Page 67 of Close to Heaven

Nineteen

Jax tossed and turned in his bed, unable to get comfortable. It was unusual for him to have trouble sleeping. Cody often said that he slept like someone without a care in the world, which was false. Jax had a lot of cares. However, at night, he was usually able to turn off his brain and sleep, knowing his worries would still be there in the morning.

Tonight his biggest worry was sleeping in the next room, or so he assumed. After he’d left, he’d paused outside her bedroom door, wondering if he should have offered to stay. However, there were numerous reasons why he shouldn’t, so he’d forced himself to go back to bed alone. He’d even locked his bedroom door, not to keep her out but to keep himself in. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Now he lay there with images and a soundtrack of their sexual encounter playing on a loop in his head. Avery placing his hand underneath her shirt, him fondling her full breasts. Her responsiveness to his touch, especially when he’d caressed the innermost part of her. He swore he could still feel her on his fingertips.

He flashed forward to when she’d sat on the edge of the bed and demanded that he strip. He’d never been with a woman who’d been so enthusiastic about oral sex. She had literally and figuratively blown him away!

While he’d wanted to stay and continue their exploration of each other, he’d reminded himself that she was injured and needed her rest. Still, he couldn’t stop thinking about her, and having her once had done nothing to curb his appetite. It had only whetted it.

He hadn’t even seen her naked yet. Not even a glimpse of those supple breasts with the taut nipples, her smooth stomach, or the soft place between her thighs. He closed his eyes and imagined what she’d look like naked, which was easier now that he’d touched her. However, that was no substitute for the real thing.

I can’t wait to be with her again, assuming she wants to. If her responsiveness was any indication, he felt confident she’d want to, but a host of obstacles was standing in their way, starting with Thanksgiving.

She’d already said she was going to her dad’s house, and in his lust-induced state, he’d forgotten to ask her over for dessert. He decided to make that the first order of business when he saw her in the morning. Then he’d make her breakfast and offer to drive her to her dad’s house. She might be okay to drive, but he hated for her to risk it. He knew too well the dangers of getting behind the wheel even when conditions were perfect.

The thought of anything bad happening to Avery made his heart clench. In the short time she’d been at the ridge, she’d gotten under his skin. Skin… Avery’s skin…Avery naked…

He must have dozed off, because, the next thing he knew, he was awakened by the sound of Smoky scratching on his bedroom door.

He squinted at the alarm clock. “Really, buddy? You have to go out already?” It was only six in the morning, and Smoky usually didn’t ask to go out before seven.

Sighing, Jax pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed, still in his underwear. Even though Avery had seen him in less, he decided to throw on some clothes before going to let the dog out. He put on fresh underwear, jeans, and a sweatshirt and opened his bedroom door. Smoky bolted out and hurried down the stairs.

The dog’s behavior alerted him that something was wrong, and when he saw the open door to the empty guestroom, he guessed it had to do with Avery.

“Avery?” he called, peering into the bathroom across the hall. It too was empty, and he started to panic. He jogged down the stairs and skidded to a stop in the living room. She stood there with her coat on, holding her boots in her hands. Smoky sat at her feet, looking up at her with adoration, concern, or both.

“What’s going on? You scared the crap out of me!”

“Sorry. I was trying to be quiet,” she said sheepishly.

“Why do you have your coat on?”

“Because I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

She cocked out a hip and scowled at him, but he scowled right back.

“You don’t even have your boots on, and how did you get downstairs?”

“I know, and very slowly.”

Jax threaded his hands through his hair, his frustration mounting by the second. “How were you planning on getting home?”

“Very carefully,” she said as if she were talking to a child.

“In your socks?”

“I tried to put on my boots, but my ankle is still a little swollen. So yes, in my socks.”

He shook his head and moved closer until he was standing right in front of her. “You were trying to sneak out.”

“Uh-uh.”