Finding Dandelion (Dearest #2) (34 page)

My other lovers fade away as Jax’s eyes pin me.

Linking my legs behind him, I press my heels into his back and bring him closer, his crowned tip surging just a little deeper.

I moan and wiggle beneath him, but he stills. Narrowing my eyes, I huff out a breath. “Are you deliberately trying to torture me?”

He laughs against my neck and then pulls out. Pulls out! I groan, and I sound loud and needy, but I don’t care. I’m about to toss him out of my bed when he rubs himself all along my wetness again, and I nearly lose my mind.

Finally, finally, he sinks into me.

I gasp, barely able to think as he stretches me to the brink.

“Oh, fuck,” he groans. “So tight. So good, babe.”

When our thighs meet and he’s fully seated and I think my eyes are going to roll back in my head, he stills, and I’m guessing it’s because he’s as turned on as I am. I’ve never come before from rocking out the missionary position, but holy hell, he feels amazing.

Sighing, he pulls back and gently returns, slow and steady, soft and gentle. It’s sweet for our first time together, but remembering his words downstairs, I pull his earlobe between my teeth and tug before I remind him, “Hard and fast.”

Jax gives me a devilish grin. “You are the perfect fucking girl.”

He pulls out languidly, dragging against my skin, and I’m about to beg for more, but then he slams into me. Both of us groan, and the room is awash in moans and grunts and the slapping of naked skin as he keeps a steady rhythm. I open my legs wider and tilt my hips to take him deeper. He nips my shoulder, and I press my mouth to his neck and taste his sweaty skin.

Rearing up on his knees, he yanks my legs toward him so my ass rests on his thighs. Looking down at where we join, he resumes the pace, and I feel myself chasing the high, reaching for the light at the end of the tunnel, the one I’ve never achieved with any man other than Jax.

Just when I think I can’t take it any more, the intensity of him filling me, he brings my legs up in front of me, folding me in half so that my thighs rest on his chest.

“Jax!” I scream at the new depth, my nails raking down his arms. He whispers into my ear, deliciously naughty words that make me shudder, setting fire to my skin.

My heart thrums wildly in my chest as our naked bodies meld together. I can feel myself coming apart, disintegrating underneath him, but then his hand trails slowly between my breasts, down my belly, across my hip, reaching down between us, brushing ever so gently on the only part of my body that now seems to exist.

Another soft brush of his finger, and I scream as I come. I writhe beneath him as he throbs inside of me, hot and thick, stretching into me as he finds his release.

He groans my name as we rock together. And nothing has ever felt as right as the two of us locked together like this.

For a while, we lie there, connected and panting and sweaty. When we can finally breathe again, he presses his forehead to mine and smiles.

“There’s one more thing you should know.” His voice is scratchy and deep. Post-sex Jax is even sexier with hair that goes every which way and skin that glistens along the ridges of his hard muscles. But really, that adorable smile on his face and the way he looks at me like I’m the center of his universe are what do me in.

I lick my lips, trying to focus on what he’s saying. “What’s that?”

“I think I’m in love with you.”

I arch up and kiss him, stopping to nibble on his lip. Then it’s my turn to smile. “It’s about time.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

– Dani –

Jax is quiet on the ride to the mall, but he wound his fingers through mine the moment we jumped in his SUV, and he’s been stroking my palm with his thumb for the last twenty minutes. And it’s driving me damn near insane with lust.

By the time we reach the parking lot, I have half a mind to jump him in his seat, but I don’t want to ruin his plans. He wants to hang out in all the places my mom and I enjoyed, so I’ve brought him to our number one spot. The Old Orchard Mall.

“Are you sure
this
is what you want to do today?” I ask skeptically as we mill about by the indoor fountain.

“Yup.” He tucks me under his arm and kisses my forehead. “But you need to narrate our trip. Tell me where you two went. What you loved. What made you guys laugh.”

