“You can miss one day of school, Hill.” Marissa shook her head at the kid. Why wasn’t he jumping at the chance to skip school? “You need your rest.”
Her doorbell rang, keeping him from any further argument. Marissa had called Lexi to tell her Hill wouldn’t be at school and the girl grilled her with question after question until she had the details of the previous night’s episode. Instead of pushing the girl away, Marissa decided to enlist her help. If anyone could convince Hill he needed to stay home and rest, it was Lexi.
“He’s in the living room. See if you can convince him he needs to take a day off.”
Lexi looked up at Marissa and gave her a smile so sweet Marissa wasn’t the least bit worried. She headed back up to her room to finish getting ready for work. She’d already run out to the grocery store earlier that morning to make sure she had enough food. She wasn’t used to having anyone else in her home so she didn’t keep her cupboards filled with anything more than soup and the ingredients she used in her baking.
At the store she’d tried to remember what her two older brothers had eaten growing up. If memory served, it was anything and everything. She’d grabbed chips, crackers, bread and lunchmeat and then had stocked up on juice and milk. Then she’d gone a little overboard and grabbed several frozen pizzas, as well as cans of chili and tons of fresh fruit. All the while a little voice in the back of her head kept whispering that she’d only invited him over for one night. To rest. Due to his burns.
But she couldn’t stop herself once she got started.
And she also knew she wasn’t about to let him go back to sleeping in her shop. A growing boy needed a real bed in a real home. She’d just have to figure out a way to broach it and convince him it was a good idea.
Jax would go ballistic.
She paused as she lifted a mascara wand to her eyelashes. Jax. Jax shouldn’t have a say in whom she let into her home. At the same time, she didn’t want to see that harsh disapproval in his eyes when he found out. She just wished she could get him to see Hill in the same light she did. It wasn’t that she pitied Hill. Quite the opposite. She was so proud of all he’d accomplished and wanted to help him as much as she could to ensure he’d be able to go even further.
Marissa shook off her thoughts and finished getting ready. When she returned to the living room she found Lexi, hands shoved on her hips, standing over Hill. Hill gave Marissa a pleading look. She shook her head in a “you’re on your own” gesture.
“There’s plenty of food in the kitchen. Help yourself. And take it easy.” She shouldered her purse. “Lexi.” She called the girl over to the front door. “I don’t need to remind you, he’s hurt. No hanky-panky. And you shouldn’t miss school. I just want you to talk him into staying put.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “How old are you? Hanky-panky.” She waved away the comment. “I have first period off and second period I’m just an office attendant. I’ll go in for the rest of my classes. Don’t worry.”
That was exactly what Marissa would do. Worry. But she couldn’t stay home and watch the two. And up to that point Hill hadn’t done anything that would make her think she couldn’t trust him. She wasn’t stupid, though. She locked away family heirlooms in her tiny safe.
And still she worried all the way to the shop. What would Marlie think? She’d probably tell her she was crazy, as would her brothers. Her dad, she bet anything he’d agree with her and do everything in his power to help the boy. If he had all the details. Which she hadn’t given him. He couldn’t side with her—or tell her she was way off base. She pushed it aside, though, and made a mental note to call her dad as soon as she had ten minutes to talk to him. Tell him what was what and get his opinion.
She parked her SUV at the back of the shop and was startled to see the charred Dumpster despite all the activity from the previous night. It had been pulled another hundred feet or so from her shop and had yellow plastic tape cordoning it off—not that she needed a reason not to go near it. She didn’t know, however, what she was supposed to do with her garbage in the meantime. Another note on her mental to-do checklist.
Once inside, luckily, the smell was a minimal. She’d worried it would be far worse with the fire so close. Even though she didn’t open for a few more hours, she opened the front door to let in fresh air. She went ahead and started the coffee on the off chance that customers might wander in early. She wasn’t worried about stock; she had plenty in the freezers.
With coffee brewing and a quick inventory of what she did have, Marissa went to work on a few batches of cupcakes. She squeezed out a lump of whipped cream frosting onto two of the last batch of Black Forest cupcakes when a throat cleared in the front and startled her. She hadn’t thought about the bell on the door not activating with it open already.
“I’ll be right there.” She scraped off the messy clump of frosting and tossed it into the trash as she rounded the steel table. She grabbed a wet towel on her way to the front and dabbed at her hands.
