Page 88 of Close to Heaven

Jax made a show of looking at his watch. “Our date isn’t for another eighteen hours. What should we do in the meantime?”

“Mm. I have some ideas.”

She crawled off his lap and stood up. Then she backed toward the stairs and crooked her index finger, indicating he should follow her. Like a heat-seeking missile, he homed in on his target. Even if she’d insisted on going to Clingman’s Dome tonight, he would have gladly taken her there just to be with her. Staying in was a great alternative, though.

“Where are you taking me?” he teased.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” she teased back.

He was mesmerized by the sway of her hips as she went up the stairs, completely under her spell, and he didn’t bother denying it. Suddenly he needed her like he needed food, water, coffee, and the mountains.

As he followed her down the hall to his bedroom, he became aware that Smoky was right on his heels. When they reached his bedroom door, Jax turned and said, “Not tonight, buddy.”

Smoky had been present the first time he and Avery had made love, but tonight Jax wanted her all to himself, without interruptions. He avoided looking into his dog’s pleading eyes and softly closed the door.

Avery paused in the middle of the room, and he followed suit. Then she placed her delicate fingers on the top button of his flannel shirt and popped it open. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

He chuckled as she moved on to the next button. “You thought about undressing me?”

“Only a thousand times.”

“Since yesterday?”

“Longer than that,” she said, peering up at him through her long, dark eyelashes.

“Hmm.”

She undid the last button and pushed the shirt off his shoulders, revealing his plain white T-shirt underneath.

“Arms up,” she demanded.

He raised his arms and squatted down to make it easier for her to lift it over his head. Once he was bare-chested, she smoothed her hands over his pecs and tweaked his nipples. He’d never known they were that sensitive until now.

After a moment, he gently removed her hands and reached for the hem of her sweater. “Fair is fair.”

She smiled as he lifted her sweater up and off, revealing a plain white bra underneath.

“I didn’t have time to change,” she explained while he stared at her.

He shook his head. “You’re gorgeous.” He reached out and grazed her nipples through the bra. “By the way, I’ve thought about undressing you more than a thousand times.”

“Are we competing now?”

“I’m pretty sure we’re on the same team.” He slid his hands around her back and unhooked the bra. He slowly pulled the straps down her arms and sucked in a breath when the material fell away from her breasts.

Her chest heaved, and her tight, rosy nipples beckoned to him like beacons of light.

“We’re definitely on the same team,” she whispered. She placed her hands on the waistband of his jeans and dipped her fingers just underneath. Then she deftly unbuttoned them and carefully drew down the zipper.

He’d been hard since she’d first walked in the door, and now his erection poked out of the top of his underwear. She rubbed a finger over his tip and then unveiled the rest of him.

Seeing her reaction to his nakedness—she’d licked her lips and swallowed hard—revved up his desire even more. He made quick work of removing her jeans and panties, and then he picked her up and carried her to his bed.

“You like doing that, don’t you?” she teased.

“Getting you naked? Hell, yeah.”

“No. I meant picking me up.”