roam the sweetness of her skin; my eyes indulge in her body before I capture her lips in a searing kiss.
As much as I want to keep my eyes open to watch her, I take in every sensation she floods me with through our linked bodies and touches instead. Her fingers find their way to my shoulders, digging her blunted nails into them while making them feel linebacker massive with her tiny fingers.
A burning need has me wishing I could piston my hips up into her, meeting her bounces with my own thrusts. Pushing that aching thought from my mind, I focus on bringing her the greatest pleasure I possibly can.
My hands grab her fine ass, smacking her firmly to bring another moan from her. I would pull her hair, but it isn’t long enough for that.
“Oh, Jax.” She pants my name, her rotations growing frantic. Grabbing her small bouncing breasts, I run the pads of my thumbs over each nipple before pinching them, bringing her and myself closer to the edge.
My lips kiss, suck, and then my teeth bite lovingly on her neck.
My wicked mouth and hands succeed in freeing Len of an orgasm, and moments later, my own courses through me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“If you wanna get with, better make it fast.”
What in the ever-loving fuck is that?
Slumber recedes from my mind, bringing me closer to consciousness as the song continues to penetrate the muted stillness of my bedroom. Fucking hell, Axle, when are you going to quit fucking with my phone?
Nuzzling my face into my pillow, I draw back slightly when it occurs to me that it isn’t my pillow my face is stuck to. A slight glisten of sweat on the side of my face is the only clue I have that I was pressed against something warm.
My eyes crack open as fingers massage my scalp, and a humming starts with the ringtone Axle chose to annoy me with this morning. I really need to figure out how he is getting into my phone.
Exposed skin decorated with an elaborate lotus tattoo nestled under perky bare breasts greets me as my eyes open fully, and the events of last night come back to me. I didn’t have that much to drink when we got here that I can’t remember any of it, but it was enough to create a buzzing in the back of my head and the need to get something to drink.
But that can wait.
Finally feeling my hands, I pull Len’s lithe body to me once more.
“Hmm. Good morning.” Nuzzling her bare flesh once more, I feel the desire to lap at the small beads of sweat between her breasts and get a good taste of that tattoo.
“Good morning to you, Mr. Cuddles.” Fingers continue to massage and play with my hair. It feels so good that I could be lulled back to sleep by that alone.
“Cuddles?” Pulling away from her sleep-warmed skin, I finally find Len’s beautiful gaze on me. Her dual-colored eyes still stand out amongst the smeared and running eye makeup she never bothered to remove last night.
“Yeah, I woke up to you cuddling the shit out of my tits.” She chortles. “Not that I mind or anything. It was kind of nice waking up that way.”
“I don’t mind it too much either. I like your chest.”
“More than my personality?”
“It’s close.” The ringtone starts up again, telling us both that I need to shut it off, or it will keep playing the same goddamn song over and over again. “Sorry about the noise.”
“Hey, I love me some Spice Girls, so don’t worry.”
“It’s fucking annoying. Axle keeps messing with it whenever I’m not around.” Rolling over, I take Len with me as I do my best to grab my phone and shut the fucking alarm off.
“It’s good you have a friend like that, though. Paige would never mess with my phone or anything of mine, for that matter.”
“You two seem close, though.” Turning back to her, she snuggles down into the crook of my arm.
“We are, but Paige doesn’t have the greatest sense of humor.”
“So, you’re the funny one in that relationship, then?”
“How did you know?” She pokes my side.
“We are similar in that way.” I pull her tight to my side, trapping that hand between us. “Axle isn’t that funny, but can be an ass when it comes to my alarms.”
Silence falls around us, and as she traces the lines of my Celtic knot on m
y chest, I’m lost in my head.
“So, Axle and Paige should be two peas in a pod then?”
“Or two chemicals that will cause nothing but explosive chaos when they come together.” I can’t help but laugh about that analogy.
“That’s a good way of putting it. Not that I know Axle very well yet.”
“The mammoth isn’t too bad. His bark is far worse than his bite, but he doesn’t let anyone know that. I don’t even think he likes me knowing it.”