Tears prick my eyes, and I blink them back. I’m not sure if they’re from the sudden rush of emotion I get from remembering my mom or how my heart fills with love for Jax, but I’m overwhelmed nonetheless.

We haven’t had sex since New Year’s Eve a week ago. But it hasn’t fazed him. He’s been nothing but amazing. Cleaning the house. Helping me go through my mom’s stuff. Calling Susan for recipes and attempting to make me dinner. And as hard as it’s been, I haven’t slept with him since. I wanted space. I wanted to give him the opportunity to back away from this if he had just gotten too caught up. Because people make mistakes. And I don’t want to be one of his. Nor him mine.

So each night I’ve slept nestled against him, and we talk until exhaustion overpowers us. And each morning I look into his eyes and wonder if he’ll view at me differently, maybe with regret or indecision. But he wakes with a grin on his face and my name on his lips. With his hands in my hair and his breath on my skin. Like he can’t get enough. Like he misses me even though we’re snuggled together under the covers. Well, like he loves me.

I sniffle, and he turns me in his arms. “Dandelion, I’m sorry. Maybe this is a bad idea.” He wipes an escaping tear as he holds my face. “I wanted to learn about your mom. To learn more about you. I love seeing you in your home so much, I thought if you showed me places you enjoyed growing up, I could—“

“Oh my God. Stop.” I place my lips on his for a soft kiss. More tears fall while I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his chest.

He strokes my hair, and we stand in the middle of the mall as people pass around us. I close my eyes and breathe him in.

“I love you too, Jax.” A part of me feels bad that I haven’t told him yet, but I wanted to make sure that he meant what he said the other night. That it hadn’t just slipped out because we were naked.

But now I know he means it, and I want him to know I’ve never loved another man more.

At first, I don’t think he hears me, but then he laughs, squeezing me tighter before he leans down and brushes his lips against mine. “Thank God.”

I giggle, and he kisses me deeper before some guy barks, “Get a room!”

We pull away from each other and laugh, and I dare say Jax’s cheeks look flushed.

“Are you blushing, Jax Avery?” I ask as I tuck my arm through his.

“Nah. It’s hot in here. I’m wearing layers.” He keeps his eyes trained straight ahead, but his lips curl up.

“Hmm. I’m going to call bullshit. I think you blushed.”

“Men don’t blush, babe.”

“You’ll forgive me if I have to test that theory.” I lead him around a pack of sorority girls who stare at my boyfriend like he’s a steak and they’ve been on a steady diet of twigs and berries. The best part? He never glances their way. Ha! #BiteMeBitches

“Be my guest, Dandelion.”

I grin to myself as I spot the store I need because I’m going to need some good ammunition to make this boy blush. I pull Jax to a stop and turn him toward the mecca of sugary goodness.

“I need to do a little shopping, sweetie pie.”  I peck him on the cheek. “So while I make a quick stop, you need to stand in that line over there and get us two caramel Pecanbons, which were my mom’s favorite.”

“Cinnabon, huh? I like this plan.”

“I like you.” I lean up to kiss him.

“No, you love me.” He’s joking, but there’s something in his eyes that completely melts me.

Grinning, I pull away. “I do. And I plan to show you just how much.”

He tries to grab me, but I dart away, laughing. Tonight is going to be epic.

* * *

Peeking around the corner, I see Jax sprawled on the couch, watching a basketball game. The room is dark, illuminated only by the flickering light from the TV.

I know he must be tired. After our trip to the mall, he shoveled the remaining snow out of the driveway and trimmed several branches in the backyard that looked like they might collapse on the porch. Then, right before we sat down for dinner, I found a present on the kitchen counter. All it said was “To Dandelion” in Jax’s blocky handwriting. Beneath the pale pink wrapping paper, I found a new leather journal.

When I glanced up, I found Jax watching me. “I didn’t mean to look in your journal. I’m sorry I had it all this time.”

