Seek and Cherish: A small-town rockstar rom-com (Sanctuary Book 5)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Honey

My hand drifts from holding Jax’s to stroking his thigh, sliding higher every few moments. Allowing my desire for this man, to luxuriate in the feel of his strong thigh under my fingers, is so much better than thinking about Dell pinning me in that booth or dwelling on how it felt knowing I couldn’t get away from him.

It’s also better than thinking about what Jax has just promised me and how desperately I want to believe him. I want to believe him, but I don’t. Everyone lies. Everyone looks out for themselves in the end.

It’s why it was so easy to forgive him. I expect people to lie to me. But I want more from him now. I want to trust him, to be able to expect the truth from him.

I’m not sure where that’s coming from, but I definitely don’t like it.

It’s so much safer and easier to expect the worst from people.

Luckily, sex is an excellent distraction.

Maybe it’s not healthy, but it’s what’s working for me right now.

Jax looks down at my hand on his thigh. “How much higher are you planning on going?”

I wasn’t really paying attention to how close I was getting to the very impressive bulge in his jeans. “Am I distracting you from driving?”

He glances over at me, his gaze hot. “I mean, we are progressing to third base pretty fast.”

I pull my hand away. “Are you not okay with that? Shit? I didn’t even ask if you wanted my hand on you.”

He grabs my hand and puts it back on his thigh, right where it was before. “I will always want your hands on me.”

“I like the sound of that.” I like the feel of him and the way his lips turn up at the corners along with his eyes, his whole face smiling. Then I slide my hand up over the bulge and he stops smiling.

The car is still moving forward, his eyes focused on the road ahead, but the atmosphere has changed. I feel it over my entire body, like my skin is on fire and my hands are itching to feel his skin, to have him surround and consume me.

“Still okay?” I ask.

“Mm-hmm.”

I’m practically giddy with thoughts of all the ways I can drive him out of his mind. I pop the button on his jeans and he blows out a breath. “I’m not sure…”

“Want me to stop?”

He glances over at me, then back at the road, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. “God, no.”

He takes the turn and starts up his driveway as I slide my hand into his pants and grip his hard cock. It’s thick. So thick my fingers barely meet around it. I slide my hand up and cup the head.

Jaxon slams the brake and puts the car in park. “Holy shit, that feels good.”

“I guess it’s been a long time since you’ve had someone else’s hands on you?” Based on the gossip news I read, it’s been at least six months.

He lifts his head and looks at me. “Too long since I’ve had someone touch me who I want the way I want you.”

That makes me want to ask so many questions. Like, did he even really like his ex? And how long has it been since he’s wanted someone as much as he wants me?

I can’t remember ever wanting anyone as much as I want him.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, now isn’t the time for questions. I shove down his pants and boxer briefs just enough to get a look at him. It’s not enough. I want to see him fully nude.

I’ll have to wait for that, but I don’t have to wait to taste him. I lower my head to lick the rounded tip of him and… His phone rings.

He groans. “Shit. The PI said she’d call with an update. I have to answer.”

I sit up, not bothering to hide my disappointment, both that I don’t get to finish what I started, and that reality has interrupted our moment.

He pulls me to him and gives me a long, lingering kiss. “I’ll make it up to you. I swear.”

I settle back into my seat as he stuffs himself back into his pants and answers his phone.

He listens for several long minutes, says uh-huh a few times, and hangs up. He looks at me. “The private investigator is back on Dell’s tail. She swears she won’t lose him again.”

The memory of being trapped in that booth with him washes over me as fresh as it was in the moment, and I feel sick. Will I never be free of Dell? Will I have to keep paying for my mistakes forever?

“You said you have security. Can someone watch my sisters?” Now that I know Mac, I mean Jaxon, is a pop star, I have some idea of what he’s capable of and I feel no shame asking for his help when it comes to protecting my sisters.

I thought I knew Dell’s limits, but after watching him go after Jaxon the way he did, I don’t think I know at all what Dell’s capable of.

He takes my hand and squeezes. “Of course. Let’s get inside and I’ll make the arrangements.”

I nod and reach for the door handle, but he doesn’t let me go.

“You’re shaking,” he says.

“I’m okay. It’s just hitting me all at once. I’ve never thought of Dell as a truly dangerous person, but it’s occurring to me I don’t know him at all anymore.”

