I rest my hand against his cheek, running my thumb over his dark stubble. After a few more lip cuddles, I press my forehead to his, drawing in a deep breath. “I meant everything, Sky. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”
“Jackson, it’s okay…”
I draw back a little, shaking my head. “No, just listen for a second, because I need you to understand this. The reason I didn’t get hard earlier is because it wasn’t a sexual experience for me. That’s why the primitive response in my brain or whatever it is that kicks in when I’m exposed to sexual stimuli didn’t react.”
“That’s what every guy wants to hear,” Skyler drawls in a way that tells me he’s trying really hard to keep his tone light. “That touching their dick isn’t remotely sexy.”
“When it’s the asexual who’s in love with them telling them this?” I say with a quirk of my brows. “Then, yeah, they should want to hear it.” Before he can say anything, I slide my hand back into his hair and tap my forehead to his. “I’m not sure there’s any way I can get you to understand this without somehow inceptioning you into my mind, but I’m going to try anyway. Before tonight, I would have said there is no more amazing feeling than holding you in my arms and having your arms around me. Now I know adding lips makes it better…”
He ducks his head for a brief kiss of my lips. “It does.”
I let out a breath of laughter, my fingers sliding through his thick, soft hair. “And I also know that watching the pleasure move across your face, and hearing you moan my name while I touched you gave me more satisfaction than any orgasm I’ve ever had.”
He eyes me warily. “Jackson…”
“I know you’ve convinced yourself you’re the selfish one here, but it’s the opposite,” I tell him. “I just took, and didn’t even think of how it would affect you. Because it just felt so good.”
“Jackson…no…” He rests his forehead against mine again, his hand coming up to run over my scalp. “You’re not selfish. You’re perfect.”
I give a slight shake of my head but don’t pull away. “If I were perfect I’d be able to give you everything you wanted.” I let my eyes fall closed and let out a heavy sigh. “God, you have no idea how much I wish I could give you all those things you want, Sky. All the things you need…”
“Jax…”
“I can’t give you everything you want,” I murmur. “But I can give you everything I have…and I’ll just have to hope and pray that it’s enough.”
Skyler’s quiet for a long moment, before finally murmuring, “It’s not justenough. It’s everything.”
He drags my mouth to his and I feel like I’m stepping into a beautiful hot bubble bath with aromatherapy candles set up all over the place and Adele playing through a Bluetooth speaker as our bodies wrap together and we lip cuddle and nuzzle against each other.
And then I hear Skyler whispering in my ear, and it’s like bright sunshine is streaming through the window, even though it’s still the wee hours of the morning. “You’ve always been everything, Jackson.”
ChapterNineteen
Skyler
“Where’s the crocodile,”Deacon demands as soon as I join him at the high bar table he’s secured for our Saturday afternoon catch up.
We’re at a bar calledWhiskey Tango Foxtrot,which is apparently owned by Tanner’s son. Deacon’s been encouraging us to come here for a while, but this is the first time I’ve managed it.
I wave Deacon off as I settle on a bar stool. “Relax, he’s right here.” Grabbing the backpack I have slung over one shoulder, I unzip it and retrieve Curtis, handing him to Deacon. “I’ve asked around, by the way, and the consensus is that he’s an alligator.”
Deacon sends me an unimpressed look. “Did you at least remember to take some pictures of him doing interesting things so I can show my class?”
“Of course!” I grin at him and tug my phone from my pocket, opening the photos app and scrolling through them to show Deacon. “Here’s Curtis making friends with Rocket. And here’s Curtis sitting in on an important business meeting. And here’s Curtis standing trial for murder.”
Deacon’s head shoots up, eyes wide. “What? Skyler, you took him to someone’s murder trial?”
I let out a soft laugh. “No, that would have been inappropriate. The court room was empty. But we can use our imagination, right? Look—here he is after he was found guilty and the bailiff is taking him away.”
Deacon sighs and swipes a hand over his face. “Well, thanks I guess. I’m not sure how many of these I can actually show the kids, but I appreciate the effort.” Then he runs his eyes over my face, scrutinizing me carefully. “You seem to be doing a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you.”
I smile and am about to answer when an incredibly attractive young guy approaches our table.
“Hey, Deac. You guys wanting drinks?”
Deacon offers the guy a wide smile. “Hey Jazz, this is Skyler.”
Jazz turns to acknowledge me and I almost fall off my chair. I realized he was Tanner’s son the second I heard the name, but the resemblance is freaky. “Holy shit—is this what Tanner looked like before he got all sexy silver fox?” I ask Deacon.
