“I think that’s just bloody marvelous,” Risa finally said. “I’m very happy for you both. Mum, will you get a job at the local college? And just think, Dad. You can go golfing in the dead of winter. I’ll be here. Freezing my arse off, but you can be on the ninth hole in short sleeves and those funky golf shorts.” She was rambling. She knew it and couldn’t shut it off. It was like her mouth took over so her brain could catch up.
Mum looked at Dad, worry flashing across her face. Lovely, just bloody lovely. After thirty-some years, her mother was finally worried about her.
“Are you okay, love?” Mum reached out to take her hand. “You sound upset.”
“Bollocks. I’m ecstatic. Couldn’t be happier for the two of you.” She plastered on a smile and beamed at her parents.
Jax caressed her back. She grinned at him, because it was either that or cry, and she refused to let the waterworks ruin the lovely picnic. Besides, the only thing to send a guy running faster than family drama was mentioning the “M” word.
Her mum started to ask her something, but her dad broke in first and changed the subject. They spent the next hour making plans for the additions to her place and deciding what else needed to be done before winter set in and her parents were off on their trip. Her dad brought up the security system, and Jax backed him on how she needed to get one installed as soon as possible. When they found out the electrician couldn’t install the lights for another two weeks, the men gathered up the tools and went to take care of the task.
Leaving her alone with her mum.
“Risa, love. Are you sure you’re okay with everything? I know we’ve kind of dropped a bombshell, and you’ve had so much already going on with work and, well, the damage to your car and house.”
No, she wasn’t okay with any of it. She’d been worrying for years about how she would take care of her parents when the time came, and here they were, planning to up and move away. But she couldn’t tell her mother not to go, not to enjoy this next phase in her life with her husband. They’d worked hard and long, and deserved every minute of the reward of retirement.
“I’m fine, Mum. Really, I’m very happy for both of you. Just a bit of a shock. You know, thought Dad would never leave that smelly shipyard.”
Her parents left after the motion sensor lights had been installed and tested, the back door painted with paw prints, both doors rehung, and Risa had promised to call the security company to install the system.
Jax turned to her as soon as the car disappeared down the driveway. “Are you doing okay? That was some news they dropped on you.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and cupped her jaw.
“I’m fine. Why does everyone keep asking me? I’m a big girl, and I doubt you really want to talk about my feelings.” She definitely didn’t want to. “Besides, you seem like a guy who’s more into action than talk to me.”
“Speaking of which, where were we?” His eyes twinkled, and his grin melted away the stress she’d been carrying around for the last few hours. “I believe you said something about a special recipe?”
“You can’t possibly still be hungry after all that?” She waved a hand in the direction of the picnic table, teasing because she pretty sure he wasn’t talking about food.
“Darling, there’s always room for dessert.” The wolfish grin he gave her left no doubt as to his craving.
To prove his point, he scooped her up and carried her up the front stairs. Thank goodness the dogs were still in their kennel or they might have gone after Jax, thinking she was in danger. Thankfully, the only witness to her being hefted over his shoulder in a fireman carry and having her butt smacked was Morpheus.
Not that the darn cat was any help at all.
She playfully beat on his back.. “Jax, put me down. I’m too heavy for you to carry.”
“Are you calling me a wimp?”
Men. Try to save them from throwing out their backs, and they take it as a smackdown.
“I wouldn’t dream of insulting your manliness… again. Speaking of, we need to reset that play date for Bella and my dogs.”
He growled, flipped her over, and dropped her on the bed. He crawled over her, stopping to kiss her bent knee, then her exposed stomach, and finally the side of her mouth.
“She’s a warrior, like me. We don’t play. We train, then attack.”
And he did.
He assaulted her senses, taking his sweet time to explore, caress, and kiss every inch of her body. He tormented and teased and slid her T-shirt slowly up her ribs and over her breasts, lavishing attention on each excited bud. As he slipped the material down her arms and over her hands, he pressed warm kisses onto her skin and nibbled on each finger.
When he was done with the top half, he hooked a thumb into each side of her yoga pants and shimmied them off one slow, tantalizing inch at a time. Jax stopped to circle his tongue around her belly button, making her squirm, laugh, and groan all at the same time.
“Nice. I didn’t notice you were ticklish last night.”
If he’d been like her, his brain wasn’t fully functioning then. “Different tempo, different reaction.” She sighed as his mouth caressed the soft skin above her pelvic bone.
“See what happens when you slow down to enjoy the sights. You find hidden treasures.”
“Please, by all means, explore away.” She ran her hands through his short, silky hair, and resisted the urge to guide him to the mother lode.
Instead, she let him continue on his leisurely path until he came to her inner thigh and bit down. She shot up, panting.
“Sweet Mother of God!” Who could have known that would be so erotic? She laughed and plopped back on the bed. “I guess you really were hungry.”
Jax nuzzled her thigh and kissed the tender spot. “So was that a good ‘Sweet Mother’ or a bad, ‘don’t do it again’ exclamation?”
