She swallows. “I… I don’t think now’s the time.”
“Why’s that? We’re alone. Only one of me to take care of and I personally think I’d be much more compliant with some bribery,” I say, my smirk growing as she squirms but doesn’t try to get free.
She looks at me for a long time and nibbles her bottom lip. “Does bribery only work for medical stuff?”
I arch an eyebrow. “Sounds like you’re eager for something more.”
She leans forward and kisses my chest softly. God, her mouth is sinful. The fact that she’s being so damn gentle and sweet instead of licking down my abs to my zipper frustrates me and warms me at the same time.
“The further down you go, the more you get,” I tease.
She snorts, but turns her head slightly, her lips parting against my skin. The soft kiss she plants there, then exhales across, makes me insane. I lift her chin and lean down, panting over her lips as I stroke her bottom lip with my thumb.
“Kiss me, Hope. Kiss me like you mean it, like you want me as much as I want you,” I order.
She trembles. “You… I do want you, Jax.”
“As much as I want you?” I growl, grinding myself against her.
She trembles, but kisses me, sucking my bottom lip softly. When my lips part against hers, she lets out a little whimper. Her tongue teases mine as her hands spread along my sides. I grip her shirt, tugging her tighter against me until my thumb slides under the fabric to feel her.
Real, hot, soft, perfect. She belongs to us. I slide my hand up the front of her shirt, feeling the swell of her breast, but not stopping. She arches against me as I kiss her deeper, happy to take the lead if that’s what she needs. When I stroke over the scar we left on her, my dick pulses against her.
I turn her head to kiss along her jaw, to nip her earlobe. As I kiss down the side of her throat, tasting her racing pulse, I feel the vibration of her needy little moan as it leaves her throat. It’s so fucking hot that everything else nearly slips out of my head.
Hope’s right here, clinging to me, stroking me, moving against me like she wants exactly what I have in mind. Every filthy detail I can think of. All the ways I can please her, make her scream, make her forget every ounce of anxiety, pain, and grief she doesn’t want to feel.
We don’t need to talk, we can just feel. We can just enjoy each other and dive into what we deserve: pleasure and each other.
“Jax,” she pants. “What’s going on?”
I arch an eyebrow. “Do I have to get on my knees to show exactly what I have in mind? No sitting necessary. I’ll lay down with you on top of me, stay on my knees as long as you balance your knee on my…”
She pushes against my chest softly. “I…” She closes her eyes, then presses her forehead against my chest. I blink a few times and look down at her. So breakable.
So much like…
I shake my head. No. No.
“If you were having bad thoughts, would you tell me?” I ask softly.
Her body goes stiff and her breath brushes my abs in a jerky pattern. “I don’t want to hurt anyone or myself. I promise. If I did… I’d tell you.”
Stupid question. Gotta get back on focus, I order.
“And you?”
“What about me, sweetheart?”
“Will you tell me about your bad thoughts?”
I smile faintly. “Don’t have any.”
“Don’t lie to me, Jax. I know something’s going on. I can’t help if I don’t know. Even Coach Carpenter noticed. He gave us both cards to a therapist. You don’t have to open up to a stranger, but aren’t we close enough for that?”
I’m about to make a joke when she looks up at me, all hopeful need wrapped in the softest eyes I’ve ever seen. I stroke her face and sigh. “It’s nothing. I don’t like my past. I have the option to avoid it and that’s what I plan on doing. It doesn’t get to hold onto me.”
“Teach me how to do it that easily?”
