“Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
Jax smiled, his blue eyes warm and unwavering. “Ah…can you repeat that? I couldn’t hear you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I said thank you.”
“Did you?” He winked at me and made me blush. “Where I come from, we say thank you with a kiss.”
He turned his face and tapped his cheek.
I went on tiptoe and brushed my lips against him, relishing his scent.
Before I could step away, he pulled me into his arms. “Now, give me a proper kiss, Dee Gallagher, ‘cause I’ve missed you something fierce.”
Since I’d missed him just as much, I slammed my mouth onto his.
It had been way too long since we’d been together, way too long since I’d had the freedom to feel the way he made me feel, only Jax.
By the time we pulled apart, we were both breathing hard. I licked my lips, and he groaned. I couldn’t believe that I’d gone ahead and kissed him.
Before he could say anything, I ran as fast as my legs could take me, got into my truck, and drove back to The Banshee’s Rest.
CHAPTER 29
Jax
Iwas back at the farm, leaning against the fence near the pasture, watching the last rays of sunlight spill over the fields. The light turned everything golden—the grass, the old barn, and the hills in the distance. It was one of those moments when the world felt still, as if holding its breath.
But I wasn’t feeling peaceful.
I hadn’t seen Dee since she showed up at the barn two days ago. She’d looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, but when she’d thanked me for paying the taxes, something in her voice had cracked, and I’d felt it crack something in me, too.
She ran like the hounds of hell were after her.
She was scared. I knew that.
Did she think I wasn’t? I’d fallen in love with a contrary woman who was insecure, prickly, and full ofsass.Andshe didn’t trust me. We couldn’t have a relationship without trust.
I’d spent most of my life keeping things casual, skating through relationships without letting anyone get too close. But with Dee, it was different becauseshewas different.
I needed her back with her whole heart. I had a feeling life with Dee would come with its share of highs and lows, and I didn’t mind that. That was who she was.
But I needed her to meet me at least a quarter of the damn way.
What hurt was that she believed Cillian’s nonsense—or worse, that she wanted to believe it so she’d have a reason to get rid of me.
That fucking hurt.
The sound of footsteps on the gravel pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned, and my heart stopped when I saw her standing a few feet away with her hands shoved into the pockets of her coat.
She looked nervous, her fiery hair falling loose around her shoulders and her green eyes flicking up to meet mine before darting away again.
It was as if I’d conjured her up.
“Hey,” I said softly.
“Hey,” she replied quietly.
For a moment, neither of us said anything. The only sound was the wind rustling through the grass and the distant bleating of one of Ronan’s sheep.
