Chapter Twenty-Six
Lily could guess there was a but lingering around his short response. But, if she didn’t, she’d always be bothered by the pestering questions surrounding the mother of his child.
“So I get that you two aren’t together but with it being Christmas, I was wondering if Maryella sees her much.”
He did his best to prop himself back up and washed his hands over his face. The pompadour of his hair was so sexy slicked back. With it flat like that, he looked like just your average totally hot guy with a rockin’ bod. Not at all like the creative genius behind one of the best-selling rock bands of her time.
“So here it goes. I’d never try to be rude to you, Lily, but talking about her just flat out pisses me off. She and I never married but when Maryellie was born we tried to make a bad relationship work. After five years it was obvious that was a huge mistake. Things finally blew up at Maryellie’s fifth birthday party. That was the last time I saw the woman. She chooses not to be in our lives and I’m fine with that.”
Maryella was seven now so Lily could do the math and figure out that Vangie hadn’t been around for two years now. Wow. She guessed she had her answers to that question. The way he had half of his fist curled around his mouth and his thumb digging into his cheek said it all.
“Okay, well thank you for sharing that with me. There’s nothing else I need to know. I won’t bring it up again, unless you ever just feel the need to unload. Unfortunately, I’ve been there, done that, so I get it.”
Oh, why did she end with that? Was she trying to ruin this perfect moment for them with talk of exes? How could he not…yep, there was the question in his eyes.
“If I ever cross paths with your fucker ex-husband, I’m kicking his ass, baby. Whatever shit he did to you, I’m gonna do whatever I have to, to make sure you forget that crap. Just so you know.”
How could she not smile and when was she gonna learn never to assume she knew what was going on in that genius head of his?
“Deal. I guess it’s time we got out and dried off. I’m all pruny,” she said examining her hand in the shadows.
Jaxon laid his lips into hers just as the knock sounded at the bathroom door.
She felt her eyes become wide. But she also flashed an easy smile. After all, Benny had to have known this was coming. Somehow, his being on the other side of the door wasn’t terrifying in the least. She kissed Jaxon’s cheek to let him know she was totally comfortable officially being his woman.
* * * *
He was sated and ready to go again but that knock at the bathroom door had probably quashed all Lily’s sexy inhibitions of the last half hour.
“Boss?” came Benny’s call, a loud, forced whisper followed by a few knocks.
“What’s up, Benny?” he called back, sure it was nothing and hopeful he’d be able to dismiss him quickly and make Lily forget about her wrinkly fingers. He wanted more.
“Uh, there’s uh, some visitors. You might want to—”
“Hold on, mate.” Jaxon climbed out of the tub dripping wet, trying not to step on Lily, and toweled off his legs, ass and chest quickly before wrapping it around his waist then opened the door a crack. He looked back over his shoulder to see Lily still dunked below the water. He protected the small opening he’d made with his body so Benny wouldn’t see his goods. “What’s up?”
“Dude, your dad is here. And your uncle. And Trista’s grandma Grace. Just thought I’d let you know.”
“Shit.” That was a lot of visitors. “Okay, just give us a few minutes and we’ll be out.”
He turned around after closing the door. “Did you hear that?”
“Yep.” She sank below the water’s surface.
“Hey, hey, come back up here,” he said, reaching into the tub and bringing her back by the shoulder. “It’s no big deal.”
“Jaxon, it’s kind of a big deal.”
“No it’s not. So what? We were in the bath together. News flash, I’m fucking old and you’re old enough. I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks and the good news is that they aren’t gonna think anything anyways. It’s none of their business.”
“Well I don’t know about Bear and Luke, but I guarantee you Grace is going to think something. Oh my God, she’s gonna know we had sex in the bathtub and then she’s gonna tell Tris. And then Tris will kill you and kick me out of the house. I’ll be homeless; you’ll be banned from ever visiting again. I’m gonna pass out.”
He just shook his head realizing thirty-one wasn’t so far from being in her twenties. “Whoa, whoa. Slow down. None of that is going to happen. I thought you were okay with us, Lily. Have you changed your mind?”
