Now people sought me out for my opinion and I felt I’d earned my spot on the team on my own merits.
The only downside had been less time with Mimi. She seemed to be adjusting well to spending more time with her father—and not just at the ice rink. I knew Jax expected more out of her when she stayed with him, even assigning her simple chores. But when she was with me, she didn’t help out at all. In fact, she’d regressed a bit, acting bratty in the mornings before school. I’d decided to give it another week, and if she hadn’t changed, then I’d bring it up with Jax.
Which brought me to thoughts of Jax, who proved that he could follow my request of tiny baby steps when it came to advancing our relationship. Maybe I hadn’t believed that he’d follow through with it. I half expected he’d just bulldoze his way into my life like he always had before. My disappointment that he’d followed the rules for a change made no sense.
And I’d lacked courage to take that first step even when I’d been desperate for more physical contact after he’d had his hands on me. I’d relived the times he’d forced me to lie still as he mapped every inch of my body, first with his skillful hands and then with his even more skillful mouth. Even thinking about it now, desire unfurled in my core like a slow-blooming flower.
The door to my apartment opened. Before I moved off the couch, Jax came around the corner.
Alone.
His cheeks were flushed and he acted . . . nervous.
“Jax? Where’s Mimi?”
“Now, don’t freak out—”
I vaulted off the couch, demanding, “Where is she?”
Mimi stepped out from behind her dad and said, “I loth a thooth!”
Ignoring her grin, I dropped to my knees to take her face in my hands and saw the hole in her gumline next to one of her permanent front teeth. “What happened?”
“I thcored a goal! My very firth one ever in a hockey game!”
“But you didn’t have practice or a game scheduled for tonight.”
“Daddy took me to a different ithe rink! Whereths’ drop-in gameth.”
I pulled her upper lip back to inspect her gum for bruising.
“Ouchth!”
My stomach clenched at hearing her in pain. “It hurts?”
“Only when you pull like that. Thop!”
My hands fell away. “Where else did you get hurt?”
“Noplathe, and it didn’t bleed hardly at all. Wathn’t even blood on the ithe.”
“Omigod, that’s the takeaway from this? No blood on the ice?”
Stay calm.
I studied Mimi’s sweet face. Her lip was swollen from the impact she’d taken. In that moment she looked so much like her father that I wanted to punch him in the mouth so they’d have matching swollen lips. This was his fault.
While Mimi chattered on about her goal and the game, I only half listened as my brain was otherwise engaged in where I could hide Jax’s body once I finished with him.
I noticed a pause and found Mimi, Jax and Nolan—how long had he been here?—staring at me expectantly. I mustered up a fake smile for my daughter, and my stomach clenched at seeing that gap in her answering smile. Yes, she would’ve lost that tooth eventually, but the fact it had been forced out of her mouth made it worse.
Nolan’s hands landed on Mimi’s shoulders. “You know what, short stuff? Show me how to use the fancy security system your dad had installed in the elevator that goes up to the new apartment. Then you can give me the tour.”
Mimi looked at me. “Can I thow him, Mommy?”
“Ask your father. It’s his place, not mine.”
Jax handed Nolan a set of keys. “Remember what we talked about, Meems. No going outside. Inside only.” Then he exchanged a look with Nolan and walked them to the door.
I should’ve told him that he was free to give the tour because I was too pissed off at him to speak. Instead I walked to my sliding glass door and stared out, taking in the barren treetops illuminated by sodium streetlights.
My heart already pounded something fierce, but when I heard him move in behind me, my pulse tripped double time.
“On a scale of one to ten, how mad are you at me?”
“One hundred and ten thousand.”
He didn’t laugh, but he understood I wasn’t trying to be funny.
Then he said, “I’m sorry.”
I waited, expecting him to tack on that she hadn’t really gotten hurt, but he didn’t.
“You broke one of the first rules we established of keeping me in the loop about all decisions.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Then you broke another one by not letting me know she’d sustained a hockey injury, and our agreement was I was to be told about all of them, regardless of how small you perceived them to be.”
“I know that too, and I’m sorry about that too.”
“When did it happen? First period? Second?” Then it hit me. “It happened right before that text you sent me, didn’t it?”
“Yeah. At the beginning of the third period. In my defense, the game would’ve been over by the time you got there.”
“In your defense, are you going to claim it was just a baby tooth?”
“Yes.”
I whirled around and then Jax had my full attention when he wrapped his hands around my face.
“Luce. I’m sorry. I fucked up. I should’ve made sure you were there.”
“Maybe it should be more important that your child’s mother is in attendance, not your child’s uncle.”
“You’re right.”
“She got hurt playing hockey, Jax. In the first month.”
“But she also scored a goal and she had a great time playing,” he pointed out softly. “While I know you don’t want to hear this, she is one tough little cookie, Luce. I tried to pull her out of the game and she refused. She insisted on finishing.”
That brought tears to my eyes faster than seeing Mimi’s holey gumline.
“Ah, shit, don’t cry.”
