Chapter 9
Gabby led him into the living room and over to the bookcase where she stored their movies. “All the more adult stuff is up here.”
He snorted.
“What?”
His eyes sparkled with amusement when he looked at her. “I didn’t know you owned those types of movies.”
It took her a moment to understand what he meant. She straightened her shoulders and looked him squarely in the eye. “So what if I did? It’s not as if I’ve had a man around to take care of my needs.”
The humor left his face and a part of her regretted snapping at him. She needed to let the past go if they were going to try and make this work.
He started to release her hand, but she held firm. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s okay. And you’re right in any case.”
They stood not really looking at each other or anything else for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts. “Maybe I was right, but I still shouldn’t have said it.” When he remained silent, she decided to try a different tactic, one she’d perfected since having a three-year-old. “Do you see a movie you want to watch?”
Jax glanced briefly at the row of maybe ten movies she had on the shelf. He selected one and held it out to her.
She took it from him and walked over to the entertainment center. Once everything was set, she picked up the remote and went to join him on the couch. He’d made sure to stay at one end, leaving plenty of room for her. Gabby considered her options. She could sit on the opposite end, letting the physical separation widen the emotional one, or she could be the bigger person and work to repair the damage she’d done to what they both had said they wanted to try and rebuild.
He met her gaze as she stood in front of him for a long moment before lowering herself down next to him. She curled her feet under her and snuggled into his side. Jax had no choice but to either put his arm around her or push her away. Luckily, he chose the first option.
As the movie played on the television, she gradually felt him begin to relax. Halfway through, she got up and removed the lasagna from the oven and fixed them both a plate. By the time the credits were rolling, their empty plates were on the coffee table and she was cuddled against his side while he played with the ends of her hair.
Gabby leaned into him and sighed. “That feels good.”
“You used to like it when I played with your hair,” he said, his lips ghosting along her forehead.
“I still do.”
They sat there until the movie returned to the main menu. He continued to run his fingers through her hair. “I want to make it up to you, but I don’t know if I can. I don’t—”
She grabbed the back of his neck and brought their lips together for a hard kiss. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Will we?” he asked.
Releasing his neck, she lowered her hand to rest on his chest. “I hope so.”
“And what if we can’t?” The look on his face was full of pain. His decision to leave had hurt him, too. Not in the same way it had her, but it hurt him nonetheless.
Even still, his question was a valid one. The hurt wasn’t going to go away overnight. Even if her body was more than willing to forget the past and pick up right where they’d left off, her heart still had scars that needed time to heal. “We’ll figure that out, too. Taylor needs both her parents whether we’re together as a couple or not. One way or another, we have to figure out how to make it work.”
This time he brought their mouths together for a kiss. It was soft and breathy and had her longing for more. It was so easy to forget everything else when his lips were on hers.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I want to make you happy again . . . to see the side of your mouth lift into a smile when I walk into the room.”
She lowered her gaze to his chest and then looked up at him once more. “Give me some time.”
Jax nodded.
After a long pause, Gabby eased herself off the couch. She crossed the room, removed the movie from the DVD player, and put it back on the shelf. “How about a board game?”
“Sure.” He stood. “What did you have in mind?”
Gabby motioned for him to follow her down the hall to the closet where she kept all the board games. Over the last year her collection had grown. Granted, most of them, like with the movies, were geared toward children. Still, it was something to pass the time. “Pick your poison.”
He looked over the options and selected Candy Land.
“Really?” she asked.
“What? I used to love this game as a kid.”
She laughed. “Like father, like daughter, I guess. Taylor can’t get enough of it. We have to play at least once a week.”
Jax smiled, and she was glad to see the melancholy of a few minutes ago had gone. He carried the box to the dining room table. While he set everything up, she retrieved their empty plates from the living room and put the rest of the lasagna away.
Two hours and several games of Candy Land later, Gabby threw up her hands. “I give up. You’re cheating. You have to be.”
Her accusation was said in jest, and the huge grin on his face said he hadn’t taken offense. “I told you I loved this game. I could play it blindfolded.”
Before she could respond, the phone rang and she got up to answer it. “Hello?”
“Are you all right?” Her sister’s voice was full of worry.
“I’m fine. Why?”
She heard Grace release a loud breath. “Our electricity has been out for over an hour and I know you’re alone this weekend.”
Gabby glanced over at Jax, who was gathering up the game and putting it back into the box. “The electricity is still on and I’m not alone.”
“Oh. I thought Taylor went to Kansas City with her grandparents. Did they cancel because of the storm?”
In for a penny, in for a pound. Besides, her sister would know soon enough that Gabby and Jax were giving it another go. “No. They left on Friday afternoon. As far as I know, they’re still planning to head back home tomorrow.”
