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Jax bent down to retrieve her bra. Dangling it off one finger, he merely raised his brows. “I’m assuming you’re angrier with yourself than with the fact you spent the night.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” She hopped into her panties and yanked them up. “You—”
“Listen.” He stalked across the room and handed over the bra, which she jerked from his hold. “Neither of us planned on you staying here, but right now we have to work together to get you out because Piper is downstairs waiting on waffles.”
Fisting her dress in her hands, Livie groaned. “I can’t do the walk of shame in front of her, she won’t understand.”
The fact Livie worried more about what Piper would think than her own embarrassment warmed something in him. She wasn’t that selfish, stuck-up city girl he’d believed she was when she first stepped into his hangar. Livie cared, and seeing just how deep her concern was for his daughter now put him in a whole new level of frustration because he didn’t want to like her . . . at least not the type of like that would involve his heart.
Jax desperately feared his heart was already involved. Damn it. Now what? He’d spent the night with her and now she stood in his room wearing nothing but the bare essentials while his daughter waited on her breakfast.
If this weren’t awkward, this could be some sort of family moment . . . a moment he’d never had before. Even when he was married there were no situations like this. He was out of his element from every angle and at this point, he needed to take a step back and seriously think about what the hell he was doing. Because sex was one thing, but dragging his life and his daughter’s life into the mix wasn’t acceptable.
Livie pulled her dress over her head and smoothed her hair away from her face. As she started looking for her shoes, Jax realized she hadn’t once looked at him. Regrets? Already?
“Livie.” He put more force into his tone, one he’d used when he’d been a ranking officer in the air force. “Look at me.”
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
She muttered the statement as her eyes continued to search for her shoes. Jax closed the distance between them and grabbed her arms, hauling her against his chest. When she didn’t look up, he slid his finger beneath her chin and tipped her head.
“Relax. We’re adults.”
The flush to her cheeks, the moisture gathering in her eyes had his heart clenching. Yeah, whatever internal battle she faced had nothing to do with him. Jax knew he was just a minor component in her struggle, but he damn sure wasn’t going to let her sneak out of here like they’d done something wrong or dirty.
He wasn’t sorry she’d fallen asleep in his bed. For the first time in years, he wasn’t sorry he’d taken a woman to bed and had her by his side when he woke. He hadn’t done that since his marriage, mostly because he was busy being a single father and didn’t want to give Piper the wrong impression.
“No regrets, Livie.”
She chewed her bottom lip as her chin quivered. “This isn’t supposed to happen,” she whispered. “I’m not supposed to want this.”
A sliver of light cracked open that scar on his heart. “Neither of us wanted this,” he agreed, framing her face with his hands. “But here we are and I’m not sorry. I won’t let you be sorry either.”
Livie closed her eyes and blew out a sigh. “I can’t deal with these emotions right now. I need to find my shoes and figure out how to get out of here.”
He’d let her go, for now, but only because he had a toddler waiting on him who would be coming back up any minute if he didn’t get downstairs.
“Okay. I’m going to head downstairs. I will keep Piper in the kitchen mixing up the batter.” Reluctantly, Jax released her and stepped back. “Check the living room for your shoes and just head out the front door. Try not to make the knob click. Better yet, just leave the door slightly cracked. I’ll close it.”
She nodded. “Okay. Um . . . thanks?”
The fact this strong, independent woman felt awkward and out of her element gave him a bit of hope. He wanted her to be just as confused as he was because he had no clue where this was going or what the hell to do next.
But she was right. They could deal with the feelings later.
“No need for a thanks,” he replied. “I plan on doing this again.”
&n
bsp; Her eyes widened as he leaned in for a quick kiss. He turned and left the room, leaving her with her mouth agape and speechless. Perfect, just how he wanted her. Let her think about that for a bit. Because, yes, he had no clue what they were doing, but he knew for certain that he wanted to do this again. He wanted her again.
As he bounded down the stairs, Jax figured he’d give Livie a day to come to terms with how she felt. Most likely she’d try to go back to being all business and focus on the plans for the airport . . . which they didn’t get around to discussing.
Well, she may try to get back to her CEO form, but he wasn’t having that. They’d crossed a line and he’d be damned if he’d let her go back.
* * *
Still barefoot, Olivia stepped into her back door. Two sets of eyes turned to look her way.