He didn’t believe that was the case. Even though he was sure her worries were non-issues, and that not Grace nor his uncle nor dad would go flapping about something as mundane as Jaxon’s sex life. The skin on the back of his neck did prickle at Trissy’s reaction if she learned about what he’d done, however. So she’d left him alone with her baby sister for less than twenty-four hours and in that time Jaxon had asked her to be his and consummated their relationship, in Trissy’s bathtub. He nearly chuckled but Lily was now out of the tub and rubbing profusely at skin she’d already dried to the bone.
“Hey, are we okay? I get it this isn’t how we pictured things. I for one was not quite done with you yet, but at least we get to walk out of here together. Right?”
“Uh, do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Hmm. Ouch.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said.
“No big deal. I’m dry. I’ll go on out. You take your time.”
“Jaxon. That’s not what I meant.”
“Lily, I don’t know if it’s me or you or the asshole who made you feel like dirt, but it’s feeling like one of those battles.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Okay, I won’t. But don’t make it feel like I’m losing every time I try to help.”
Her chin nearly clapped against her breastbone and she wrapped herself in her towel then got dressed over it. As much as he wanted what was underneath, and not just her body—had he gone after too good a prize? He was all about aiming high but was Lily even attainable? Moments like this made him wonder. If her instincts were constantly to pull back and protect herself, what did that say about him? It said he needed to keep working on his patience. “I’m sorry, baby. Come here.”
He wrapped his arms around her still moist skin now poking out from a lumpy layer of stretched shirt over thick towel. She relaxed into his embrace a few seconds later.
“Okay, well I’ll be out there waiting. Don’t take too long.” He made to open the door when she sniffled.
“Your clothes are out on the couch.”
“Yep, if we’re lucky, Benny saw them and scooped them up for me.” But Jaxon knew better. If Benny had done that, he’d have handed them over through the crack in the door. Most likely they were still in the neat pile where Lily had left them for him. Easily accessible, she’d said. “All right. Just breathe. It’ll be fine.”
* * * *
A half hour later and Lily sat still and sinking like an old rotting tree stump there on the couch, listening to Luke and Bear wind down their excitement over the call they’d gotten not an hour ago from Lucky.
“They’re just giving the baby another hour to turn on his own and if he doesn’t, then they’re going through with the C-section,” said Luke.
Grace folded her hands as if in prayer and smiled warmly. “That’s wonderful, Luke. You’re about to join the grandparents club. I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Lily couldn’t help but glance in Bear’s direction, wondering if anyone else was as worried as Lily that the baby was three months early.
The tall, still blond but turning white haired, and as Luke had described him, cocked diesel, giant of a man had technically been a member of that club for seven years now, only this was his first true visit with his one and only grandchild. It was hard to imagin
e Jaxon having kept Maryella away from his dad like that. Lily knew better than to ask any more questions about Vangie, but something told her the girl’s mother had nothing to do with that. It would have been a father’s decision.
Lily had never met a kinder man than Bear Mason. Other than his brother, Luke, and of course Lucky. So what in the world had kept Jaxon and Maryella away for so long from this place overabounding with loving family? If it had nothing to do with Vangie like Lily believed, the topic shouldn’t be off limits. If she ever made it off this couch and Jaxon ever rejoined her from his stoop in the kitchen, maybe she’d ask him. Then again, with the strained look on his face, maybe not.
Bear just dipped his humble head and feathered his large hooked fingers through his healthy head of hair while his younger brother Luke donned a set of sparkling eyes. “Hey, we’ve kept the kids up way past their bedtime. Let’s turn off some lights and hit the sacks. Don’t wanna be scaring off Santa for little Maryella.” His cheeks were rosy, just like Saint Nick. “Everyone know where they’re bedding down?” asked Luke.
