Chapter 32
Jaxson
Lauren is like an addiction.She’s got me suffering from withdrawals, only hours after taking ahit.
Craving. Needing.Wanting.
Like she requested, I went over to her place to grab the list of items she wanted me to take back to the villa. Most of it was easy to find, especially since Lauren’s place is super-organized and her closet is color-coded. What else should I have expected from adesigner?
I did have a hard time finding some of Truffles’ toys as many of them were in odd places, like under the bed, under the couch, in the closet, and oddly I found one in thebathtub.
Jules was as friendly as ever, asking me to sayBonjour!to Lauren and Truffles for him. He helped me carry some items to my car. After explaining to him what happened with Simon, he said he’d tell the landlord not to renew his lease. Personally, I was hoping to run into Simon myself. I would have punched him, then thanked him for being such a dick. Thanks to him being an asshole, I got my forevergal.
Yep, I went thereagain.
Once I made it back home, I called Nana and Gramps, to check in on them and to also let Gramps know all of the town cars have been sold to another limo company. The two were giddy about the art gallery and their new house. With both not really familiar how FaceTime works, the chat session was pretty hilarious. They also got a kick about me and Lauren, wishing me well and were fascinated that Truffles seemed to know more about FaceTime than theydo.
And my agent Ryan called, looking for my answer. I told him I haven’t made my decision yet. I’m still thinking about it, but my answer will probably be, an emphaticno.
“Aww,Jaxson sweetie, you got us some soup?” Lauren wraps her arms around my neck andgleams.
“Yep, after I dropped you off this morning, I asked Jacques to give me some of that soup you love so I can warm some up for dinner,” I say, feelingproud.
“Oh, you are so damn”—she lays soft kisses on my neck as I run my hands up and down her back—“perfect.”
We sit at the table, eating the small meal I prepared for us. Soup. Salad.Baguette.
I even picked out a wonderful bottle of wine for us to sipon.
“Thanks for picking up my stuff back at my place. I don’t know when I’ll feel like going back. It doesn’t even feel like home to me,” she says, eyes down, whirling the spoon around in her bowl ofsoup.
I tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “And does the villa feel like home?” I say, eager to know her response. I know it’s felt more like home to me, with her and Truffleshere.
“Yes,” she says, her eyelashes fanning herface.
“Then you’re welcome to stay forever,Lauren.”
We eat in silence, her attention seeming to be occupied perhaps with thoughts about work. I know this time must be stressful for her, as the launch goes livesoon.
“You okay?” I ask, breaking her pensiveexpression.
She gives a half-shrug. “Uh, yeah. I’m just thinking about all that has to be done in the coming days. It’s exciting and mentallyexhausting.”
I admit, she does look worn out. And I want to comforther.
“How about a bubble bath and then a good night’s sleep, babe? I mean as much as I want to make love, you need yourrest.”
Her eyes dance with mine as she bobs her head, a satisfied grin on her face. “I’d love to take a bubble bath—withyou.”
The bubbles cover our bodies,as I sit behind her, embracing her. The tub is huge, roman-style, otherwise, I’d barely fit. We’ve been basking in the bubbles for about twenty mins, adding more warm water when we feel the temperature drop. I massage her back, removing the tension, helping herrelax.
“Mmmm,” she moans, and I am doing all it takes to keep my erection down. Yet it’s getting hard to ignore herbody.
She leans into me, resting her back against the plane of my chest and I lick and suck her collar bone, then her shoulder. Quiet, sensual moments like these are the type some say only exist in romance novels. Well, then, this is the story of Jaxson andLauren.
“How are things going with the magazine—everything ontrack?”
She rolls her neck as I continue to plant kisses on all parts of her my lips have access to. “Everything is kinda on track. At least I decided who is going to be on thecover.”
