Helen
I opened my eyes, but my head throbbed and my stomach churned. Groaning, I pressed my fingers to my temple as I tried to work out why I felt like death. Then it hit me like a truck.
Jackson… Jax. Dinner, wine, vodka shots.
I rolled over slowly, so I didn’t vomit, and pressed my face into the pillow, hoping I could erase the other memories that followed—telling him I’d never made myself come, showing him the sex toys my friends ordered for me. Him telling me what they were and how they worked, and then there was the butt plug.Oh God, I need to move. Immediately. Change my name. Start again somewhere where no one knows me.
My phone buzzed, the noise making my brain hurt. I lifted it from my side table and glanced at the screen, seeing it was the family group chat.
Conner: What’s that, Ma? You’re cooking Sunday lunch and you’ve made too much, so you want us to help you eat it?
Callum: I mean, if it was beef and you had Yorkshire puddings to go with it, then I’d be available.
Jasper: I’ve just invited Jackson. Will give me a chance to catch up with him.
Conner: Great idea, bro. So crazy he’s back in town.
Jasper: Go easy on him with the questions. I’m not sure he wants to tell us why he left or why he’s back.
Callum: Yeah, Conner. Don’t be a dick.
Before I could reply to them, a soft knock sounded against my bedroom door.
“Hi,” I answered, pushing myself up to sit and running my fingers through my hair, not wanting to look like a lion who’d been caught in the wind.
Jackson opened the door but stayed hidden on the other side. “I bring coffee. Can I come in?”
I groaned because coffee was just what I needed. “Sure.”
He stepped through the doorway, holding out the mug, but keeping his eyes pinned on the floor. I had to hold in the gasp bubbling in my chest as I took in the man before me, who I was apparently too drunk to fully appreciate last night.
His brown hair was cut pretty short, fading into stubble that was almost long enough to class as a beard. He wore the same clothes as last night, but sober me was much more aware of how they showed off his toned body—his wide shoulders, the curve of his biceps, the colourful butterfly tattoos that covered his corded forearm and stretched up to his collarbone, his huge hands that made me wonder about other parts of him that might be equallyas large. I gasped at where my hungover thoughts were going as I lifted my gaze to find his kind, warm brown eyes staring at me.
“I feel like I should apologise,” he murmured as I took the mug from him. “I think I might have been a bad influence last night. Sorry.”
I smiled despite how embarrassed I felt. “You have nothing to be sorry for apart from my hangover.”
His hands landed on his hips. “Hey, the need to get drunk so you could be honest was all on you.”
The memory of me saying that floated back up to the surface. “Yeah,” I sighed. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
“Look, I should go. Thank you so much for the bed last night. I slept like a baby, although that might have been the alcohol.” He moved his thumb in the direction of the door. “And just so we’re clear, I’m not running away because I feel weird or because you did anything wrong, so you don’t need to overthink things all day. Understood?”
My skin prickled at the tone in his voice. A tone that made me feel reassured and safe. “Understood.”
My phone buzzed again, and I glanced over at it.
Conner: You alive, Ma? Your hungry boys miss you xx
I threw back the covers and climbed out of bed, laughing at the audacity of my kids. “Did Jasper invite you over here for lunch today? Apparently, I’m cooking.”
“He did, but I’ve not replied. I thought it might be weird or you might be sick of the sight of me.”
“Do you want to come…” A blush flared across my cheeks.God, what am I doing? “For lunch, I mean.”
Jax chewed on his lip for a second, as if he was trying to suppress a smile. “I know whatcomingyou meant. It won’t be weird?”
“We drank too much and chatted. I’m not weirded out… well, as long as we never mention the subject matter of our conversation ever again.”
