Chapter 22
Holly
“Wait a minute.”
I waltz out after him, flipping off the bathroom light and crawling into his lap, placing my hands against his chest. He blushes a little, and I realize I’ve caught him in a vulnerable moment and that maybe he didn’t mean to blurt that out exactly that way.
He’s not wriggling out of this one with a joke or his delectable abs and these stupid, hot joggers, bunched below his cut lines.
He notices my gaze and smirks even more, thinking he can steer things in a different direction.
His fingers smooth up either side of my calves, and I fight the short-circuiting of my brain.
“No way do you just drop that at my feet and try to distract me with your sexy body like I’ll forget it.”
He pouts, but it’s not really a pout.
“I may have allowed my thoughts to slip out.”
I snort.
“What game are you playing at here?” I push at his chest playfully, and he captures my wrist.
“Long-game.” His eyes roll up to mine. My breath lodges in my throat. “I aim to win your heart. I aim for a lot more than that.” His gaze drops to my lips, then flicker back up to my eyes.
“Jax–”
“I promised I’d always be honest with you. That I’d prove myself to you. I want you. I’ve known it since that first freaking second I walked into that hospital room months ago and watched your pretty face flush. There’s always been something about you. Now that I’ve had you, I aim to keep you.”
“That’s a lot–” I start, trying to tamp down the panic. Luck is typically not on my side, and I end up empty-handed and ruined.
“I know, and I know it just freaked you out. Please don’t run. I’ll take this however slow you need, but those are my intentions. I’m not like him, and I won’t waste your time or play games with your heart. I will tell you how I’m feeling.”
“Okay,” I breathe out, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Okay?” he asks nervously, watching for any signs that I’m going to bolt. I can be brave. I haven’t answered him, and worry settles into his features as his hand presses against the pounding object within my chest.
“Breathe for me,” he whispers, pulling my focus back to the present. I suck in a deep breath and realize that I’ve been holding it due to the edges of my sight becoming less fuzzy. Holy crap. “That’s good. I’ve got you. Lay down with me.”
Jaxon lifts me from his lap, plopping me down next to him. He pulls the covers up over us as we face each other in the dim light. After a few minutes of just breathing together, my heart finally begins to slow as I watch while he slowly draws patterns on my palm between us.
“Much better. Do you have panic attacks often?”
“Only every once in a while. It started toward the end of–” I flick my gaze up to his and he nods in understanding.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“What if you change your mind?” My voice comes out smaller than expected. I feel exposed.
“I don’t think you’re the one who should be nervous about someone changing their mind. I’m not the flight risk. I chase hard.”
“Yeah, you do.”
He chuckles, turning his head to kiss my open palm.
“I’ll chase as hard as you need me to.”
“Don’t give up on me,” I whisper sleepily.
“Not a chance,” I hear him mutter as my eyes close.
???
Jaxon
I lay there for a good hour watching Holly sleep, rehashing our discussion.
I didn’t mean to blurt that out and scare her in the bathroom.
I just got caught up in her, like I always do.
I know it’s moving fast, but damn, my gut just screams for her.
It’s like some part of me resonates with all of her at a cellular level and can’t let her go.
Even all those months of zero contact when I searched for her.
Hell, searched for this whole damn family without even realizing it.
I belong here. I belong with her. The pull is undeniable.
Reaching out, I tuck a lock of fallen hair behind her ear, and she murmurs something softly in her sleep as she rolls onto her back. It’s stinking cute. I pull her close to me, tucking myself into her and nuzzling against her neck. She smells like home.
???
BEEP, BEEP-BEEP! BEEP, BEEP-BEEP!
I reach out to smash the button on my alarm but realize it’s not my alarm.
It’s coming from the purse across the room.
Holly stretches, groaning frustratedly at the sound as she rubs her eyes.
I crawl out of bed and walk toward the source.
I see her phone lit up, lying on top of her purse, and turn it off. It’s roughly six.
