Chapter 11
Risa put the final touches on her freshly painted front door and stood back to take a look at her handiwork. Instead of going solid, boring white again, she had painted the front door to look like a blue British police box.
Her parents would get a kick out of it.
They were debating the mudroom door’s design. Jax was in favor of letting the animals run through the paint, then across the door. Said it kept it real. Easy for him to say; he didn’t have to clean their paws afterwards. They still had the windows to clean and railings to repaint—not how she had envisioned spending her day off.
Jax finished fixing the rabbit hutch. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her middle, and pulled her back against him.
He kissed the back of her neck and peered down at the door.
“Looks good. But I still don’t get your obsession.”
“You have to watch the show to understand.”
“I’ve watched Doctor Who. I’m just not a fan.”
She turned around in his arms, looked deeply into his amazing eyes and sighed.
“I’m sorry, we’re going to have to end our friendship. That’s a deal-breaker.”
He looked shocked—pained even, like she’d kneed him in the nuts. “You’d cut me off for my taste in entertainment?”
She nodded. “Afraid so. I’ve learned that people like you, who don’t like Who, are just, well, strange. I don’t get it, and there’s no way I can sit through night after night of reality TV.” She shuddered to prove her point.
“What if I said…” He paused to nibble his way up her neck. “I’d be willing to give it another shot… and that I never watch reality shows.” He bit down gently on her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth.
“I’d, uh…” She swallowed and concentrated on remembering the question. “Yeah, that’d work.”
He pulled back and looked at her. “Were you serious?”
“Huh?” She had to wait for the fog in her brain to clear to remember what they were talking about. “Oh, about dropping you like a hot popover? No. About not understanding, and hating reality TV? Totally.”
“Good.” He pulled her body in tight. “How about we let the doors finish drying and take a break. I’m starving.”
“Just one teensy problem. I haven’t gone grocery shopping, and I think all that’s left in the fridge is a slice of cheese and maybe a tomato.”
“It’s okay. What I’m craving wouldn’t be in your kitchen anyway.”
“Jax, we can’t leave the house without doors. We may as well post a sign on the main road: Please, come rob me.”
“I wasn’t talking about going anywhere.”
“But you just said you were hungry.” She was so confused. Could kisses really melt your brain?
“I am, but not for food.”
The kiss was playful, demanding, and hungry. Oh so hungry. It left Risa panting for more when Jax released her.
“I think I know exactly the right recipe to take care of that craving,” she said. She stood up on her toes to kiss him, as she pressed her body against his.
The sound of a car approaching had her dropping back to her heels and groaning. “Think you’re going to need to take a rain check, cowboy.”
They turned to look as the car pulled up behind Risa’s SUV.
“You could run now. I wouldn’t blame you,” she mumbled.
“Parents don’t scare me.”
She doubted hers would either. They weren’t the meddling type, as that would require an actual interest in her life. Still, she couldn’t help but tease him a little.
“Famous last words.” She smiled and stepped around the drying doors to greet them. “Mum, Dad, unexpected surprise.”
“We’re not interrupting are we, love?” her mum asked.
“No, not at all.” She introduced Jax and waited to find out what prompted their visit.
“Jacks? That’s an interesting name. Do I detect a hint of the South in your accent?” Her mum raised her eyebrow at Risa and smiled.
“Yes, ma’am. Jacksonville, Georgia, and Jax is short for Jackson.”
“How quaint. Are you stationed here in the Navy, Jackson?”
What did that mean? Quaint?
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Polite and good looking. Did you meet Risa at her clinic then?”
The two of them hadn’t asked Troy anything until the third time they’d met him, and now her mum wanted to know all about Jax right out the gate. So far, her dad had kept quiet, with his attention on the house.
“Yes, ma’am. Risa treated my K-9 partner when she got hurt during training. She’s got an amazing way about her.” Jax’s eyes shone, and she didn’t think he was just referring to her touch with animals.
Oh, someone is laying it on thick. Even his accent has thickened.
“Miranda, stop grilling her boyfriend. What happened here?” Her dad took a step closer and squinted as he read the front window, his face turning a blistering shade of red.
