The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories

by Brina Courtney

  Jax let the information sink in and realized she was probably right. Not to mention the dangling carrot of her virginity. What if it wasn’t really Karma he was so into but the idea of her? He looked over at her out of the corner of his eye. Her wide gray eyes stared back at him innocently. She looked fragile and pure. Damn it, she made him feel alive in a way he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Could it really just be the stupid list and the delayed gratification? He’d have to think it over. Maybe walking away at the end of the three weeks was the best thing for them to do. To figure out if it was real or an illusion.

  He realized Karma was waiting on him to reply. “I don’t know if that’s true or not. All I know is I’m going to enjoy every second I have with you.”

  “I second that motion.” Karma bit her lip and looked up at him.

  Jax swore under his breath and next thing he knew his lips were on hers. They both moved closer. His hands slipped down her back and up her sweater, turning her body into his until her chest was pressed against him. His kiss was more demanding than usual. His hands roamed her body possessively as his tongue swirled around hers. God, he wanted her to be all his. He’d never wanted anything so badly in life. Jax tore his mouth from hers. He didn’t know if he could let her walk away. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his breathing.

  “One week left,” he said thickly. He didn’t know if he was talking to her or himself. He started the engine and tore off down the road.

  CHAPTER 23

  Where had the time gone? They only had six days left. Every day Karma put a big X on her calendar. On the one hand, she couldn’t wait to have sex with Jax, but on the other hand she hated the thought that their time was coming to an end. It was bittersweet. It was the best three weeks of her life. She felt like she was finally coming into her own. Her confidence had increased tremendously. Jax was obviously attracted to her. His reactions could not be faked. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

  And who cared if it was because of the stupid list or adrenaline rush. All she cared about was he wanted her—flaws and all, Jax wanted to be with her. In the time they had spent together, he had gotten to know her better than anyone else. Other than perhaps her shrink, and even that was debatable. They’d been having so much fun together, only being apart on the days he had to work, which thankfully wasn’t often.

  Once again, they were driving down the road destination unknown. It was freeing and exciting.

  “What’s on the agenda for today?” Karma asked as she placed her small hand on his muscular thigh. It was crazy the way she trusted him explicitly. Instinctively, she knew she was safe with him. There was a protective streak in him that she found comforting.

  Slowly, she traced circles on his thigh, and he inhaled sharply, his muscles tensing. She did that to him! Just a slight touch—it was mind-boggling. She was always so aware of his body and her reaction to him and vice versa. Instant arousal whenever he was near. She didn’t recall it ever being like that with any other guys. She wanted him badly. Just six more days. A small thrill went through her at the thought.

  Obviously, the no fooling around had been tossed out the window from day one, whittled down to the no sex rule—at least not for six more days. As if he felt Karma’s eyes on him, he turned his head, meeting her gaze.

  “Sorry, I was daydreaming. Today’s adventure’s white-water rafting.” He smiled crookedly.

  Her eyes widened. “What? I didn’t even bring a bathing suit.”

  “You don’t need one. Besides, it’s getting a little cold to be swimming. The plan is to stay inside the raft.” He grinned, and her heart did its usual flutter.

  She looked at him skeptically. He looked down at what she was wearing: capri pants and a short-sleeve shirt. “You’ll be fine in that.”

  “Are you sure? We could turn around and I could grab something else?”

  “I’m positive. And you need to stop doing that with your hand, or we’re going to end up in the ditch.”

  Karma sighed and pulled her hand away, interlacing her fingers in her lap.

  “What were you like as a little boy?” Karma asked, staring out the window. She always asked him questions about himself. She loved hearing the stories he told and picturing them in her mind. She knew he enjoyed cooking, listening to music, working out; he missed competitive fighting, could recite lines from almost every movie from the nineties, and he didn’t trust easily.

  Jax laughed, entwining his long firm fingers with hers. “Your mind is always jumping around. I was a hellion as a kid. I was always in fights, usually because of my sisters. I didn’t do as well in school as I should have. After my father passed away, I went through a really rough patch. I guess that would be a good way to put it. I practically lived in detention. My mother was worried I’d be behind bars before I turned thirteen.”

  Karma turned to take in his profile. She loved the strong lines of his face. “What happened to change your wild ways?”

  “My uncle came to visit. I was on the verge of being kicked out of school and he sat me down and told me I had to man up. That my father would expect me to take over his role as the man of the house. He explained that my acting out was hurting my mother, and she needed me more than ever with my dad gone. The next day I went to school, kept my mouth shut, head down, came home on time, and helped out as much as I could. I got a job as a paperboy and gave my mom the earnings. I couldn’t stand the thought that I was disappointing my father.”

  “How old were you?”

  Jax made a slight grimace. “Ten.”

  “That’s pretty young to have to grow up so fast.”

  Jax shrugged. “It is what it is. What about you? How were you as a child, Karma? Besides adorable as hell.”

  Karma closed her eyes briefly, leaning her head back. “The exact opposite of you. Spoiled rotten, daddy’s girl, sheltered and lonely. Hell, I still act like a child.”

  “I don’t think that’s true.”

