by C L Green
“They need a secure yard, it’s the only way. My place has the entire house and gardens surrounded with chicken wire and a hot-wire. It keeps them contained and I don’t have to worry about them. I’m sorry Jax but I need to take them home. I can probably drive now anyway. My last drink was hours ago. Perhaps I can leave Maverick here and just drive back tomorrow? At least it saves me towing him back and forth.”
I look up to see Jax’s gorgeous blue eyes looking at me with disappointment. His strong shoulders slump and he hunches over. He looks defeated. I can see he clearly doesn’t like the idea of me going home but he understands that I need to.
I see him start to chew at his bottom lip as he thinks about something. “Please give me one day Ash. Just one. I’ll work something out.”
Oh shit, he’s begging.
He looks back out the window and then back to me with a hopeful look.
“Okay. One day, I’m not too sure what you think you can come up with in one day, but I’ll give it to you anyway.” I sigh, resigning both myself and my girls to misery for a whole day as the girls start up another round of miserable yelping.
I look at their misery and ask, “Do you think that we could perhaps lock them in a stable for the night? At least they won’t be tied up and we probably won’t be able to hear their misery from down here at the house.”
“Sounds like a better plan than tying ‘em up all night. Give me ten minutes. I need to call my Dad and I’ll meet you at the barn to help you settle ‘em for the night. I’ve put their bag of biscuits in the stable feed area. If you wanna take ‘em up and start sorting out their bowls, I’ll be up shortly.”
He leans in to give me a quick peck on the cheek. “I won’t be long.”
I watch Jax grab his phone, poke in a number and then greet his dad as he exits out the back door. Resigned to confining my poor girls to a stable for the night, I follow shortly afterwards to find that Jax has vanished out of sight.
I wonder where he went to as I head over and let the girls off their leads so they can follow me up to the barn. They are overexcited to have regained their freedom and bounce playfully along next to me, yodeling and tackling one another.
At the barn, I find my huge bag of dog food sitting up on a bench with the three food bowls neatly stacked next to it. I go about the business of measuring out three serves of biscuits. I then decide to walk through the barn and find the best stable for the girls for the night.
A couple of the stables have horses in them but there are some empty ones too. I choose one that already has some sawdust laid down. It's not exactly soft grass or their usual preference, an outdoor setting chair, but it should be comfortable to lie on.
Noticing the automatic waterer will be too high for my girls, I head back towards the feed area to see if I can find a suitable container for water for them. On my way back I look out the open end of the barn to see Jax still on his phone out near Troubles paddock. He is striding along the fence line talking animatedly and nodding as he goes. I wonder what he is talking about as I recommence my search for a container.
Finally finding an old, square, plastic electric fencing insulator box that has some brushes in it, I transfer them to a round bucket and use the barn sink to fill it with water. I am just about to lift it off the sink when Jax appears behind me saying, “I’ll get that.”
With what seems like the barest amount of effort, he leans over, picks up the container full of water and steps back waiting for me to lead the way. I take a moment to appreciate the view of his muscles bulging and realize that I would have struggled to even lift the damned container.
It really is no work for a man of his size. His upper body strength is amazing.
Jax follows me to the chosen stable with the girls still swirling happily around us. He puts the container in a corner and we head back to the feed area to grab the bowls. The girls, sensing it is now dinnertime become super excited and start barking happily.
You won’t be so cheerful when you finally work out this is only a bribe.
I invite the girls into the stable and ask them all to sit while I spread their three bowls to the other three corners of the stable. They all sit with their ears pricked, excited by mealtime but not excited enough to move. They are fully aware that if they move their butts off the ground I’ll scold them and they won’t be getting their dinner anytime soon.
I head back to the door of the stable and push Jax outside. They still wait patiently each staring at their own bowl.
“Okay girls, eat!” I command firmly and they all fly happily to their bowls and start hoeing in. I take this opportunity to slide the stable door shut as I once again feel like a bad parent, tricking my babies. None of them have realize yet, but I have essentially lured them into prison.
“Sorry girls, not even any bones tonight. I can’t risk you fighting over them in such a small space.” I sigh again and turn away. “Time to get out of here and let them settle, it won’t be long before they realize what I’ve done.”
Jax nods and grabs my hand as we head back to the house together.
“You need to bottle that self-control you show when you act as the pack leader to your dogs and remember to use it when you work with Maverick.”
I think on what he is saying for a moment and nod my head in understanding. He’s right of course, when it comes to horses, he always is.
*****
We both agree on a light dinner after such a huge lunch and then spending so many hours in the car. Jax grabs out one of his mum’s homemade soups from the freezer and we fill it out for him by adding a couple of buttered rolls as a side dish. I forgo the bread in a vain effort to slow what I am sure is going to be weight gain while I spend time with Jax and his family.
I am surprised how easily Jax and I settle into a comfortable process of preparing for dinner together. This I can do, microwave soup and buttered rolls. Just my style.
