Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Every muscle that protested my movement sent a flash of a memory of the night before striking behind my lids. I bit my lip on a smile as it all replayed — the kitchen, the library, the shower, the bed.
Now, the sun was peeking through the blinds, the shadows playing with the light on my skin as I let out a heavy, sated sigh.
“Waking up to this sight every morning is going to be a real fucking problem.”
I peeked one eye open and then the next, and my heart squeezed tight at the view — Jaxson in nothing but a pair of navy-blue boxer briefs holding two mugs of something hot and heavenly smelling.
I want this life.
The thought made my stomach do a flip, a thousand butterfly wings tickling the edges of it. I knew there was still so much in this world that I wanted to see, so many places I wanted to explore. But waking up to Jaxson half-naked and bringing me something warm to drink after fucking my brains out all night brought one truth into focus.
He really was my safe place to land.
And I didn’t feel that urge to fly as much anymore, not now that I had a home.
I winced a little as I leaned up in bed, propping myself against the headboard. Just like the hotel outside of St. Louis, we had destroyed his room last night. Hell, we’d destroyed his entire house.
I, for one, couldn’t wait to go investigate the library or wherever he’d had me that we’d trashed his shelves.
As it was now, I was thoroughly enjoying the view of his abs and chest, of his massive arms and the ink that sprawled along his skin. I thanked him when he handed me one of the mugs and climbed into bed to sit across from me, folding his legs under him.
I took the first sip and moaned. It was some sort of black tea with cream and sugar, sweet and warm and cozy.
“And why is it such a problem?”
“Because today is an off day, and I have nowhere to be, but on the days when I’m supposed to get up early and get to the rink for practice, I’m going to be fucked.” He shook his head, his eyes trailing over my body. I didn’t bother putting any clothes on yet, and the sheet pooled in my lap, leaving the top half of me exposed. “No way will I be able to walk out the door without touching you.”
“Hmm… maybe I’ll have to be the responsible one, then.” To illustrate that point, I kicked one leg out from under the covers and pressed a foot to his chest to stop him when he leaned in to kiss me.
Jaxson hit me with a sleepy grin that made my chest ache, and then he snatched my ankle and brought it to his lips, kissing along the sensitive skin.
“Is this another challenge to see who will break first? Because I—”
Jaxson stopped mid-sentence at the sound of a strange voice coming from down the hall. It was feminine and yet robotic. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought it said something like front gate.
He frowned, climbing out of bed and setting his cup of tea on the nightstand.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Someone passing through the front gate,” he said. “I forgot to close it last night.”
“Delivery, maybe?”
He swallowed, but he was already pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to investigate. “Maybe. Stay here.”
That made my heart leap into my throat, but before he could take even one step toward the door, we both got the answer to our question of who it could be in the form of four loud, insistent knocks on the door.
And my brother’s voice.
“Open this fucking door, Brittzy.”
Jaxson’s eyes shot to mine, and my stomach shriveled to the size of a raisin.
Fuck.
Another lashing of knocks rumbled the house, and Vince yelled even louder. “Open the goddamn door now, or I’ll kick it down!”
My heart thundered in my ears as Jaxson swallowed, both of us realizing that we didn’t have time to talk about our game plan. We were about to face our biggest obstacle right here, right now.
“He doesn’t know I’m here,” I whispered. “I can hide.”
But Jaxson was already shaking his head. He disappeared inside his closet as more knocks sounded, and I swore Vince was actually attempting to kick the door down. Jaxson emerged again and tossed me a t-shirt and a pair of his sweatpants.
“Put these on,” he said, and then he walked out the door and down the hall.
“Shit,” I cursed, pulling the fabric overhead. “Shit, shit, shit.”
I barely had the oversized sweatpants pulled up over my hips when I heard what sounded like a body hitting the wall and shaking the whole house. Then, irate footsteps were pounding down the hall.