But I couldn’t stop. I was mad and confused and relieved.
Jax didn’t help matters by saying, “She’s fine. I was on the ice with her immediately after it happened. And she even managed to slip me the tooth for safekeeping for the tooth fairy visit tonight.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“It should make you feel better that Mimi isn’t upset about it.”
His logic dictated that I could just kiss good-bye the hopeful thought that she wouldn’t become obsessed with the sport.
“But this isn’t about Mimi anymore, is it?”
How did he do that? Know when I transferred one emotion to the next issue, making it one jumbled mess. And I’d always considered myself the intuitive one in our relationship.
“Ask me if I’ve broken any other rules.”
My jaw seemed hinged shut.
“Talk to me, Lucy Q. Come on. Yell at me if you need to.”
I shook my head—or should I say I tried to, but he had my face firmly trapped—so I closed my eyes.
“Shutting me out? I thought we were past that. In fact, I could’ve sworn we agreed to start over three weeks ago with a new relationship. But things have remained the same old, same old between us. I had to remind myself that no, I hadn’t been drinking and imagined kissing the hell out of you in the kitchen. I hadn’t imagined the feel of your skin beneath my hands. I hadn’t imagined the way you arched into me or that little hum you make when you get turned on . . . did I?”
I felt the tension vibrating from him as he awaited my response. “No.”
He moved his body closer to mine. “If I didn’t imagine it, then why haven’t you let me touch you, or kiss you, or hell, really even let me talk to you for the better part of the past month? Have you changed your mind about us?”
“Look at me.” When I hesitated, he said, “Now.”
I opened my eyes and he was right there, those baby blues mere inches from me.
Whatever he saw there had him softening his tone. “Tell me.”
“I said I wanted to take it slow, figuring you’d agree but ultimately follow your own agenda because you’ve never taken anything slow, Jax. I went on a date with you half an hour after we met. We had sex on our fifth date. I met your family two weeks later, and two weeks after that you’d practically moved in with me until you left for training camp in Chicago. Throughout that season we were together, you insisted on buying me plane tickets so we could be together at least every other weekend. You’ve got no clue on how to take baby steps, because everything with us has been a giant leap.”
“But you said slow, right?”
“Yes, but your definition of slow and mine are different once again.”
Confusion flitted across his face. “You’re saying I’ve followed your rules exactly and I’ve still managed to fuck this up?”
“Well, when you put it that way . . . it sounds a bit—”
“Like I can’t win no matter whose rules I play by?”
I bristled. “It’s not about winning, Jax.”
“The hell it’s not. But I’ma let you in on a little secret.” He mock-whispered, “I’m playing for keeps.”
He must’ve seen my silent surrender of “Me too,” because a look of triumph flashed in his eyes.
Watching me, his fingertips slowly followed the curve of my neck down, skimming my collarbones until he could flatten his palms and slip them beneath the lapels of my robe.
His rough-skinned hands ignited little fires across every millimeter of my skin.
I fought a shiver, even as I started to burn.
Angling his head, he placed his mouth on the shell of my ear. “Fair warning: I’m not gonna play fair. I remember exactly how to make you hot and wet.”
At that point, my brain overloaded and “Prove it” exited my mouth in a half dare/half demand.
“Gladly.” His breath flowed faster. “If I put my mouth here”—he touched his lips to the artery in my neck and lightly sucked, causing me to gasp—“you make that sexy fucking sound.”
He sucked harder and I gasped louder.
“That’s it. Let me hear you.”
I’d always been loud in bed, a quirk that drove Jax wild. Apparently that hadn’t changed.
Nor had he forgotten where to touch me to make my knees wobbly. He dragged the ragged pads of his thumbs across my nipples as he breathed in my ear. Hot, rapid bursts of pure male need. Gauging how long I could take it until I broke and begged him for more.
“My Lucy Q,” he murmured in that masculine rumble, so low pitched his words were nearly indecipherable. “Don’t think. Don’t talk. Just feel.”
“But Mimi—”
“Left her apartment key on the floor next to her equipment bag,” he said, smiling against my throat. “And I double-locked the door.”
“Oh.”
“Last point I’m gonna make,” he whispered as he brushed his mouth up and down my neck and his fingers caressed my breasts. “My rules are in play now. So anytime, anyplace I want to kiss you . . . I will. Starting now.” His hands went to the sash on my robe as his mouth sought mine.
Jax bestowed a soft exploring kiss on me. Not sweet, just thorough with a slow rise of heat that filled me from top to bottom. He maneuvered me back toward the couch, settling my butt on the puffy side arm.
He pushed the robe down until it bunched at my lower back, which trapped my hands.
I jumped at the first touch of his tongue flicking my right nipple.
I flat-out moaned when he started to suck.
Then it was on.
Jax pulled out all the stops to remind me he remembered exactly how to please me.
Hitting that perfect spot between pleasure and pain as he worshipped my breasts with his mouth and his fingers. When he feathered the backs of his knuckles down the center of my body, my belly rippled, my blood heated and I automatically widened my knees when he reached his destination.