“So who—”
Gabby waited for her sister to put the pieces together.
“Jax?”
“Yeah.”
It took her sister a moment to respond. “How long has he been there?”
Again, Gabby’s gaze drifted to Jax who had bent over to pick up something off the floor. His jeans hugged his ass, making her insides clench with want. “He came over Friday night to talk.”
“And just how much talking have you two been doing?” By the tone of her sister’s voice, she knew what Grace was really asking.
“Everything okay?” Jax mouthed to her from across the room. She could only imagine the look on her face.
Gabby nodded and went back to talking to her sister. “We’ve done quite a bit of talking, actually.”
“I bet you have.”
Grace giggled and Gabby rolled her eyes. Not all that long ago, hearing such carefree sounds from her sister would have been a rare occurrence. “What has Alexander done to my timid little sister?”
“Um . . .”
“Forget I said anything. I don’t want to know.”
Grace laughed. “You probably don’t.”
Shaking her head, Gabby decided to shift the conversation back to where it had begun. “You said your electricity was out. Do you and Alexander have everything you need? I don’t know if the roads are any better than last night, but you could stay here if you need to.”
“We’re good for now. Alexander made a fire in the fireplace and we have bottled water and some canned food. We’ll be okay for a little while.” She paused. “Besides, we wouldn’t want to interrupt your talking.”
Speaking of talking. “Have you talked to Mom today?”
“Yeah. I called her before I called you. She said the lights flickered off and on a few times, but she never lost power. We’re just lucky, I guess.” Gabby heard a muffled voice in the background. “I should probably let you go.”
“Alexander wants your attention, does he?”
Grace giggled. “Something like that.”
“Call me if you guys change your mind about coming over,” Gabby said.
“We will.” And then her sister was gone.
Gabby shook her head as she put the phone down.
***
“Everything okay?” Jax asked as she strolled toward him.
“Grace was just calling to see if we had lost power. Apparently theirs went out about an hour ago.” Gabby reached for the game box and tucked it under her arm. “She wanted to make sure I was all right since I was supposed to be alone this weekend.”
He started to say something but stopped himself. It wasn’t any of his business what she told her sister. If Gabby wanted Grace to know he was there that was her call.
“I told her we still had power.” She hesitated. “And that I wasn’t alone.”
“What did she have to say about that?” Jax asked, trying to keep his tone casual.
“She thinks we’ve spent the entire time in bed.”
Jax snorted. “Well, not the entire time.”
Gabby smacked his arm, turned on her heel, and headed down the hallway. He followed her and watched as she returned the game to the shelf in the closet. When she spun around, Jax was there, a foot away, leaning against the wall.
He ran his hand down the length of her arm until his fingers tangled together with hers. “Why does she think we’ve spent the entire weekend in bed?”
The muscles in her neck contracted as she swallowed. “Because.”
“Because why?” He stepped closer, crowding her. That little vein in her neck pulsed harder—a telltale sign of the effect he had on her.
Her voice cracked a little when she answered. “Because I told her what happened between us.”
Jax wrapped his free arm around her waist, pressing her body against his, and she melted against him. “When you came over to my apartment to pick up Taylor?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t remember you and your sister being that close,” he said, trying to ignore his growing erection. It didn’t matter that it had been less than five hours since he’d been inside her. He wanted her again. He always wanted her. Jax wasn’t sure that would ever change. In fact, he hoped it wouldn’t.
She rested her hands on his shoulders as if she were steadying herself or about to push him away. “We’ve gotten a lot closer since she moved back.”
“After her husband was killed.” Taylor had mentioned something about her Aunt Grace’s boyfriend one day and he’d asked his mom if she’d known anything about it. That was when he’d found out that while he’d been gone, Grace’s husband, who’d been serving overseas, had been killed in combat. He’d only met Kurt once, but he liked him. And as far as Jax could tell, Kurt had loved his wife.
Sadness filled Gabby’s eyes and she nodded. “Grace was a mess for a while. I was really worried about her.”
He didn’t like seeing her sad. “But she’s better now, right?”
The tiniest smile pulled at Gabby’s lips. “She is. Thanks to Alexander.”
“Sounds like he was exactly what she needed.” Jax lowered his hand to cup her ass, unable to resist bringing them closer. The talk of Grace losing her husband reminded Jax of his second chance with Gabby. He wasn’t going to take it for granted.
“Yes.” By the look in her eyes, Gabby could feel the hard length of him pressing against her abdomen.
“Maybe the four of us could go out sometime. I’d like to meet him.”
“Sure.” She seemed distracted.
Her gaze drifted to his mouth and he cleared his throat. “Gabby.”