He lets go of my hand and nods. “Let’s get inside.”

Again, I reach for my door handle, but I must be moving slowly, because he’s suddenly outside the car and opening my door for me. I step out and he pulls me into his arms.

“Dell won’t get anywhere near you again.” He hugs me tight, his warm breath ruffling my hair.

It’s not a promise he can keep, but I don’t argue, because I want so badly to believe him. I feel safe in his arms and I want to believe this is real. “I’m okay. Let’s get that security set up for my sisters.”

He presses a kiss to the top of my head and releases me slowly. With his arm around my shoulders, we go inside and he settles me on the couch. I sit there for approximately ten minutes while he makes phone calls before I can’t stand it anymore and I get up and go back outside.

Barley seems to be fully recovered, but he can’t be with Begonia until he’s for sure, totally sterile, which is going to be at least another month. It’s still too early to know if Begonia is pregnant.

Jaxon added a fence down the middle of their playground, so they each still have climbing toys, but they aren’t happy about being separated.

Even now, they’re hanging by the fence, staring through it at each other lovingly. I let myself into Barley’s side of the play yard and he immediately trots over to see me.

I sink to the ground next to him and, as soon as I feel his coarse fur under my hands, they stop shaking.

“I’m okay,” I say gently. “Dell has always been more talk than action.”

Barley lets out a sympathetic maa-aa and nuzzles my cheek with his soft muzzle. The sweet gesture brings tears to my eyes and my chest goes tight.

“I’m okay,” I repeat, to keep from crying. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Of course it is.” Jaxon sits behind me and pulls me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. “I’ve got security on each of your sisters. They shouldn’t even know they’re there, but you might want to warn them about Dell.”

“No. Absolutely not.” The very thought makes my blood go cold. My sisters would never want anything to do with me if they knew about Dell and my past. “They can’t know about Dell.”

Jaxon doesn’t argue. “I’ve asked the security team to keep a low profile, but if your sisters do notice them, you can tell them they’re in the area for me.”

I twist to look at him. “You want them to know you’re in town? What about your aunt?”

He shrugs, but his expression is dark. “Everyone in that restaurant was filming. As soon as my aunt knows I’ve been in Roanoke, she’ll suspect I’ve been in town. Knowing her, she’ll even figure out I’m Bigfoot.”

I twist until I’m straddling his lap. “Thank you. I’ll try to keep your secret as long as I can.”

He kisses me. “Thank you.” Then he leans in again. I open to him immediately, wrapping my legs around his waist while I kiss him.

He slides his hands under my shirt, immediately going for my bra. I press myself against him, feeling his hardness at my center, and my body lights up with want. This is what I need to forget this day.

I fist his short hair and kiss him harder. He moans and kisses me right back as he unhooks my bra like it’s easy.

“Maa-aaa.”

I break away from him, breathing hard, to see Barley staring at us with his weird little eyes. “You’re right. It is rude of us to make out in front of you when you’re in an enforced celibacy.”

Barley head butts my elbow.

“Okay. We’ll take it inside.” Jaxon looks at me. “If you want to continue?”

“Oh, yes, please. We must continue.”

I hop off his lap and race toward the gate, because I don’t want to lose this glow and desire. I love sex, I do, but sometimes it can take me a while to get out of my head and in the mood.

I’m not missing the opportunity to take advantage of the mood right now.

Jaxon’s feet pound the ground behind me as I fumble with the gate, and he wraps himself around me to help me get it open.

Once we’re out, I start running again, laughing at the thought of getting ahead of him while he locks the gate, but he’s caught up to me in an instant. He scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder.

His bouncing shoulder is right in my gut as he runs, but I don’t care. I’ll endure any discomfort to get this man naked and inside me faster.

Once inside the house, he lowers me onto the couch in the front room and drops to his knees between my spread legs. He presses a kiss to my core over my pants and I sizzle like butter on a hot pan.

“Oh, my goddess,” I moan. “I need you inside me right now.”

He grins up at me. “This will all be over way too soon if I dive right in, darling. I’m planning to make this last as long as possible.”

His words turn up the heat and my core throbs. “I’m not sure I’ll survive.”

He straightens and pulls my shirt up and over my head. I help him by raising my arms, but I am one hundred percent at his mercy. I’m here for whatever this gorgeous man wants to do to me.