Jaxon: Heroes at Heart

by Maryann Jordan

  He began to stand when she moved slightly, her eyes fluttering open. Her blue eyes stared in confusion for a few seconds before her lips curved and she breathed, “Jaxon.”

  He sat on the coffee table and placed his hand on her knee, giving a little squeeze. “Hey. How are you?”

  “I’m fine,” she replied and, with his assistance, pushed up to a seated position. Swiping her hair back from her face, she added, “I must have been really tired to fall asleep so easily.”

  “This morning was rough on you and I heard you had some visitors this afternoon.”

  Eyes wide, she smiled. “How did you hear?”

  “Zander let me know you were invaded by the women and Miss Ethel. Was it too much?”

  “Oh, no,” she assured. “I loved meeting them. And would you believe that I had already met Miss Ethel.”

  “No way! Where?”

  “She’s an old friend of my Nonnie. She brought her to the hospital to visit me last week.”

  Shaking his head, he was stunned. “Small world.”

  “I really liked her,” she admitted, leaning back against the sofa cushion. “After hearing about your upbringing last night, I loved meeting the woman who helped you become who you are.”

  “I know she was glad to meet you. I would have taken you to her, but wanted you to feel more up to visiting first. I should have known the women wanted to meet the person I had invited into my house.”

  “So, I’m not just your run-of-the-mill charity case?”

  His gaze held hers and he grinned, recognizing she was fishing. Leaning forward, he cupped her cheek and said, “You are not a charity case, Morgan.” His heart pounded in his chest as he confessed, “I wanted to see more of you after our first night together. When I brought the mermaid earring to you, I planned on asking you out again. If you had not been leaving town, I would have made sure you knew just how much I wanted you around.”

  Morgan stared, his words flowing into her heart and, yet, pulling at her mind at the same time. How can the end of one dream be the beginning of another? “I wanted you too. I just had no idea if you would wait for me. I mean, that would have been stupid to ask, for you to wait after only one night together.”

  “Do you believe in destiny?” he asked, his thumb still caressing her cheek.

  “I don’t know,” she confessed. “I believed in hard work. I believed in setting a goal and doing all in my power to meet that goal. But now? I have no idea what to believe.”

  “I don’t want you to think that I’m glad you were hurt,” he said. “I’m not. Honest to God, I’d take your pain if I could. But, I’d be a liar if I said that now that you’re in my house, I hope you stay. At least, as long as you can.”

  “I have no idea what the future holds,” she reminded.

  “I know. And I’ll help you achieve whatever goals you want to achieve. I won’t hold you back. And if you need to leave to chase your dreams, I’ll still be here, cheering you on.”

  A sob erupted from deep in her chest and she grabbed his shirt with her right hand and pulled him toward her. Her lips landed on his and he felt the rush straight to his cock. After a moment, he pulled back, hating the break in contact.

  “What?” she moaned, her eyes jumping to his, her brow lowered.

  “I want what’s best for you, Morgan,” he said, his voice tortured.

  Grinning, she pulled him back in and mumbled against his lips, “I think I know what’s best for me.”

  “I’m trying to be noble.”

  “To hell with noble. Please…”

  “Morgan—”

  Giving his shoulders a little shove, she huffed, “I know my arm looks disgusting, but can’t you just pretend it’s not a problem?”

  He jolted, stunned. “Disgusting? I told you I understand injuries, Morgan. It’s not disgusting. And secondly, it’s not that it’s a ‘problem’, it’s just something we have to consider. I don’t want to injure you further.”

  “This,” she bit out, holding up her arm with the stitches and metal bars protruding, “is taking over my life.” Sighing, she shook her head. “Look, I know my Frankenstein arm is a cockblocker, but I just thought—”

  “Babe,” he said, lightly smoothing out her brow with his forefinger. “Ever since I first saw you, I’ve wanted you. Sure, it was sexual at first, but by the end of our night together, I wanted you. All of you. So, I’m trying to be the man you deserve, and to my way of thinking, that’d be one who doesn’t jump you when you’re still healing.”

