11. Ava
Ava
The black SUV hums steadily beneath us as we cut through the Idaho night. Darkness wraps the narrow mountain road like a thick velvet curtain. Snowflakes dance wildly in the headlights, swirling in hypnotic patterns that make my already tired eyes want to cross.
I sink deeper into the passenger seat, the leather cool against my back even through my oversized coat.
My body feels heavy, every muscle aching from two days of constant adrenaline and the emotional whiplash of this whole witness protection nightmare.
Yet every single time Jax glances over at me, even for a split second, a fresh spark of energy zips through my veins like I’ve chugged an entire pot of that strong coffee he makes.
I sneak another look at him. His big hands grip the steering wheel with quiet confidence, knuckles occasionally flexing as he navigates another curve.
The dashboard lights cast sharp shadows across his strong jaw and the intense line of his profile.
He looks like pure concentrated power wrapped in flannel and tactical gear.
My overactive brain, which refuses to shut up even when I’m this exhausted, immediately starts narrating.
Chapter Three: The Grumpy Marshal and the Sleepy Librarian Drive Into Destiny.
I almost giggle out loud at how ridiculous that sounds, but I catch myself and turn it into a soft yawn instead.
"You okay over there?" Jax asks, his voice dropping into a low, rumbling timbre. It sends another warm shiver racing down my spine. He doesn’t take his eyes off the road for long, but that quick glance feels like a full body caress.
I nod and pull my coat tighter around myself. "Just tired. Really tired. But also... not. Does that make sense? Like my body wants to curl up and hibernate for a week, but my senses keeps lighting up every time you look at me. It's like you have superpowers or something. Dangerous superpowers."
The corner of his mouth twitches in that almost smile that makes my stomach do happy little flips. "Dangerous, huh? Keep talking like that and I might pull over to test that theory."
Heat floods my cheeks. I shift in my seat, pressing my thighs together against the sudden throb of awareness low in my belly.
The road stretches on forever, pine trees blurring past in dark silhouettes against the snowy backdrop.
I watch him drive. The concentration. The determination.
I’ve never felt this kind of pull before.
Not with anyone. It’s scary and thrilling and completely crazy how much I already crave him after only a few days.
We talk in quiet bursts as the miles slip by.
I tell him silly stories about library patrons and the time I accidentally shelved an entire cart of books in the wrong section because I was lost in a particularly steamy romance novel.
He listens with that intense focus, grunting responses that somehow feel like the warmest encouragement.
At one point he reaches over and rests his large hand on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze that lingers.
The heat of his palm burns straight through my leggings.
I cover his hand with mine, tracing the rough calluses on his fingers, and for a little while the exhaustion fades completely.
Hours later the SUV finally slows. Jax turns onto a barely visible snow covered path that winds deeper into the trees. The new safe house appears like a sturdy shadow against the night. It looks almost identical to the last one. Exactly like it. How many cabins do they have?
"Stay here a minute and lock the doors when I get out," he orders, voice all primal command.
He checks the perimeter with quick, efficient movements, his boots crunching through fresh powder.
I watch him through the window, heart fluttering at how protective he is.
My big, growly marshal. When he comes back and opens my door, cold air rushes in.
He helps me down, his strong arm wrapping around my waist as my legs wobble from the long drive.
"Inside," he murmurs close to my ear. His breath warms my skin and sends sparks dancing across my nerves.
The cabin door swings open to welcome us with a rush of blessed heat.
One large main room greets us. A big bed piled high with heavy quilts dominates one corner.
A small kitchen area sits to the side with a couch nearby.
It feels safe. Intimate. Just like the last one, only this time the tension between us crackles even stronger.
I step inside, boots leaving little trails of melted snow on the wooden floor.
My body sags with exhaustion now that we’ve stopped moving, but that buzzing energy returns full force when Jax closes the door behind us and locks it with a solid click.
He shrugs off his jacket, muscles shifting under his shirt in a way that makes my mouth go dry.
I hug my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how small I feel next to him.
"Jax," I say softly, my voice coming out breathier than I intend. I glance at the big bed and then back at him. "Will you... stay in the bed with me tonight? I know there’s the couch, but after everything, I don’t want to be alone. Please?"
He turns to me fully then. Those steel eyes darken as they drag slowly over my body from head to toe and back up again.
The air between us thickens instantly, charged with heat and promise.
"You sure about that, Ava? Once I get in that bed with you, I’m not sure I can keep my hands to myself anymore. "
I nod, cheeks burning hot. My heart pounds so hard I’m sure he can hear it. "Yes. I trust you. And I... I want your hands on me."
He crosses the room in three powerful strides and pulls me into his arms. His chest feels solid and warm against mine, heartbeat steady and strong under my cheek.
One large hand cradles the back of my neck while the other settles on my lower back, pressing me closer.
