Stay with Me

by Jules Bennett

  Olivia followed him inside, instantly feeling relief from the heat when the cool air hit her. As soon as she stepped in the tiny office, the coffee mug on his desk caught her attention. MY COCKPIT IS BIGGER was in bold white letters on the black mug and Olivia truly didn’t even want to think about what happened on that desk or about Jax’s cockpit.

  Okay, she seriously needed to drop this stuff off and get out. “I have the plans from Jade regarding the timeline, the funding, and the breakdown as to where the money will be spent in various areas. She said some of the areas are negotiable and can fluctuate, but that will be up to you and me to decide.”

  Jax took off his glasses and tossed them onto the desk before leaning back against it. Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he continued to stare at her. This tension was too much and threatened to take over if she didn’t hurry up.

  She reached into her bag and pulled out the file. “This is what she wanted you to have. I have a copy too.”

  He took the file and sat it beside him, that gaze still unwavering. “Jade could’ve brought this. Is there something else you wanted?”

  Swallowing the lump of remorse, she reached back into her bag. Why did he sound so cold? So distant? This wasn’t the Jax she’d gotten to know on every level. He seemed . . . hard, like he’d put up a steel barrier between them or like she was some stranger.

  Pulling out the journal, she handed it over. “I want you to have this.”

  He stared a moment before taking it. He didn’t open it, but he didn’t toss it onto the desk with the files, either. Apparently, her father’s journal meant more to him than the renovation plans.

  “Okay, well, that’s all I wanted to give you.” She attempted a smile, which probably looked ridiculous because he was still frowning and wasn’t making this the least bit easy. “Actually, there is one more thing.”

  She wasn’t going to tell him this, but she figured she should leave with him having some nice thought about her . . . she hoped.

  “I, um, I sold some stock with my company.” She gripped the strap on her purse and wished he’d stop starring at her so intently. “There was an ’87 Skyhawk that went up for auction. Similar to the one you’d been looking at but a couple years newer. It holds the same number of passengers and, um . . .”

  He shifted, his brows raising. Apparently, airplane talk got his attention.

  “Anyway, I bid on it and it’s mine. Well, I’m gifting it to you.”

  Again, he said nothing. Olivia stared at him for another second before turning on her kitten heel, more than ready to retreat.

  “Stop.”

  That demand had her stilling in the doorway, but she didn’t turn back around.

  “You bought me a damn airplane? Why?”

  His questions caught her off guard. “Excuse me?” she asked easing back around. “Why did I get the plane? Because you’d been saving and we’re expanding. Call it a good investment, but I figured you’d be a little more excited.”

  * * *

  Was she out of her ever-loving mind? Excited? It took all of Jax’s control not to snap and go off on this frustrating, beautiful, sexy-as-hell woman. She drove him out of his mind and made him want to silence her with his lips and strangle her at the same time.

  “You honestly think I want you to buy my affection or use this present as some type of payment for what . . . a broken heart?” Jax laughed and pushed off his desk. “You’re ridiculous.”

  He closed the space between them and watched as her eyes widened. But he reached beyond her and just behind the door to the bag hanging on the hook. When he pulled it out, her eyes darted to the clear sack protecting the pink suit.

  “I picked this up last night from the cleaners and was going to run it to Jade or Melanie today so they could get it to you.” He held it out to her, careful not to touch her in the process. “I have your shoes in my car.”

  She draped the sack over her arm. “My shoes?”

  Keeping his eyes on hers, and trying like hell to remain impassive to everything swirling around inside him, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “You left them . . . that first night.”

  When her eyes widened, he knew she recalled sneaking out of his bed and out the door with no shoes. “Oh, um. Thank you.”

  He was close enough to touch her, breathe in her familiar floral scent, yet he continued to guard himself. And the fact she thought she could drop off business, leave the journal, and casually announce she’d bought a damn plane and he would be all right with everything was absolutely insane. Who the hell did she think he was? Had he ever struck her as someone who cared about material things? He’d been saving for his own plane and he didn’t want her thinking this smoothed things over.

  “Would you have bought the plane had we not gotten involved?”

  Livie jerked slightly. “Excuse me?”

  Shifting his stance, he gripped the doorframe right beside her head and leaned in closer. “If we hadn’t slept together, if we hadn’t formed a relationship outside of business, would you still have bought the Skyhawk?”

  She blinked, glanced away, then looked back. “I have no idea. What does it matter?”

  She still didn’t get it. Jax turned and paced through the office. “Forget it,” he commanded. “I’ll pay you for the plane. I don’t want your pity gift.”

  “Pity gift?” she repeated. Livie stepped back into his office and flung her suit onto his desk, then dropped her purse to the floor with a thud. “I bought this plane for our business and I bought it because you need it. Believe it or not, I care about what happens after I’m gone.”

  Jax widened his stance and crossed his arms. “Is that so? Because you’ve dodged me for two weeks, so you don’t care too much, because I’ve been here. You never bothered to stop and check on the place.”

  “I’ve been busy,” she insisted.

  “Getting on with your life, I’m well aware. But this is my life, Livie, and I’m done with you flittering in and out as you damn well please. If you’re done here, get your stuff and go. You’re not the only one with a busy job.”

  Livie threw her arms wide, which only pulled her little pink tank across her chest and had it lifting just slightly to show the creamy skin around her waist.

  “What the hell do you want from me, Jax?” she yelled. “I’m doing all I can to try to keep all these balls in the air. I’ve fixed up Dad’s house, I’ve jumped through hoops to get this partnership moving in the right direction, and now I have to get back to my job. I thought I was helping.”

  “Helping what?” He took a step forward, then another. “Helping ease your conscience?”