Risa laid a hand on her dad’s arm. “Just vandals, Dad. It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?” He waved a hand around to encompass the house and doors. “Am I to believe you just had an urge to repaint your new doors, too, since you are obviously going to be repainting the railings and columns? This is the third incident in a month. What have the police said?”
“Kevin, it’s probably a group of bored teenagers. Clearly, Risa’s fine. If she needed our help, she would have called.” Her mom let out an exasperated sigh and walked back to their car.
“Dad, the police and base security are looking into it. Really, I’m okay and it’s minor stuff, very juvenile —”
“Do they have a suspect?” Her dad shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the writing on the window. “Looks personal.”
“Risa, may I?” Jax interrupted her as she was about to respond.
She nodded and walked over to clean up her paint supplies before the brushes dried out or the dogs got into the pans. Jax brought her dad up to speed on the base investigation, along with the fact that he was sharing information with the locals. He left out Sal’s name, which was probably for the best. Dad had never liked the guy either.
Mum returned from the car with a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. “Who’s hungry?”
“Jax was just talking about eating right before you pulled up,” Risa said.
Jax ducked his head and chuckled. Her dad mumbled something about rose-colored glasses, but he dropped the subject of the damage to the house and headed toward the back, where her picnic table sat under a giant maple tree.
Risa still had no clue what prompted the parental visit, but since they brought food, she didn’t care. Her mum slipped her arm through Jax’s. Risa looked at her dad questioningly.
“Jackson, what do you do in the Navy?”
“I’m a Master-at-Arms, ma’am.” Her mum just stared. “A police officer.”
Her mum smiled up at Jax as if he’d said he was the CEO or royalty. What was she up to?
“Are you here because of the case, then? I thought the two of you… Well, you looked awfully cozy when we pulled up. So I assumed…”
Jax looked over her mother’s head at Risa, an amused, yet confused look on his face. If he was looking to her for guidance on how to respond, he was on his own. Miranda Reynolds had never—not once in Risa’s life—interfered or shown interest in her daughter’s love life. At fifteen, Risa had announced she was in love with her biology teacher. Her mother had told her that was nice. Who tells their teenage daughter that it’s okay to be in love with a man twice her age?
No one, if they’re paying attention.
“Miranda, give me the basket, please.” Risa’s dad chuckled and held out his hand. “I’m starving, and at the rate you’re going, we’ll never eat.”
“No, ma’am. I’m not here on official business. Just as a friend. Unfortunately, the crime took place out of my jurisdiction, so I can’t investigate.” Jax helped her mom get settled on the bench, then helped her dad unload the basket.
“How lovely.” She beamed at Jax, who plopped onto the bench next to Risa. “At least our girl is in safe hands with you.”
“Mum, is everything okay?” Her mother had slipped past odd straight into Bizarre-o-land.
“Yes, of course. Why?” Mum didn’t make eye contact as she dug into the containers of food and piled her plate high.
There was enough food to feed a dozen people. Risa looked around, wondering if they expected company. “Not that I’m complaining, but what prompted you two to come visit today? Did parental ESP tell you I hadn’t gone grocery shopping this week?”
Mum made a strange face and gave her dad a little nod, like she was trying to encourage him to do or say something. Dad, in return, scrunched up his face and shook his head slightly. The two were doing that weird thing married people did where they said a thousand words with just a look and the slightest body movement.
With a final look that made it seem like her eyes were going to pop out of her head, Mum turned to Risa and Jax. “Your father has some news.”
“We can talk about it later. Let’s just eat,” Dad said.
Concerned at his reluctance to share, Risa pushed her plate away. “Dad, what’s going on? You’re kind of scaring me.”
Jax reached over and ran his hand over her leg. Warm and gentle, his touch soothed, and she was glad he was there.
“Oh, for the love of God and Queen. Your father is retiring.”
“But you’re only sixty, right? That’s way too young. Are you sick?” She looked from one parent to the other, searching for clues. She really should have paid more attention to them, checked up on them more often.
Her dad chuckled and picked up a chip. “Try sixty-five and—”
“What? When did that happen?”
