Page 70 of Coming In Hot
“Agreed.” Pharo nips my lips, sucking the bottom one into his mouth. “In fact, what do you say we go work off a little of that hate right now?”
I say, fuck yes. “I guess I can throw you a bone, if you beg.”
Pharo turns my head, his breath warm against my ear as he whispers, “Don’t get too comfortable, Jax. I may have stayed, but that doesn’t mean I’m going easy on you.”
I smirk, leaning in just enough to tease him, my pulse kicking up. “Good. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
CHAPTER24
JAX
Despite my cold,wet clothes sticking to me like a second skin, I’m burning with need for this… Man? Asswipe? Nemesis?
Whatever the hell he is, he’s got me twisted in ways I never saw coming. Every inch of my skin feels electric when he’s near, but damn if I’ll ever admit it to him. I can barely stand the sight of him one moment, and the next, I want to drag him into the nearest corner and show him just how wrong we both are for each other.
So when Pharo suggests stopping at a roadside inn instead of riding back to town in the rain, I jump at the idea.
We roll up to the inn’s shabby parking lot, the neon sign flickering weakly above us, casting an eerie glow on the cracked pavement. Pharo looks at me, and I can see the same thought run through his mind—this place is a mess. But there’s a mischievous spark in his eyes, like he’s enjoying the absurdity of it. Without a backward glance, Pharo kills the engine, and we head inside.
The moment we step into the lobby, I almost laugh out loud. The decor is a bizarre mix of mid-century kitsch and random animal taxidermy. There’s a giant moose head hanging over the check-in desk, its glass eyes staring down at us like it's judging our life choices. The carpet is this awful shade of orange that looks like something straight out of a bad 70s sitcom, and the wallpaper... Well, I don’t even know how to describe it. It looks like someone threw up a bunch of tropical patterns and then covered them in glitter.
The innkeeper glances up at us from behind the desk, a tired old man with a smile that seems more like a grimace. He hands over the key wordlessly, sizing us up like we might be the weirdest guests he's had all week.
I glance at Pharo, raising an eyebrow. “This place looks like it’s straight out of a horror movie,” I say, my voice laced with amusement.
I can't help but laugh when I notice the odd shapes of the various stuffed animals—there’s a bear in the corner that seems far too friendly, and a bobcat staring at me like it’s about to pounce.
“Dude,” he exhales, “I’ve seen that movie, and it doesn’t end well for anyone.”
“We’re gonna need therapy after this,” I mutter as Pharo grins, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Hope you're not planning on making it weird in here.”
Pharo scoffs, leaning against the counter as he takes the key from the innkeeper. “Weirder than this?” He gestures to the walls laden with dead animals.
I shake my head as we head toward our room, dodging another weirdly positioned owl that seems to be eyeing me suspiciously from the hallway.
He gives me a wicked grin. “I’ve got to admit, this place has character. Maybe I should consider a remodel at home.”
Once inside the room, things don't improve much. There’s a paisley bedspread on the bed, and the curtains are the most garish shade of purple. The bathroom light flickers when I turn it on, and the mirror's so old that the reflection is kind of fuzzy. It’s like stepping back into some sort of time warp.
Pharo steps inside, tossing his jacket on the chair. “Well, at least it’s dry. That counts for something, right?”
I turn to peer at him, a half-smile tugging at my lips. “If by ‘something’ you mean an episode of terrible design, then sure. We’re definitely winning.”
He chuckles, stepping further into the room. “Don’t knock it 'til you’ve had a nap on that bed. It’s practically a vintage experience.”
I shake my head but can't stop laughing. “Yeah, I’ll take my chances with the weird taxidermy out there before I lie down on that. I’m pretty sure I saw that featured on the CDC’s website as a cautionary tale.”
“We could do it against the wall again, just to be safe,” he suggests, removing his sopping shirt.
Heat blooms in my belly, remembering the way he spread me open and ate my ass. Maybe if we skip this talking bullshit and get right to the sex, things won’t feel so weird.
I sidestep him, moving into the bathroom as I remove my shirt. “A hot shower would feel like heaven right now.”
When I turn the knob, an unholy sound rumbles from inside the wall, and the shower head vibrates like it’s trying to have a meltdown. I jump back, startled, my heart racing. A spurt of water shoots out, cold as ice, before it sputters into a dribble.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I mutter under my breath, but then I hear Pharo's voice from the other room, laughing quietly.
“Maybe it’s a haunted shower,” he teases, his voice muffled by the walls. “You know, those ghostly plumbing spirits who haunt run-down inns.”