  “It is, but I’m trying to change it. I need to move out from under my dad’s wing.” Karma had been searching for apartments online and even applied for a couple of jobs near the school. Her father had offered her a job at his office, but she felt like this was something she had to do on her own.

  “I’m sure it was tough with your mother. Has she always been like that?” Jax asked gently.

  Karma inwardly groaned. Just thinking about her mother made her feel vulnerable. “Pretty much. I was always trying to win her affection, and she was always reminding me how poorly I failed to do so.”

  “I think it’s only natural you cling to your father. He’s your constant.”

  “I guess. But it’s time I branch out. I know he’ll always be there if I need to run home with my tail between my legs. I guess I finally realized that I was OK with moving out. Even though I’m still nervous as hell about it.”

  “Have you found a place?”

  “Not yet, I figure I’ll really start looking next week. I want to enjoy the rest of the time we have together.”

  She noticed his body tensed, but he didn’t say anything. Just kept his eyes on the road. A few moments later he turned the truck down a side road, and she saw a sign that read Outdoor Adventures. Her life had turned into a big adventure. Who would have thought she would love it so much?

  Jax pulled out the cooler from the back of the truck and grabbed the plaid blanket, hanging it over his forearm. “Ready?”

  “I hope I don’t mess up,” Karma said quietly. A cool breeze caressed her face. She took in the tall trees, inhaled the scent of recent rain, and could hear the rush of the river close by. “I went canoeing once at summer camp. That’s the extent of my knowledge on water, and that didn’t end well. The canoe flipped, and it took us almost thirty minutes to unflip it and climb back inside.”

  “You’ll be fine. It’s actually quite easy.”

  “Uh-huh.” Karma bumped her hip against his. “Maybe for you.”

  Jax found a flat area under a huge weep
ing willow and spread the blanket out, setting the cooler on top of it. “I hope you like ham and cheese?”

  Karma rolled her eyes. “You know I like everything.”

  “You don’t like lima beans,” Jax reminded her. “Or coleslaw.”

  “I’m surprised you remember that,” Karma said with a laugh. “Okay, so I’ll eat almost everything.”

  Jax popped the top of the root beer and handed it to her. Karma lay on her side and took a sip as Jax pulled out the sandwiches, potato salad, and fresh fruit. He really was too good to be true.

  Once they finished eating they tossed the garbage in the can, dropped their belongings back in the truck, and headed toward the rental building. Karma watched as Jax strode forward and thought for the thousandth time she was really going to miss him.

  The attractive redhead behind the counter was blatantly flirting with Jax, but he appeared oblivious. Karma was surprised that she didn’t feel threatened by the woman, even though she had perky breasts that were practically falling out of her tank top, and her eyes were wandering over Jax’s body.

  A minute later he looked over his shoulder and waved for her to join him.

  He placed his hand on her lower back. “She’ll need a vest.”

  The woman looked her up and down. “What are you, a size ten?”

  Bitch. Karma wasn’t inclined to argue with the woman in front of Jax or let the girl’s overt dig get to her. So instead she just smiled and wrapped her arm around Jax’s waist.

  The girl turned and grabbed two vests and helmets off the rack. She led them back toward the rafts, pointed them in the direction of the path, and went back to her post after a couple of failed attempts to make eye contact with Jax. Karma had to stifle a laugh. They strapped on the vests and pulled the raft behind them down the slight incline, twigs snapping beneath their feet. She could smell the river and hear the rolling water. She hoped the current wasn’t too crazy. She wasn’t kidding when she said she had no experience on water. At least she knew how to swim.

  Jax looked over at her and gave her a sexy grin. “This is going to be fun.”

  His smile was infectious and automatically she returned it as she tightened the strap on her helmet. She was scared, but she knew she would have fun. If there was one thing she learned from all of this, it was that once you let go of the fear, it really was exciting.

  Jax held the raft in the water. “I’ll hold the raft and you get in first. In the back.”

  Karma looked at the raft with wary eyes. “Don’t let go.”

  “I’m not going to let go. Just get in and sit down, and remember the water can be powerful so we respect it and go with the flow.”

  Whatever the hell that meant. Karma made a face as she placed one foot and then the other into the small raft and unsteadily lowered herself. The raft rocked back and forth, causing her stomach to roll. The top of the raft came up a little from the weight of her, but Jax quickly pushed it back down. She reached down and grabbed the oar. Before they made it to the river bank he’d gone over how to hold it and explained she just did the opposite of what he did. Assuring her even if she wasn’t in the raft he would be able to control it on his own. Which brought a slight sense of relief to her.

  Jax pushed the raft away from the bank and stepped into it in one fluid motion.

  “See? Nothing to worry about.” Jax placed his paddle in the water. Karma watched to see how deeply he dipped it. She was worried if she did it wrong she would make them flip. The water was way too damn cold for that nonsense.

  Before long, Karma was relaxed and enjoying the ride. The current wasn’t too strong, and they glided along with ease through the twists and turns of the river. Jax was doing most of the work and she was just trying to keep up. The water slapping against the raft was somewhat relaxing, and the scenery was gorgeous. Trees were desperately trying to hold onto the last of their flowers, mixing in with the golden leaves of fall. She wished she had brought her camera, but with her luck she would have lost it in the water.

