I stare at the ceiling with eyes wide open, wondering how I ended up sleeping with the cat curled up on me instead of the girl of my dreams. Unable to fall asleep, I count ticks of the old clock on the dresser across the room until I can’t count anymore. Almost asleep, the sound of a sticky tongue lapping over and over peels my lids back again.
I rub my hand down my face in annoyance, then rest it atop my head. Minutes pass but feel like hours as the incessant sound fills the quiet. I refuse to interrupt him in fear he’ll just start all over again. It’s only after fuzzball licks the entirety of his fur that I realize he has zero intention of murdering me in my sleep. That would ruin his bath. Finally, after an eternity ofticksandschlickslater, Tigger tucks his head in my armpit and starts purring.
Only then does sleep take me.
Chapter 26
Holly
Around seven, Mom knocks on my door and peeks her head in to tell me she’s starting coffee and breakfast. She didn’t want to knock on Jax’s door to wake him. I assure her that I’ll get him moving and that we’ll be down in a bit. She smiles wide and leaves my door cracked. I shuffle into my bathroom, brushing my teeth before I pad across the hall. I feel like I barely slept a wink last night as I debated slipping across the hall and into his sheets to confess that I feel the same way he does. I crack the door, sneaking in and quietly closing the door behind me. I make it up to the bed and have to cover my mouth to keep the laugh from breaking out loudly. My man lies there on his stomach, looking gorgeous as hell. I’ve seen this before, but the difference is the giant fluff of fur wrapped around his head like a hat. Tigger lifts his head and trills happily to greet me.
“Really, Tigger?” I whisper, reaching out to scratch his head. He’s my good boy. I miss having him around. Maybe I’ll consider getting a kitty back home. Tigger stands and stretches, jumping down to go paw at the door. I let him out and close it again. Walking up to the bed, I take in all the delicious muscleout in the open. I grab the sheet and pull it down slowly, revealing inch by yummy inch of his back muscles with their ink. His boxer brief-clad ass is begging for my hands. I climb onto the foot of the mattress, my body’s weight causing him to stir and turn over onto his back. I run a hand up his thigh as I crawl between them, enjoying the masculine rumble that leaves his chest as he begins to wake.
My fingers inch across the front of his tented boxers, snickering about morning wood yet equally impressed. I grasp him firmly in my hand through the fabric, kissing up his belly. He sucks in a breath, his fingers winding through my tresses as he pulls me up to him.
“Good morning, woman. Are you trying to get me kicked out of your house? Because two more seconds of that and I’m going to flip you over on this bed and fuck you senseless.”
“Remind me to wake you like this when we get back home then.”
Another low rumble vibrates through his chest, and damn, it makes me want to test his patience. He pulls me down for a kiss, and I could care less that he hasn’t brushed his teeth yet. He hums, pressing his lips together to enjoy my taste. “Mmmm,minty. Now I’ll be nicer. Good morning, baby.” His rough morning voice makes me melt.
“Morning, handsome. My mother is cooking breakfast. It’s time to get up and get moving. By the way, you had a fur hat when I came in here.”
“That cat jiggled my door last night and made muffins on me. He got to stay once I was sure he wasn’t planning to smother me in my sleep. I like Tigger.”
I giggle, crawling off his body to go get ready. He groans with disappointment, reaching to snag me by the waist and yank me back under the covers. I let him nuzzle my boobs for a few more seconds as he sighs happily in my arms.
“Jaxon, you can’t get comfy again.”
“Me want sleepy.”
Tommy Boyreferences pop into my head, and I chuckle.
“What happened to worrying about my dad kicking you out?”
Jaxon lifts his head an inch from my chest.
“Good point. Get your sexy butt out of my bed before I do something stupid.”
I slide out of bed, stopping at the door to turn back and peek at the rumbly side of him tossing back covers and sitting up. Jaxon rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands, wiggling his toes on the carpet before standing, and he just looks perfect. He opens his eyes and smirks at me.
“You’re staring.”
“You’re cute, all grumbly and gravelly in the morning.”
Jaxon chuffs.
“Do I have time for a shower?” he asks, grabbing a few things from his weekend bag.
“Make it quick.”
“You’re not in it, so it will be.”
I smile wide before prancing off to my bathroom.
???
By nine-thirty, we’re on our way out the door. Traffic into the city isn’t too crowded, butdamn, I do not miss this part of living here. Jaxon wanted to drive, but I yanked the keychain from his mouth as he was tying his sneakers and boogied out to the car.
