8. Rowan
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rowan
When Jinx and Thomas step through the door, my eyes widen at the sheer volume of items they’re lugging. Then, I notice it—movement.
Something sinuous glides within one of the transparent enclosures, and it dawns on me that Jinx hasn’t just brought a suitcase along. She’s arrived with an entire reptile exhibit in tow.
“What the hell?” I exclaim with a bark of a laugh, my gaze glued to the collection of tanks, heat lamps, and—is that a snake coiled around her wrist?
The serpent’s glossy scales shine under the dim light, wrapping around her arm like an exotic bracelet.
Thomas’s face is ashen, his hands gripping a plastic bin held at arm’s length as though it might bite. “Jinx. I’m begging you. Just tell me this thing doesn’t have a snake in it,” he pleads, his voice tinged with desperation.
Jinx bites her lip, a naughty look in her eye. “Nah, that’s just the tarantula,” she replies casually.
Thomas lets out a high-pitched yelp and nearly fumbles the bin, but Jinx darts forward, effortlessly securing it before it crashes to the ground. I double over, laughter spilling out until my sides ache.
Bruno appears from the hallway, his brows furrowed in confusion. “What the fuck is going on?” he demands, his eyes zeroing in on Jinx’s arm, where the massive ball python—who Jinx introduces as Lilith—lazily drapes itself.
He mutters something in Slovak. “This is impractical,” he continues in English again, watching Jinx stride confidently past him to set up in the spare office.
“What? You told me to bring them all.” She flashes a wide grin. “You’ll learn to love them,” she assures, unfazed by Bruno’s dour demeanor.
I chuckle, shaking my head in amusement. Jinx navigates Bruno’s brooding like a pro, treating him more like a grumpy old man than a towering six-foot-two, elite-level goalie.
Having her here might just be good for us…
Once all her critters are settled in the spare office we cleared out for her—tanks lined with heat lamps and a chorus of crickets chirping—the four of us gather in the open kitchen/living area.
Bruno still grumbles under his breath as Jinx happily unpacks groceries, placing bags of vegetables and spices onto the counter.
I lean back in my seat, a smile stretched wide across my lips. She’s completely at ease here, as if she’s been living with us forever.
The way she bounces around the kitchen, her hair bobbing with each step, giving orders like a tiny, punk-rock general, is actually kind of adorable.
“Alright, muscleheads,” she says, handing Bruno and Thomas knives and a cutting board with a playful flourish. “You’re on veggie duty.”
Thomas lets out a theatrical groan, his shoulders slumping in exaggerated despair. “Why are we the ones chopping?”
“Because I don’t trust you to season the chicken properly,” Jinx quips, already expertly slicing three chicken breasts, her knife gliding with precision.
I watch them navigate the kitchen, their banter filled with teasing and laughter, echoing off the walls. The whole scene reminds me of home, of my mom and sister bustling about during the holidays, the kitchen always alive with warmth and the smell of roasting spices.
I haven’t seen them in a while. And maybe I should.
I shake that thought away, focusing back on Jinx as she hums a familiar tune to herself, effortlessly moving around our kitchen as if it was always her domain.
I must be staring too long, because her eyes flicker toward me, catching my gaze. “What?” she asks, her voice curious but firm.
I hesitate, chewing on the inside of my cheek before finally asking, “Do you really think I’ll recover?”
She pauses, carefully sliding the casserole dish into the preheated oven, the aroma of cheese and spices wafting through the kitchen. Turning back to me, she places her hands on her hips, her expression thoughtful.
“That depends,” she replies, eyes locked onto mine. “Are you actually going to try?”
I let out a deep groan, allowing my head to slump back against the plush cushions of the couch. “I don’t know,” I admit, frustration lacing my words. “I just… I don’t feel like myself. I don’t know if I want to try.”
Jinx sighs and walks over to me, arms crossed over her chest. “Fine,” she says with a decisive nod. “Then I’ll bribe you.”
I arch an eyebrow, intrigued. “Bribe me how?”
A sly, toothy grin on her lips. “Every time you complete a set of exercises, you get a kiss.”
Bruno, lounging in the armchair nearby, lets out a derisive snort. “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
Thomas whistles, low and teasing, from where he leans casually against the doorframe. “Damn, Jinx. You know exactly how to motivate a man.”
I can’t help but grin at her, feeling a spark of hope. “You serious?”
She gives a nonchalant shrug, but her eyes twinkle with mischief. “You gonna test me?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I nod. “Hell yeah.”
She kneels beside me, guiding me gently through the first exercise. Her hands demonstrate slow, precise ankle rotations to help loosen up my stiff leg.
I follow her lead, focusing on each movement, and when the set is complete, she leans in to press a lingering kiss on my lips.
Fireworks burst through my senses, but before I can deepen the kiss, she pulls back, her eyes dancing with amusement. “Good boy.”
I groan, a mix of exasperation and delight. “That’s evil.”
Her grin broadens as she stands. “Do the next one, Davis.”
Laughing, I dive into the next exercise, determination surging through me. If this is how physical therapy is going to go, I might recover faster than anyone expected.