We spend the meal finding out more about each other and making easy conversation about dogs and horses. With dinner out the way, Jax finally leans one hip sexily against a kitchen counter and wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“Is it time for your bath little girl?”
Another bath in his spa sounds divine. I can’t think of a better way to finish my weekend.
“Absolutely! I hope you don’t mind?”
“What makes you think I would mind?” He asks looking confused. “I’ll be in there with you this time.”
Shit.
I didn’t expect that. Well actually, I suppose I should have expected that but I just didn’t think of it before I so enthusiastically accepted his offer of a bath.
I start worrying at my bottom lip with my teeth. “Um… I’m not so sure about that.”
“Wear your bathers if you don’t feel comfortable. I’ll even wear shorts if I have to. It’ll be more fun with two of us and you won’t have to rush like you did last night.”
Mm he’s selling the plan hey?
A nice long, stress free spa does sound wonderful though. I was kicking myself at having to get out so quickly last night. What the hell, you only live once.
“If we are getting in that spa together, you are most definitely wearing shorts and I am most definitely wearing bathers. No funny business. Do you hear me?”
A cheeky grin stretches across his face and I watch his eyes sparkle mischievously. Both dimples tease me with their presence as he launches off the counter and straight past me on the way to the spa at high speed. “Sure, no funny business. Last one in’s a rotten egg!”
*****
I’m standing in Jax’s spare bedroom, in a black string bikini, staring at myself in the beautiful full-length mirror that stands in one corner.
This bikini certainly does display my rather large breasts off well and I’m surprised that my belly is not the size of a balloon after all the carbs I’ve eaten over the course of the weekend.
This aside, I’m still really nervous about walking into Jax’s en suite in my bathe
rs. I am wondering whether I can do this. Especially considering I normally wear shorts and a t-shirt over the top of my bikini when I go swimming.
I haven’t seen Jax for the last ten minutes so I am assuming he’s filled the spa and he is already in there. I’ve decided to pile my hair in a bun on the top of my head so I won’t get it wet. It will save me drying it afterwards and I’ll wash it in the shower tomorrow morning.
With one last look at myself, and trembling with nerves, I head towards the door. I have just placed my hand on the door handle when I suddenly become aware that I can hear voices in the kitchen.
Shit oh dear, who’s here?
Petrified of being seen, I quickly retract my hand from the handle and consider my choices. Get dressed again or just sit this out? Not too sure what to do, I go with the age-old backup and decide to hold my ear against the door and eavesdrop.
The voices are muffled because they are so far away. I hold my breath and listen carefully. I am sure I can hear Luke and Jax talking in the kitchen.
I wonder why Luke is here at this time of night.
Whatever they have been talking about, I work out that they are now winding up because I hear Jax say, “Thanks bro, you’re a lifesaver as usual. See you in the morning.”
I hear the back door close and the sound of Luke’s Silverado roaring to life outside and then he heads back up the driveway.
Working hard to reestablish my resolve, I once again approach the door and this time I turn the handle. It still sounds quiet outside so I stop and listen to double check that we have no other unexpected guests and start my way to the kitchen.
About halfway down the hall, I stop once more and listen carefully. I still can’t hear anything so I swing into stride ready to pass straight through the kitchen and on to Jax’s bedroom. I’ve barely broken the cover of the hallway when I hear a sharp intake of breath from the kitchen and Jax growls, “Fucking A! Damn that’s hot!”
I freeze my feet in place and swing my head sideways to see Jax staring at me with the biggest shit eating grin I have ever seen. He’s standing at the bench pouring caffeine free diet Coke into a glass.
I look at the bottle in his hand, confusion on my face and then look back up to his face to see him still appreciating my bikini and all the parts between. Every single part.
“Where did you get that Coke from?” I ask, forgetting my embarrassment for a brief moment as my mind registers what he is doing.
I stare in wonder because Jax has remembered I drink caffeine free and then he has magically produced it out of thin air.
I also stare at him because he has no shirt on and I can see his six pack rippling as he leans over the bench. He’s also wearing a sexy pair of swim shorts that hang low on his hips.
Hot damn!
Not moving his eyes from my breasts he mumbles, “Luke just dropped it off. He rang to ask if I wanted anything at the supermarket earlier ‘cause he has to drive past my place to get there. I remembered you liked caffeine free.”
He finally manages to drag his eyes from my breasts and back to the glass he is filling. “Me thinks we’ll be having a spa every night over the next two weeks.”
I regain my composure and consider my next move to get out of Jax’s line of sight.
Lifting an eyebrow and pointing my chin towards his bedroom door I tease, “I thought you said last one in was a rotten egg?”
He chuckles to himself as he heads to the cupboard to get more glasses.
“I’m more than happy to be the rotten egg. I’m gunna make us two drinks each!”
I grin back at him and stroll past him to his bedroom door. At the door I look back over my shoulder and raise an eyebrow. “I’ll be waiting.”
Where did that sexy little maneuver come from?
Now mortified at my obvious try at flirting, I shoot through the door and on to the en suite. I just about break my neck in my effort to slide into the spa as fast as I can to hide my body beneath the bubbles.