  “Oh,” she said, sucking in her lips, eyes wide. “You promise it’s not because of the way it looks? And I know what you said,” she rushed to add. “It’s just, I think it’s disgusting, so why wouldn’t you?”

  He leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on her lips, before pulling back. “I promise. You can trust me, Morgan.”

  She nodded, then, after a moment, tentatively asked, “Um…what if I don’t want you to do the right thing…I mean, what if the right thing isn’t the right thing you’re thinking of?”

  Blinking several times, he chuckled as he watched her blush. “Sorry? I’m not following.”

  She reached over and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly. “Ever since the accident I haven’t felt like me. I don’t even know who me is anymore. But, with you, I at least feel right. Like I’m in the right place at the right time with the right person.”

  His breath left his lungs in a rush, knowing her words were heartfelt. And, they were exactly what he needed to hear. “What do you need? I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She leaned forward and, with her lips only a whisper away from his, said, “This. And don’t stop, as long as you can be creative.”

  He angled his mouth to accommodate her lips fully and mumbled in return, “Oh, baby. I can get creative.”

  Kissing her, he moved his lips over hers, feeling her softly yielding as she melted into him. Wanting her comfortable, he slid his hands underneath her armpits and gently lifted her as he stood. She reached up to hold onto his arms, and winced, dropping her left arm immediately.

  “Oh, Morgan,” he said, doubt flowing throughout him.

  “No, no,” she rushed. “I just have to be careful, but please don’t stop!”

  “I won’t stop, but let’s do this right. Come on.” He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, stopping at the bed. He eyed her arm and pulled her t-shirt over her right side and then bunched the material together to draw it over her left arm.

  Wearing only a camisole underneath, he gently pulled the straps down, careful of her arm once again. With her luscious top exposed, he bent and took one nipple in his mouth, pulling deeply. Her moan shot straight to his cock, already straining against his zipper.

  He lavished attention on each breast before dropping to his knees, kissing along her tummy until she giggled.

  “I’m ticklish,” she explained, unnecessarily. Her hand clutched his shoulder before sliding through his hair.

  He hooked his fingers in the waistband of her yoga pants and slid them, along with her panties, down her legs, making sure she was steady as she stepped out of them. First kissing her knees, he then placed more kisses along her thighs, loving the sound of her continued moans.

  Standing, he glanced to the bed and said, “You okay with easy vanilla, babe? I’ll do all the work and promise to take care of you.”

  Biting her lips, Morgan nodded, thinking that vanilla with Jaxon would be perfect.

  “Okay, let’s get you settled.”

  She pouted, complaining, “I’m forcing the spontaneity out of this.”

  “Don’t think of it that way,” he admonished. “I had no idea we would be doing this ever again, much less so soon, so to me, this is a treat that I want to savor.”

  Her lips curving, she breathed a sigh of relief. Following his instructions, she sat on the bed and scooted to the middle. Lying on her back, with her head on a pillow and another one under her left arm out to the side, she nodded when he asked i
f she was comfortable.

  “But, I’ll be more comfortable when you’re as naked as I am!”

  He threw his head back in laughter and climbed from the bed. Grabbing his polo, he pulled it over his head and it landed on the floor. Unbuckling his pants, he kicked them off after toeing off his shoes.

  Her gaze never strayed from his body as he stripped, and she could not keep the grin from her face. From his thick, curly hair to his incredibly muscular upper body, he was perfect to her. Watching as he fisted his cock, she licked her lips, letting her knees fall to the side, opening herself for his view. She ignored the self-conscious hesitations, determined to make it as easy for him as possible.

  “Jesus, Morgan,” he groaned, his gaze dropping from her face to her sex. Grabbing a condom from his wallet, he crawled over her, careful to not jiggle the bed excessively.

  “You won’t break me,” she said, wanting him to hurry. She lifted her right hand and wiggled her fingers in a come to me gesture.