“It was good, very good, especially that second part.” She felt weird talking about sex. How did she even describe the action: tongued her, licked her, laved her? In her limited experience—well, she wouldn’t call herself a novice, but she was far cry from sophisticated. Her lovers had all been more the all-action-and-no-talk types.
“Duly noted.” He lifted her leg and kissed and teased the back of her knee. She had to grip the bed sheets to keep from rolling away or sitting up screaming. The man drove her bloody bonkers, in an excellent way.
With her shirt and pants divested, Jax climbed back over her and grinned down. “Do you trust me?”
She swallowed and thought about his question. After a few moments, she nodded, and he reached for the curtain sash she had draped over the bed frame. He captured one wrist and wrapped the cord around it, then the other, and tied both above her head.
“If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, or you want me to stop, just say ‘lucky duck.’” He kissed her nose and scooted down her body, bringing his chest in contact with her nearly naked breasts.
“Lucky duck?”
“All couples should have a safe word.”
“Got it.” She held in the laughter, but it was the perfect choice to chase away any lingering doubts about letting Jax tie her up. Any man who picked such a silly word couldn’t possible take it too far. Right?”
“Lucky duck,” she said.
He brought his head up, all contact stopped. “Already?”
“Just testing. Plus I have an itch on the tip of my nose.”
* * * *
Jax slid back up her body, enjoying the slide of skin-to-skin and silk and lace grazing his chest. With the tip of his finger, he scratched her itch. “All better?”
She nodded. He kissed the same spot, then the edge of her lips, then he plundered her mouth. God, he loved kissing her. She was wet and warm and welcoming. He swept his tongue past those soft, pretty pink lips to taste and explore. To promise.
And she
responded like her life depended on his kisses, as if he breathed life into her with each and every one. She held nothing back and gave all. When he left her mouth, she was swollen, drowsy-eyed, and panting. A siren calling out to him. He eyed her hungrily and licked his lips in anticipation.
He kissed his way down the swell of one breast, pushed the material aside and ran his tongue around her nipple until it stood at attention, all lustrous and wet. When he lifted his head, Risa twisted and arched her body, offering herself.
The gods had fought over such sacrifices.
He moved to the other breast, tasting, tempting, teasing while his hand slipped down Risa’s soft, silky, smooth skin to slide inside her panties. He brushed his fingers across her clit, and she arched her hips into his hand. He loved how responsive her body was to his touch. He circled the nub and slipped two fingers inside her. With his thumb, he added pressure as his fingers fucked her. He wanted to feel her around a different part of his body, but not until she’d hit her first orgasm.
Risa’s body twisted with dreamy sensuousness, her hips thrusting to meet the rhythm of his hand. Sliding his fingers free, Risa moaned in soft protest, and Jax chuckled softly. God, there was nothing sexier than a woman who enjoyed sex.
He ran his forefinger around her clit, then pinched it between two fingers.
“Oh, God,” she panted. “Lucky duck.”
His hand stilled, and he removed it to lift his body off of Risa.
“Untie me, please. Then you can go right back to what you were doing. I need to feel you,” she said huskily.
He released the cord, and she threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him down to kiss.
They hungrily explored each other’s mouths while her hands unbuttoned his pants. He helped her remove them, making sure to grab the foil pack from his pocket before tossing them to the floor. She took hold and stroked him, eliciting a small groan. He once again moved down to her breast, softly suckling on her raised nipple while his hand stroked her clit. Gently, they stroked each other, driving each other slowly crazy with passion. Neither wanted to give wholly to the rising heat between them.
He worked his way back down her body with kisses until he reached the top of her panties. Her body arched into his caress as he ran his tongue over her through the silk. Quickly he divested her of the offending garment, hooked her legs over his shoulders, and dragged his tongue deep through her folds. Risa grabbed hold of his head and pushed him further into her, while lifting her hips to give him better access.
She urged him on with whimpers and little moans. The muscles in her legs tightened, and she called out his name as she came.
She was his ambrosia. Sweet and addictive.
Jax released her legs and climbed over her body, holding himself in a plank position. Panting, Risa locked her legs around him and pulled her against him. Jax slowly ground his dick against her and she dug her nails into his back. He flipped the two of them, and she took the driver’s seat.
“Oh, God,” he whispered, as Risa took him into her mouth and cupped his balls.
His hips moved on their own, as she went down on him again and again, taking her sweet time, teasing him with every stroke.
“Baby, you’re killing me. Come here.”
Risa lifted her head and licked her lips, making his dick dance with anticipation. Slowly, she kissed her way up to his chest and suckled his nipples.
Jax wrapped his arms around her and flipped her to her back. Quickly, he sat up and took care of the condom. Lowering himself over Risa’s body, he kissed her.
“I want to bury myself deep inside of you.”
“Please. Yes.” She hooked her ankles around his calves and pulled him down to her. Jax positioned himself between her legs and inched inside her until he could go no further.
He took his time. He wanted this to last, to bring her as much pleasure as he could. Risa had other ideas as she ground her hips against his, eliciting another moan. She was so wet, warm, tight, and filled with passion. He wasn’t going to last nearly as long as he wanted.