“Gahhhh,” she grounds out groggily. “I sooo wish I could just call in.”
I kneel onto the bed, kissing her forehead. She smells of sleep, and woman, and me. I force myself not to crawl back under the covers and tell her to indeed make the call.
“I’ll start the coffee. Go wake up in the shower.”
She pulls her hands from her face and sits up on her elbow, her hair all tousled.
Adorable as hell. Walk away now, Reyes. She blows out a sleepy sigh and lifts the covers to stumble toward the bathroom.
I shake my head and shuffle to the kitchen.
As the coffee’s dripping into the pot, I merely stand there staring out the kitchen window while listening to the ambient sounds filling my small place. This is nice.
Remembering that she takes her coffee as sweet as her, I doctor it up along with mine and carry it into the bathroom just as she’s turning off the shower. I whisper shhh to my dick as I watch her towel off behind the glass doors while sipping from my mug.
She turns and smiles softly as she steps out onto the rug, tucking the towel under her arms. I nod to the coffee as she pulls her toiletries from the bag.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, lifting the mug to take a tentative sip.
“I hope I did okay.”
“It’s great, thanks. You paid attention last weekend.”
“Sure did.”
“I need to tell my mother about you.”
“Mmmm,” I hum with a mouth full of liquid, “yes, you do.” Setting down my mug, I stand behind her, reach out to grab her brush, and begin detangling the bottom of her hair carefully.
Wherever this is going, I want her to know I’m right here with her.
I flick my eyes to the mirror and notice her softened expression.
“She’s going to have so many questions.”
“Tell her anything you want to. I’m proud of us.”
“I’m nervous.”
“Why?”
“They were just really fond of–” Her eyes lock on mine, and she purses her lips.
“Him?...” I draw it out. “No worries. I’ll win them over. In fact, call them and find out what they’re doing for the weekend. If it’s open, I’ll book us tickets. Let's go visit. I know you miss them.”
“But you start your new position on Monday.”
“And? It’s going to be a slow week getting to know the ins and outs of the office and meeting my staff. Maybe a few patients. It’s nothing compared to an ER shift.”
“You’re really ready to meet them?”
“They gave me you. I’m ready.”
“Thank you for brushing my hair. That was really sweet,” she states, reaching up to take the brush and finish the top portion.
I press a kiss to the back of her head before reaching back for my mug.
She does the same. We both swallow a gulp and go about our morning routine as if we do this every morning.
It’s interesting watching her do her makeup as we make small talk.
I check the time on her phone, noticing it’s about a quarter til seven.
I trace a small line up the back of her thigh and along the bottom crease of her left cheek. She looks up from priming her tube of mascara as I shuffle her feet apart with mine.
“What are you doing?”
“Just ensuring you think about me all day. Makes me hard picturing you giving a history lesson with my cum dampening your panties.”
I slip two fingers inside of her, and she sets her mascara aside, spreading her legs wider for me while pulling up her towel around her waist. I yank it off her instead and toss it on the floor while working my joggers down my thighs.
“That’s freaking hot.”
“Yes,” I grit out, notching my cock at her entrance. She braces against the counter top as I begin working myself in. “It really is.”
???
Holly
On my lunch break, I dial my mom.
“Hey, Momma,” I say when she answers.
“Holly! I was just thinking of you. Crazy timing. Everything okay? How’s school?”
The sound of her voice makes me just want to reach through the phone and hug her. I really need to call her more often.
“Everything’s going great here. That’s kind of why I called. What are you and Dad up to this weekend?”
“We don’t have any big plans. I’ll probably get a new book in, and he may or may not go down to the pond to fish if the weather’s nice. What about you?”
“Can I come visit?”
“Now what kind of question is that?”
“Well, important, because there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
An audible gasp sounds over the line.
