Chapter 10
He’d been wrong, and he wasn’t too proud to admit it—at least in his head. Sitting watch in the desert was child’s play compared to spending the night with Risa’s head on his lap.
The first hour or two had been a breeze. Risa had settled in her corner, occasionally whispering a question or comment. Then the little sighs turned into yawns, then to steady breathing. He shifted to give her more space, and somehow she ended snuggled up between his long legs.
Things had been quiet…too quiet for his own good and peace of mind. Casey had texted him when they released Rossi. Apparently Rossi had been the ideal sailor: helpful, forthcoming, and just pissed off enough to come across as truthful. The man’s alibi for most of the day was rock solid, except during lunchtime. The new wife had vouched that her loving husband had come home then and, no, there was no way he’d slipped away without her knowing, if you got her meaning.
It didn’t add up in Jax’s head or his gut, and those feelings had saved his butt numerous times. Based on what he’d seen when he’d inspected the exterior of Risa’s house, she had interrupted the culprit in the act. Except Rossi was front-and-center with his department head, XO, and commanding officer at the time.
Absently, he stroked Risa’s hair while he scanned the property through the fort windows and tried to figure out what he was missing.
He could see it, hanging out on the peripheral of his mind.
A key element to solving the mystery waited for him like a lover waited for her sailor to return from sea: impatient, edgy, and sometimes unpredictable. Jax was sure the guilty party would have returned that night to finish the job, but as night slipped toward morning, he gave up hope and enjoyed the moment.
The stake-out hadn’t been a complete waste of time. Risa and her home were safe. She’d slept soundly, and that was worth the long day ahead for him. He’d caught a power nap here and there so he wasn’t totally dragging ass. Plus, there were few things he liked better than spending the night with a beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman in his arms.
A nearby twig snapped. Jax straightened up to peer over the edge of the window, jostling Risa awake.
“What—”
He put his finger against her lips, lest whoever was out there hear them. After a few moments, he spotted their company and signaled for Risa to take a look.
Her brows scrunched up, and she climbed half over him to take a look. She turned to look at him, her face lit up with delight.
“Bear cubs. Oh, there’s so cute and I’m really glad Buggsy and Lolita are inside tonight.”
“Yeah, but, where’s mama bear?” he asked, craning his neck to look out the other window. “Here she comes now. I hope your trash cans are put away, or we’re going to have a bigger mess to clean up.”
“They’re locked in the shed.” Risa looked out the window again, one hand on Jax’s shoulder to steady herself. “The cubs have grown so much since spring.”
“Don’t tell me. These are more of your pets.” The woman didn’t need a farm, she needed a sanctuary.
“I wish, but I have spotted them before in the woods. They come around every couple of weeks.”
“Is there an animal you don’t like?” She leaned across him again to watch the bears, which put her breasts in his face. He hoped the beasts took their sweet time exploring the area.
“Not really. Although I’m not overly fond of reptiles, or fish, or most rodents. They smell funny. Aww, they’re leaving.” She sat back on her knees, wedged between his bent legs. “Were they our only visitors during the night?”
“Yep. It’s peaceful out here. You’d never know you were only ten minutes to a major road and town.” He reached up and wrapped a strand of her loose hair around his finger. The blonde stood out against his dark skin in the twilight.
“It’s why I love it. It’s away from people and civilization yet within minutes of finishing my shift I can be back here at my oasis.” She spoke like it was no big deal, but Jax didn’t buy it. Some event or person had turned Risa off people.
“Not all of us two-legged creatures are bad.” He tugged gently on her hair to pull her close enough to brush his lips across hers.
“No, some are definitely worth getting to know.” She slid her hands up his chest and looked skyward before meeting his gaze. “What time is it, anyway?”
“Around o-four-thirty. ”
“Aren’t you tired?” she asked, smiling.
“Not at all.” He wanted her mouth. He wanted to taste her, to tempt her, to tease her, but not here. “We should go inside,” he said.
“No one’s watching but the stars and maybe a squirrel or two.” She nipped his ear before sucking it into her warm, wet mouth. Her hair fell across his face, the silky strands tickling his skin.
“There’s not enough room in this hobbit hole.” He wanted her spread out before him like a feast.
“Haven’t you heard, Jackson? Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Or is the great outdoors too rough for your delicate country-boy sensibilities?”
He kissed her upper lip, then her bottom, before biting her chin. “I didn’t want to insult a pale English rose with my wild ways, but a gentleman always aims to please.” He took her mouth and what started out tender and gentle turned demanding and possessive. He lifted her by the waist and repositioned her so her legs were spread out over his lap and they were lined up from core to center. Her luscious, warm breasts pressed into his chest, but it wasn’t enough.
He wanted skin-to-skin contact.
If he couldn’t have her spread out before him like a king’s buffet, he still refused to gobble her up like a fast-food meal. He was a grown-ass man and could control his urges. Take his time. Make this last and bring her as much pleasure as possible given the circumstances.
