She shook her head. “I don’t know how you do it though. Crashing into other huge men and then slamming to the ground? That’s gotta hurt.”
He laughed. “It’s not like falling on a mattress, that’s for sure. But when I make a good hit, especially if I sack the quarterback, that feels great.”
Autumn could see the passion for the game in Jax’s eyes, and she found her attraction to him growing.
What would it feel like to kiss him?
The thought was so unexpected that she had to look away as heat burned her face.
Maybe I should do it just to get it out of the way.
What was going on with her? This wasn’t how she normally thought.
Lifting her gaze to Jax’s face, she knew she really wanted him to kiss her. Maybe it was because it had been so long since she’d been kissed, or maybe it was because she’d learned that things could change in the blink of an eye and she didn’t want to have any regrets. Or maybe it was just because she was so attracted to him.
Whatever it was, the urge was powerful.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
Should she tell him? Could she be that bold? It was only their second date.
No. She couldn’t tell him. That would make her just like the groupies who surely threw themselves at him all the time. No. He would have to approach her first.
“What a beautiful day it is,” she said in answer to his question.
His gaze was steady on her. “Yes. It is beautiful.”
The way he looked at her and the intensity of his eyes sent a thrill of excitement charging through her.
Chapter Ten
Jax couldn’t get enough of Autumn Foster. Just sitting here under a tree with her filled a need he hadn’t even realized he had. Those rosy lips were begging to be kissed, but he held back. She wasn’t like the other women he dated, eager to throw themselves into his arms. She was different and he would treat her differently.
They finished eating and Jax began to clean up from the meal. “Do you want to go for a walk?”
Autumn smiled. “Sure.”
She got to her feet, and after Jax put their trash in the basket and grabbed a pair of water bottles, he stood as well. Looking toward the line of trees in the distance, he saw a trail leading away from them and beyond. “Let’s check out that trail.”
Autumn looked in that direction, then turned to him with a bright smile. “Let’s do it.”
Glad she was up for it, he gestured toward the trail, and after she began walking he fell into step beside her.
“It feels great to get out here and walk,” she said as she lifted her face to the blue sky before turning to him. “I spend so much time in the salon that it feels like I hardly ever get to see the sun.”
He had every intention of changing that, but he wasn’t sure he should tell her that just yet. No reason to take a chance on scaring her off.
“Maybe,” she said, then she bit her lip. “Maybe you can take me on one of your hikes.”
Elated that she was suggesting it, he nodded. “Absolutely. In fact, I’m going on a hike tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to come along?”
“I’d like that.”
Without a second thought, he took her hand in his. Her hand was so small compared to his, but it still fit perfectly within his grasp.
Was she moving too fast? She’d only met Jax four days earlier, but not only was she already scheduling another date, they were holding hands as they walked under the trees on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Even if things were moving faster than she would have thought she could handle, it felt good and she wasn’t going to do anything to stop it.
Movement to Autumn’s right caught her eye.
“Look,” she whispered. “A deer.”
They stopped and watched as the deer lifted its head and looked at them for a moment before it continued grazing.
Excited to see wildlife on this most perfect of dates, Autumn’s heart soared with happiness, and when she turned to Jax with a smile, she saw that he wasn’t looking at the deer. He was looking at her with an expression that made Autumn’s pulse race. Suddenly terrified that he was going to kiss her, she swallowed hard before saying, “Shall we go on?”
Disappointment flashed across his face before he nodded. “Yeah.”
Her hand was still in his, and she felt a mixture of dismay and relief. Maybe she wasn’t ready to kiss him even though she desperately wanted to. Kissing him would take their fledgling relationship to another level, a level that could lead to her falling for him, which could lead to her heart getting broken. She definitely wasn’t ready for that. She would never be ready for that. Still, she knew at some point she would have to take a chance.
They walked in silence, the only sound the whisper of the wind as it ruffled the pine needles in the trees that surrounded them.
After another ten minutes, Jax asked if she was ready to go back. In a way she was, but the beauty that surrounded them was so peaceful, and she so enjoyed the easy silence between them that she didn’t want to leave.
“Yeah. We should probably get back.”
Jax chuckled. “And then you can help me wash my car.”
They turned around and started walking back the way they’d come.
Autumn had washed her own car many times. Could he say the same? She rather doubted it, and as she looked at Jax out of the corner of her eye, she asked, “Have you ever washed your car yourself?”
He grinned. “I’ve washed my cars myself before, but you’ve got me. I’ve never washed that car myself.”
Autumn laughed. “Thought so.”
“Hey. There’s always a first time.” His voice softened. “For everything.”
There was a double meaning there, but she wasn’t sure where he was going with that. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve never dated a widow. And…well, like you told me before, I’m the first man you’ve dated…in a while.” He stopped and faced her, and Autumn’s heart began to pound. “You’re so beautiful, Autumn.”
Now the pounding of her heart was joined by a flock of butterflies battling to get out of her chest. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She gazed up at him, overwhelmed by his sheer size, by his powerful masculinity, by how attracted she was to him. She wanted him to kiss her. So bad. But she was also terrified to open up her heart.