“Paige is the same way, you know. She has a massive, somewhat broken heart buried under all that darkness she lets people see. Maybe Axle is just what she needs. I’m tired of seeing and then saving her from the destructive path she always seems to be on.”
“Just promise me something.”
Axle isn’t one to do relationships; he has never had a functional one. Whatever he has going on with Megan isn’t functional, nor is it wise on the best days. If he is going to get deeper with Paige, Len and I need to stay the fuck out of it if we are to have anything.
“Yes?”
“Whatever happens between Paige and Axle, be it working out or ending in disaster, promise me that it won’t affect us; that we will be okay no matter what and just focus on our own shit?”
“Is this your way of asking me to be your girl?”
Rolling to my side, I wrap my arms around her. “Yes, I want you to be my girl, Lennox Austin. What do you say?”
“Hmm.” She strums her fingers on my chest, pretending to be deep in thought, but I see the humor lingering in her upturned gaze. “I’d say I better get used to calling you my boyfriend, Mr. Jax Hunt.”
“I hear a but in there.” As much as that little bit of doubt guts me, I’m still pretty excited she agreed to be mine.
“But,” she starts, “we will need to still keep it hushed around Owen. Think of it in the same terms as with Paige and Axle. They don’t have a place in our relationship and neither does he.”
“I can live with that.” For now. Hooking my finger under her chin, I’m just about to seal our lips together when her phone chirps and begins to dance next to mine.
“Speaking of the devil,” she murmurs. Her body rolls over on top of mine to retrieve her phone. I’m not complaining while she moves against me to answer it. She speaks to Owen, but I can’t keep my hands to myself. Roaming her body, I take in every inked part of her perfection. She doesn’t slap me away and bites down on my shoulder to keep from giggling into the phone with her brother.
He doesn’t sound happy, and that dulls the mood instantly.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Ending the call, she moves and sits up on the edge of the bed. “I need to get going.”
“I don’t want you to go yet.”
“I don’t either.” She deflates but still leans down to give me one last kiss before she gets out of bed and puts on her clothes. I’m upset as I pull on my boxers she tosses to me and get into my chair.
“Call me later?”
“You got it, handsome.” Bending down, she kisses me one final time before heading out the door. I don’t move until I can no longer see the purple car.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
My state of suspended animation doesn’t last long after Len is completely gone when I’m reminded that I need to get ready for church.
Pulling out my heather gray suit and a pale pink dress shirt, I set everything out on my bed to get ready. I should shave and possibly cut my hair, but I don’t have that much time. I can just do it when I get home. It’s time to cut it all off.
Getting ready doesn’t take as much time as it normally does. It might have something to do with the skip in my proverbial steps, thanks to the sexy little woman who just left.
The pink might have something to do with it too.
Once my suit is in place, I wheel myself into the bathroom to slick back my unruly hair. If I wasn’t on my mom’s shit list already, I would be now with how long I’ve let it get. She will still freak, but I doubt it will be in front of me. She will wait until it is just her and my dad before she lets loose.
The house is far too quiet. Not having Axle home by now isn’t normal. Usually, when he has a random hookup, he is home before I’m even out of bed the next morning. Paige must have some sort of spell over him if he is still up there with her.
That, and he doesn’t have a vehicle to get his giant ass back here.
Axle at a woman’s mercy? Now, that is laughable. He avoids situations that call for it, but it looks like the winds of change are in the air.
By the time I get to church, I am one of the last to stagger in which if my mom was any farther back would see and have something to say about that too.
Skirting around to the side I know I will find Josie and her family at, I skid to a stop just as the sermon begins.
“Uncy!” Ruby squeals as she catapults off her dad’s lap and onto mine.
“Hey, sweetie.” Kissing her cheek, I turn her around and will her to pay attention. As much as I love visiting with my family beforehand, I’m okay with missing it today. I’ll catch up afterward.
While the sermon carries on, I’m only half-listening while I search out my parents. I miss us all sitting together and the laughter that flowed so easily amongst us. I need to find a way to get through to my mom.