My heart beat in a crazy rhythm as we stared at each other, but then Susan knocked on the front door, so all I did was give him a quick hug to say thanks.

But now we’re alone. And now I can’t wait to show him
his
present.

Jax just took a shower, and his damp hair is going every which way. I can’t help but think of the one we took together at his apartment. How he let me cry on his shoulder. How he held me and whispered soothing words to calm me down before he sank to his knees and placed his mouth on me.

The memory makes my heart race. As I stare at him, the longing in my chest becomes almost unbearable. I tiptoe farther into the living room, and he looks up. His eyes widen as he takes in the fact that I’m only wearing a t-shirt.

“Jax, do you like lingerie?”

He clears his throat. “Babe, I’m a guy. All guys love that stuff. But you don’t need lingerie. You’re rocking out the t-shirt just fine.”

I frown. “Oh, well, then maybe I didn’t need to get this.” I pull off my shirt, and Jax sucks in a breath.

The lacy black baby doll barely comes to the top of my thighs. The room is cold, and my nipples tighten, and I know he can see the silver hoops beneath the thin fabric. My fingers toy with the hot pink bow between my breasts as I wait for him to say something. When he doesn’t, I chew my bottom lip. The back! He needs to see the back!

I twirl around and then bend over slightly so he can see the frilly panties. Glancing at him over my shoulder, I put on a pout. “So… You’d rather I wear the t-shirt?”

“Get over here.”

Laughing, I shake my head. “I don’t know. As I recall, you’ve kept me waiting a time or two.” I rest my hand on my hip as though I really mean to scold him.

“Right the fuck now, Danielle.”

Before I can come up with a witty reply, he reaches out and yanks me onto his lap so that I’m straddling him. He leans up to kiss me, but I pull away. “Impatient, are we?”

 “Babe, you’re asking for it.” A growl escapes his lips.  “I’m going to fuck you six ways from Sunday if you’re not careful.”

I had intended to use this moment to prove my theory that guys can blush. Instead, my breath shallows, and my body feels feverish from the way he’s looking at me. I press my hips down and grind against the hardness beneath me. “Promise?”

His devilish grin makes me throb harder. “Boy Scout’s honor.”

I smack his shoulder. “You were never a Boy Scout.”

He laughs and pulls me closer. “Wanna bet?”

Jax dips his head to my chest. Before I can blink, one hand is fisting my hair and the other is plumping my breast into his mouth. But what kills me, what sets me on fire, is how he keeps his eyes trained on mine.

 His tongue flicks at the metal hoop through the fabric of my nighty as my hands grip his biceps.

When I can’t take it any longer, I tug on his t-shirt, which he whips off before he reaches for the hem of my top.  He flings it off me, and I reach down to unbuckle his jeans. My fingers tremble as they unsnap the button, and I’m surprised when his big hands wrap around my wrists to still me.

“Baby, as much as I want this, we don’t have to. If you want more time, if this is too much, we can wait.” He closes his eyes, and I’m struck by how his whole body is taut, like it’s taking everything in him to stop our momentum. “I shouldn’t have pushed you the other night. I’m sorry. I got carried away, and—“

I answer him with a kiss as I push him down on the couch and press my body along the length of his. “I’m ready.” I run my tongue along the seam of his lips. “I love you. I want this. Just as much as you do.”

“I love you too, babe.” He groans as our mouths fit together, and he fists my hair again. I reach down between us and stroke him over his jeans as I suck his tongue to the same rhythm. And just like that, we’re feverish to get the rest of our clothes off. He tugs down his pants, and I kick off my undies until there’s nothing between us.

Tilting my head, I let my long hair tumble to the side. His name falls from my lips as I widen my thighs and press myself down until he is wedged perfectly against the apex of my thighs. I rub against him slowly. We stare down where our bodies meet, and the sight makes me grind down harder.

His fingers grip my hip to still my motion before he reaches over and pulls a condom from his jeans. Once it’s on, I angle him toward me.