I stay there, inside her. Forehead against hers. Both of us breathing heavy.
The Cup is three feet away.
All I can see is her.
She makes a sound. Not a word. Just a sound. Her hand comes up to my jaw and her thumb traces my cheekbone and she’s looking at me with the expression she had in the kitchen six hours ago and I look back at her with whatever I look like right now and we stay quiet for a long time.
“Jax.”
“Yeah.”
“My ass is asleep.”
I laugh into her shoulder.
“Yeah. Sorry. Counter’s hard.”
“Counter’s rock hard, Jax. Granite.”
“You picked the location.”
“I did not pick the—”
“You said get over here, Mercer.”
“That was — fine. Fair.”
I get my arms under her. Lift her off the counter, her legs still wrapped around me, and carry her across the kitchen. She buries her face in my neck. I can feel her smiling against my throat.
“Where are we going.”
“Bed.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Counter served its purpose.”
“Counter did fine.”
Brick is in the doorway watching all of this. Doesn’t move when I walk past with her. Just watches.
“Yeah, Brick. I know.”
He doesn’t acknowledge it.
I carry her down the hall. She’s still smiling against my neck.
The Cup is on the counter where we left it.
The sweat is cooling on both of us. My legs are still a little shaky and my voice has not fully come back.
We are not done tonight.
Not even close.
And for once I am not in a hurry to get anywhere past right now.