  “Why are you doing this?” she cried. “Do you want me gone so badly that you’re fighting and refusing to accept this gift?”

  “I don’t want your damn gifts and I don’t want you gone,” he yelled, looming over her. “I want you to stay, I want you to be part of every step of this journey to your father’s airport. I wanted you in Piper’s life, in my life. I want too much, Livie, and all you want is to be done here.”

  He stared down into her wide eyes and realized he’d opened a piece of himself he hadn’t meant to reveal. Raking a hand through his hair, Jax took a step back and cursed beneath his breath. Only a fool would show his true feelings at this point. But, hey, what did he have to lose?

  “I would’ve given you anything,” he went on, calming himself down. If she was leaving, then he wanted her to be fully aware of what she was leaving behind. “I’ve never opened my heart or my life to another woman after my wife left. I swore it wasn’t worth the heartache and Piper needed stability. Then you came back and I couldn’t stop myself even if I wanted to. You stirred something so deep within me. It had nothing to do with the crush I had on you when I’d been younger; it had nothing to do with you being Paul’s daughter.”

  Jax took a deep breath and closed the space between them, finally reaching for her because he wanted to touch her, just once more. He slid his hands over her fac
e, his fingertips sliding into her hair. “My feelings had everything to do with the fact I’d fallen in love with you.”

  Livie’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

  “Believe me, I didn’t want to love you. I even tried to deny it. There’s nothing I can do to make you stay and I don’t want you here when your heart is so obviously in Atlanta.”

  He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers before stepping back and releasing her. “Even though you’re leaving, I still love you. I probably always will, but I can keep my personal feelings out of this business.”

  Livie’s shaky hands came up to her lips. “Is that true?”

  “What?”

  Her hand dropped to her side. “Will you keep everything separate?”

  With a shrug, he answered honestly. “I have to. I won’t make things more complicated for you.”

  Livie stood there for a moment, then busted out laughing. “Complicated? Do you want to know what’s complicated? I wanted the COO position for years. I’d worked on nothing else but gaining the attention of my superiors. I busted my ass and turned down dates, missed social events with my friends, and lost sleep over that damn promotion. But nothing was as complicated as when I came into town and you put your greasy hands all over my ass.”

  He wasn’t going to apologize for that, either.

  “Complicated is knowing that when I get back to Atlanta and walk into my condo, it will feel empty. I’ll be alone and I’ll be wondering what you’re doing here. I’ll want to know if you and Piper are having movie night, I’ll wonder how she is the next time a storm comes through. And I’ll get that urge to fly again with nowhere to turn.”

  Jax fisted his hands at his sides because he wanted so badly to reach for her again. But he waited, listened, as she seemed to be working out her internal battle.

  “Complicated is also right this moment,” she went on, looking up at him. “I need to leave, but when I’m with you, I realize there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Not in my condo, not in the big city, and not even in my brand-new cushy office.”

  For the first time since she’d declared she was really leaving, a sliver of hope slid through him. But he remained silent and still.

  “I’m scared,” she whispered as she reached for him. Her fingers curled in his and she brought their joined hands between them. “What if I go and I’m miserable without you? What if I stay and wonder what it would’ve been like in the job I’ve always wanted?”

  “The answer is simple,” he told her. “Only you can know which one you want more. You’ll have a career either place, but your lifestyle will be vastly different.”

  She glanced to the suit she’d tossed onto his desk. The feel of her delicate hands in his had him wanting to continue to hold tight and never let go.

  “I’ve worked so hard to be a COO.”

  “I understand that,” he replied, urging her closer until she fell against his chest. He disengaged their hands and wrapped his arms around her. “But know this: If you stay, you’ll be the only COO here because I hate numbers and I don’t want that title.”

  A slight smile formed on her lips.

  “I told myself I wasn’t going to ask you to stay because I wanted you to make up your own mind. But, damn it, Livie. I need you. I don’t want to run this place without you. I don’t want to do anything without you. But if you need to go to Atlanta and figure things out, I won’t stop you.”

  Her bright eyes brimming with unshed tears stared back at him. “I’m not sure leaving would make things more clear. I love you, Jax. Whether I’m here or there, that won’t change.”

  Crushing her against his chest, he closed his eyes and inhaled her. “Finally,” he murmured against her ear.

  Her arms wrapped around him. “Will you still take the plane? Because it’s kind of legally done and I don’t have anywhere else to store it.”

  Jax laughed and eased back, framing her face between his hands. “I’ll only take the plane if you’re here to fly it.”

  “Are you sure about this?” she asked, worry lacing her voice. “You want me? You want us?”

  He nipped at her lips. “Have I ever given you the impression I don’t want you? I want the hell out of you and I don’t just mean on this desk. I want you, I want us, I want a family.”

  Livie’s eyes widened. “What will Piper say?”

  “Considering she’s been hinting again about a mommy, I’d say she’ll be just fine with you staying in our lives.”

  “Is that what you want me to be? Piper’s mommy?”

  Happiness consumed him and he slid his mouth across hers, lifting her up off her feet. With his arms banded around her, Jax feathered off the kiss, but didn’t put her back down.

  “I want you as my wife first.”

  Livie smacked her lips to his. “If that’s a proposal, then yes.”

  She kissed him again, then kissed across his jawline and up to his ear. “Are you going to clean off the desk or should I?” she whispered in his ear.

  Jax’s body stirred. “I think for this celebration, we need to go home.”

  “Which home?”

  He eased her down and looked her in the eye. “Mine, ours.”

  “Take me home, Jax. And love me.”

  Lacing his fingers through hers, he tugged her toward the door. “Always.”