Jaxon spoke up with clear respect for his elders which impressed Lily. He’d seemed so aloof and swaggerly around them the few times they’d been together this visit. “Lucky and Trissy’s room is available if you’d like a bed to sleep in. Maryella’s in the nursery. Benny’s on the long couch and I…”
“And Jaxon and I are in my room,” Lily chimed in. He blinked while his face relaxed and a grin quirked one corner of his mouth. Lily went and stood by his side.
“Luke and I’ll do just fine out here on the couches. Let Benny make use of the open room.” Bear said, stretching his shoulders and rotating them when Lily smiled inside. She’d seen Jaxon roll his shoulders just like that a couple times now.
Well it was settled and with relative ease. The brothers Mason would hunker down on the couches, Grace would presumably retire to her flat, Benny could go back to Tris’s room, and she and Jaxon would slink off to her room.
She didn’t know why, but Lily immediately spun her head to see Grace’s reaction.
What she got was herself in a hard place. “Well, I’ll see you gentlemen in the morning for coffee and biscuits and Lily, you’re welcome to stay out back with me in the grandma quarters if you’d prefer to let Jaxon have your room to himself.”
Oh boy. Was there a polite way to say no thanks, I’d rather sleep on the floor with the one man on earth I’m supposed to stay away from according to the sister I’d do anything to make happy? She didn’t think so either.
It seemed like all six of them looked around the living room together. Then Benny backed his way down the hall and disappeared into Tris’s room. Luke plopped down on his couch, sending shock waves through every tassled throw pillow in his wake. Bear stretched once more then chimed in, “Grace, I think I recall hearing Maryella say she wanted to wake up and make special Christmas morning French toast with Lily. Probably easier if Auntie Lily’s already here. You know my granddaughter likes to get up bright and early.”
Thank you, Bear. You are a life saver.
Grace didn’t seem affected either way but Lily believed somewhere inside, she’d hoped that Lily would have gone with her. Oh well. Grace came over and gave her a light squeeze. “Okay dear, whatever you feel most comfortable with. I’ll bring over a carafe of coffee to go with that French toast in the morning. Sleep well kids.”
“Good night, Grace.”
That left just Jaxon, Luke, Bear and Lily in the living room and she was sure Luke was already snoring.
“Well, see you in the morning, Bear,” Jaxon let out.
“Yep. See ya in the mornin’. Merry Christmas Eve, son.”
Lily watched Jaxon give a slow but short nod and then she followed him down the hall to her room. Her heart was about to explode from having just seen the father reach out to his son only to be shunned. But her heart also went out to Jaxon who had to have his reasons. Before she racked herself emotionally any further, she took a deep breath because it was about to be the two of them alone in her room with Maryella sleeping soundly next door. On Christmas Eve. Almost like a little family of their own. Her shoulders rose and the step she took through the opened door was on her tippy toes.
“After you,” said her man.
Once inside, they used the glow of her small lamp to find their blanket pallet on the floor. “Come here.”
“You say that a lot to me. It’s a good thing I like it,” she whispered.
He stretched out on his back and patted the fluffy carpet they would call bed that night.
“I really wish I had an adult size bed.”
“Your bed’s adult size, it’s just made for one. I’ve grown pretty fond of this floor thing. It’s kind of like camping. Do you like camping?” he asked her, pulling his shirt off and leaving it on the chair. It took her a minute to remember drooling wasn’t cool.
“I don’t know. Never been. And you don’t seem like the woodsy type,” she said, swallowing.
He pulled her into his bare, hunky chest for a hug and a rub. “First of all, the Aussie in me is insulted. I haven’t been in a while though. But the guys and I used to make a special trip once a year out east for band bonding. We haven’t done it in a couple years. Maybe I’ll have to start that back up. Come on, you know you want to go camping with Stefan Calderon,” he teased her mercilessly and she actually loved it.
With the pending disaster of surprise visitors averted, Lily found herself wanting to be with Jaxon again. When she joined him, he scooted and pulled so that her head rested comfortably on his bounteous bicep. It didn’t matter that her face was buried in his armpit. Only she would know what a man who’d been dipped in cotton candy bath water smelled like. In one word, delicious. He then tucked a quilt around her and sealed it shut with his thigh hanging over her hip. She wondered if he was also thinking about how wonderful they’d felt joined together.
