Page 92 of Timeless

She lowered her hands. “You are right. Jack isn’t here today.”

My mouth dropped open. “Amber, put on the top.” I was suddenly very nervous about seeing her naked.

“Your voice is doing that thing.” She grinned more. “When you are nervous.”

“Do not tease me.” She stepped into me, I felt her breasts against me. She was fucking doing this on purpose. “Put my shirt on.”

She went up on her toes. “You don’t do nervous.” She kissed my cheek. “Come on, it was your idea, Jax.”

“You haven’t fucking slept. You aren’t thinking clearly. You will wake up in six fucking hours pissed off with me for taking advantage of you.” I knew that. That was what was stopping me from picking her up and fucking her. She would regret it. I kept my eyes on the clothes behind her and not on her naked body. The fact she was only wearing lacy underwear with no bra was killing me.

She took my hands that were clenched at my side and slowly opened them up, linking her hands with mine.

“Do you know what I’ve missed?” Her voice was low and soft, causing me to snap my death glare off the closet and look down at her.

She wasn’t looking up. Her eyes were on my chest.

I stopped fighting her, and let our hands link. “What, sweetheart?”

“Feeling safe.” Her head slowly lifted and she looked at me with a small smile. “I always felt safe when I sleep with you. I’ve missed that.”

And just like that, all my concerns about her regretting it in the morning disappeared. I lifted our hands up and placed her hands on my shoulders. And then, in one fluid movement, I lifted her up. Amber wrapped her legs around me, like it hadn’t been years since she had done it, letting me carry her, she melted into me, letting me take her full weight. God, she was tiny.

“You got smaller?” I asked, walking her out of the closet.

She shrugged and dropped her head on my shoulder.

“I think you have.” I walked us to the bed and pulled back the blankets while balancing her. “You do realize I won’t be able to keep my hands off you all night, right?” I said to her before lowering her to the bed. I knew it was greedy but I didn’t want to let go of her yet.

She lifted her head off my shoulder, leaning her forehead against mine. “You saved my life again tonight, Jax. I owe you so much.”

“I told you not to mention the prison sentence again. You don’t owe me anything.” I would not let her feel guilty over a decision I made. “It’s in the past. Stop bringing it up.”

She pulled her forehead back from mine, looking me in the eye. “What about tonight then? What about you stopping me from killing myself? Am I meant to just not bring that up, too?” Her voice had an edge to it, an edge that always came when she got upset. “Am I meant to just pretend like I didn’t almost do that? I nearly left Jack without a mom!”

“Amber, come on. You are better than this.” I knew she wasn’t going to drop it.

“I can’t forgive myself. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me. You were right. It was selfish.” I knew any minute the tears would be coming.

“You want to make it up to Jack and me?”

“That’s impossible. There is nothing I can do to make it up to you or him.” Again, she was being hard on herself. She was always hard on herself.

“Yes, there is.”

She pouted. “Okay. Then what? What could possibly make it up to you and him?”

“Come to me. Don’t keep shit from me. You should know by now, I will always help you, always put you first. And I’m not just talking about big shit, like being a position where you are facing life and death. I’m talking about little shit as well. You keep nothing from me. Understand?”

I was firm with her. But if there was one thing I knew about her, it was she only ever listened to me when I was firm with her.

“No lying. No going behind my back,” I added, arching my eyebrows. “I mean it, not one lie.”

“But…” She was hesitating.

“No buts. You won’t lie? Understand? You won’t go behind my back. When it comes to your life and Jack’s, I know everything. No secrets.” I locked my eyes with hers, seeing her anxiety.

“Everything?” she said softly, “Really?”

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