Page 55 of The Other Fork in the Road

My plan was shot to hell when Jax entered, carrying two mugs, set them on the coffee table, and plopped on the floor next to me.

“Okay, you have to try this.”

I grabbed my cup and took a sip; it was like a fairy dust explosion in a mug. Whatever the hell Daisy used in the mix was unbelievable, and Jax had topped it off perfectly with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and just a few sprinkles.

He could probably open a hot chocolate stand in town, serving up this concoction—while wearing jeans and only a bow tie—and rake in the cash. Mental note:share with Zoey the idea of a coffee shop business where the baristas are shirtless muscley men wearing bow ties. Million-dollar idea.

We continued playing, and he was good. He beat me in the first game, but I triumphed in the second. I set my controller on the coffee table to enjoy, to the depths of my soul, the last sip of my magical hot chocolate.

“I should probably get back.” I was pleased we could sit next to one another with no hanky panky involved. We were behaving like adults and not hormone-driven teenagers. I wore a new sense of confidence, knowing the Hot One did NOT have to leave me weak in the kneeseverytime we were under the same roof.

He stood, grabbed my hands, and pulled me to my feet. Once standing, I felt we were too close, and I was afraid to look up at him. As my gaze met his, my heart sputtered when I saw the look in his eye. I’d seen it a few times, but instead of grabbing me like before, he stood still, a small, sexy grin sliding across his perfect mouth. Not just sexy—dangerous. Almost as if he was challenging me to make the first move.

We stood frozen for a few seconds as I tried to figure out what in the living hell to do. Leap over the couch and haul ass to my dad’s house? Do a slow striptease and lead him to the bedroom? Images were coming in hot as his eyes dropped to my lips and lower and lower still. Ah, fuck it. Option two it was.

I pulled him in for a kiss, and his lips met mine with a spark of intensity that left me breathless and so, so eager for more. Hands were everywhere, our breaths steamy and heavy. I couldn’t get his shirt off fast enough, so he grabbed the back of it and yanked it over his head in one swoop. I grabbed onto those broad shoulders as we stumbled to the couch, where he pulled me on top of him. When he positioned his leg between mine and moved me against him, I thought I’d just die right there.

His lips set my mouth on fire, an electrical current flowing full force between us. As I moved against his leg toward the inevitable, his smell, his taste, the heat of his bare skin beneath my fingers sent me on an incredible high. His kiss and hands that couldn’t get enough told me how much he needed me, filling something inside that I hadn’t realized was empty.

His fingers dug into my hips as I shamelessly rubbed against him. A growl went from his mouth to mine before his lips glided down my neck, those late-day whiskers awakening every nerve in my body.

He spoke through gritted teeth, “The things I’m going to do to you.”

My body shivered at his words as his kisses moved south. A light bite on my collarbone ignited little shocks that hit my stomach. His hands pulled my ass, and the friction between us was flaming the ache that continued building. If this was with pants on, I had no idea how I would survive this man.

In one swift move, he flipped me, and I was lying on my back, his glorious weight pressing me into the couch cushions. His hand caressed my breast, circling through my bra, resulting in twinges zig-zagging through my body. When his hand began sliding down my stomach—his lips not far behind—I felt steam rolling off of me.

He unbuttoned my pants, and when I arched my back to help him remove them, laughter filled the air as we rolled off the couch and hit the ground with a thud. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he let out a low groan that rumbled into my mouth. All laughter dissipated when that knee coaxed me again, and I shattered into a million little pieces. It was hard to believe those animalistic sounds of abandon had come from me. Caressing those amazing abs, I ran my finger just under the waist of his jeans as his breathing revved up.

While I thought he’d be stripping me naked at any second, he didn’t make a move, and to be honest, I would’ve let him do just about anything at that moment. I was willing to accept any regret I’d have in the morning. Peace out self–control, hello shagged and bagged; I’m coming for you.

I reached down and tugged at his belt buckle.

“Do you know what you do to me?” He hissed, reaching down to help me with his belt.

A cell phone rang out, causing me to jump.

“Jax—"

He kissed my neck. “Ignore it.”

Yeah, okay. I could do my best to ignore it. He pushed my shirt up, and his smoldering kisses found their way down to my stomach while ringing reverberated through the room. It was after ten o’clock. What if there was an emergency? Shit, shit, and shit.

“You need to answer?—”

“Fuck ‘em,” he whispered as he gripped my waist, and his warm breath sent ripples through me.

“Come on.” I pushed him gently, and he let out a groan in protest. “It could be Daisy or something.”

“Fine.” He rolled off me, grabbed the ringing phone, and he lay on his back. “Yeah.”

I popped up on my elbow and ran my fingers through his perfect hair for a second, trying to catch my breath.

“What?” He listened intently, concern on his face. “Tonight?”

“What’s wrong?” I whispered.

He sat up, put the phone on speaker, and set it on the floor between us. “This is Katie Loradams,” he whispered. “A social worker.”

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