  “Like it?” Jax yelled over the rushing water.

  “Yes! It’s amazing.” Karma grinned like a loon.

  “It’s going to get a little rougher up ahead, because of the recent rains. If I start paddling too fast for you just stop paddling until we get through. Okay?”

  “Okay.” She had no problem with letting him take control if things got rough.

  They lolled ahead and then Karma heard the change in the water before she saw it. She was surprised at how much louder it was. The only way she could think to describe it was the water sounded angry. As they glided along she could start to see the difference. The blue water was now black and fast moving as they rode the waves.

  Jax hollered with delight as the raft quickened and they navigated around large boulders. Karma was surprised to hear herself yelling and laughing along with him. Her heart hammered in her throat when she saw the jagged edge of a gigantic rock inches from her face, but the raft turned swiftly and they continued on.

  Her oar smashed into another rock and pulled her shoulder painfully back, causing her hands to go numb. Jax was no longer yelling; he was quiet and that bothered her. She pulled the oar up and shook out each of her hands, letting Jax take control. When she could feel her hands again she dipped the oar back in the opposite side of Jax. He moved back and forth, sometimes staying on one side longer than the other, steering them in the right direction.

  Next thing Karma knew the current grabbed them and slammed the raft into the side of a boulder. Karma flew through the air, plunging into the river. The cold water was shocking and stung her body like a million tiny pin pricks.

  Pain shot through her shoulder as she bounced from rock to rock, the river violently pulling her along. She tried to fight the current, but it was useless. She desperately looked for Jax, but she couldn’t see him. The current was moving too fast. Terror gripped her chest as she gulped for air.

  She clawed at the rocks, thinking if she could just hold onto one Jax would save her, but she kept slipping and tearing up her hands. It had to end, right? The water couldn’t stay this wild, could it? Her head banged against something, and she absently thought she was glad for the helmet as a wave crashed over her head, pushing her under the water. She remembered Jax’s words—“Just go with the flow”—and willed her body to relax. Why did the water have to be so fucking cold?

  Her muscles screamed with pain, and her lungs felt like they would burst. The current pushed and slapped against her body as she raised her head up to catch some air. Dizziness washed over her, and she felt her head go under again. She was so tired. With all her strength, she tried to pull her head back up. It wouldn’t cooperate. She couldn’t breathe. Water lapped over her face, and the current brought her under, but she bobbed back up because of the life vest. A wave tossed her up and over her, leaving her face down in the water.

  Her last thought was so this is how it ends.

  CHAPTER 24

  Jax pulled himself out of the water and onto the riverbank, looking around frantically. Over and over he screamed, “Karma!” His heart was pounding so hard it hurt. He tossed off the helmet and vest so he could run faster.

  When they first went over he saw her body smashing down into the river, but he couldn’t keep up. The water was too uncontrollable. He would be able to see better from the ground. He sprinted along the riverbank, oblivious to the sharp rocks and branches cutting up his bare feet. His soaking wet clothes clung to his body. He had to block everything else and just focus on Karma. Where the hell was she?

  His heart seized in his chest as he wildly snapped his head around, looking for any sign of her. He tried to remain calm like he learned in training, but panic racked his body. He could never recall being this frightened in his life. He knew he would never be able to forgive himself for this. Silently, he pleaded, please let her be alive. How could he have been so stupid to bring her out after heavy rain? The girl at the shop had even warned him the waters were rougher than norm
al. Always too fucking sure of himself—that was his problem.

  Even though he was running as fast as he could it felt as though he were moving in slow motion through molasses. Finally he saw the yellow life vest bobbing in the distance. He ran harder. Thank god she was wearing a vest and a helmet. Of course, she was on the other side, but it looked like she was stuck onto a log. Now he just had to get to her and bring her to safety. He fought the current, slowly making his way to her, watching her the whole time, hoping for any kind of sign that she was okay. Over and over he yelled her name, but she wouldn’t look over at him. Jesus, give him something, any kind of sign that she was alive. Nothing.

  When he was close enough to see her pale face and blue lips his heart froze. Fear surged through him.

  Jax scooped up Karma’s lifeless body in his arms. Her skin was so cold. “No no no!” he yelled out in anguish as he sloshed through the hip-high water. The current kept pushing him along but he fought it every step, making slow progress until he got to the edge. Gently he laid her on the ground and dropped to his knees. He pressed his fingers to her neck, willing a pulse to be there. A tear slid down his cheek.

  His heart ached as he pushed her hair out of her face and clamped her nose, breathing the breath of life into her, silently begging if there was anyone listening to please help.

  It felt like an eternity that he went between breathing and chest compression, but it was more like a couple of minutes before Karma coughed and water ran out of her mouth and nose. Relief swept over him, and his shoulders sagged as some of the tension left him.

  She turned to the side and held her hair back as she threw up.

  She’d never looked more beautiful, Jax thought as he swallowed hard, trying to push back the emotions that ran through him. She was alive.