Jax

Raegan closes her bedroom door, though I’m not sure why, seeing as Arya sent her a text when we were on our way back from the movie, saying she took Stella and went to my place. I can’t imagine why she took Stella with her. Arya is most likely going to be hooking up with Graham tonight. But I don’t worry about it too much. The guys will look after Stella probably more than they do Walker since she’s so tiny.

Raegan takes off her jacket, hanging it up in her closet, and I stick my hand in my jeans pocket, pulling out the thing that I’ve been dying to give her all night.

I take it out, fisting it in my hand, as I walk up behind her. I flip her around to face me before she has a chance to kick off her shoes.

She looks up at me with her blue eyes, and I inhale, loving the warm vanilla scent that invades my senses.

“So, the reason I was here yesterday—”

She beams, her eyes bright. “I’m finally gonna be let in the loop on whatever you and Arya have been hiding from me?” she interrupts.

I chuckle under my breath as I lift my hand to her chin, my thumb grazing her soft skin. “Yes, Red, but you have to let me finish.”

She lifts her hand to her mouth, zipping her lips.

“I got you something, but I needed something from Stella first.”

Her brows crease at my words. “What do you mean?”

I bring my hand up for her to see and unclench my fingers. Her eyes move to the necklace in the palm of my hand. She reaches up and takes it, holding the chain in both of her hands.

The circle pendant dangles on the silver chain, and she shifts her eyes from me to it.

“It’s Stella’s paw print,” I tell her. “Now, you’ll always have her with you.”

Her mouth falls open as she takes the pendant in her hand, examining it closer.

I found someone who could transfer Stella’s paw print to a necklace. They got it done in one day and added Stella’s name to the small pendent.

I know how much Raegan loves her, and I hope this shows her how much she means to me.

I never intended to fall for a girl with red lips, who had the strength to stand up for herself when her ex wanted to beat her down. But that’s what happened. I fell for the girl who made my life brighter when I wanted to push her away. I would have been missing the most important person in my life if I’d never met Raegan Winters.

She glances up at me, her eyes brimming with tears.

“You can say something now,” I whisper.

Her eyes crinkle at the corners as she smiles. “I love it.” She unclasps the chain and hooks it around her neck. She lifts her hair from under the necklace and lets it fall to her shoulders.

Her fingers linger over the stamped metal, and I trail my thumb across her jaw until my hand cups the back of her neck.

“Red,” I whisper, my breath floating across her lips.

I mold my mouth to hers, unable to keep away from her any longer. Her fingers dig into my waist as she clings to my shirt. Her soft lips move with mine as I tug her hair, tilting her head back.

I groan as my tongue slips in her mouth, meeting hers. I explore every inch of her mouth, savoring everything about her.

She pushes me backward until my back hits a wall. She presses her body against mine, and my hand runs down her back. When I reach her ass, I pull her closer, moving my hips against her.

Her hand latches on to my neck, yanking at the hair on the back of my head, as she frees her mouth from mine. Her lips move down my neck, and my head falls back, hitting the wall as she sucks and kisses my skin.

My hands roam up her sides, feeling every curve of her body, as I memorize every part of her—the way she feels, the way she smells.

I never want to let her go. I want every part of her ingrained in my soul, so even when we’re apart, I’ll be able to feel her.

Her mouth disappears from me, and I look down on her, only to see her crystal-blue eyes hooded and mouth swollen. She’s stunning…more beautiful than a sunset.

She pushes my jacket from my shoulders, and I take a step forward, letting it drop to the ground. She reaches for the bottom of my shirt, her hands disappearing underneath, and I grasp her hips, trying to keep myself upright as she explores my abdomen.

God, her hands feel so good against my skin, so right.

I yank the shirt over my head, throwing it somewhere in the room.

I pick her up off the ground as I kiss her, and her legs wrap around my waist. I walk to her bed and drop both of us to the mattress.

I hover over her, my thumb tracing her bottom lip, as my eyes flick to the necklace around her neck. She runs her fingertips over it, and my gaze flicks back up to her face, wanting her to know she owns me whether or not she wants to. She has every piece of me even though I fought so hard not to give her anything.

“Red,” I say, my eyes skating over her face. The words I want to say are lodged in my throat, sitting at the base of my neck, and then they finally break through. “I love you.”

Her mouth opens as she exhales, causing her to sink further into the mattress. She searches my eyes, and I know she can see the love I have for her burning through because anyone would be a fool to miss the way I look at her like she’s the sun.

She presses her hand to my heart that’s thundering in my chest, beating so fast I’d be surprised if it didn’t give out. “I love you, too.”

I sweep my hand across her face until I seal my lips to hers. I kiss her as she clutches my shoulders, her legs still wrapped around my waist.

I never thought I would fall in love, but I guess I just needed to find the right person.

I graze my fingers across the soft skin of her midsection, goose bumps coating her arms. She sits up, taking me with her, and rips her shirt over her head. My eyes rake over her creamy skin—from her breasts down to her stomach.

She reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, letting it slip away from her chest.

I suck in a breath. “God, you’re perfect.”

She tugs my head toward her, kissing me like her life depends on it, demanding and taking, and I let her.

We discard the rest of our clothes, and I run my hand down her bare body, not missing an inch. I cherish every part of her, wanting her to feel how much I love her.

She whimpers in my arms, “Jax.”

The sound is sweet and needy at the same time, pushing me over the edge. I need her, and the way she’s squirming under me, I can tell she needs me, too.

I quickly move off the bed, searching for my pants. I find them next to her underwear and rip my wallet out of my pocket, taking out the condom I have hidden there.

I turn back to Raegan, and she’s propped up on her elbows, watching each of my movements. I tear open the wrapper and roll the condom on, moving back to the bed, crawling over her.

She scratches my back as I settle between her legs. I drop my forehead to hers, and we watch each other as I enter her, inch by inch. Eventually, her eyes close when I push all the way in, her body arching as she lets out a satisfied moan.

My lips collide with hers at the same time I move inside her. Her nails dig harder into my back, and I hope she leaves a mark, branding me.

Each sound she makes brings me closer to the edge, but I hold off, enjoying the feeling of being inside her. Her arms fall back, gripping the sheets above her head as she screams my name.

I drop my head to her neck, breathing her in, as I nip at her skin, and when I feel her pulse around me, I pound against her faster until I find my release, not far behind her.

The only sound in the room is our rapid breathing, each of us trying to catch our breath, as I roll over and hold her to my chest.

“That was…” She trails off, her breaths heavy and cascading across my damp skin.

“Perfect,” I finish.

“Yeah,” she whispers.

I place a kiss on her head before I slip off the bed walking to her bathroom. I discard the condom and rinse off my hands.

I turn around, heading back to the girl I love. I get in bed with a naked Raegan, draping the covers over us, and hold her against me.

“I love you, Red,” I say against her hair as her body relaxes against mine, her breathing evening out.

I hold her until sleep pulls me under, knowing I’m exactly where I belong.