Page 17 of Sweetheart and the Grouch
An ache emanates from the center of my chest, and I realize it’s the pain of longing. I miss him. I miss him like I’ve always known him even though he’s been in my life for but a moment. It’s strange that I can feel that way about another person so quickly. Especially when I’ve never relied on anyone for anything before in my life. But with Ajax, it’s different. I want to need him. Is that sad?
“Get a grip, Ainsley. You’re acting like the lovesick girls at school you used to roll your eyes at.” I get out of bed, reminding myself that he told Ellie he’d be back with muffins in the morning, anyway. So, I just have to hold out until then. Which should be easy. But why does it suddenly feel like I can’t do much of anything without Jax when I’ve only known him for a little more than a day? Geez, I’ve got it bad.
Padding over to the ajar door, I pull it open, moving down the hallway to check on Elena and make sure she’s OK. That girl can sleep like the dead through anything, but I always like to check nonetheless. She’s important to me.
Flat out on her stomach, she has her teddy tucked beneath her arm and the soft glow of her nightlight reflecting off her flaxen hair. My chest squeezes and I can’t help my smile. She’s going to grow up so safe and happy here. I know deep in my heart that I made the right choice coming here. Even without the wonderful temptation of our older, grumpy neighbor, I think Whisper Valley is the right place for us. It just feels…like home.
A low rumbling noise pulls my attention from my sleeping sister, and I step back, pulling her door closed as I turn and head back down the hall toward the living area and stop in the doorway. Instantly, a smile takes over my face as my heart does a little gallop across my chest. There, fast asleep and snoring on the couch, is Ajax.He stayed.
Moving over to him, I take a seat on the slice of tree stump that’s been finished with a coat of gloss to be used as a coffee table. Then I just watch in rapt attention as this giant of a man makes noises like a hibernating bear in front of me.
God only knows how he’s managed to fall asleep out here. He’s much too big for the two-seater couch, so he’s had to hang his legs off one end and his head off the other. The only part of him that’s actually on the couch is his ass and his back. The rest is just suspended, dangling in midair. I can’t leave him like this.
“Hey.” I place a hand on his chest and push a little to rouse him. “Ajax.”
He jolts and snorts, his arms lifting a little as he startles. “Ow. Fuck,” he mutters, wincing and grabbing the back of his neck as he shifts to sit. “What are you doin’ out of bed? Everything OK?”
“I was checking on Elena. I thought you must’ve left,” I say in a whisper.
“Thought about it. But it didn’t feel right, so I stayed.” His green eyes appear mossy in the low light, and I reach out and run my fingers over the stubble on his face.
“You could have stayed with me.”
He catches my hand and presses a kiss to the center of my palm. “That’d be takin’ liberties, sweetheart. A man—arealman—doesn’t do that. Especially not when the girl he’s sweet on is barely legal.”
“Still legal though,” I whisper, shifting so my hands are on his thighs as I kneel in front of him.
He grunts. “Doesn’t mean I feel right about all the things I wanna do to you.”
Searching his eyes, I move my hands up and down his denim-clad thighs. “What if I’m the one who wants to do something to you? Would that be OK?”
He says nothing as I allow my fingers to walk their way toward his waistband. I always wondered what it’d be like to touch a man, to taste him. But it’s never been something I’ve had the opportunity, or the inclination to do. Until now.
“Sweetheart,” he murmurs as I twist the top button of his fly open, a slight note of warning in his tone coupled with something that sounds a lot like desire. It’s the second thing that spurs me on, and I take great delight from the way he shifts his hips down the seat cushion to give me better access. “You have no idea what you’re starting here.”
“Oh, I think I have a prettybigclue,” I return, sliding my hand into his jeans and finding his long, hard rod stiff and ready for me. It’s softer than I expected. Kind of like warm steel coated in silk. I wrap my hand around his grith and delight in the way he moans.
“You really don’t have to do this.”
“I want to,” I whisper, guiding his length from its confines, feasting my eyes on its size before I lean in and take my first taste.Salty.
“Jesus H.” Ajax hisses through his teeth as I sweep my tongue over the ridged tip, tasting his arousal while feeling a spike of heat between my legs. I’m as turned on as he is, and I love that it’s me doing this to him. I take him deeper into my mouth and lick and suck. I’m not sure if what I’m doing is the right way to do this, but if his hips rocking and the way his hand has shot into the back of my hair is anything to go by, I’m doing an OK job.
“Mmmm.” I hum in pleasure as I glide up and down his length, my hand at the base moving with me so I can’t take him too deep. All I can think about is how good it’d feel taking him inside my body in other areas, which is probably why I don’t hear him telling me enough until he gets loud with it and practically tears me off.
“Fuck, Ainsley,” he gasps, holding me back with both hands on my shoulders. My eyes go wide.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, sweetheart. Fuck, no. You were doin’ everything right. I’m just not gonna let myself come down your throat.”
I bite my lip on a smile. “Isn’t that kind of the point?”
Adjusting himself before he stands, he brings me with him before he tilts my chin up and meets my eyes. “Yeah. But if I’m gonna come, I’m gonna do it buried deep inside you. And I’m certainly not gonna do it until I’ve gotten you good and ready first.”
“Ohhhh,” I breathe, my entire body catching fire under his gaze. “Maybe we should…um…take this to the bedroom then?”
A slow and sexy grin curves his mouth. “Sweetheart, you read my mind.”