Marissa pulled up short when she found Jax leaning against the counter, his Stetson set down next to the register. He was dressed in his work clothes. Her heart beat an extra little thump. “Oh, hi.” She gave a quick shake of her head. “Good morning.” She frowned. “What are you…”
He straightened. “I just wanted to check on you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wanted to make sure Hill didn’t kill me in my sleep? Shouldn’t you have stopped by my house, then? If he had I wouldn’t be here.”
Jax sighed. “You think the worst of me.”
She snorted. “If the shoe fits…” She waved off anything he might say. “Can I get you some coffee? I just started a pot.” She didn’t wait for him to answer, but walked into the back and grabbed a large disposable cup. She filled it to the top and snagged four packets of sugar. She turned and handed them to Jax, not surprised to see he was standing inside her kitchen—right where she expected him.
“Four sugars?” His brows pulled down despite the slight curl of his lips.
“You had a long night, I’d guess. You’ll want a little extra oomph for today.” She patted him on the chest as she passed.
Despite the coffee, he was whip quick and caught her hand and held it in place. “Marissa.” He set down the coffee and scooped up her other hand, careful of the bruise. “About last night.”
She sighed if only to cover up her racing pulse. “No need to rehash.” Even if it was the best sex she’d had in God knows how long. She glanced up and all but fell into his gaze. The same intensity and desire held her captive. It hadn’t waned in the least. And it was intoxicating.
Before she knew what she was doing, Marissa leaned up on her tiptoes and settled her mouth onto Jax’s. He didn’t hesitate. He released her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her flush against him as she threaded her fingers into his hair. He tasted of longing and desire. Familiarity and promise. It was a heady, intoxicating rush.
Jax shifted until Marissa was up against the table, then sitting on the table. He wedged himself between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around him.
As his tongue danced with hers, he ground himself against her. It wasn’t enough, wasn’t close enough. Marissa needed more. Needed him against her. In her. She trailed her fingers from his hair and down his strong, sturdy back until they landed on his spectacular ass. She gave him a quick little squeeze, which he rewarded with a nip at her lower lip. Then his teeth trailed across her chin to nibble at her ear.
Hunger built intensely and Marissa would not wait any longer. She snaked her hands between them and unbuckled Jax’s belt and was working on his zipper when he pulled back. He paused her hands and glanced around the small baking area. “Here?”
She was breathing heavily. “Here. Or my sofa.” She slid off the table and kicked off her sneakers and proceeded to remove her jeans and panties. Her apron hung, shielding her from him, but the way his eyes danced, he remembered too well what lay beneath.
Jax gave another quick look around the baking area, then to Marissa. It took him mere seconds to unbutton and unzip his pants. Marissa didn’t wait for him to remove them completely. She walked over to him and touched his cheek, then his lips with the tips of her fingers. When she walked her fingers back to his nape it was all the encouragement he needed. Jax grabbed her to him. His kiss was gentle at first. Sweet and coaxing. His hands slid down and cupped her bare ass, kneaded it gently. At first. Then his ministrations increased. Urgency rallied and he held on to her to lift her up against him, coaxed her legs back around him. When he had her in his arms, he turned her to the large walk-in freezer door until her back rested against it.
He devoured her with his mouth. Kissed the very breath from her until she almost begged for mercy. Then his hand found her, found the wet and ready part that longed for him. He slipped one finger inside her. Pumped into her for a moment before he added a second, his thumb feverishly tracing back and forth across her swollen clit.
Marissa had to rip her mouth from his as the pressure inside her built. “God, Jax.” She bit down on his shoulder to stifle the cry that wanted to burst from her until she shuddered in his arms. Before the last shudder ripped through her, Jax shifted and plunged inside of her. He rocked his hips against her. She held on for dear life as the pressure built once again and crashed in satisfying wave after wave. “Jax…” the word slipped from her in a whisper.
Jax pumped harder and harder until he shuddered with his own completion.
He settled his forehead onto hers. “Marissa. Jesus.” His breath came out in spurts.
It was only then, with the chill from the freezer door on her bare ass, that reality sank in where she was and what she’d just done. Anyone, a customer or one of her employees, could have walked in on them. “Shit. Jax.” She pushed against his chest. “I left the front door wide open.”
Muscle after muscle tightened under her hands as Jax tensed. He backed away and let her feet touch the floor. He was yanking up his pants as he craned his neck to look to the front of the shop. “Looks clear.”
Marissa nodded and started to back away to the restroom, but she needed to grab her jeans and panties. As brazen as she was, there was no point in acting all coy now. She rounded the table and snatched up her clothes. “Be right back.” She turned her back to Jax and walked as calmly as she could to the restroom. Over her should, she called, “Why don’t you dump out that coffee and fix yourself a fresh cup.”