Her lips were so full, her eyes so wide with vulnerability, her body so close. Jax couldn’t tear his gaze away. He wanted her. More than he’d wanted any woman before. The moment felt right, and before he could talk himself out of it, he placed two fingers under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.
“Autumn, I’m going to kiss you now.”
She didn’t say a word, and her eyes never wavered from his. Taking that to mean that she wanted him to kiss her, he lowered his mouth toward hers, and when their lips met, he felt her softly inhale. He moved one of his hands to the back of her neck while the other slid around her waist, and when her arms wound around his neck, he knew he’d read her right. She wanted this as much as he did.
A kaleidoscope of emotions pummeled Autumn. The sensation of being held and kissed was something she had missed desperately and she clung to Jax as he enveloped her in his arms. Her attraction to him was powerful enough to keep her there a moment longer, but as the fear of loss she’d been suppressing swelled within her, she broke their embrace, gently pushing against his chest as she took a step back.
Nearly out of breath, she stared at him, unsure how to explain what she was feeling.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Not sure, she lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Yes?”
One side of his mouth quirked up. “Okay.”
“No, I am.” Wow. Way to ruin the moment. Irritated with herself, she pushed a smile onto her mouth.
Clearly, she was not okay and Jax kind of regretted kissing her. Except that he really liked it. He really liked her. He reminded him
self that she was a widow, that he was the first man she’d dated since becoming a widow. Certain that played a large part in her reaction, he decided to not make a big deal about it.
“If we’re going to have time to wash my car, we should get back to the horses.”
Relief filled her eyes. “Yes.”
With a nod, Jax took her hand and they reached the horses a short time later.
“Should we call Steve?” she asked.
“We can do this on our own.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah.” He wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but he wasn’t about to show any doubts. “Let me help you onto your horse. What’s his name?”
She walked to her horse and stopped beside the stirrup. “Drifter.”
“Right.” Jax put his hands on Autumn’s waist and steadied her as she put her foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over Drifter’s back. “See? No problem. Now you just need to get Drifter onto the trail. I’ll bet he knows how to get home.” He unwrapped Drifter’s reins from the tree and handed them to Autumn, then he unwrapped Banjo’s reins from the tree and climbed onto his back. “Do you want me to lead?”
“Yes.”
Now that he was on the horse, his confidence wavered, but he pushed down his hesitation and pretended like he knew what he was doing as he made a clicking sound with his mouth and tugged the reins to the side to guide Banjo onto the trail. To Jax’s delight, Banjo did as Jax wanted, and after making sure Autumn was right behind him, they headed off.
“Everything okay back there?” he asked a few minutes later, looking behind him.
She had a smile on her face. “Yeah. This is pretty fun with just the two of us.”
He agreed. They were able to go a little faster than when Steve had led them, and soon they were back at the corral.
“Glad you made it okay,” Steve said as he met them, taking the reins of Banjo while Jax climbed down.
“Piece of cake,” Jax said with a self-satisfied grin. Then he helped Autumn down.
“That was a lot of fun,” she said to Steve. “Thanks for everything.”
Steve laughed. “Thank the gentleman here. It was all his doing.”
Autumn glanced at Jax, her eyes sparkling. “I already thanked him.”
Their kiss filled Jax’s mind and he was eager for more. He only hoped Autumn felt the same.
Chapter Eleven
As they drove back to Sacramento, Autumn felt relaxed and calm. “We should stop by my place so you can meet Sasha.”
Jax’s eyebrows rose. “Meeting the dog? Are we to that step already?”
Autumn laughed. “Yes. If Sasha doesn’t like you, I won’t be able to help you wash your car.”
“Now that would be tragic. Because I’m actually kind of out of practice.”
“Uh-huh. That’s what I figured. Do you even have a bucket and sponge?”
“I’m sure I do. Somewhere.”
“Okay. We’ll wash it at my place. I know exactly where my bucket and sponge are.”
Jax laughed. “Sounds like a plan. You’ll just need to tell me where you live.”
To Autumn’s surprise, the idea of Jax knowing where she lived felt right. She told him her address and how to get there, and as they drove, they chatted comfortably. When they reached Autumn’s house, a modest one-story in a subdivision, Autumn told him to park in the middle of her driveway.
“It will be easier to wash your car that way,” she added with a smirk.
He laughed. “I do remember that much.”
He helped her out of his car and she heard barking coming from behind the fence. “That’s Sasha.”
“Is that her ‘I’m happy to see you’ bark or her ‘Who did you bring home?’ bark?”
Autumn laughed. “Maybe a little of both. But I promise she’s friendly.”
Jax’s eyebrows had gone up. “I guess we’ll see.”
Autumn faced him. “Are you afraid of dogs?”
He chuckled, but it sounded a bit uncomfortable. “Only of the ones that bite me.”
She shook her head as she grinned. “Slamming to the ground on the football field week after week doesn’t bother you, but a soft little puppy dog does?”
“I thought Sasha was full-grown.”
Autumn’s smile grew. “Oh, she is.”