  “Patience, babe.” He settled on the bed, his knees near her ankles, reaching for her thighs. Dropping his head, he tongued her folds before latching onto her clit.

  “Oh, God,” she moaned, the feel of his lips on her electrifying.

  He licked and then blew a puff of air over her swollen nub, sending shivers over her entire body. Reaching between her legs, she clasped his hair with her fingers, grabbing to hold him close.

  Drowning in the taste, scent, and feel of her against his lips, Jaxon inhaled deeply. It was every bit as intoxicating as he remembered. Latching onto her clit once more, he inserted a finger into her core, the motion causing her hips to jerk upward.

  With his other hand splayed over her tummy, he pressed her back down to the mattress. He felt her inner muscles begin to tighten and he crooked his finger before adding another. Scissoring them deep inside, he sucked hard once more and heard her scream his name as he felt her orgasm wash over him.

  She clutched the sheets, grunting in pain and he quickly lifted his head, seeing her left hand rising slightly above the pillow.

  “Babe,” he admonished. “You’re supposed to just lay there.”

  “Mmmm,” Morgan moaned, lifting her head to see him staring at her, his beard moist with her juices. “God, you’re gorgeous.”

  “That’s my line, beautiful.”

  Sated, she plopped her head back on the pillow as he kissed his way back up her body.

  Stopping to pay homage to each breast again, Jaxon reveled in the feel of her. Continuing his trail of kisses, he latched onto her lips, his tongue thrusting into each crevice. Her taste was heady and he could not get enough of it.

  Her tongue slid against his and his cock swelled even more, if that was possible. Groaning as he dragged his lips away, he sat back on his knees and grabbed the condom he tossed to the mattress. Ripping it open, he rolled it on under the watchful gaze of her eyes, the blue shining directly at him.

  Positioning himself between her spread legs, his eyes darted to the side before he warned, “I’m gonna go nice and slow, but you gotta keep your arm protected on the pillow.”

  “Sure thing, bossman,” she quipped.

  He narrowed his eyes and, placing the tip of his cock at her entrance, he halted. “You want this?”

  “Oh, you know I do,” she mewed.

  “Then protect your arm,” he warned, sliding his nose along hers before nuzzling her ear. “Or I’ll show you bossman.”

  Giggling, her mirth ended in a long moan as he edged his cock into her sex, inch by glorious inch. “Jaxon, you can boss me anytime you want,” Morgan breathed, just before all thoughts, other than what her body was crying for, left her mind.

  The feel of her tight sex squeezing his cock made Jaxon want to lose control and thrust uncontrollably, but he knew he had to hang on, making sure she was not only enjoying herself, but was not hurting.

  He kept his weight off her chest with his arms on either side of her head, cognizant of her arm. Without realizing it, his thrusts slowed down and he startled when she grabbed his face with her right hand and pulled his attention back to her.

  “Okay, bossman, listen up. You don’t worry about my arm. That’s for me to keep outta your way. You just think about your cock in my hoo-ha and taking us both where we want to go.”

  “Hoo-ha?”

  “Jesus, Jaxon. That’s all you got outta that?”

  “No, but let’s just say I’ve never been propositioned like that before.”

  Glaring, she narrowed her eyes. “You want me to get up and leave right now, you mention any other propositions that may have come your way in the past.”

  Grinning, he slid his tongue along her collarbone and around her neck. “I promise, there’s no one and nothing on my mind but you, me, my cock, and your hoo-ha.”

  With that, he began to move, his dick swelling more with each thrust. His world narrowed to the feel of his body joining with hers. Nothing had ever felt more right in his life. Kissing her once again, he continued to focus on her, wanting her pleasure before his own.

  Her head leaned back against the pillow and she wrapped her strong legs around his waist, her heels digging into his taut ass.

  “Come on, baby, are you close?” he asked, bending to suck on her pulse point while tweaking her nipple.

  Suddenly, her inner core tightened and he felt his cock squeezed, taking him over the edge along with her. Both groaned, her with her fingers clutching his shoulder and he, with his neck extended, the corded muscles standing out as he emptied himself.

