“For the record, every time you bite your lip…” I brought my face so close to hers, I could feel her breath catch beneath me when her lips parted. Her lips were pillowy like little rose-colored clouds. “It drives me crazy in the best of ways.”
“Is that so?” A flirtatious smile spread across her face, and she bit her lip once more.
Damn, she had me. She had me wrapped around her little finger already. “Oh, is that how you’re gonna play this?” I brushed her lips with mine before plunging my hands into her sides, tickling her. She squealed and wriggled beneath me as I continued my tickle attack. Finally, I gave in to her giggling pleas for me to stop, and I kissed her hard. “Come on, I’m making waffles.”
We lazed about together all day Sunday, covering each other in kisses. The only moments we’d been apart were the few she’d spent on the back patio that afternoon talking to Ella on the phone. I’d come into the kitchen for another cup of coffee when I saw Liv leaning up against the railing outside with a soft blush on her cheeks and a smile on her face. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Everything about her drew me in like the first sunny day after a cold, dark winter. All I wanted to do was bask in her rays.
The next day, I joined Liv at work. The rest of the guys came to the store to visit and say goodbye to Liv, Ella, Katie, and Grace, who showed up after school.
I loved how easily she fit in with the guys. I watched while Liv attempted to show Dallas how to make a cherry pie. They erupted into a fit of giggles when he somehow managed to get the red goo all over his hands, looking like he’d committed a heinous crime. He’d chased Katie around the room, acting like he was going to wipe the evidence all over her. Even Luca, who didn’t really warm up to new people, seemed to have a certain affection for Liv.
Cash loved the girls. It was evident in the way he never stopped smiling when he was around them. It was the happiest I’d seen him in a long time. He was also ready and willing to do anything he could to make Jax & Liv a thing, but he didn’t push. He wanted it to be on Liv’s terms.
After the guys left and we closed up the shop, we walked back to Liv’s bungalow hand in hand. Mama hissed her hellos to us as we bounded through the door. She watched with annoyed curiosity as we cooked dinner together, clearly put out that I was still invading her home territory.
I wrapped my arms around Liv’s waist, nuzzling my face in her hair while she chopped the vegetables for the soup she was making. I inhaled her sweet citrusy scent, knowing I could never get enough of moments like these. We continued our new tradition of picking songs to play that would make the other dance. I loved the way she threw her head back with laughter when I made a complete fool of myself, which I did often just to make her smile.
“Okay.” I rubbed my hands together as she passed me to put the pot of soup on the stove. “It’s my turn to pick a song.”
“Lay it on me,” she said. “I’m ready.”
I scrolled through the music on my phone until I landed on the song I was looking for. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” began to play as she turned to face me. “May I have this dance?” I extended my hand to her, and she took it, letting me pull her close. She smiled up at me, sliding her arms around my neck. “I’m going to miss you so much, Liv.” I leaned into her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I’m going to miss you too.” She pulled my face down to meet hers, brushing her lips against mine.
I leaned in so that our foreheads touched as we danced together in the kitchen. I soaked up every second of feeling her in my arms, becoming more and more aware that after tonight I wouldn’t be able to hold her like this for so many days. Too many. Finally, I said the words I hadn’t planned on saying. “Come with me.”
“What?” Her face was veiled with shock as though there was no way she could have heard me correctly.
“Come with me,” I murmured. “We could work on some new music, and we’d be together.”
“I can’t do that.” She shook her head. “I’d love to be with you. You know I would, but I can’t just leave.”
“Consider it a Jax & Liv trial run,” I tried to persuade her.
“I can’t leave the business right now, and Grace’s homecoming dance is this weekend. I have to be here to see her off.”
I thought back to my conversation with Grace from Liv’s birthday, and I knew what I was asking of her was crazy. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just going to miss you so damn much.”
“I know. I am too, but this is something we’re going to have to figure out how to deal with. At least, until our own music takes off.”
“I know,” I admitted. I didn’t love it, but I knew she was right. I also knew I would do whatever I had to in order to make it work. “How about this? I could fly you out sometime after Grace’s dance for a few days. A long weekend even.”
She sighed. “I want to, but I don’t know if I can get away from work. It’s close to Halloween, and we get so busy with orders.”
“You don’t have to answer me now.” I held her face in my hands and kissed her gently. “Just think about it.”
She smiled up at me. “I will. I promise.”
I hoped she would because the thought of being without her for the next month hurt like hell.
Chapter 17
Liv
“Idon’t want to leave you,”Jax whispered early the next morning, pulling me into his arms on the steps of my front porch. The sun was barely up. Brady had arrived to get Jax so he’d have time to pack his things at the hotel before their bus pulled out of Nashville.
“I know. It’s going to be okay,” I said with a little more confidence than I felt. I had no doubt my feelings for Jax were real, thatourfeelings were real, but I also knew this was still very new. It was fragile, and we were trying to figure it all out together. A month apart right off the bat was a hurdle, but not one I thought we couldn’t handle. At least, I hoped we could handle it.
