CHAPTER TWENTY

 

The Perky Cup's atmosphere was as buzzed as her espresso. Patrons were busy and talking, sipping and snacking, and posting pictures on social media of muffins and cupcakes. Kiddos played on the train table, and a romance novel book club bantered back and forth in the corner about the boundaries in books lately.

All in all, it was a typical day in Seven's coffee shop, punctuated by the occasional spill and broken mug, crying kid, and the constant jingle-jangle of the front-door bell.

But her mind continued to drift back to Hawke's phone call. Vegas.

What was Seven going to do in Vegas? She didn't expect to vacation. Her role was likely part figurehead, part keep-Johnny-in-line, with a dash of give-Hawke-her two-cents-if-he-asked, all while keeping an eye on Titan Group.

Most of Mayhem wanted Titan included, but the idea of outsiders involved was still a concern for some members. They were doing their best to approach this part of club business as business, and in business, there were times that third party… vendors were required. At least that was how she'd heard Hawke explain Titan to anyone who balked.

Vegas wasn't her scene, not that she'd ever been. Seven would much rather stick to her precise routine that was mapped out and involved taking care of her priorities: kids, mother, and coffee shop.

Eventually, she was on the list… maybe… or maybe not. Though she could track down a few piercing rock stars and fan-girl them—if there was time.

"Seven!"

She snapped out of her Vegas concerns and ducked her head out of her office, more than glad to have a reason other than Hawke and Vegas to avoid reviewing the latest purchase orders. "What's up?" But she didn't need an answer because Jax stood next to Sidney. It wasn't often Seven was caught off guard, just like it wasn't often that Jax did what she expected. "Hey."

Sidney gaped at them as if he'd been huffing whippits. "I'm good to close if you want to take off early."

"Umm." A dopey grin that made her feel as though she was on a sugar high lodged onto her face, and it took far too much thought to tone down her reaction. "Yeah, sure. Maybe. Jax, what are you doing here?"

"I forgot to mention last time I was here that the smoothie was off the charts." He thumbed to where Sidney stood at his side. "Sidney mentioned this was your place when I said something, and I thought it'd be a good excuse to come back and see you."

Her eyes went as wide as Sidney's. A few customers cast curious glances their way. What most didn't know was Jax didn't live in Iowa! He lived somewhere on the east coast, and she didn't know, because she lived in Iowa!

Seven crept closer to the counter. "You could have called." Nervously, she played with her tongue stud. "You do call."

He crossed his arms, and every muscle figured out how to display itself, even those hidden by a casual cotton shirt. The ridges of his shoulders and the definition of his chest magnified as he tried not to laugh, clamping down his chiseled jaw line. "It's infinitely more entertaining to see you figure out how to handle this in person."

He had no idea that he wasn't the only person finding entertainment value at the moment. The normal level of chitchat in The Perky Cup had lowered to the listening level of eavesdropping.

The phone rang, and Sidney groaned as he turned to answer it.

"Let's go back—"

"Seven, hang on a second," Sidney said and went back to his call. "Only if you're sure, because now is really not a good time." He paused. "Fine, then. But just so you know, I am not happy with you, Gennita."

Oh? Seven's eyebrows arched. "What's going on?"

"Gennita said her old man fell ill. Needs to go get him from the compound." Sidney grumbled under his breath. "She swore up and down he's really sick and it's an emergency. Adelia has the kids for a few, but she has to go to work."

"Not a problem." Gennita grandmothered the hell out of Nolan and Bianca. There wasn't a chance she would push the kids back on Seven at work if her old man was drunk or hungover. "But it looks like you get to cover for me after all." She turned to Jax and had no idea how to handle this. "Come back to my office for a minute?"

He nodded then followed, and Seven shut the door, suddenly very aware that he was next to the threshold, almost pressed against her.

"Maybe I should've called."

The masculine scent of his cologne and the closeness of his body heat made her breaths feel shallow. "You're in Iowa."

"When you say it like that…" He winked. "Maybe a text first."

"That's nuts. You know that?"

"We were done with a job. I was in Dallas-Fort Worth and could go anywhere."

