Page 22 of Fighting Temptation (Men of Honor 1)
I instantly miss the connection when he pulls out of me. As he makes his way to the bathroom I put my panties back on then grab his shirt from the floor, throwing it over my head. Hoping he gets the hint that I want him to stay.
When he closes the door to the bathroom I quickly bend down and grab his wallet out of his jeans. I look to the door nervously but hear water running so I know I have some time. I flip open his wallet and staring up at me is a picture of myself that I’ve never seen before, but I remember the day:
I’m waiting for Jaxson at our spot on the beach. My long cream beach-dress rests high on my thighs as my arms are wrapped around my knees. I remember feeling the cool water rush over my feet. My face is turned up to the sky, basking in the warmth of the sun, it causes my long hair to flow in loose waves down my back. The sun shining down on me gives me an ethereal glow. I swallow thickly, amazed that the beautiful girl in this picture is me.
“If you needed money Julia, you should have just asked.”
I gasp, Jaxson’s voice startling me out of my memory. Crap! I was so caught up in the picture that I forgot I shouldn’t be doing this. I look over at him anxiously, he’s standing in the doorway in his boxer-briefs as he stares at the picture in my hands. He doesn’t seem all that mad, just… embarrassed maybe?
“How did you take this?”
He clears his throat nervously, “With my phone.”
I stare back down at it, “I look beautiful,” I whisper with surprise.
“That’s how you always look to me.”
My gaze snaps back to his, surprised by his admission. My eyes roam down his naked chest, taking in every sexy inch of him. Jaxson’s body is nothing short of perfection, the man looks like he was carved from stone. The black ink that’s woven up his cut arms make him look like heaven and sin wrapped in one package.
“I think you’re beautiful.”
He scoffs, “I am not beautiful Julia… sexy maybe, but not beautiful.” He smirks at me now lightening the moment and I can’t help but giggle.
Putting the picture back to its place in his wallet I get up and slowly walk over to him. His gaze heats as his eyes devour my body that’s only covered by his shirt. Standing on my tip-toes I wrap my arms around his neck. His hands go to my ass pulling me against him.
Burying my nose in his neck I breath in his delicious scent, “Mmm you are sexy… and beautiful,” I plant soft kisses along his throat and across his strong jaw.
When I nip his ear lobe he groans harshly picking me up by my ass. “You keep that shit up Julia I’ll forget how sore you are and we’ll go for round two,” he chokes roughly walking us back to the bed.
“Promise?”
He slaps my ass playfully, “Behave yourself woman!”
I laugh as he lays us down on the bed, with him on top. Suddenly an emotion crosses over his face, one I can’t make out. “What?”
He shakes his head, “Nothing, I just… I love your laugh and I really miss hearing it.”
His words send my heart into a tail spin. I reach up and cup his jaw, “I really miss you.”
He leans down and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. When he pulls away I look at him nervously, “Are you going to stay the night?”
My heart sinks when he stiffens, but he relaxes quickly, “Do you want me to?”
I contemplate lying, saying I don’t care, not wanting to sound needy but then decide with the truth: “Yes I want you to stay with me, all night.” He nods and I relax, letting out a relieved breath.
He continues to watch me, “What, did you think I would say no?”
I shrug, “I was hoping you’d say yes.”
“Don’t you know by now Julia that I’d give you anything you wanted if I could?”
I wish I had the courage to confess that all I want is him, completely and in every way, but I’m too scared after the rejection last time. Before I can say anything he moves off me so we can get under the covers. I shift towards the other side of the bed but he surprises me again by pulling me flush against him.
He stares at me with affection but also vulnerability. I can tell things are turning too intense for him so I change the subject, “I really liked meeting your friends today. Sawyer and Cade both seem nice.”
“Sawyer needs a good ass kicking which he’s gonna get when I get back tomorrow,” he says annoyed.
“What’s Cade’s story?”
“What do you mean?”
I shrug, “I don’t know, he comes off scary and intimidating but he seems vulnerable somehow.” Jaxson grunts at this and I know it’s because he thinks I’m being ridiculous. I continue cautiously, “There’s a pain in his eyes Jaxson, the same one I see in yours sometimes. I can tell he has a past and I just wondered what it was.”
I start feeling bad for asking and think I shouldn’t have said anything but then he surprises me by answering, “I don’t know much, he and Sawyer are best friends, they enlisted together. I guess he had a sister who died when he was younger. I don’t know the story. It’s something he doesn’t talk about. Sawyer says it was really fucking bad though. I don’t ask Cade about it because I know what it’s like to not want to talk about shit,” he shrugs and I can tell he feels uncomfortable now.
“Sorry I shouldn’t have asked, I just feel bad for him. It seems like he’s in the background a lot and I’m sure it gets lonely.”
He grunts again, “He’s not lonely Jules, trust me. He likes being on his own and the three of us hang out on our free time.” I don’t say anything back because I disagree. Who would like being alone all the time?