Jinx stretches her arms high above her head, her muscles lengthening as she lets out a satisfied sigh that fills the room.
“Alright, patient,” she says as she pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “You survived another round of physical therapy. At this rate, I expect a full recovery in record time.”
I grin back, testing my leg by bending and straightening it. It’s sore, a dull ache throbbing in my muscles, but definitely better than before. “If this is how rehab goes, I might start faking injuries just to hang out here.”
Bruno snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. “No one’s got time to babysit your fragile ass,” he retorts, rolling his eyes.
“I dunno, man,” Thomas chimes in. “I think Jinx is onto something with the reward system she’s got going.”
Jinx rolls her eyes, but a smile tugs at her lips. “Yeah, yeah. You’re all so mistreated, aren’t you?”
I look around at the guys, their faces lit with amusement, and then turn my gaze back to her, an idea beginning to take shape in my mind.
“You know, Jinx, you’ve been working really hard, making sure I don’t end up limping off to some remote Montana wilderness. Keeping us fed with your culinary experiments. Wrangling your army of reptiles that share this space with us.”
She arches an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Your point?”
I break into a grin, my eyes sparkling with mischief. “I think you deserve to be thanked properly.”
Thomas is already stretching his arms, fingers interlocking as he cracks his knuckles with a loud pop. “Damn right you do.”
Before she has a chance to protest, I reach down, wrapping my hands around her foot and begin kneading it, my thumbs pressing firmly into the arch. She lets out a little moan, her body sinking back into the couch as if dissolving into the cushions.
With a bratty cloying in her voice, she mutters, “ Fine. You can stay.”
Thomas moves in behind her, his hands finding her shoulders and rubbing circles into her tense muscles. “Relax,” he murmurs, his voice low and soothing.
I watch as Jinx melts under our touch, her eyes fluttering closed. Tender sighs and contented moans escape her lips.
“You deserve to be thanked for all your hard work,” I whisper in her ear, kissing down her neck.
“Oh my god,” Jinx mumbles. “You hockey boys have magic hands.”
I chuckle, continuing to work on her feet, feeling the tension release under my fingers. “Years of stick handling,” I say with a wink she doesn’t see.
“Don’t ruin it,” she warns.
“Your muscles are like concrete,” Thomas mutters, pressing into a knot that makes Jinx gasp. “You need to stretch more.”
“Thanks, Coach,” she teases with a playful lilt, her melodious voice hinting at mischief even as the radiant smile on her angelic lips reveals her sheer delight.
It’s unmistakable, the way she revels in our attentions, in our hands trailing lovingly over every contour of her body. Our gentle caresses transform gradually from a soothing massage into a fervent exploration of intimacy.
Thomas’s hands, full of controlled passion, journey from her delicate shoulders down to her inviting breasts, expertly maneuvering beneath the airy fabric of her shirt. I follow a similar path, my fingers exploring upward along her supple thighs, relishing the warmth and silkiness of her skin as they ascend.
Thomas’s fingers trace circles along her pointed nipples, the movement making my dick twitch with each rotation.
Her head arches back gracefully as she turns her gaze toward me, eyes surrendering to the pleasures we unfold. My mouth, eager and reverent, begins a delicious exploration, kissing and nibbling along the sensitive inner curve of her thighs while my teeth lightly graze the fabric of her pants.
Another sigh escapes her, her breath catching in a suspended moment between gasp and moan. My fingers, like whispers of intent, continue their upward trail, caressing her skin until I sense the delicate dampness that marks our shared desire.
Jinx pants through parted lips while Thomas’s attentive head drifts down to her breasts, his fingers deftly liberating them from the confines of her top and bra. Emboldened by his lead, I slowly undo her pants, allowing them, and her panties, to slip away, revealing her exquisite beauty in its purest form.
“Yes, Rowan,” she moans, and I am compelled to honor her desire, my lips and tongue embarking on a tender, exploratory journey along the curves of her body.
With every kiss and gentle suck, her essence unfolds before me, her skin tasting like a secret kept too long. I tease her hardened little clit with a nimble flick of my tongue. The sound of my name on her lips stokes a fire within me, causing my hands to grasp her hips more firmly as I pull her irresistibly close.
“Hey, save some for me,” Thomas groans, seamlessly sliding down to where I remain, his voice thick with desire. I briefly pause to wipe away the evidence of our intimacy before exchanging positions with him.
Our mouths converge in a heated, passionate kiss as she releases a cry of pleasure that mingles with our fervor. Her breasts, full and lush, feel exquisite in my hands—each delicate nipple a small, delectable treat against the pale, milky expanse of her skin.
Lowering myself further, I take them delicately into my mouth, my tongue flicking with purpose before my teeth offer a gentle nibble at their sensitive peaks.
Her left hand tangles through my hair in a gesture of encouragement while her right remains with Thomas, who continues his devoted ministrations.
As I alternate between her sumptuous breasts, cupping one with tender fascination while pinching and nibbling the other, the room fills with the echo of our shared ecstasy.