She placed a finger over his lips. “The food is put away and we have the house all to ourselves. I think I’d like to spend a little more time in bed.”
It was his turn to swallow hard.
When he didn’t respond, Gabby reached between them and cupped him through his jeans. “I know you want to.”
There was no sense in denying it. She was holding the evidence in the palm of her hand. “I always want to.”
A sly grin spread over her face. Gabby gave him a little squeeze and released him. She took a step backward, grabbed both his hands, and led them into the bedroom.
She wasn’t wasting any time this go around. Gabby kicked off her pants and removed her shirt seconds after they entered the room. She climbed onto the bed, her ass drawing his attention like a moth to a flame.
His libido took over. Jax practically ripped his sweater in his haste to get it over his head. His jeans and boxers followed his sweater to the floor, and then he joined her on the bed. She opened herself to him, spreading her legs wide. He took a moment to appreciate the sight before him before lowering himself to cover her body with his.
Gabby circled her legs around his waist, urging him closer. He brought their lips together, dipping his tongue into her mouth, licking and exploring. “I’ve missed kissing you.” He kissed her again, long and slow to drive the point home.
She hummed and scraped her nails along his scalp. That was new. He must have hesitated for a split second because she stopped doing it and asked, “Something wrong?”
He shook his head. “No. It’s just you’ve never done that before. With your nails.”
“Oh.” She looked slightly embarrassed. “I read it in a book and I wanted to try it. If you don’t like it—”
“No,” he said, wanting to reassure her. “I like it.” In truth, he liked it a lot.
Gabby grinned.
“Research?” She’d started writing romance novels when she’d gotten pregnant. On the nights when she couldn’t sleep, she’d read the romance novels she loved so much. Then she’d gotten an idea for one of her own and, after telling him about it, he’d encouraged her to try her hand at writing one. What was the worst that could happen? And no one said she had to publish it.
She pressed her lips together and nodded.
A slow smile spread across his face and he leaned in to coax her lips apart again. “What else have you been researching?”
He ran a hand up her side and palmed her breast, skimming his thumb over her hard nipple. She arched her back, silently begging for more. Who was he to refuse her?
Sliding down, he captured her nipple in his mouth and sucked.
This time she wasn’t so silent. The sweetest sound, almost like a purr, escaped her lips. His cock twitched. He did it again and her legs squeezed his middle, securing him to her.
Not that he had plans to go anywhere anytime soon. He gave the nipple a final lick before switching to give the other one the same attention. “I’m still waiting.”
“What?” she asked, confused.
He sucked her nipple into his mouth, licked several times, and released it to gaze up at her beautifully flushed face. “I asked you what else you’ve been researching.”
Her face got even redder, something he wouldn’t have thought possible.
Intrigued, Jax pushed himself up until his face was level with hers again. “You’re embarrassed?”
She didn’t say anything. She wasn’t even looking at him.
“Do I need to tickle it out of you?” he asked, trying to ease her fears. Was she afraid he’d judge her or something?
“Roll onto your back.”
It was his turn to be confused. “What?”
Gabby pushed at his shoulders. “You said you wanted to know what else I’d researched. Roll over.”
The idea of changing position didn’t appeal to him, but he was curious what she would do. She unhooked her legs from around his middle and he moved to lie beside her.
Ever so slowly, Gabby sat up and moved until she was in between his legs. She wrapped her right hand around his cock, pumped it several times, and then took him into her mouth.
His head fell back and he tangled his fingers in her hair. Fuck, that felt good. It had been too long since he’d felt her lips on him.
She licked and sucked, circling his head with her tongue. His balls felt heavy. If she kept it up, he was going to come.
But as great as it was, nothing she was doing was new. The thought crossed his mind moments before he felt her free hand cup his testicles. Her touch was gentle. It was almost as if she were massaging them.
Jax clenched his fist and she released a low moan. It took him longer than it should have to realize what he’d done to cause such a reaction from her. He did it again, this time deliberately giving her hair a slight pull.
She released another soft moan that vibrated over his cock as she continued to move up and down along his length.
He was contemplating doing it again when she shifted her hand lower and began rubbing right behind his balls. Energy shot through him, and before he knew what was happening, he was on the verge of coming.
“Gabby.”
She sucked harder and began a steady hum.
It was too much. His orgasm shot up his cock with a force he hadn’t experienced in years.
Gabby didn’t release him from her mouth until he was empty. Then she crawled up his body, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. “So? What did you think?”
She looked so innocent staring down at him like that. As if she hadn’t just had those lips of hers wrapped around his cock.
He cupped the side of her face with one hand and pulled her down until her mouth was a breath away from his. “I don’t know. I think I might need another demonstration.”