After him being abstinent for a few years, I wondered if he’d be tentative. If he’d use gentle touches and ask permission.
Nope. The man dove right in, growling his approval in my mouth as he found me wet and ready.
A few well-placed rapid strokes of his thumb on my damp flesh and I started coming around his fingers.
The cocky jerk grinned—he actually freaking grinned wide enough that it broke our frantic kiss.
But I wasn’t about to complain when he dropped to his knees and kissed me exactly the way he’d warned me he would—anytime, anyplace. No holds barred, with relentless attention, just constant licking, sucking and nibbling until I detonated against that wicked mouth.
As he waited for me to catch my breath, he started the caressing, kissing, biting thing on the insides of my thighs that he remembered drove me wild.
I couldn’t stop squirming until he glanced up at me with the sexy warning in his eyes that told me to stop or he’d stop.
That immediately quelled all movement on my part.
My body buzzed like I was still a live wire waiting for the next set of sparks to short-circuit my brain.
Jax built me up again, pushing me into the gauzy atmosphere of lust, where the anticipation for that rush of pleasure was almost painful.
When I couldn’t take any more, he gave me what I wanted. What I needed. What I’d been missing all these years. What I’d never had with any man but him.
I might’ve released a little scream when the epic orgasm started. But I couldn’t hold back. It was just so damned good.
As I became aware of my surroundings, I felt the cocky jerk grinning as he kissed the inside of my knee.
“Jax—”
Loud knocking sounded from the foyer. I could hear Mimi saying, “Whyth the door locked? Hey! Let uth in!”
Still wearing that smug male smile, Jax stood and adjusted the front of his pants. Then he kissed me, sharing the taste of me as he righted my clothing.
After a hard tug on my belt, he backed off from the kiss to ask, “Any questions about my right to kiss you, Lucy Q?”
“Not a single one.”
* * *
• • •
Typical Monday at work.
I’d managed not to think about my atypical Friday night . . . for all of two hours, and then I was back to dissecting it.
But my next stop would put a lid on the hot and steamy thoughts of Jaxson’s mouth driving me over the edge twice and his sneaky-ass way of getting me to do a favor for him.
After the elevator doors opened on the LCCO floor, I almost said forget it, poked the door close button and returned to my own space.
But the receptionist saw me before I could escape. “Hello, Lucy.” She cocked her head, looking behind me after I emerged. “Mimi’s not with you?”
“Not today. Would it be possible for me to have a quick word with Edie?”
Her gaze flicked to the phone. “She’s on a call, but she should be done soon. Would you care to wait?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Too nervous to sit in the waiting area, I walked over to the artwork directly across from the elevator. This was new and super funky cool. Immediately I’d known that Walker’s wife, Trinity, had created it. I’d always admired her quirky creativity—she and I were friends before she married a Lund—on the arts and crafts circuits at local fairs, where we’d both been selling our handmade goods. She’d turned her artistic talents into a legit career in the art world, whereas now, I made jewelry and other crafts with Mimi, strictly for fun.
At first glance the large piece appeared to be a photo of the Twin Cities, but upon
closer inspection, I saw it had been painted, with 3D images that looked like dialogue bubbles dotting the canvas. I peered at them and realized the buildings in the bubbles were pictures of properties that LCCO—Lund Cares Community Outreach—owned. The community center where Jax and I had our second date was the first one I focused on.
Information about each place had been typed out and shellacked above the photo. As you stood back and looked at the piece as a whole, you could see the vast outreach that LCCO had. That floored me.
“It’s a beautiful piece, isn’t it?” Edie said behind me, startling me.
“Yes, and it’s a powerful statement piece too. I had no idea that LCCO owned so many properties.”
“We had rapid growth for a few years when the real estate market suited our needs. We’ve reached the stage where we either need to hire more staff or slow the growth. And since our husbands are nearing retirement age, it’s been slow and steady.” She smiled. “Enough about that. Come on back to my office.”
As I followed Edie, I admired her outfit, a long-sleeved dark gray velvet burnout shirt, topped with a flowing scarlet-colored chiffon duster, and wide-legged trousers, cuffed at the bottom, allowing peeks of her scarlet, black and gray heeled loafers. I reminded myself that was why I’d come here: The woman had unparalleled taste.
Her secretary’s desk was unoccupied in the outer office in her two-room suite as we passed through to Edie’s office. There was no ostentatious show of wealth anywhere in the LCCO headquarters. I imagined it would be hard to solicit donations if it looked as if you didn’t need them.
“Everything is all right with Mimi?”
“Yes, except for the tooth that got knocked out Friday night.”
“Oh dear.” Her resigned look said it might be the first tooth, but it won’t be the last. “I’m hoping it was just a baby tooth.”
“It was.”
“Good. So what brings you here?”
“It’s about your son. The man needs a personal assistant,” I blurted out. “And somehow I’ve ended up in that role, which is a situation of my own making.”
I Want You Back Page 24