“For a second there, I thought you were gonna send me on my way out with Grace.”
“Maybe I should have.”
“Why do you say that?” she asked.
“Let me ask you this, what are you thinking about right this very second?”
“Honestly? Maryella and what she’s gonna think of seeing her daddy and aunty coming out of the same room in the morning. I hope she’s okay with it.” They were nice, family like things to be thinking about. Why did his stare make her feel like she’d failed some test? “Why?”
“And all I want is to be inside you again.” He kissed her forehead. “That’s why.”
* * * *
Lying on the floor in Lily’s room—he wanted his woman. After that one taste, he craved another.
“You, well, I mean that’s on my mind too, obviously,” she whispered into his underarm hairs, tickling him. “That wasn’t a fair question, Jaxon.”
“Shush,” he said, sorry he’d unintentionally tried to one up her.
“No, I thought about us. I just have other things I worry about too. I’m sorry, but that’s me. Then there’s Tris and Lucky and the baby too.”
He edged back an inch.
“Okay, I believe you.” Great, he’d insulted her devotion and she’d cracked his ego. On the whole, not so bad actually. “Can we forget I said that?” But Lily wasn’t biting. She’d even pulled her nose back from where it had been nuzzling. “Never mind,” he said to the top of her head which then shot back so she could look up at him.
It was a good thing she was dressed. Her anger was sexy.
“Are you ignoring me now, Jaxon?” Really, either we have sex or you turn off?”
“I’m not doing that. I promise. Now shush and lay back.”
She huffed and it sounded so cute. “Did we just have our first fight?” she asked.
“Are you refusing to let me inside you again?” he whispered into her ear.
“Jaxon, are you teasing me?”
“Yes. Get some sleepies. We’ll be up and making breakfast far too early for my likes. I’m sorry if I
got a little cranky with you. I just enjoyed our first time so much. I want more. I’m always gonna want more, Lily. Sleep on that and make sure you’re okay with it.”
The truth was that the old him would have taken what he wanted. An unwilling girl wasn’t kept around when it was him and the guys. Not when there were so many eager to take her place. But Lily was different. Her honesty was the best thing he’d felt in ages.
“Jaxon, I’m sorry about leaving you like that.”
“Yeah, you better watch out or I’m gonna start calling you V.”
The peachy complexion he’d grown quickly to love blanked and she looked like she’d just watched a marathon of horror movies.
“V?” she said, her face crumpled.
Shit, not that V. Not Vangie. “For Viagra, baby. Viagra.” He took her face into his hands and held her there until she saw that it had been a mistake what he’d just said.
Her hand hovered near the club that had once been his neglected but relatively stress free dick. Now his shit was fuc...fudging in distress. “It’s all right. Just close your eyes and let’s get some sleepies.” He was thankful for the crazy hours Trissy’s absence at their dress shop had tolled on Lily. Fall asleep baby, please. He needed to roll over and jack his shit.
But no. That wasn’t happening. Lily rolled over so that she was now facing him. “Can’t sleep?” he asked her.
“No, not really.” She loosened a hand and it effectively sent shudders up and down his entire body. She’d accidentally swiped between them and touched his groin. “Oh man. That’s my fault. Maybe I could offer you some assistance.” She sounded so technical and stiff. Not to mention nervous, unsure, adorable.
Before he could say what a bad idea her assistance probably was, before he could worry about the people who thought the two of them together was treachery, her hot thigh escaped the burrito he’d tried to make of her and was up and over his hip and her head tilted down looking between the darkened space between their two bodies. Her fingers started at his belly button and zigzagged around in his hairs. “God, that’s sexy.” He knew it the exact moment when those beautiful fingers met the base of his dick. They circled around it slowly and then he felt her fingertips join around him with the pad of her thumb. “Fuck, Lily.” He was so sorry he’d cursed in front of her again but he couldn’t help this. “Sorry baby.”
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