“Jax, please. Faster,” she begged.
His slow strokes sped up. She drew her knees up, and he hooked them with his elbows— lifting her up, giving him full access. The slow, steady rhythm gave way to a fast beat until body slapped body and demanded nothing less than satisfaction.
“Omigawd, Jax.” Risa clutched his forearms. “Jax?”
He loved hearing his name on her lips, the sound of her on the verge of exploding, and knowing he was behind the glazed, half-lidded expression of pure bliss.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me.”
He changed his angle and thrust. Harder, deeper, until her muscles contracted around him, again and again, as he called out her name.
Risa let out a shaky breath and wrapped her arms around him. Jax’s arm muscles protested the strain, and he collapsed on top of her, breathing like he was back in BUD/S training and inhaling the sweet scent of the woman beneath him.
He rolled to his side and pulled Risa up against him. Exhausted, out of breath, he slowly stroked her arm.
God, it had never been like that before. He didn’t know what to make of it. It was way too early in their relationship… Hell, they had barely started. No way could this mean anything more than they had great chemistry.
Isn’t that how it starts?
He refused to answer.
Chapter 12
Monday at lunchtime, Risa sat in the reception area with Corrie bottle-feeding Totes and Harle. They’d been slammed all morning with appointments, and it was the first time she’d had a chance to sit down. She didn’t mind, as she loved her work and the animals made her happy. Not that she needed help in the happiness department after the weekend she’d spent with Jax.
He’d refused to leave her longer than it took to run out for food, in case Sal made an appearance. Thankfully, he didn’t, and they’d spent the time working on the house, watching movies, and getting down and dirty (in the bed, on the couch, against the wall). Kind of hard not to be in a good mood after such a perfect couple of days.
“I wish we didn’t live in an apartment. I would totally adopt one of these cuties. I don’t care what my husband says. He’d come around after about five minutes in their company,” Corrie said as Totes slurped down her milk.
“When they’re this size, it’s hard to resist them.” She scratched Harle behind her ears. Unlike her sister, Harle took her time savoring every last drop. “They’ve already gotten to the mischievous stage. If I’m not careful, they will eat anything and everything they come into contact with. Like my underwear.”
Pretty soon she’d have none left. Not that Jax would complain He’d probably thank them.
She still couldn’t believe her luck in meeting Jax. He was practically perfect. He totally got her, wasn’t jealous of her job or resentful of the time she spent on her four-legged family members, and he understood how much her parents and Fiona meant to her. When she thought she’d almost written Jax off because of his job, she wanted to bang her head against a wall or have it checked by a professional.
“That’s one thing I won’t have to worry about with Jax. He loves these little guys, and you should have seen him this weekend. If it weren’t for him, I’d still be working to repair the damage to the house. Plus he helped take care of all the animals without a single grumble.”
Corrie looked up from Totes. “What happened to your house?”
Risa quickly filled her in, as Corrie looked more and more worried. “But none of that really matters,” Risa summed up. “I’m sure now that Sal’s been pulled in for official questioning, he’ll back off and leave me alone.”
The kids finished feeding. Risa and Corrie stepped outside to let the kids play on the grass, where they’d set up a pen for them to run and jump and get some fresh air.
“Risa, I’m g
lad Jax was there to help, but I wouldn’t get too dependent on him. He’s due to transfer soon, isn’t he? What’s to keep Sal from coming at you then?”
What? That couldn’t be true. The words sunk in like a punch to the gut, and Risa struggled to breathe. And it wasn’t just about Sal. If Corrie was right, then she was nothing more than a mild diversion; something to pass his time with.
She tried to reconcile the man she knew with the one looking for a distraction before moving, and the two wouldn’t mesh. It didn’t add up. Surely, he would have told her he was leaving before they fell into bed together?
“Risa, are you okay? You’ve gotten awfully quiet.” Corrie tossed a small ball, sending the goats running.
“Just remembered an errand I have to run after work, that’s all. And no worries about Jax and me. He’s just a friend.” One she’d hoped would be so much more, given a little time. Still, she couldn’t believe he’d be one of those guys who used a woman and said good-bye without any warning.
A car horn tooted. Risa looked up to see Fee drive by in her little red VW Bug. Fee pulled into an empty space and slid out. She was dressed in yoga pants, a slouch shirt, and covered in dog fur. She bent down to pet the goats and grinned.
“You know, Dylan is dying to meet these two,” Fee told Risa. “If you’re around this weekend, we’ll stop by.”
“Sure. Where else would I be? Here or home, that’s my life. Me and my animals.” Her voice came out high and fake, and she turned away before she embarrassed herself.
Corrie headed to the door. “I’m going to man the phones.” She disappeared inside.
Fee bumped Risa with her hip, scrutinizing her. “Did I miss something? You seemed pretty happy when we talked yesterday.”
“Yesterday I was high on endorphins.” Risa dropped to the grass next to the goat pen, crossing her legs and linking her hands in front of her ankles. “Today, reality has reared its ugly head.”
A Hero to Love Page 14