Saving Ella (36 page)

             
“I’m not carrying that,” I balked. Ella took it from Rebecca.

             
“What, this plant unmans you?” Rebecca giggled.

             
“The cactus has nothing on Jax,” Ella hiccupped from beside me and I grinned at my girl’s sharp defense at my honor.

             
“No bragging about the fact you’re getting laid and I’m not,” Rebecca pouted.

             
“Right, I’ve once again heard more than I needed too. Goodnight Rebecca.” I got the girls into my truck and dropped Annie home where Eli was tucked into his warm bed and Charlie was uncomfortably sprawled on the couch snoring like a trooper. Ella didn’t stop talking the entire way home. Apparently she was far too fascinated with her girl’s night to even contemplate sleeping. Seems she fancied herself quite the matchmaker and was planning on coercing Dillon and Annie into some sort of relationship as well as Rebecca and Charlie.

             
“I got the impression Charlie and Rebecca already had something going?” I asked as I waited for the garage door to draw open. The lights were on inside, which meant Dillon was still up.

             
“He’s your best friend, how can you not know these things?” She asked indignantly.

             
“It’s all part of the guy code angel. We don’t talk about our feelings or relationships, unless it’s to brag, and apparently Charlie doesn’t want to brag about Rebecca which I guess means she was unbragworthy, or he actually likes her.” Ella looked a little horrified.

             
“Did you brag about me?”

             
I grinned and winked at her as I pulled her into my arms from the front seat of my pickup. “Not in the way you think. I like like you remember? So bragging is all above board and completely sex free.” She bit down on her lip considering that for a moment.

             
“But am I bragworthy, you know, if you didn’t like like me?” She asked.

             
I pulled her close and kissed her senseless. “Angel, you are so bragworthy it almost drives me crazy that I can’t bring myself to share every damn sordid detail.”

             
She smiled as I pushed open the door from the garage to the house.

             
“Well apparently Charlie and Rebecca had one A-mazing night, but then the ass, and by ass I mean Charlie went and took Caitlyn Cooke out for dinner two nights later. I think Rebecca was pretty hurt and jealous, so things didn’t go any further. But I’ve seen the way Charlie looks at her and he is completely into her. So what gives?” The irritation in her expression made me laugh.

             
“Caitlyn Cooke is a client who wants some renovations done. Charlie isn’t interested in her at all, in fact, I’m pretty sure Caitlyn has a girlfriend.”

             
“Really?” Ella gasped. I nodded as I strode into the kitchen with Ella in my arms. Dillon looked up from the table.

             
“It’s always a good sign when you have to be carried in from a girl’s night out,” he laughed.

             
“Dillon, how do you feel about children?” Ella started. Poor Dillon, he was in for it now. He looked at me confused and I shrugged as I deposited Ella on the kitchen bench by the fridge and quickly poured her a tall glass of water.

             
“They serve their purpose,” he joked. “Are you asking me to help you produce one? Because I am pretty sure Sarge there knows all the basics, but if he’s not getting it right I will give him a talking to.” Ella blushed and quickly drank down the entire glass of water.

             
“No, sarge has it covered. But Annie has a little boy, Eli, he’s six.” Dillon stretched back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head with an amused look on his face.

             
“Sure, I remember him, cute kid totally into Transformers. And?” He urged Ella on to whatever she was hopefully getting to sometime soon.

             
“Just wondering what you thought of them, Annie and Eli.” Dillon nodded and looked at me with a knowing smile.

             
“Annie’s pretty and she’s a good mother, Eli is a breath of fresh air.” Ella beamed, seemingly satisfied with herself. Then her mood suddenly changed. Not sad, or angry, but pensive.

             
“Was my mother cremated or buried?” Dillon’s smile became sincere.

             
“She was buried, in the same cemetery as your father though not together.” Ella nodded.

             
“It’s been a long time since I was there. Maybe one day I will go back and visit.” Her words were not filled with sorrow but quiet deliberation. She smiled at me. “I don’t mean to be a buzz kill, let’s go upstairs and practice making babies.”

             
“Right, bed!” I scooped her off the bench with enthusiasm and made for the stairs as Dillon coughed from behind us, hiding his laughter.

             
“What the fuck is this?” Dillon had finally noticed the cactus.

             
“Oh, that’s my penis cacti. It needs warmth so maybe it should go by the fireplace. Oh, and not much water! It usually lives in the desert,” Ella called out over my shoulder as I made my way up to the loft. I caught Dillon’s astonished look as he took in the unusually shaped cactus before he shook his head and turned away.

             
I lowered Ella to the floor of the bathroom and started up the shower. I helped her undress then held her hand as she stepped into the stall.

             
“You should join me,” she said seductively and I hesitated. I knew if I did one thing for sure would happen, but she had been drinking and it would feel as though I would be taking advantage of her if I allowed it.

             
“Jax,” she sang my name. “If you don’t get in here with me, I will have to take care of things myself. After all the sex talk tonight I’m feeling a little, hot.” She looked so cute leaning against the wall of the shower her hands rubbing lazy circles over her stomach and slowly moving higher. I couldn’t refuse her. I stripped like my life depended on it and joined her in the large double shower. “Why do you have a double shower stall?” She asked as I began soaping up a washer.

             
“Have you seen the size of me?”