Jax grunted, then looked toward the fence.
It had been years since he’d been bitten, and he’d thought he’d put it behind him, but hearing Sasha’s aggressive barks brought the memory back. He’d been a teenager hanging out in his friend’s backyard, throwing a football back and forth, when his friend’s dog had snagged the ball. Jax had tried to get the ball away from the dog and the dog hadn’t wanted to give it up. The dog had bit him on the arm and Jax had needed eight stitches.
Looking at the scar on his arm, Jax reminded himself that that incident had been kind of a freak thing and that it was unlikely to happen again. Still, as he followed Autumn into her house, he had to take a few slow, deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
“Come here, sweet girl,” Autumn called as she approached a large doggie door that led to the backyard.
A yellow lab burst through the doggie door, its tail wagging furiously and its tongue lolling out. It ran right past Autumn and directly toward Jax. Holding himself steady, Jax pretended Sasha was an offensive lineman headed his way. He held his ground, and seconds later Sasha was vigorously sniffing his pants.
At least she hadn’t bitten him. Relieved, Jax held his hand toward her nose. She sniffed his skin, then licked his hand twice.
“I think she likes you,” Autumn said.
Almost giddy with relief, Jax stroked Sasha’s head. “You’re right about one thing,” he said. “She is soft.”
Glad that Sasha approved of Jax, Autumn smiled as he pet Sasha’s head. “Come here, girl,” she said. Sasha immediately came to Autumn’s side. “Do you like the big football player?” Throwing a smile at Jax, Autumn scratched Sasha’s chin. “I think she wants to help us wash your car.”
Jax laughed. “Using her tongue? Or should we soap up her fur and have her rub against the car?”
Grinning, Autumn said, “Whichever you prefer. Although she does tend to shed, so her tongue might be the better option.”
Jax laughed harder. “Okay.”
“Actually, her favorite part is when I squirt the hose and she tries to catch the water in her mouth.”
“Might as well get started then.”
Nodding, Autumn got two sponges and a bucket from a closet, squirted dish soap into the bucket, then headed out front with Jax and Sasha. As she filled the bucket with water from the hose, she marveled at how comfortable she felt with Jax and how natural it felt to be in her driveway about to wash his Lamborghini. Okay, maybe the Lamborghini part didn’t seem natural, but despite having such a fancy car, Jax seemed down to earth.
“Soap’s ready,” she said, then she handed him the hose.
He sprayed water all over his car—stopping to squirt Sasha, who loved the attention—then they each took a soapy sponge and began washing the dust from his car. It didn’t take long to complete the job, and after grabbing a pair of towels from the house, they began drying the car.
“I should probably wash my car by hand more often,” Jax said as he wiped down the hood.
Autumn was drying off the passenger side of the car. “Why’s that?”
“Regular car washes don’t clean it as thoroughly.”
“That’s right. Plus they don’t do this.” Then she dropped the towel, picked up the hose, and squirted him.
He jumped back, but not before she’d soaked his shirt. “Hey!” The smile on his face showed he didn’t mind what she’d done, but when he looked at the hose in her hand, she knew he was thinking of retaliation.
“Oh no,” she said, running toward the faucet while keeping hold of the hose. But he was much faster than her, and he caught up to her before she reached the faucet.
“Oh yes,” he
said, easily taking the hose from her.
Sasha was barking, and when Autumn saw the indecision on Jax’s face as he looked at Sasha, she took advantage of the moment to snatch the hose back and dash the last few feet to the faucet.
“Where are you going?” Jax called out, leaping to her side before she could turn the faucet off.
Startled, she screamed, but the smile never left her face. Sasha was right there, barking with enthusiasm. “It’s okay,” she told Sasha with a laugh, then she held the hose out in front of her with the idea that she would keep it out of Jax’s reach.
His arms went around her from behind as he easily took the hose from her hands. The feel of his body pressed against hers made her forget why she was standing there in the first place.
“I got it,” he murmured beside her ear.
Jax’s wet shirt soaked into her back, but she hardly noticed, so caught up was she in having him standing so close to her. The memory of their kiss in the mountains swept over her and she relaxed against his chest.
His arms tightened around her, and she leaned back. Sasha continued to bark and Autumn absently reached out and placed a calming hand on Sasha’s head, which settled the dog down.
Jax loved the way it felt to hold Autumn in his arms, and with her neck so close to his lips, he couldn’t stop himself from leaning down and pressing his mouth against her tender skin. She gasped, and he smiled as he kissed her neck again.
“We should…” she said, her voice slightly breathless. “We should finish drying your car before the sun dries the water into water spots.”
He didn’t want to push her beyond what she was ready to handle. “Good idea.” He dropped the hose to the ground, then reached around her and turned the faucet off. Her back was still to him. Taking her hand in his, he said, “Are you gonna help me finish?”
She turned around and met his gaze, her green eyes uncertain. “I’ll…I’ll get some window cleaner and paper towels.”
“Okay.” He watched her walk toward the front door, his mind racing with how wildly attracted he was to her.
Pass Interference (Fair Catch Series, Book Four) Page 6