Chapter One
“Good morning.”
Layne heard the smooth, gentle voice of her lover as he dropped gentle kisses up and down her body. She moaned as his touch roused her from what had been a deep and comfortable sleep.
She remembered a time when she would have resented him for touching her, however gently, until she awakened. A time when waking life was nothing but stress and danger and her only escape from it was sleep. The virus that had wiped out the rest of the world had caused nothing but trouble for its survivors, and although Layne had done her best to work toward a cure, the sad fact of the matter was that she had wasted her time.
But now, Layne could hardly wait to come back to her life from her dreams. Somehow, with Jax at her side, she didn’t want to miss a moment of their world together. Things had only gotten better since they found the little piece of land that had been designed for off-the-grid living.
Whoever had claimed that place before the virus had brought an end to most of humanity had certainly known what they were doing. The little house had running water and everything the two of them might need to thrive. It was miraculous. To up the chances of survival before they met it was almost necessary to join one of the dangerous tribes that roamed the wilderness, desperate for whatever scraps they could find of the world that had left them behind. Although the mindset was that there was safety in numbers, it took no time for the humans to turn on themselves and battle violently for resources.
“Did you sleep well?” Jax asked, stroking her cheek lovingly. Layne’s eyes met his and the two of them smiled at each other. How did he never look disheveled, even after eight hours of sleep…and a few hours of other things? It was miraculously sexy.
“I did,” she said, running her hands through his jet black hair. It reached his shoulders now, and the combination of his hair’s length and his soulful brown eyes gave Jax a sort of spiritual look. She liked it, even though it was much different from how he looked when they had first met. He used to keep his hair cropped short, with fighting in mind. He wanted to have no weaknesses. Nothing for an enemy to grab onto. And it was for the best, because she had quickly learned that Jax was a powerhouse.
Layne’s fingers twisted around a thick, dark lock of his hair. She wasn’t an enemy to him, thankfully. Not anymore. Jax hadn’t seen a real enemy since he had gone out to get help for her. But if he left the safety of their little paradise, she knew he would waste no time in chopping off his hair. Layne shuddered.
“Stay here with me for a while,” she said.
“I thought I had,” Jax replied, grinning lovingly at her. “But you know I have to get you breakfast…the baby…”
Layne’s heart panged sharply in her chest. She had almost let her condition fall under the conscious awareness of her mind. In this dangerous, unpredictable world, somehow they were expecting. Layne would have to set to work once again on the prospect of a cure to the virus. The people with the green-tinged skin, who wandered the world in agony and guilt, were still spreading the virus to people who were vulnerable to it. A baby who might not have their immunities could easily die if exposed to these people. The only way to protect her child was to find a way to fight it.
“That’s not what I meant,” Layne said, but she smiled the thought away. “Although that sounds really nice, too.”
“Does it?” Jax asked, sliding on top of her and planting a lingering kiss on her lips. She couldn’t help but buckle as her body was overtaken by a deep longing. They couldn’t get enough of each other. Even now. Even with –
“Jax, get it before it starts burning!” Tobi’s husky voice called from the kitchen.
Jax bowed his head in defeat and Layne chuckled. She knew exactly what he wanted. But he gathered his morale and beamed down at her.
“We were making you something special today,” he confided, slipping out of bed and pulling a shirt on. “Something with vitamins.”
Layne watched him disappear quickly from the bedroom. A few moments later, he was beside her again, holding a tray with a little flower sitting on it.
“Look what Sam found,” Jax said, glancing at the flower as he handed Layne the tray. “She says it’s a good omen. Things are looking up.”
Layne smiled up at Jax, her heart full. Tobi and Sam were still clattering around in the kitchen. The sounds of their cooking and flirtatious laughter made the house feel warm and lively. So much different than the way things were even just a few months ago, when it was just Layne and Jax struggling to make ends meet. It had been a blessing to find the perfect spot to make a home together, where she had been able to cultivate a garden and truly bring the best of herself out for the sake of their happiness.
Jax settled back in bed beside her and they ate in peace, the sun streaming in on them from the window beside the bed. Things were coming along fine, and together, they would make it work.