All I can do is stare at the headstone.

I had ordered a simple, flat grave marker because three hundred dollars was all I could afford. The one in front of me is an upright stone in two tones. On the polished black side, it says, “Beth Hart, beloved mother and friend.” On the polished grey side, a cutout butterfly perches as though it is about to take flight. It’s lovely, but astronomically out of my price range.

I glance around at the stones nearby, which are all flat, like the one I thought I had bought. My mother’s gravestone is enormous in comparison, like it belongs in the other lot with the family plots and expensive mausoleums.

“This has to be a mistake,” I whisper to Susan, who has her arm looped through mine. “This one costs like three grand. And they told me it wouldn’t be ready for a week unless I paid extra.” I remember flipping through the brochure and being aghast at the prices. “I… I can’t afford this.”

She pats my hand. “It’s all taken care of, honey. Stop worrying.”

“Did you pay for this? It’s beautiful. I know she’d love it. If you can wait until this summer, I'll pay you back.”

Susan turns to me. “You don’t have to because I didn’t pay for it.”

Now I’m confused. “Okay,” I say slowly. “Who did?” Maybe Mom’s friends in her book club pooled their money together.

She turns me around until I’m facing Jax who is standing on the other side of the tent, talking quietly to Travis. “That’s who you should thank. Jax paid for everything today. He wanted you to think I covered these expenses, but that wouldn’t be right. You should know that lovely boy did this, and he picked the headstone, specifically requesting the butterfly after he saw your mother’s stained glass in the kitchen. He paid extra to have it ready today.” She nods toward him. “He’s a keeper.”

Then she walks off, leaving me with my mouth gaping open.

I wait until we’re in the car to freak out. What the hell is wrong with him?

“Jax, you said we’d be friends. How can you lay down twelve grand for my mother’s funeral? Wasn’t money at the heart of our little misunderstanding?” The irony of the situation is not lost on me. “Would you do that for any friend?”

“I don’t know about any friend.” He looks at me sideways as he pulls onto the highway. “But I would for my girlfriend. In a heartbeat.”

I still, not knowing what to say. Behind me, Travis kicks my seat, and I shake my head. “I thought you don’t date. I thought you don’t have girlfriends.” Or at least not anymore. “I mean, not since Giselle.”

“I don’t. But I’d like one.”

“Just one?” I look over at him, almost afraid of the answer.

“Just one. Just you.”

Numb from the funeral, I can’t seem to process his words. We’re quiet the rest of the drive. Even Travis is silent. When we get to my house, Travis immediately disappears upstairs, but I’m not quick enough to do the same. Jax grabs me the moment my coat is off and wraps me in a hug, pressing me to his hard body.

“I’m so sorry you had to bury your mother,” he whispers. Feeling his arms around me makes me relax. “She sounded like an amazing woman.” I press my cheek to his shoulder and brace myself so I don’t cry. “Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

I swallow back tears and focus on taking deep breaths.

Jax strokes my head. “Let’s do this, Dani. We’ll go slow. But I want you in my life, and I think you want me too.”

He nuzzles in my hair, and I close my eyes, surprised by how good it feels to be in his arms. He runs his nose against my jaw, and I inhale his scent. I could get lost in the way he smells and how he holds me. So lost.

That thought alone makes me stop. I put both hands on his chest and push him away so I can look him in the eye.

“I appreciate everything you did for me today, but if we’re being honest, I don’t know if I can trust you.”

He stares back, not flinching.

“I’m okay needing to prove myself to you.” Ignoring my hands, he tugs me closer until we’re nose to nose. “Let me prove it. That I can be yours and only yours.” He leans forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “I can’t promise I won’t hurt you because I know I’m an idiot sometimes, but I want to try, and maybe if you help me, I can be more for you.” He takes a deep breath. “I want to be more for you.”

I’m at a loss for words.

He stares like he’s trying to memorize my face. “I swear you’re the only woman I want. Even when we were apart, you’re the only girl I’ve thought about.”

I wiggle out of his grasp. “You slept with other women.” My eyes dart down as I remember his date in the limo.

“I haven’t slept with anyone in months. Yeah, I’ve gone out with other people, but I swear I haven’t slept with anyone.”

I find that hard to believe, and I half laugh. “So you haven’t slept with anyone since Thanksgiving?” I stare at him, daring him to answer.

He doesn’t look away, he doesn’t pause, he doesn’t flinch. “No. No one.” Seeing my expression, it’s his turn to laugh. “Have some faith, Dani.” His eyes pass over me. “What about you? How many people have you been with since then?”

I glare at him. “What kind of girl do you think I am that I’d go from nearly having sex with you to jumping in bed with someone else?”

“What about Brady?” he asks, starting to look pissed.

“What about Brady?” Is that really who concerns him?

“Did you sleep with him?” The anger in Jax’s voice is unmistakable, but there’s something else there too. Hurt?

“Come on, Jax. Get serious. He and I aren’t like that. I told you that over Thanksgiving.”

“Yeah, but I saw those pictures of the two of you.”

“That was just a photoshoot.”

“You two looked pretty intimate.” Jax gives me a pointed look. “You were naked, and he was wrapped around you.”

“I was not naked. Just topless. And it was for an art class. Besides, as you should know, looks can be deceiving.” I can’t help but think about that girl in the limo and the breathy way she said his name like she was two seconds from going down on him. The thought of him with her pisses me off, so I say something to turn the tables. “Why? Are you jealous?”

“Fuck, yes, I’m jealous.” Now it’s his turn to glare at me.

I laugh. Yes, to think I’d be with Brady like that makes me laugh. “Jax, I don’t know if you realize it, but you kind of ruined other guys for me, so no, Brady and I are not like that. At all. And anyway, he has a girlfriend. Those photos were for an assignment and nothing more.”

Can I do this? Can I be with Jax when everything about him threatens to destroy me if he changes his mind?

Stronger in the broken places… I hear the words, like my mother is reminding me to give him a chance. He drove across the country not even knowing that she passed away. Just because he was sorry about what happened. Just because he wanted to see me.

“How did you see the photos?” I ask quietly.

He relaxes a little. “My sister texted them to me to show me I’m a dumbass.”

I feel the wall I’ve built around me start to crumble. Taking a deep breath, I decide to take a chance.

“Remind me to thank her,” I say with a small smile, enjoying the annoyance in his eyes. “So you want to prove yourself to me, huh?”

“More than you know.” He wraps his arms around me again.

“I’m not going to sleep with you.” I stare at him, trying to be convincing. Inside, I’m doing my damnedest to focus on all the reasons it would be prudent to wait.

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” He grins. “Yet.”

It’s tough to ignore the lust that pulses through me at the prospect of being with him. “You’re going to have to earn it.”

He growls against me and presses my back against the counter, his hard length wedged against my belly.

“I might die in the process, but I’ll do whatever you want.” He kisses me softly. “Besides, you playing hard to get is hotter than fuck.”

I look down between us and laugh. “I can tell.”