Chapter Fourteen
“Livie.”
Jax shook her shoulder as she rolled over and settled deeper into his bed. After his promise of not letting her sleep, they’d made love once again and then he promised to just hold her . . . he hadn’t been ready to let her go.
Yet here they were at six in the morning. He needed to get her up and out before Piper woke because his girl was an early bird.
When Livie didn’t wake, he stood straight up and stared down at how perfectly placed she appeared. Her honey-colored hair fanning all over his navy sheets, her bare shoulder peeking out from beneath the quilt, her fingertips resting on his pillow.
Yeah, there was so much about this scene that he could get used to, but then there was that whole side of him that needed to keep his guard up. There was so much he’d gotten over from his past that he’d promised himself never to go back to.
It wasn’t exactly fair for him to compare Livie and Carly, but in his defense, he couldn’t help putting them against each other in his mind. There were so many similarities, yet the more he got to know Livie, he saw just how different she was from his ex-wife.
Ultimately, though, in the end Livie would leave . . . just like Carly.
Jax shoved aside the welling of emotions. He was stronger than this, damn it. He’d seen it all overseas in the air force, he’d been blindsided by a woman who claimed to not love him anymore and left him with an infant, and he’d faced the death of his mentor—a man who’d been like a father.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to get this woman out of his bed. Perhaps he wasn’t as strong as he claimed.
Little footsteps sounded down the hallway and Jax sprang into action. Racing toward the door, he flicked the lock and stepped out.
Piper’s hair was all in disarray. She rubbed her eyes, then smiled up at him. Her rotten little grin always melted his heart.
“Waffles?”
Jax laughed. He’d created a monster. He found a waffle maker at a yard sale and since that day three months ago, Piper wanted waffles every Saturday morning. But first he had to figure out how to get Livie out of his bed, out of the house, and not alert Piper to the overnight guest.
“Why don’t you go down and pick out a movie,” he suggested. “We’ll have a carpet picnic with our waffles. I got some strawberries yesterday too.”
Piper jumped up in the air and squealed. “This is the best day ever.”
She turned and raced down the stairs. Jax raked his hands over his face, his stubble bristling beneath his palms. Now he had to get Livie up and dressed, keep Piper distracted, and slip his guest out the door. He couldn’t help but smile at the look on Livie’s face when she discovered she’d indeed fallen asleep in his bed and it was now morning.
He turned and slipped into his room, but the moment he closed the door at his back, something smacked him in the face.
“How dare you?”
Blinking, he noticed a very angry, very undressed Livie. She didn’t seem so shy about her body now and he couldn’t help but rake his eyes over every inch of her. Granted she was walking around the room gathering her clothes, but he wasn’t about to look elsewhere.
“You let me sleep,” she scolded as she scooped up her shirt. “I didn’t want to wake up here. I never stay, ever. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Jax bent down to retrieve her bra. Dangling it off one finger, he merely raised his brows. “I’m assuming you’re angrier with yourself than with the fact you spent the night.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” She hopped into her panties and yanked them up. “You—”
“Listen.” He stalked across the room and handed over the bra, which she jerked from his hold. “Neither of us planned on you staying here, but right now we have to work together to get you out because Piper is downstairs waiting on waffles.”
Fisting her dress in her hands, Livie groaned. “I can’t do the walk of shame in front of her, she won’t understand.”
The fact Livie worried more about what Piper would think than her own embarrassment warmed something in him. She wasn’t that selfish, stuck-up city girl he’d believed she was when she first stepped into his hangar. Livie cared, and seeing just how deep her concern was for his daughter now put him in a whole new level of frustration because he didn’t want to like her . . . at least not the type of like that would involve his heart.
Jax desperately feared his heart was already involved. Damn it. Now what? He’d spent the night with her and now she stood in his room wearing nothing but the bare essentials while his daughter waited on her breakfast.
If this weren’t awkward, this could be some sort of family moment . . . a moment he’d never had before. Even when he was married there were no situations like this. He was out of his element from every angle and at this point, he needed to take a step back and seriously think about what the hell he was doing. Because sex was one thing, but dragging his life and his daughter’s life into the mix wasn’t acceptable.
Livie pulled her dress over her head and smoothed her hair away from her face. As she started looking for her shoes, Jax realized she hadn’t once looked at him. Regrets? Already?
“Livie.” He put more force into his tone, one he’d used when he’d been a ranking officer in the air force. “Look at me.”
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
She muttered the statement as her eyes continued to search for her shoes. Jax closed the distance between them and grabbed her arms, hauling her against his chest. When she didn’t look up, he slid his finger beneath her chin and tipped her head.