I tilt my head up and he meets me halfway.
Our lips touch softly at first. Then deeper.
His mouth claims mine with that decisive hunger I’ve been craving since yesterday.
He tastes like coffee and determination, and I melt into him with a delicate moan.
My hands slide up his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle through his shirt.
He groans low in his throat, the sound vibrating through me as he angles my head for better access.
The kiss turns hotter, wetter. His tongue sweeps in, teasing mine in a rhythm that makes my knees weak.
We stumble toward the bed without breaking apart.
My shirt slips off my shoulders and lands somewhere on the floor.
Jax lifts me easily, setting me on the edge of the mattress.
The quilts feel soft and thick beneath me, still cool from the mountain air but warming quickly from the heat.
He kneels between my legs, hands roaming up my thighs, squeezing the soft flesh there with just enough pressure to make me gasp into his mouth.
"Fuck, baby,” he growls vibrates against my lips. "You taste so damn good. Been thinking about this since I met you. Thinking about how sweet you’d feel under me."
I whimper again, soft little sounds I can’t hold back as his mouth trails down my neck.
He nips gently at the sensitive spot where my shoulder meets my throat, then soothes it with his tongue.
Heat pools low in my belly, slick and insistent between my thighs.
My hands tangle in his dark hair, holding him closer as he works his way lower.
He peels my shirt up and off, exposing my simple bra.
His eyes darken further at the sight of me.
"Beautiful," he murmurs, reverent and hungry all at once. He unhooks my bra with practiced ease and tosses it aside. Cool air kisses my skin for only a second before his warm mouth closes over one nipple. I arch into him with a sharp cry, the wet heat of his tongue sending jolts of pleasure straight to my core. He lavishes attention on my breasts, sucking and licking until I’m writhing beneath him, fingers clutching his shoulders.
"Jax... please," I beg, voice shaky with need. Tiredness still lingers at the edges of my mind, but the desire he stirs in me pushes it all away.
He straightens and kisses me again, deep and claiming, while one big hand slides down my stomach.
His fingers dip beneath the waistband of my leggings and panties, finding me already soaked.
The rough pads of his fingers glide through my wetness, circling my clit with perfect pressure.
I moan loudly into his mouth, hips bucking up to chase the sensation.
"That's it," he praises, voice strained and rumbling against my ear. "So wet for me already. Let me take care of you. Gonna make you feel so good."
He sinks one thick finger inside me slowly, then another, stretching me in the most delicious way.
His thumb keeps working my clit in steady circles while his fingers curl, hitting a spot that makes stars explode behind my eyes.
The wet sounds of his hand moving between my legs fill the cabin, mixing with the crackle of the fire and my breathless whimpers.
I can smell the musk of my arousal in the warm air, and it only turns me on more knowing how much he wants this too.
He kisses me through it all. Deep, filthy kisses that match the rhythm of his fingers. His free hand pins my hip down gently but firmly, holding me in place as pleasure builds higher and higher. My thighs tremble around his wrist. Every stroke of his fingers sends waves of heat crashing through me.
"Come for me, Ava," he commands softly, nipping at my bottom lip. "Let me feel you fall apart on my hand."
The words tip me over the edge. My orgasm crashes through me hard and bright, muscles clenching rhythmically around his fingers as pleasure floods every nerve.
I cry out his name, body shaking with the intensity of it.
He keeps moving gently, drawing out every last pulse until I’m boneless and panting against him.
He pulls his hand free and brings his fingers to his mouth, tasting me with a low groan that makes my spent body twitch with renewed interest. "Sweet as honey. Just like I knew you’d be."
I reach for him, wanting to return the favor, but he catches my hands and kisses my knuckles tenderly.
His eyes are dark with need, but his touch stays gentle as he helps me out of the rest of my clothes and tucks me under the heavy quilts.
The fabric feels heavenly against my sensitive skin, warm from the fire now.
"Go to sleep, Ava," he says, voice firm yet soft with that deep territorial care that makes my heart melt. He strips down to his boxers and slides in beside me, pulling me tight against his chest. His arms wrap around me like a shield, one hand stroking slowly up and down my back. "You need the rest. Nothing’s getting to you tonight. Not while I’m here. "
I nestle closer, cheek pressed to his warm chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. Exhaustion crashes over me fully now, but it feels safe and welcome wrapped in his strength. My eyelids grow heavy as his fingers continue their soothing path along my skin.
"Thank you, Jax," I whisper, already drifting. "For everything. For making me feel... alive."
He presses a kiss to the top of my head, arms tightening around me. "Sleep, Ava. I’m right here."
The wind howls softly outside, snow tapping against the windows, but inside the cabin nothing exists except the warmth of his body, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and the deep sense of safety only he can give me.
My last thought before sleep claims me is how perfectly I fit against him.
Like I was always meant to be right here in his arms.