             
“You don’t need two shower heads though.” I could tell she was irritated, her mood tonight swinging so quickly from one extreme to another, obviously brought on by the alcohol.

             
I washed her back then leant over and whispered in her ear.

             
“Baby, you are the only woman who has ever stepped foot in this shower. I had two shower heads installed because I was waiting to find you and bring you home with me, so we could do this.” My hands lathered the soap against her stomach and eventually found her perfect breasts.

             
“Really?” She breathed, enjoying the soft massage as much as I was.

             
“I promise you.” She turned in my arms and began washing my chest and arms, finally her hands slid down my abdomen and brushed my quickly growing dick.

             
“I love your body,” she sighed. I leant forward and kissed her neck, licking the water that ran in rivulets down her front.

             
“Are you just using me for my body?” I laughed at her as she gripped my dick harder and began to stroke. I groaned.

             
“No, I really do love this shower too, especially knowing I’m the only woman that’s been in it,” she teased. My hands lowered and slipped into her core, which was wet and hot. Her body responded to my touch and I absorbed her moan with a kiss. I had quickly past the point of no return as I carefully lifted her, resting her back against the wall and gently lowered her onto me. We both groaned at the sensation, of me filling her and her walls squeezing me, it was perfect. With demanding strokes I began to pump into her body before abruptly realizing my mistake, I forgot the condom. I slowed, trying desperately to get control.

             
“Fuck angel, I need to grab a condom.” Her eyes, glazed with desire locked onto mine.

             
“I had Rebecca take me to her doctor last week in our lunch break, I’m on the pill and I’ve had health checks over the years, I’m safe.” Her grin was breathtaking. “It was meant to be a surprise, so I guess this is it, surprise.” As I absorbed her words her smile fell. “Unless you don’t want to, we can stop.” I thrust forwards into her leisurely and grinned.

             
“Not a chance. I have yearly checkups along with all the staff at Mercy’s, and I’ve never gone without a condom, I’m as STD free as a boy scout. And we’ll talk later about you leaving Bouquets to go to the doctor.” She smiled again as my pace quickened. I kissed her passionately, fiercely, appreciating the feel of a woman without the barrier of a condom for the first time ever. I was glad it was with Ella. It was a perfect representation of the trust and love we felt for each other. When I felt Ella tense and shudder with her orgasm, whispering my name into my ear, my body could do nothing but willingly join her.

             
“I love you Jaxon James Carter,” she breathed. I chuckled.

             
“You’ve been talking to my mother,” I growled playfully, kissing and nipping the sensitive spot under her ear.

             
“Uh-huh, I know all your secrets now,” she shivered and that was the truth. Over the last few weeks we had talked about war, Sarah, the little I knew about my father. Ella knew everything about me, more than any other person could ever claim and I knew everything there was to know about her. It was almost as if our love for each other washed away the bullshit and left nothing but perfection. Ella owned me, my heart, my soul and all my secrets. I lowered her carefully to the floor as the water was quickly growing cold. Once we were tucked under the thick warm blankets of my bed, I pulled her back against my chest.

             
“I love you Ella Mai Munroe.” I kissed her cheek and felt her smile, before sinking into a deep sleep.

              When I woke it felt as though my head might actually split in two, and my stomach protested severely at the slightest movement. Once again Rebecca had cast my body into a nightmare of a hangover. I silently cursed my boss as I hung my head over the side of the bed trying to find some release from my pounding frontal lobe. Jax chuckled as he climbed the stairs to the bedroom.

             
“Good afternoon,” he said.

             
“Must you be so loud,” I groaned. His laughter felt like a hammer on my skull. I looked up and took him in. Damn he was sexy. Faded blue jeans, white shirt, his blonde hair had that messy look that only fingers can create. He crouched down before me with a glass of water and two pills. I graciously took them and allowed my head to hang back over the bed. Jax carefully rubbed my neck.

             
“Afternoon?” I mumbled

             
“It is. You slept all day. I had to check your pulse twice just to make sure you were alive. Can I get you anything else?” He whispered and it still made my head pound. I groaned loudly.

             
“Can you kill Rebecca for me? This is the second time I have woken feeling like this because of her.” Jax tilted his head in thought.

             
“When was the last time?”

             
“The night after the tree lighting ceremony,” I grumbled. Jax forced me to roll onto my back as he sat down beside me. His eyes carried the weight of regret as he gazed down at me.

             
“I’m sor….” I quickly placed my hand over his mouth.             

             
“That’s done Jax. We’re here now, that’s all that matters.” Jax’s hand roamed unhurriedly over my naked body.

             
“Couldn’t even get me into pajamas huh?” I joked. He smiled, his dimples lighting his face with the boyish charm I adored.

             
“I have a new rule. No clothes allowed in this bed.” I eyed his state of dress and he laughed.

             
“I have to go to the shelter for a bit. Mercy wants me to pick up some supplies and drop them off. Dillon is in the study, he wants me to bring back some groceries, he’s craving pancakes.”

             
“Mmmmm, pancakes.” It seemed to be the only thing my stomach was willing to tolerate. Jax kissed me but before he could draw away I pulled him closer and took the kiss deeper. He groaned loudly when we finally parted.

             
“Fuck angel, I’m going to be walking around Claymont with a hard-on now.” He laughed.