She wrapped her legs around him and drew him in closer, eliciting a groan.
Determined to take his time, even if it killed him, he slid his hands up Risa’s back and kissed her. One kiss led to another and another. Her hands roamed over his shoulders, arms, and back. Her hips rotated in unison with their kisses.
God, he loved a woman who wasn’t afraid to let her passion rule.
He kissed her long and deep, and Risa clawed at his shirt. In one swift move, he had the offending T-shirt over his head and across the small space. He kissed down the column of her throat until he came to the first button.
Slowly, he slipped the button through the hole and spread the shirt open, then kissed the newly exposed skin. He worked his way down, one button at a time, and grinned when Risa growled.
“This isn’t a scenic road trip, Jax.”
He kissed the swell of her breast.
“You’d rather I take the expressway? Don’t you know? The fun isn’t in where you start or end, it’s all the places in between.” He pressed another kiss to her bare skin.
She shrugged off the shirt and reached around to unhook her bra. Both articles of clothing joined his in the corner.
“We can always sightsee on the return trip, cowboy.”
He caressed one nipple, then the other. Risa arched her back, and he captured one pretty bud in his mouth. He paid homage, licking, nipping, and sucking until she was panting and begging for more. He tugged the zipper down on her jeans and slipped his hand inside to find her warm and wet.
She demanded more.
He scooted forward to put them at a reclining position and banged his foot against the wall. “We’re either going to have to go inside where we have more room or take this in stages.”
“No problem.” She swung her leg over and sat next to him as she toed off her shoes, then inched her pants down.
Jax followed suit and shoved their discarded clothes to one corner. Risa climbed back on his lap. “Now, where were we?” he asked.
Risa smiled and rotated her hips as she brought her hot core in direct contact with his cock.
“Condom,” he murmured as he kissed her. He dragged his jeans closer, bending Risa back, until he could grab his pants and the foil packet he had in the back pocket. She snatched it from his fingers, ripped it open and slid it on him.
“Not so fast, darling.” If he didn’t slow her down, it’d be an eight-second ride, and he was no bull-rider.
His fingers brushed over the soft skin of her inner thigh, then lightly up her middle. He repeated the move, going deeper, firmer until she bucked against his fingers. His thumb circled her nub.
“Come for me, Risa,” his voice had gone husky. “Scream for me, baby.”
With his other hand, he rolled her nipple between thumb and forefinger, wringing a cry from her. When the first wave hit, she grasped his shoulders and arched into him. Jax removed his hand and slid into her silken sheath. She screamed his name.
* * * *
Risa stared into Jax’s eyes as he entered her and the first contraction hit. She screamed. Bloody hell, he’d made her scream. Something she’d never done before. She’d also never had sex in the great outdoors or in a tree fort, but she’d practically seduced the guy. She had no idea if it was her earlier declaration to live life more fully or just her impatience to feel Jax inside her.
She didn’t care. She felt alive and her body hummed with pleasure as their bodies came together. She was assaulted with sensations from his hands gripping her hips, his mouth crushing hers, to the silky hair on his chest tickling her breasts. He took his time, building the tension back up, as if they had all the time in the world. She reveled in his attention, while she cursed his patience.
“Oh. My. God.”
“Sorry, darling, the name is Jax, Jax Faraday.”
Risa laughed. Had she ever laughed during sex before? Definitely not with Troy. He’d been all wham-bam and so serious, like the fate of the nation had rested on their sex life. She liked Jax’s style much better. She wasn’t afraid for everything not to be perfect and based on the glazed look in his eyes, it was.
She sunk her hands into his hair and kissed him. It was soft and sweet and filled with promises.
He scooted up to bring her in closer. “Ahhh.”
“Was that a good ahh or a bad ahh?” It was really hard to tell in the semi-darkness.
“I think I just got a splinter in my ass.”
Risa started giggling. “I’m sorry. Are you okay? If it makes you feel better, I think I’m getting a little wood burn on my knees.”
Jax wrapped his hands around her back and hopped toward the center of the fort. He rolled to the left and brought her leg back around his back, then rolled to the right and did the same thing. Softly he rubbed her knees until they no longer stung. His kindness and compassion, his ability to put her first—and at such a critical moment—slayed her.
The whole world slowed down as he crushed her mouth beneath his and thrust inside her. The stress of the last few weeks disappeared. Her doubts about getting involved with Jax disappeared. All her reserves weakened.
The last brick in her wall of resistance crashed down as Jax took her over the edge a second time, calling out her name as he came right behind her.
There wasn’t enough room in the fort to lie down. She slid off his lap, and he pulled her up tightly against his chest. Together, they leaned back and watched as the night sky faded and dawn broke with streaks of red, orange, and blue.
A new day.
A new chance at happiness, adventure, and living life to the fullest.
She looked up at him to suggest they go inside. Jax was sound asleep, with his head resting against the wooden wall of a long-forgotten fort.