He leans away, watching my chest rise and fall with panting breaths before flicking his gaze back up to mine.
“I might come off as a nice guy on the outside, but inside? There’s a monster itching to break free. A monster who wants to rip that fucking white T-shirt off your fine-as-fuck body and suck on your sexy as hell tits, while I shove my hand in your panties and finger fuck you until you come so fucking hard, screaming my name.
“But know this... The more you push me away, the more I’m going to chase you. The more it makes me want to prove you wrong. It’s not that it’s not gonna happen, sweet cheeks... It’s just a matter of when.”
And with those words, he pushes off the wall with a smirk and walks away.
Stunned and soaking wet,all I can do is stare after Jax as his words echo in my head.
“It’s not that it’s not gonna happen, sweet cheeks... It’s just a matter of when.”
“Fuck.” I press my palms against the wall, the cool tile doing nothing to staunch the heat writhing in my veins.
My heart is hammering so hard I can feel it in the divot of my throat. The ghost of his mouth sucking my clit through my clothes has left me aching for more.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath to center myself. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.
And yet here I am with my back against a bathroom wall, nipples hard, my body on fire from just a few hot-as-fuck words and the briefest touch of his mouth.
“Damn it.” My mumbled words echo against the tile, mocking me.
The last thing I should do is go cuckoo for Coco Puffs over Jax’s Lucky Charms, even if heismagically delicious.
Because there’s one thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, and it’s that the heart is not indestructible. No matter how strong and resilient you are, it still hurts like a bitch when it’s broken.
Smoothing some stray damp hairs away from my face, I adjust my ponytail.
After mopping up the bathroom floor, and shooting a quick text to Rick about the pipe, I salvage what’s left of my dignity and lock up.
The drive home is a blur. Not only is Jax’s confidence infuriating, it’s ridiculously hot, and I’m not quite sure how to feel about it.
When I get home, I peel off my wet clothes and drop them into the washing machine. Thankfully, a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes helps to clear my head.
In the kitchen, I set about making lunch. As I nibble on a turkey sandwich, I open my laptop to check my emails. There’s one from Rick, confirming they’ll be in first thing Monday morning to fix the water damage beneath the window, and the pipe in the bathroom.
Relief washes over me as I read through the details. The delay isn’t going to be as long as we thought.
I’ve also been working my ass off interviewing potential staff. Three yoga instructors and two personal trainershave already accepted positions, pending final background checks. With Rick’s confirmation, I’m feeling confident we can still hit our target opening date, barring any more disasters.
Scrolling further down my inbox, I see a name that makes my stomach clench.
Taking a deep breath, I open it.
To:Sasha Garrett
From:Ryan Collins
Subject:Lakeside Location-WTF?
Sasha, I just found out you’re opening a Summit Studio in Lakeside without discussing it with me first. This is a direct violation of our partnership agreement. Section 3.2 clearly states that any new locations must be mutually agreed upon. I’m consulting with my attorney about our options. Call me ASAP.
Ryan
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I growl at the screen.
Hitting reply, I start typing furiously.
To:Ryan Collins
