Page 54 of The Sin Bin

He took care of the condom in the adjoining bathroom, then returned to find Lauren watching him with unabashed appreciation. She'd pulled the sheet up to cover her lower half, but her breasts remained exposed, a sight Jax didn't think he'd ever tire of.

"See something you like?" he asked, deliberately flexing as he crossed back to the bed.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "And here I was, about to commend you on your humility."

Jax chuckled, sliding back into bed beside her. "Sorry, Doc. Professional athlete. We're not known for our modesty."

"True," Lauren conceded, curling into his side as his arm wrapped around her. "Though I'm learning you have plenty of other redeeming qualities."

"Oh yeah?" Jax prompted, trailing his fingers lightly up and down her arm. "Like what?"

"Well, you're surprisingly gentle for someone so large," Lauren began, her hand coming to rest on his chest, directly over his heart. "You're patient. Attentive." Her voice softened. "Kind."

The simple assessment touched something deep in Jax. He'd spent his career being valued for his size, his strength, his willingness to fight. To be seen beyond that—to be valued for qualities often overlooked in his profession—felt unexpectedly significant.

"You make it easy," he said quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

They lay together in peaceful quiet, skin cooling in the night air, the events of the evening settling around them. Jax felt more relaxed than he had in months, the constant pressure of the season, the expectations, the physical toll all temporarily forgotten in the warmth of Lauren's bed.

"Stay," Lauren said softly, the word more request than demand.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away," Jax assured her, tightening his arm around her shoulders. "Though I should warn you—I'm a cuddler."

Lauren laughed, the sound vibrating against his chest. "I suspected as much. Big tough hockey player with a soft center."

"Don't tell anyone," Jax said with mock seriousness. "I have a reputation to maintain."

"Your secret's safe with me," Lauren promised, her eyes already beginning to drift closed. "Just like you're keeping mine."

"What's that?"

"That despite all my logical objections, all my careful boundaries," she murmured, sleep beginning to claim her, "I'm falling for you, Jax Thompson."

The quiet confession stole Jax's breath. He watched as Lauren's breathing evened out, sleep claiming her before he could formulate a response. But as he held her against him, feeling the steady beat of her heart, Jax realized he was already well past falling.

He was already there.

LAUREN

Lauren awoke to the unfamiliar but not unwelcome sensation of warmth against her back, a heavy arm draped protectively over her waist. Sometime during the night, they had shifted positions, with Jax curved around her, his large frame engulfing her smaller one in a protective embrace. His steady breathing against her neck indicated he was still deeply asleep.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, she checked the time on her phone. 6:15 a.m. She needed to be at the clinic by eight, but the thought of leaving the cocoon of warmth and safety they'd created was surprisingly difficult.

Lauren allowed herself a moment to simply exist in the unfamiliar intimacy, to acknowledge the rightness she felt despite the unexpected turn her life had taken. Jackson Thompson—enforcer, gentle giant, man of surprising depth—had somehow breached the careful walls she'd built around her heart, and she didn't mind at all.

With reluctance, she began to extricate herself from his embrace, only to feel his arm tighten slightly around her waist.

"Where you going?" he mumbled, his voice gravelly with sleep.

"Work calls," she whispered, turning in his arms to face him. "Some of us don't have the luxury of sleeping in after road trips."

Jax's eyes opened, dark and warm as they focused on her face. His hair was mussed from sleep, his usually controlled expression soft and unguarded. Lauren thought he had never looked more appealing.

"What time is it?" he asked, making no move to release her.

"Early," she admitted. "But I need to shower and check on a patient before my first appointment."

Jax nodded, reluctantly loosening his hold. "Responsible as always."

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