Fighter

“Hi.” Jax bent low, keeping his head beneath the crush of people as they streamed past us for the exits.

I grinned at him. “Nice punch.”

He shrugged. “He pissed me off. I hope it wasn’t too soon, though?”

“Hold on.” I stood up just enough to see my brothers peering all around. “I’m not sure.” Then I saw her. Haley was doing her best to sneak out with the crowd, and that was the very last signal. I tugged at Jax’s arm. “She’s there. We have to hurry.”

As Haley went past Dylan, Jax and I headed out the other way. I heard a shout over the noise of the crowd, and just before we slipped through the exit door, I stood up and looked back.

Dylan had spotted Haley. He lifted his radio to his mouth, and as one, all my brothers converged. In the next second, Dylan lunged in the air and tackled Haley the yellow jacket, slamming her into the palm tree. It went sideways as both of them fell to the floor. A bunch of condoms rained over them from the tree, and as Dylan reared up to tear off the mascot’s head, a green condom fell into his hair. His eyes went wide when he saw it was Haley beneath him, and she smiled, reaching up to pluck the condom off his head. She held it up to him, as if offering a gift.

Jax yanked my wrist and pulled me from the doorway. My brother David ran past me, but it didn’t matter. The crowd was our camouflage for the rest of the way, and instead of taking Jax’s truck, I pulled out the keys to Haley’s car. It wasn’t long before we drove right past his truck, where two of my brothers were positioned, and out onto the road to drive away.

Jax sighed. “That was awesome.”

I nodded, feeling a grin on my face. I had to admit, it was.

Chapter Seven

After the fight, Jax informed me he wanted to shower, and to be honest, that was fine because I needed time alone to regroup. The whole night had been one long adrenaline ride, and I was exhausted—though I was still debating whether to fall asleep or jump him and have wild, crazy sex.

When we got to my family’s cabin, I was still caught between those two possibilities, so I grabbed a box of wine and headed for the screened-in patio. I was on my second glass when I heard the shower cut off and footsteps leaving the bathroom a moment later.

I held my breath. He was coming my way. Waiting…no, he went into the bedroom. At that image, a whole new fevered rush surged through me: Jax. Bed. Wet. Dripping.

My hand clenched around the wineglass, and I dumped the rest of its contents down my throat. As I leaned forward to fill it right back up again, I reached for the fan on the wall with my other hand. I was hot and bothered. The fan started up on the lowest setting, but that wouldn’t do. I switched that thing so it was blowing on high and right in my face.

Then I felt him.

I sat in one of the leather chairs. The doorway was right behind my shoulder, and he didn’t say anything. But damn, I could feel his presence.

My blood pumped faster. I needed another fan. I realized I was squeezing my wineglass and forced myself to loosen my grip. I didn’t need shattered glass stuck in my hand. Then he’d have to hold it, help me clean the wound, peer close, breathe on it—I sat up straighter in my seat. Stop thinking, Dale!

I finally looked up. Yep. He was staring right down at me. I expected a knowing, cocky look, but instead there was something serious in his eyes. He could see right into me.

Fuck. I didn’t need that. My loins were already on fire, and that just dumped kerosene on them. My mind began to turn off. I felt myself standing, pushing out of the chair…

Then he said, “Box wine, huh?”

“Yeah.” I slumped back down, hoping I’d passed it off as just shifting positions. That word came out like a raspy, garbled moan.

He tossed something in my lap, and I looked down to see a small box wrapped in newspaper with a red ribbon around it. “What’s this?”

He moved to sit in the other leather chair. “Something I left here last summer.”

Last summer? “You mean…” The night I ended things with him. That night?

He burst into an abrupt laugh. “Yep. That night. It was an early birthday present, but everything went to shit, and I forgot it. But now, with all you’re doing to help me and in the Christmas spirit…” He lifted a shoulder in a shrug, but looked out toward the lake. “Merry Christmas, Doily.”

Shock rendered me speechless for a moment. He’d remembered my birthday. Two months ahead, too. “I’m sorry, Jax.”

He waved me off. “Trust me, it’s fine. I was an ass most of the time, and I was being one that night too. When you tossed me, that might’ve been the best thing that could’ve happened. Losing you was a wake-up call. You ripped my heart out, but thank you for that. I mean it.”