Jax appears a short time later carrying four drinks on a wooden tea tray.
“Your drinks milady,” he announces in a butler's tone.
I grin up at him wondering how I was so lucky to meet this guy and now be sitting his in spa having my favorite drink served up.
Jax sets the tray down on the floor near the spa and hands me a glass. Putting another one on the tiled edge, he climbs across me to sit in the second seat. I watch his look of pleasure as he slides down into the warm, soft heat of the spa and settles his head back on the headrest.
“I love this spa,” he murmurs as he closes his eyes and twists his neck to remove the kinks of the day. Looking at his chest and shoulders showing above the top of the water, I’m starting to think I love this spa too.
Relaxing, I decide to make myself more comfortable. This involves sitting up a bit straighter to lean on my headrest properly. This in itself places me in a position where the top of my breasts are just showing above the water. I glance over to see Jax’s eyes are open again and they have darkened to a shade of pure lust.
“No funny business right?” I remind him.
“No funny business,” he nods but keeps his eyes locked on my breasts. I watch his pupils dilate even further as he drags his eyes up to my face. “Fuck you’ve got great tits.”
Forward. Much?
He shakes his head as if shaking the thought out of his head and leans across to grab his drink. “Lucky I only bought two drinks or I’m sure the no funny business rule would be flying out the window.”
I smile to myself and take a sip of my drink.
Looking at his chest again and then dragging my eyes back to his I wonder if he can see the lust I can feel building in my bones as well.
“Lucky indeed.”
*****
Jax and I spend nearly two hours soaking in the spa. We progress through stages of sitting and chatting without the jets running, to stretches of silence with the jets on full blast and the heater pump running to keep the water warm.
The conversation is once again easy and after drinking our first two drinks, Jax reneges and makes another dash for the kitchen to make us two more.
I’m starting to feel buzzed and I think he may have noticed that I keep staring at his chest as if I want to lick it. I can feel my heart rate has sped up and a dull ache has developed between my legs.
The conversation has been getting progressively dirtier and more flirtatious when Jax finally sits up and pulls the plug from the spa.
“If you’re expecting no funny business, we’re out of here. Now.”
I chew at my bottom lip and consider what he is saying.
“Um... What would you say if I said I have changed my mind?”
“I would say that we’ve now had four drinks and there is no way I’m gunna touch you.”
Disappointment surges through my system as I continue to eye his chest off.
“Why not!” I blurt.
Horrible thoughts that I have misread his signals about liking me race through my mind and I start to panic. I feel my body stiffen and a chill runs across my spine.
He smiles at me softly and swoops in to peck me on the lips gently. He looks direct into my eyes and I start to drown in his crystal blues.
“Shut your cogs down little girl. It’s nothing like whatever new round of fucked up shit is racing through your head. I just don’t want you tanked the first time I lay hands on you. I want you stone-cold sober, every nerve ending in your body alive. I want to know that you really, really want me to touch you. Right now you are too relaxed babe. I’m not taking advantage of that.”
My body softens as I relax and realize he’s just being a good guy. A really good guy. I look deep into his eyes and murmur. “Okay.”
He pecks me on the lips again and jumps out of the spa to dry off. I enjoy the view as he wipes his legs and chest down. I then see him grab a second towel and hold it out for me.
“You’d better cover straight up little girl because my last piece of
resolve is about to shatter.”
It’s at this point that I look down to see his swim shorts tenting in a big way and realize what he’s saying.
“Sure.” I mumble as I stand to take the offered towel. He looks down at the front of his shorts and looks back up as his cheeks dimple.
“Sorry about that. He works separately from my brain and my mouth.”
I raise my eyebrows and grin back not saying a word as he turns around, drops his wet shorts to the floor and wanders off to his wardrobe giving me a delicious view of his firmly muscled butt.
Chapter Eleven
You had a wife
I wake up slightly confused as I gather my bearings and realize I am not at home in my own bed. Once again I have slept in Jax’s bed, only this time I woke up alone.
After our bath the night before, Jax told me I would be sleeping in his bed. Once again annoyed at him telling me what to do, I got huffy.
After huffing for a fitting amount of time, Jax explained that he would sleep better and that we would be wearing clothes. He also explained there would be no funny business. Having huffed enough, and feeling tired from another big day in the life of Jax, I had finally given up and crawled into bed with him.
Getting into bed had taken a notable amount of time because it took me a while to settle in what I thought was a comfortable position. This comfortable position ended being my stomach. This comfortable position was also as far over to my side of the bed as was possible.
Jax obviously did not agree that this was the most comfortable position for me. I worked this out when his arm snaked out to wrap around my chest and drag me back across the bed so I was lying on my side, spooning against his chest.
It was once again warm and comfortable and the feeling off Jax’s arm wrapped around my chest, holding me possessively and securely in place felt wonderful. The last I remember was the smell of his warm and spicy cologne gently invading my senses as he rested his lips against the top of my head as we both fell asleep.