“Three months ago, on my last birthday, and there’s nothing wrong with me. The doc says I’m as healthy as a man half my age.”
She didn’t believe him. The man loved his job. He loved building submarines and hated sitting around. What would he do with all his free time? On the other hand, maybe she’d get the goat pen and horse paddock built a lot faster.
“That’s great, Dad. I’m sure I can come up with a few home improvement projects for you if you get bored.”
“There’s more,” her mum said. “Instead of going to France on holiday like we planned, we’re going to go to Arizona and visit your Aunt Liza and Uncle James to see if it suits us.”
Her parents joined hands. “Your mother would prefer to go back to England, but I’m tired of the cold.”
The words sunk in to her brain like a boulder into a lake, with a plop and a fast descent. Moving? They weren’t talking about a break. They were leaving… here, their home, her.
Jax’s hand moved from her knee to the back of her neck. The pressure increased, and she looked up into his eyes. Eyes full of concern, caring, compassion, and a hell of a lot of sympathy.
“I think that’s just bloody marvelous,” Risa finally said. “I’m very happy for you both. Mum, will you get a job at the local college? And just think, Dad. You can go golfing in the dead of winter. I’ll be here. Freezing my arse off, but you can be on the ninth hole in short sleeves and those funky golf shorts.” She was rambling. She knew it and couldn’t shut it off. It was like her mouth took over so her brain could catch up.
Mum looked at Dad, worry flashing across her face. Lovely, just bloody lovely. After thirty-some years, her mother was finally worried about her.
“Are you okay, love?” Mum reached out to take her hand. “You sound upset.”
“Bollocks. I’m ecstatic. Couldn’t be happier for the two of you.” She plastered on a smile and beamed at her parents.
Jax caressed her back. She grinned at him, because it was either that or cry, and she refused to let the waterworks ruin the lovely picnic. Besides, the only thing to send a guy running faster than family drama was mentioning the “M” word.
Her mum started to ask her something, but her dad broke in first and changed the subject. They spent the next hour making plans for the additions to her place and deciding what else needed to be done before winter set in and her parents were off on their trip. Her dad brought up the security system, and Jax backed him on how she needed to get one installed as soon as possible. When they found out the electrician couldn’t install the lights for another two weeks, the men gathered up the tools and went to take care of the task.
Leaving her alone with her mum.
“Risa, love. Are you sure you’re okay with everything? I know we’ve kind of dropped a bombshell, and you’ve had so much already going on with work and, well, the damage to your car and house.”
No, she wasn’t okay with any of it. She’d been worrying for years about how she would take care of her parents when the time came, and here they were, planning to up and move away. But she couldn’t tell her mother not to go, not to enjoy this next phase in her life with her husband. They’d worked hard and long, and deserved every minute of the reward of retirement.
“I’m fine, Mum. Really, I’m very happy for both of you. Just a bit of a shock. You know, thought Dad would never leave that smelly shipyard.”
Her parents left after the motion sensor lights had been installed and tested, the back door painted with paw prints, both doors rehung, and Risa had promised to call the security company to install the system.
Jax turned to her as soon as the car disappeared down the driveway. “Are you doing okay? That was some news they dropped on you.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and cupped her jaw.
“I’m fine. Why does everyone keep asking me? I’m a big girl, and I doubt you really want to talk about my feelings.” She definitely didn’t want to. “Besides, you seem like a guy who’s more into action than talk to me.”
“Speaking of which, where were we?” His eyes twinkled, and his grin melted away the stress she’d been carrying around for the last few hours. “I believe you said something about a special recipe?”
“You can’t possibly still be hungry after all that?” She waved a hand in the direction of the picnic table, teasing because she pretty sure he wasn’t talking about food.
“Darling, there’s always room for dessert.” The wolfish grin he gave her left no doubt as to his craving.
To prove his point, he scooped her up and carried her up the front stairs. Thank goodness the dogs were still in their kennel or they might have gone after Jax, thinking she was in danger. Thankfully, the only witness to her being hefted over his shoulder in a fireman carry and having her butt smacked was Morpheus.
