I work my way down his shirt, anticipation building with each button. “Because you want me to be happy and have friends.”
“No, I don’t. I want you in my room, waiting for me. It’s much better than worrying about what trouble you’re causing.”
Once his shirt is open, I slip it over his broad shoulders. “I’m trying to cause trouble now, if you’ll let me.”
He shrugs it off and throws it with the tie. “Promise?”
“What has gotten into you?” I smile and lift the hem of his undershirt. I glide my palms over his heated skin, and goosebumps rise along my arms.
He has let me touch himsomeover the past week; not much, mostly cuddling and brief kisses. With hockey, the case, Reece being in the hospital, and a crowded house, we’ve had little time, energy, or privacy.
His two-bedroom apartment is relatively small, another reason I’m rushing to finish the beach house. He’s also hesitant regarding Aurora—although she knows about us and is okay with it—and she’s been preoccupied and exhausted.
He yanks the shirt over his head and drops it to the floor. Drawn to him, I trace the lines of his well-defined chest and abs.
I’m starving for him, practically begging—I would beg if he wanted me to.
He returns to running his fingers through my hair. “I missed you today. Meetings without you are boring, and when we are together, you’re a magnetic force, my body always aware of your presence. It’s a fight to ignore, and I’m prickly.”
My heart flutters with excitement and nerves. I kiss his bare stomach to hide my stupid grin. “Prickly, huh? Is that what you call it?”
He fists my hair and tilts my head back. “I can go to the gym if you’d like.”
“Absolutely not.”
His intense gray eyes bore into mine, and he brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. “What do you want?”
Undressing him had my cock thickening, but it’s that deep rumble that gets me achingly hard.“Whatever you’ll give me.” I’ll do anything,takeanything.
His caress moves to my jawline. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I haven’t changed my mind. I’ll never change my mind. Now, can I undo your belt?”
He releases me, and I take that as permission. With a tug, I unbuckle it, the click of the metal the only sound in the room.
“I like you undressing me. We may need to do this every night.”
“Promise?” I ask, echoing him.
***
Ethan
My body vibrates with pent-up agitation. Aurora is home, and although she’s well protected, it weighs on me. On the road, Jax avoids me. He does it for my benefit. If I let him, he’d sit next to me with his head on my shoulder, his hands all over me.
And I’d love it—in private.
Instead, he sits with Grant and Killian, the three of them whispering. I know because I’m acutely aware of Jax. If he’s in my vicinity, my body senses him—mysoulsenses him—wanting nothing more than to touch him. I’m irritated when I can’t, irritated with myself for being distracted when he’s close and twice as irritated when he’s not.
I’m prickly. No other description fits.
Robert, the owner of the Huskies, rejected Jackson’s trade offer, and I’m doing everything in my power to prevent them from having reason to separate us.
But I also don’t want to screw this up with Jax.
The button of my pants comes loose, and he glances up to gauge my reaction.
I brush his hair from his forehead and thread my fingers through the top. “We have to keep this between us,” I mumble, ashamed to even say it. “Around the team.”