“Relax. We’re adults.”
The flush to her cheeks, the moisture gathering in her eyes had his heart clenching. Yeah, whatever internal battle she faced had nothing to do with him. Jax knew he was just a minor component in her struggle, but he damn sure wasn’t going to let her sneak out of here like they’d done something wrong or dirty.
He wasn’t sorry she’d fallen asleep in his bed. For the first time in years, he wasn’t sorry he’d taken a woman to bed and had her by his side when he woke. He hadn’t done that since his marriage, mostly because he was busy being a single father and didn’t want to give Piper the wrong impression.
“No regrets, Livie.”
She chewed her bottom lip as her chin quivered. “This isn’t supposed to happen,” she whispered. “I’m not supposed to want this.”
A sliver of light cracked open that scar on his heart. “Neither of us wanted this,” he agreed, framing her face with his hands. “But here we are and I’m not sorry. I won’t let you be sorry either.”
Livie closed her eyes and blew out a sigh. “I can’t deal with these emotions right now. I need to find my shoes and figure out how to get out of here.”
He’d let her go, for now, but only because he had a toddler waiting on him who would be coming back up any minute if he didn’t get downstairs.
“Okay. I’m going to head downstairs. I will keep Piper in the kitchen mixing up the batter.” Reluctantly, Jax released her and stepped back. “Check the living room for your shoes and just head out the front door. Try not to make the knob click. Better yet, just leave the door slightly cracked. I’ll close it.”
She nodded. “Okay. Um . . . thanks?”
The fact this strong, independent woman felt awkward and out of her element gave him a bit of hope. He wanted her to be just as confused as he was because he had no clue where this was going or what the hell to do next.
But she was right. They could deal with the feelings later.
“No need for a thanks,” he replied. “I plan on doing this again.”
Her eyes widened as he leaned in for a quick kiss. He turned and left the room, leaving her with her mouth agape and speechless. Perfect, just how he wanted her. Let her think about that for a bit. Because, yes, he had no clue what they were doing, but he knew for certain that he wanted to do this again. He wanted her again.
As he bounded down the stairs, Jax figured he’d give Livie a day to come to terms with how she felt. Most likely she’d try to go back to being all business and focus on the plans for the airport . . . which they didn’t get around to discussing.
Well, she may try to get back to her CEO form, but he wasn’t having that. They’d crossed a line and he’d be damned if he’d let her go back.
* * *
Still barefoot, Olivia stepped into her back door. Two sets of eyes turned to look her way.
“Not one word,” she warned, closing the door at her back.
Melanie sipped on her green smoothie and Jade sank onto a barstool with her own glass of greens. Both were in their running gear, so Olivia had apparently missed out on their morning routine. Seemed to be a habit as of late. This entire town was messing with her life.
“You do the walk of shame, barefoot no less, and not expect us to say something?” Jade asked with a laugh. “It’s like you don’t know us at all.”
Olivia sat her purse on the counter and collapsed onto the barstool next to Jade.
“That must’ve been some kid party,” Melanie stated, a snarky smile on her face.
“I don’t even remember the party,” Olivia moaned. Had that only been yesterday afternoon? “So much happened since then.”
“We can be supportive and nosy at the same time.” Jade swirled the contents of her glass before tipping it back for a drink. “So, you went to the party, then we all went shopping and had a girl day. Fill in from after that until just now and where the hell are your shoes?”
“Probably under Jax’s couch,” she mumbled. “I’m going to need something stronger than a smoothie to get through this. Can someone get me a mimosa?”
Jade threw a glance to Melanie. “Heavy on the champagne.”
“What has happened to me?” Olivia muttered as she dropped her head into the pillow of her crossed arms. “I don’t do one-night stands.”
“Was this a one-time thing?” Melanie asked.
Jax’s parting words led her to believe this was just the beginning. But how could they continue? Wasn’t that just asking for a disaster neither of them had time for? What good would come out of an affair?
Her body still tingled, though. Spending the night in Jax’s bed had been . . . well, glorious. He wasn’t the cocky, egotistical man she’d first thought. He’d been attentive, giving, and oh so thorough.
The clink of the glass by her head had Olivia lifting herself up and reaching for the breakfast drink—because orange juice with anything was considered breakfast.
Olivia took a hefty drink, welcoming the cool, refreshing liquid. She gripped the glass with two hands as she sat it on the counter and stared at her manicured fingers.
“We ended up watching a movie and having popcorn with Piper.”
Melanie’s gasp echoed in the tiny kitchen. “That’s very . . . family-like.”
Olivia nodded in agreement. The whole family atmosphere had awakened something inside her, something she didn’t even know had been lurking.
