“I hate leaving her,” I tell him truthfully.
His face moves to hover over me and his eyes search mine. I see something there that gives me pause and makes me feel warm all over. “You can have a night, baby. We’ll pick her up early tomorrow morning.”
“Over night?” I whisper, feeling my heart begin to pound against my ribs.
“Over night, but remember we’re taking this slow. It’s a date then hanging out with friends, and maybe some snuggling if you’re nice to me,” he says with a peck.
Pressing my lips together to keep from smiling, I mutter, “If they don’t mind watching her, then okay.” I wrap my legs around his waist while moving my hands over the skin of his back. “But the snuggling is negotiable.”
Smiling, he rocks against me, causing his length to rub against me through the material of my pants and a moan to climb up my throat.
Smirking, he murmurs, “I’ll convince you to cuddle.”
“Maybe,” I whisper, finally giving in to my smile.
His face goes soft and his hands frame my face while his eyes move over my hair, eyes, and then mouth. “I like seeing you like this,” he says as he kisses my lips then moves his mouth down my chin to my neck. His hands move, cupping my breasts, making my knees weak and my core tighten.
“I have to get ready for work,” I moan in both frustration and relief. I don’t know if I’m ready to open myself up to him, especially when he doesn’t know everything. I don’t think there is any way for me to hide the fact I’m a virgin, and once he knows that, he’s going to know about Hope. I need to tell him, but I’m so scared.
Knifing off me, he pulls me up to stand, asking, “What time do you get off tonight?” as his hands smooth down my hair and his eyes search my face.
“We close the shop at seven. Is that too late to have dinner?”
“No, and just let me know when you can get lunch, and I’ll bring Hope by so we can spend some time with her, since we won’t see her until tomorrow.”
“I would love that,” I say quietly through the tears lodged in my throat.
“Go get ready, and I’ll drop you off at work then just pick you up at seven.”
“Please…?” I prompt, narrowing my eyes.
“I don’t mind staying here and using your body as entertainment for the rest of the day,” he says with a shrug, while his eyes sweep over me once more, causing my nipples to harden and the place his fingers just were to contract.
“I…I’m gonna go get…get ready,” I stutter out then take off up the stairs, listening to his laughter follow me as I shut the door for the bathroom behind me and lean back against it, breathing heavily. I’m so far over my head it’s not even funny.
*
“That was Jax Mayson,” Kim whispers to me as I set my bag down on my station. “He just kissed you.” She blinks at me then looks at the door Jax just left out of. Biting my lip, I nod, because I can’t exactly lie. Jax insisted on walking me into the salon, and when I tried to give him a casual goodbye, he grabbed onto the back of my jeans and hauled me against him so he could kiss me in a way that let everyone know we were more than friends. “I thought he’s with Mellissa.”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as annoyance washes over me. I don’t even think I’m jealous about the whole Mellissa thing really. I’m annoyed she thinks she has some claim over him, when he has made it clear she doesn’t. “He’s not. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I know what Jax has told me, and I believe him.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it,” she says, wrapping her hand around my arm. “I don’t know him; I just know of him, because I’ve seen him around and she tells everyone they’re together.”