Not that the darn cat was any help at all.
She playfully beat on his back.. “Jax, put me down. I’m too heavy for you to carry.”
“Are you calling me a wimp?”
Men. Try to save them from throwing out their backs, and they take it as a smackdown.
“I wouldn’t dream of insulting your manliness… again. Speaking of, we need to reset that play date for Bella and my dogs.”
He growled, flipped her over, and dropped her on the bed. He crawled over her, stopping to kiss her bent knee, then her exposed stomach, and finally the side of her mouth.
“She’s a warrior, like me. We don’t play. We train, then attack.”
And he did.
He assaulted her senses, taking his sweet time to explore, caress, and kiss every inch of her body. He tormented and teased and slid her T-shirt slowly up her ribs and over her breasts, lavishing attention on each excited bud. As he slipped the material down her arms and over her hands, he pressed warm kisses onto her skin and nibbled on each finger.
When he was done with the top half, he hooked a thumb into each side of her yoga pants and shimmied them off one slow, tantalizing inch at a time. Jax stopped to circle his tongue around her belly button, making her squirm, laugh, and groan all at the same time.
“Nice. I didn’t notice you were ticklish last night.”
If he’d been like her, his brain wasn’t fully functioning then. “Different tempo, different reaction.” She sighed as his mouth caressed the soft skin above her pelvic bone.
“See what happens when you slow down to enjoy the sights. You find hidden treasures.”
“Please, by all means, explore away.” She ran her hands through his short, silky hair, and resisted the urge to guide him to the mother lode.
Instead, she let him continue on his leisurely path until he came to her inner thigh and bit down. She shot up, panting.
“Sweet Mother of God!” Who could have known that would be so erotic? She laughed and plopped back on the bed. “I guess you really were hungry.”
Jax nuzzled her thigh and kissed the tender spot. “So was that a good ‘Sweet Mother’ or a bad, ‘don’t do it again’ exclamation?”
“It was good, very good, especially that second part.” She felt weird talking about sex. How did she even describe the action: tongued her, licked her, laved her? In her limited experience—well, she wouldn’t call herself a novice, but she was far cry from sophisticated. Her lovers had all been more the all-action-and-no-talk types.
“Duly noted.” He lifted her leg and kissed and teased the back of her knee. She had to grip the bed sheets to keep from rolling away or sitting up screaming. The man drove her bloody bonkers, in an excellent way.
With her shirt and pants divested, Jax climbed back over her and grinned down. “Do you trust me?”
She swallowed and thought about his question. After a few moments, she nodded, and he reached for the curtain sash she had draped over the bed frame. He captured one wrist and wrapped the cord around it, then the other, and tied both above her head.
“If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, or you want me to stop, just say ‘lucky duck.’” He kissed her nose and scooted down her body, bringing his chest in contact with her nearly naked breasts.
“Lucky duck?”
“All couples should have a safe word.”
“Got it.” She held in the laughter, but it was the perfect choice to chase away any lingering doubts about letting Jax tie her up. Any man who picked such a silly word couldn’t possible take it too far. Right?”
“Lucky duck,” she said.
He brought his head up, all contact stopped. “Already?”
“Just testing. Plus I have an itch on the tip of my nose.”
* * * *
Jax slid back up her body, enjoying the slide of skin-to-skin and silk and lace grazing his chest. With the tip of his finger, he scratched her itch. “All better?”
She nodded. He kissed the same spot, then the edge of her lips, then he plundered her mouth. God, he loved kissing her. She was wet and warm and welcoming. He swept his tongue past those soft, pretty pink lips to taste and explore. To promise.
And she responded like her life depended on his kisses, as if he breathed life into her with each and every one. She held nothing back and gave all. When he left her mouth, she was swollen, drowsy-eyed, and panting. A siren calling out to him. He eyed her hungrily and licked his lips in anticipation.
He kissed his way down the swell of one breast, pushed the material aside and ran his tongue around her nipple until it stood at attention, all lustrous and wet. When he lifted his head, Risa twisted and arched her body, offering herself.
The gods had fought over such sacrifices.