“A male someone? Jacob!” Mom’s voice hollers, sounding muffled like she covered the phone so it wouldn’t hurt my ears. “Jacob, Holly’s on the line! Pick up!”
They’re never going to ditch the landline. The connection crackles distinctly as my dad picks up his line in what I’m assuming is his den.
“Holly?”
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, Pumpkin.”
“Jacob, she wants us to meet someone,” my mother’s voice cuts in excitedly.
“What’s this?”
“I’d like to bring someone home this weekend who is special to me.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so happy. I was wondering when you’d start dating again. We were getting worried about you after Mich–”
“What’s this young man’s name?” My dad interrupts Mom’s thought, knowing I don’t want to hear his name.
“Jaxon. He’s only a couple of years older than me. He went to med school with Sydney’s Colin.”
“Med school? Oh my gosh, a doctor?! Jacob, do you hear this? Our daughter found herself a doctor.”
“May, does it really matter what he does if she loves him?”
Loves? Do I love him? It’s a feasible thought–one I’m not quite ready to reflect too closely on yet.
“Well, no, but every parent hopes their child will be well provided for or be able to provide for themselves well enough before they leave them behind.”
“This is true. Back to the point. Does he make you happy, Pumpkin?”
I smirk at my father’s nickname for me.
“Yes, he makes me happy.”
“Then we’re happy to meet him. Bring this Jaxon home.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ll get the guest room ready for him. I’ll see you in a few days. I love you.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
The click of him hanging up leaves my mom and me alone to chat.
“What’s he look like? How’d you meet?”
“Tall, dark, and gorgeous. Green eyes.”
“Sounds handsome.”
“He surfs. Has a motorcycle. A few tattoos. He’s kinda nerdy.”
“Nerdy and athletic. I like it for you. He’s clearly a smart man.”
“Yeah, but not that uppity, snobby type of smart that you see a lot of doctors act like.”
“Good, he’s humble. That’s a great trait. How’d you meet again? You didn’t say.”
“He delivered Jane’s baby girl, Charlotte.”
“An OB?”
“No, he was filling in for Jane’s doctor, since the hospital was short-staffed, and he has OB experience. He was mainly in the ER a few towns over but just took a Family Practice position at the hospital here in Kittery. He’s renting Trystan’s old place.”
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
Summer steps into my room and looks like she needs something.
“Hey, Mom, I gotta run. I’ll talk to you later and let you know what time our plane’s coming in.”
“Bye, hun. Love you.”
“Love you too, Momma.”
Ending the call, I give my attention to Summer.
“How’s your day going?”
“Is it Friday yet?”
“Not for two more days. I’m ready too. Looks like I’m taking Jaxon home to meet my parents.”
Summer grins wide.
“Girl, lock that man down.”
“I already have a feeling he’s pretty invested.”
“And are you?”
“I think so.”
“What do you mean, ‘you think so’? You’ve looked at that man, right? His pro list is five miles long. Does the man have a single flaw?”
“Sometimes he doesn’t think before he speaks.”
Summer eyes me hard, then chuffs out an exasperated laugh.
“None of them think before they speak.” She turns to walk out but pokes her head back in. “I mean it. Lock him down.”
My shoulders bounce with silent laughter as I shake my head, thinking about how that’s totally something Jane would say. I pull up our message thread.
Me: Let’s book the flight.
Dr. Sexy: Sweet. Feel better now that you told her about us?
Me: Yes :)
Dr. Sexy: Where we flying into again?
Me: St. Louis
Dr. Sexy: I’ll book it. Start packing.
Dr. Sexy: How’d the history lesson go?
I blush, remembering his words this morning.
Me: Just peachy.
Dr. Sexy: Playing coy with me?
Me: I was flustered the whole time.
Dr. Sexy: Grrrrr
Me: I can still feel you…
Dr. Sexy: Even better…
Me: My kids are about to come in from recess. Talk to you later. Thanks for booking the flight.
Dr. Sexy: xoxo