There was something so therapeutic about watching a kid movie with a bowl of buttery popcorn and not worrying about e-mails or conference calls—
“Oh, damn it.” Olivia jumped to her feet. “I have a conference call this morning.” Panic settled in as she glanced to the clock above the sink and groaned. “I’m so screwed.”
She’d missed the conference call by thirty minutes. Thirty minutes ago she was still trying to figure out how to slink out of Jax’s house without Piper seeing when she should’ve been more concerned with her career and the promotion she’d hoped to receive.
Her boss had handed her an even bigger client, or one they hoped to sign. She’d been entrusted with this potential new client, something far better than the load that had shifted from her to Steve. Damn it.
Now she’d have to do some major ass kissing. Not to mention damage control, because there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Steve was in on that call and had gotten his subtle jab in as to his thoughts on her not participating.
She wasn’t keen on lying, was adamantly against it actually, but she couldn’t be totally honest with her boss. She didn’t figure “I’m sorry I was sleeping off the morning after” was a valid reason.
“We’ll think of a good excuse,” Jade told her, patting her shoulder. “First, we need to get everything else straightened out and then you can call your boss. He’s on the other call anyway right now so just calm down.”
“Easy for you to say. Your ass isn’t on the line.”
Melanie pulled the juice and champagne back out and topped off Olivia’s glass. “This is an easy fix. All you have to do is explain you were in the middle of an emergency regarding your father’s estate. That’s all. They don’t need any more than that. They already know why you’re not at work, so I’m sure they’ll understand.”
Olivia listened to Melanie’s simple fix. It sounded easy enough, but this wasn’t how Olivia worked. Ever. She was always punctual, always efficient, and always prepared for every meeting whether it be in a boardroom or on a telephone.
“You’ve never missed before, have you?” Jade asked.
Swiping the cool glass with her thumb, Olivia shook her head. “Never.”
“Then there you go. You’re grieving and overwhelmed here.” Jade drained her glass of greens and sat it back down as she let out a sigh. “Okay, that was easy. So fill us in about Jax. Please, tell me you didn’t act weird this morning.”
Olivia shot her a glare.
“Oh, well, aside from the fact you left without shoes,” Jade amended. “You didn’t act like you regretted it, did you?”
Shoving her hair away from her face, Olivia smoothed it over her shoulder and concentrated on the ends. Perhaps she should get a trim while she was here. Surely there was someplace that wouldn’t botch up her cut too much.
“Your silence is telling,” Jade grumbled. “Why the regrets?”
Olivia glanced to Melanie, who seemed to be offering a sympathetic smile, but at the same time waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know what I feel,” Olivia answered honestly. “I mean, I’m glad that tension isn’t there anymore, but at the same time that probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do if we’re going to be working together.”
“What did he say this morning?” Mel asked, leaning across the island on her forearms.
“Well, we only had a minute to talk because he was sneaking me out of the house while Piper wasn’t looking.”
Jade made some humming sound under her breath as she and Melanie exchanged a look.
“What?” Olivia demanded. “You guys can’t do that secret code thing with me in the room.”
“Did he try to rush you out?” Melanie asked.
“No. He tried to get me to tell him what I was thinking, but I had no clue.” She released her hair and rubbed her forehead. “I still don’t know.”
“I’d say he cares for you.”
Olivia stared across the scarred island to Melanie. Her friend merely shrugged. “I’m just telling you how I see it,” Mel defended.
There was no doubt Jax cared. She knew by the way he’d treated her, from the little he’d told her about his past. He wasn’t the type of guy to have a track record of sneaking women out before his daughter woke. Jax was a man of integrity, he was honest and loyal . . . and damn it, she was liking him more than she had right to.
She wasn’t going to be in Haven forever, so why was she allowing her mind to get swept up into this fairy tale she’d just recently realized she wanted?
“I need a shower.” She came to her feet, taking her glass with her. “Then I’m going to call and give some veiled, lame excuse to my boss and hope it’s not a black mark against me for the promotion or this new client he’s trusting me with.”
She only hoped he remembered that he’d been grieving recently too. She had to play on that aspect.
“When you’re done, we have a few things we need to run by you,” Melanie stated. “I started the process for a grant for the airport. We just need some information from you.”
Olivia nodded as she headed from the room. “Later,” she called back, waving her hand in the air. “Much later.”
Right now, she couldn’t think about grants or anything related to the airport because that would inevitably circle back to Jax. And right now, she needed to think about work. That was the only constant in her life. Whatever she had with Jax was temporary, so there was no room for a man and a promotion.