He moved to the other breast, tasting, tempting, teasing while his hand slipped down Risa’s soft, silky, smooth skin to slide inside her panties. He brushed his fingers across her clit, and she arched her hips into his hand. He loved how responsive her body was to his touch. He circled the nub and slipped two fingers inside her. With his thumb, he added pressure as his fingers fucked her. He wanted to feel her around a different part of his body, but not until she’d hit her first orgasm.
Risa’s body twisted with dreamy sensuousness, her hips thrusting to meet the rhythm of his hand. Sliding his fingers free, Risa moaned in soft protest, and Jax chuckled softly. God, there was nothing sexier than a woman who enjoyed sex.
He ran his forefinger around her clit, then pinched it between two fingers.
“Oh, God,” she panted. “Lucky duck.”
His hand stilled, and he removed it to lift his body off of Risa.
“Untie me, please. Then you can go right back to what you were doing. I need to feel you,” she said huskily.
He released the cord, and she threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him down to kiss.
They hungrily explored each other’s mouths while her hands unbuttoned his pants. He helped her remove them, making sure to grab the foil pack from his pocket before tossing them to the floor. She took hold and stroked him, eliciting a small groan. He once again moved down to her breast, softly suckling on her raised nipple while his hand stroked her clit. Gently, they stroked each other, driving each other slowly crazy with passion. Neither wanted to give wholly to the rising heat between them.
He worked his way back down her body with kisses until he reached the top of her panties. Her body arched into his caress as he ran his tongue over her through the silk. Quickly he divested her of the offending garment, hooked her legs over his shoulders, and dragged his tongue deep through her folds. Risa grabbed hold of his head and pushed him further into her, while lifting her hips to give him better access.
She urged him on with whimpers and little moans. The muscles in her legs tightened, and she called out his name as she came.
She was his ambrosia. Sweet and addictive.
Jax released her legs and climbed over her body, holding himself in a plank position. Panting, Risa locked her legs around him and pulled her against him. Jax slowly ground his dick against her and she dug her nails into his back. He flipped the two of them, and she took the driver’s seat.
“Oh, God,” he whispered, as Risa took him into her mouth and cupped his balls.
His hips moved on their own, as she went down on him again and again, taking her sweet time, teasing him with every stroke.
“Baby, you’re killing me. Come here.”
Risa lifted her head and licked her lips, making his dick dance with anticipation. Slowly, she kissed her way up to his chest and suckled his nipples.
Jax wrapped his arms around her and flipped her to her back. Quickly, he sat up and took care of the condom. Lowering himself over Risa’s body, he kissed her.
“I want to bury myself deep inside of you.”
“Please. Yes.” She hooked her ankles around his calves and pulled him down to her. Jax positioned himself between her legs and inched inside her until he could go no further.
He took his time. He wanted this to last, to bring her as much pleasure as he could. Risa had other ideas as she ground her hips against his, eliciting another moan. She was so wet, warm, tight, and filled with passion. He wasn’t going to last nearly as long as he wanted.
“Jax, please. Faster,” she begged.
His slow strokes sped up. She drew her knees up, and he hooked them with his elbows— lifting her up, giving him full access. The slow, steady rhythm gave way to a fast beat until body slapped body and demanded nothing less than satisfaction.
“Omigawd, Jax.” Risa clutched his forearms. “Jax?”
He loved hearing his name on her lips, the sound of her on the verge of exploding, and knowing he was behind the glazed, half-lidded expression of pure bliss.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me.”
He changed his angle and thrust. Harder, deeper, until her muscles contracted around him, again and again, as he called out her name.
Risa let out a shaky breath and wrapped her arms around him. Jax’s arm muscles protested the strain, and he collapsed on top of her, breathing like he was back in BUD/S training and inhaling the sweet scent of the woman beneath him.
He rolled to his side and pulled Risa up against him. Exhausted, out of breath, he slowly stroked her arm.
God, it had never been like that before. He didn’t know what to make of it. It was way too early in their relationship… Hell, they had barely started. No way could this mean anything more than they had great chemistry.
Isn’t that how it starts?
He refused to answer.