Ironically, the sermon is based on forgiveness and healing, about overcoming those who have wronged you, and the lies that may have hurt you. I hope my mom is truly listening and having an epiphany.
I have healed from my injuries; she is the one who lingers in the past. She feels wronged by Axle for taking my ability to walk, and she steeps herself in the lies she chooses to believe over the truths I have offered to her.
By the time the hour is up, Ruby is far too restless for me to contain on my lap anymore. As we are dismissed to go have coffee and donuts, I set her down, and off she vanishes to find her grandma and grandpa while I slowly follow my sister and brother-in-law to the dining area. My mom may be at odds with me, but she loves her children and grandchild, so she will get Ruby to her classroom.
This may give me a few extra minutes to visit with my dad since Ruby will want to show my mom everything in the class.
Getting to the banquet room, we quickly find my dad, and then Josie is on me. Her gaze, one that matches my own, pins me in place. She is looking for something, and the moment she finds it, a slow grin grows across her face.
“You met a girl.”
Len only said to keep our relationship quiet with her brother. We never said anything about mine.
So, I let it be known.
“Yes.” Beaming up at her, I accept the coffee my dad offers and follow them to a table.
“So? Is that all you’re going to give us? I’ve been waiting forever for you to finally meet someone,” Josie screeches behind me as she trails along. “Give me details, Jax.”
“Why?” I’m being an ass. “I didn’t ask you for information when you started dating Nolan.” I jerk my thumb in the direction of my brother-in-law who is being his typical quiet self. Josie talks more than the man will probably ever dream of saying. But he does love my sister in whatever form he can get her.
“Yes, you did. You asked me who he was, where he lived, his birthday, and his weight so you could size him up before you decided to beat him up or not.”
“Did I?” I tilt my head, keeping my smile hidden from her. “I don’t recall.”
“Jaxson.” She slams her small, impatient hand on the table as we arrive.
“Josie,” Dad admonishes her, turning in his seat to see who he needs to apologize to for his daughter’s random act of violence before turning back his hard eyes to her. “If your brother doesn’t want to share, leave him be.”
“Share what?”
Crap.
I can do one of two things right now. I could continue my tale of meeting and wooing Lennox since my mom seems interested in what I have to say, or I could tuck my tail between my legs and run along
home.
What do you think I go with?
If you picked B, you’d be wrong.
Feeling like I just won some great battle, I smile up at my mom only to be met with an unwavering look of disappointment.
“I met someone. Her name is Lennox Austin. She works for a company Double X is now partnered with, has a brother in a similar disposition as myself, and she is funny, beautiful, and amazing.” After that declaration, I allow my smug self to take a nice bite out of one of the donuts in the center of the table.
Maybe hearing my life being normal will get through to her.
“I hope you have better taste in women than you do in friends,” she sneers.
And just like that, it hurts all over again to be around her.
“First, you stick up for that jerk, Axle Ryan, and now, you’re dating?” she continues.
“Dear.” Dad stands, but it does no good. Neither Nolan nor my father are the type of men to stand up to their wives. Thank God I’m not that way.
“I bet she is covered in those god-awful tattoos you love so much.” The one on my inner left arm burns a little. It’s a Mom tattoo. “She probably races as well?” She doesn’t allow me to answer. “I don’t know where I went wrong with you–”
“Honey, I believe Janice wanted to talk to you about that potluck?” Dad cuts her off. I have to give it to him. For once, he is stopping the onslaught before it begins, but then again, it is probably because she is doing it in public.
The words are already out there as it is.
Without looking back down at me, she turns on her kitten-heeled feet and marches off across the room where Janice sits happily with her family. I bet my mom has her own fake smile plastered right back in place.
I miss the woman she once was. She loved the tattoo I got in honor of her when I unveiled it. What changed?
“I’m so sick of this.” Josie snaps me out of my worries. She is looking at me; her concern marked clearly on her face. My good news was washed away, much like the day I told them all I was hired by Double X. “We need to find a way to get through to her. I want our family back.”