  His arms shook with exertion as he forced his body to remain off her chest. Finally, he slid out, lifting back on his knees as he removed the condom. Grabbing a tissue from the nightstand, he wrapped up the used condom and tossed it to the side. With her carefully laying on her right side, he snuggled up as close to her as he could.

  Tucking his head on the pillow next to her, he slid his arm underneath her breasts and whispered, “You okay?”

  Sated, she whispered, “Yes, you can stop worrying.”

  “I’ll always worry about you,” he vowed.

  She twisted her head to look into his eyes. “Always?”

  He lifted his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Yeah…always.” He had never had pillow talk with a woman before Morgan but, suddenly, he wanted to make sure she understood what he was feeling. “In my life, I have Jayden…Miss Ethel…my brothers. And I thought that was enough. Now, you’ve fallen into my life as well, in a way that I know is life-changing.”

  She opened her mouth, but he cut her off, leaning over her so that she did not have to twist her neck to focus on him. “You don’t have to say anything, Morgan. I know your life is rearranged right now and involves a lot more than me. I just wanted you to know that I’m here for you, in whatever way I can be.”

  Reaching her hand up, Morgan cupped his jaw, the feel of his beard underneath her fingertips now familiar. “You once said that landing at Miss Ethel’s was a soft place to land.”

  He held her gaze, unsure where she was going with this.

  She sucked in her lips before continuing. “Jaxon, you’ve become my soft place to land. In the middle of my entire world being altered, you are the one thing that makes sense. I want you in my life…not just as a place to land, but as a place to be.”

  His breath left his lungs in a rush as he watched a tear slide from the corner of her eye. Bending forward, he kissed the salty trail, then moved to place a soft kiss on her lips.

  Shifting to the side once more, he kept her wrapped tight as their bodies, relaxed and sated, fell into slumber.

  24

  Several days later, Jaxon stood in the kitchen shoving a bagel covered with cream cheese into his mouth and washing it down with coffee. His eyes stayed on Morgan as she rounded the counter, her hair still sleep-tousled and her eyes lazy as they met his.

  “Babe,” he said, swallowing the bite, “I can’t believe I can’t take you to the doctor today. When my supervisor called t
o say that two team members had the flu and I was needed—”

  “Sweetheart, it’s okay. I have to see my parents today anyway.” She sighed and scrubbed her hand through her hair.

  “I just wish I could be there. I know your parents aren’t glad about you staying here, but hopefully they’ll be supportive at the doctor’s office.”

  Her eyes held his and she shrugged. “Mom will be okay. Dad will be…well, Dad. If the doctor gives me good news, then he’ll be itching to get me to a sports orthopedist. If not…” dropping her head, she sighed again.

  He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, tucking her face to his chest, right over his heartbeat. “I’ll be worried. Will you promise to call me? Even if I can’t pick up right then, I’ll want to hear. Good or not so good.”

  Morgan nodded, the feel of his soft polo against her cheek soothing as she breathed in his comforting scent. Determined to take his strength with her to the appointment, she leaned back and accepted his kiss, reveling in the simple things in life that she had wanted for so long, and had never had.

  “The site of the external pins and plate look excellent,” Dr. Roberts said, examining her arm carefully. “You’re doing a great job of taking care of it and keeping it clean and free from infection.”

  She smiled while, at the same time, inwardly grimacing at the slight pain of his examination. “Thank you. I’ve made it a priority to do what I need to, plus my boyfriend is an EMT and he makes sure it’s well cared for also.”

  At the word boyfriend, her father made a growling sound deep in his throat, but she tried to ignore him. “I’ve been very careful about propping it up as often as I can and have been pleased as the swelling has gone down. I’ve followed all the instructions I was given at discharge but confess that I’ll be glad when I can get it wet.”

  “Yes, when can she do that?” her father asked.

  She shot him a pointed look but turned back to the doctor and corrected, “I was referring to making things easier in the shower.”