Jax’s eyes nearly popped from his skull as he watched Marissa’s naked ass strut away. His mind had been pretty much blown from the moment she laid the first kiss on him. He’d never expected a repeat of the night before. He’d worried she might have regrets. Hell, he worried over the fact that he didn’t have regrets. His worry was apparently unfounded.
Marissa was more than he expected—good and bad. Good because she made him feel…everything. He wanted more, didn’t think he’d get his fill of her. And he wanted it all, everything, when he was with her. He wanted things he didn’t think he’d want for a long time. That was bad, too. She made him want things he’d sworn to put off for a while. He always worried about being with anyone, truly being with them. His family had a dubious track record at best. His mother was a master manipulator and his father—as much as he loved the man, now—his father had been weak enough to sell his son for cash. His idea of family was skewed.
But so what if he wanted things. It didn’t mean he knew how to go about getting them. Not with Marissa. She was difficult to understand. She didn’t trust Jax. Not completely. She wouldn’t tell him what he wanted to know about Hill. She’d taken the boy home with her against his advice.
Jax righted his pants, then swiped a hand over his face. Warmth spread through his chest when he looked at the freezer door he’d just taken her against. Hell if he wasn’t getting hard again. The woman did things to him even while he was trying to catch his breath. He leaned his hands on the stainless steel table, bent his head and took several deep breaths.
The restroom door eased open. Jax lifted his gaze as she stepped out looking fresh. You’d never know he’d just ravaged her except for the telltale gleam in her eye and the way her left eyebrow crooked up slightly. She walked over to him and without a word bent her head and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek, then she snatched up his coffee, poured the cooled drink down the drain and refilled the cup.
Jax stood when she handed the cup back to him. He was about to ask her if she was free after work when someone called from the front of the shop.
Damned if she didn’t blow him a kiss and pat him on the ass when she walked past him. Jax took a moment to doctor his coffee—he needed those packets of sugar more than ever—and let some of his ardor dissipate before he went out to the front of the shop. The woman at the counter’s head came up when he exited the back sipping his coffee.
“Jax, um, Chief. How are you?” Joan Barkley’s cheeks turned several shades of red.
The coffee burned its way down his throat. “Good. You?”
She gave a quick polite nod but didn’t answer as her gaze surreptitiously slid to Marissa.
“Any more trouble at your store?” He snatched up his hat from the edge of the counter and tucked it up under his arm.
“No. None. Thanks for asking.” Joan tapped her fingers on the counter as Marissa finished filling the small box with cupcakes. After Marissa handed over the sweets, then wrapped up the transaction, Joan narrowed her eyes a moment then asked, “So, Jax, about that dinner you promised me, why don’t you stop by the store and we can see what we can work out.” She didn’t wait for Jax to respond but gave a quick finger wave and walked out of the shop without even looking back.
Marissa stood stiffly at the counter, not meeting Jax’s gaze.
“It’s not what you—”
“None of my business.” She grabbed a rag and started wiping down the counter where Joan had left fingerprints.
“I never told her we’d have dinner.”
Marissa held up her hand. “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
Jax’s gut dropped. She was pissed. She wouldn’t say it, but the stiffness in her shoulders and the rigid arch to her mouth was all the indication he needed. Damn Joan. He’d never given her the impression that he was the least bit interested. Would Marissa believe that? Maybe if he had more time to explain.
Jax slapped his hat on his head. He had to be in at work—he checked his watch—in less than fifteen minutes. He had a tux fitting for Callie’s wedding during his lunch break. He’d pushed it off as long as possible, but with the wedding so close, today was the last day he could get it taken care of and have the alterations done in time. After work would be too late. He was working a double today. “Can I come by after work? I get off at ten.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Hill is there and…” She shrugged.
“Then come by my house.” He looked over the counter until he found a pen and paper. He scribbled down his address and a quick, crude map—though having grown up in Oak Hollow, she’d surely know her way around as well as he did. “Here’s the address. I should be home no later than ten-fifteen.” He stood right in front of her, blocked her in next to one of the tables.
When she didn’t look up at him, he took hold of her free hand and kissed it. “I’d like to see you.”
Marissa sighed and raised her gaze up to his. “I’ll think about it.”
Jax leaned in. She didn’t shy away when he kissed her. “Ten-fifteen.”
“We’ll see.”