"Iowa."

He chuckled. "You want me to get back in a Lyft and go?"

Seven shook her head. "Not really."

"I have to go back to work tomorrow night, and don't read that the wrong way. I didn't fly in to fuck you."

She blinked, having no idea how to take that.

"But I had some time on my hands. Thought I'd stop by."

"Iowa."

Jax put his hand on her throat, tilting her head back with the strength of his fingers, and silenced her with his lips. Their firmness made her weak as her pulse pounded in her neck, and she moaned. His fingers flexed for a flash until Jax backed her to the wall and released his hold.

Seven gasped into his kiss, moaning for more when his hot tongue slid between her lips.

"I wanted to kiss you again," he whispered, letting his mouth feather against her cheek before he dropped to her neck and used his teeth.

"God, yes." Her nipples pricked as his words rumbled against her senses. She raked her nails up his back, and Jax left a searing trail of kisses to her collarbone. She pulled back. "Jax—wait."

"Yeah?"

She placed her hands on the carved muscles of his chest, flexing her fingers. He pulled her hands off, interlaced their fingers, and pinned them above her head. "I'm waiting."

"I have kids."

He ducked his head close. Him and her, away from the world, in a shadowed room of their faces, their warm breaths, heated from their kisses. "I should've called."

"All these real-life responsibilities. Kids. A business. A thing with my mom. Stuff like that."

He nodded. "You don't have to explain. I'll head out."

"No!" She didn't want him to go but didn't know what to do. "Is Ryder in town? Maybe…"

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

"I'd invite you over, but I get it. Kids. Those are scary little people to bachelor guys. Though it's not like I'd tell them who you are, not that you are something, or…" She cringed, not sure what that sounded like to him. "What I mean is that they are around a lot of my friends, many in Mayhem. They're used to friends who are male. Never mind." She laughed awkwardly, making the situation a thousand times more uncomfortable than it had to be.

Jax stepped back. "I didn't think this through. That's on me."

His words hit like a gut shot. Not that she wanted him to meet her kids, but damn, she didn't want him to run from who she really was, and he'd been told in no uncertain terms that she had kids. The guy had flown to Iowa and didn't think about it. He did just want to screw, and his other head had led him the entire way there. Why was she surprised—and hurt? "No worries."

But even as she tried to add sunshine into her fib, she heard it fall flat without her permission.

"What I'm trying to say is…" Jax walked back to the small couch in her office and took a seat. "Having an unknown—houseguest? Who's a guy. That's probably a big deal to throw at a woman with kids, and it was screwed up of me not to think it through." He pursed his lips together, having no idea what he was talking about. "That makes me a dick, and that wasn't what I was trying to do." He put his arm over the back of the couch. "I wanted to see you and say hey. I did, so I can bounce."

"Please don't." Seven crossed her office and joined him. "Hang out with us."

"I don't want to cause a problem."

She cackled. "Mayhem showing up at six in the morning and demanding I set a meeting with Titan Group is a problem. Though it's had its benefits," she teased. "If you're down for some serious mac and cheese and dino-chicken-nugget action and then crashing in the guest room, I'd love to hang."

A smile that she hadn't seen before lit his face. Maybe he hadn't expected to be served dino nuggets, or maybe he was amused to be relegated to the guest bedroom. She had no idea, but learning more about Jax was like unwrapping a present that had many complicated layers. When she least expected it, another gift showed up. There it was, and surprise! An unexpected bit of joy came her way.

"Do I get a good-night kiss and tucked in?" he joked.

"I can manage that." Seven stood up and held out her hand. "Hang with us for the night? At Casa de Kiddos?"

He grasped her hand, hoisting himself so their bodies touched. "Just know one thing."

"What's that?"

"Kids shouldn't scare a man away."

Wow… Even as every part of her flew into the air like a dusting of confectioner's sugar, she melted as he headed toward the door.

"Ready?"

How different his childhood had probably been, and for the millionth time, she recommitted to making sure Nolan and Bianca never had the experience she had in which her infamous father saw Seven as an imposition or an asset but never a kid.