Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
MADISON
W e stopped off at the gas station, where Grant and I roamed the three isles.
“Okay, let’s each choose a snack we can have before bedtime. I’ll grab Jax a Snickers bar because I think he’ll love it. What do you like?”
He grabbed a bag of Doritos while I was choosing between a Dove Chocolate bar and Pringles. That’s when I saw it. Further down the aisle were some grocery items and cans of SpaghettiOs that were singing my name. I practically sprinted over and grabbed two cans with Grant hot on my heels.
“SpaghettiOs for a snack?” Grant leaned in. “That’s weird.”
Gasp. “No, that’s awesome! Grant, I love these so much.” I flipped the can over and scanned the nutrition facts I knew by heart at this point. “AND there are 5 grams of protein and only 170 calories. Yeah, these are an amazing, almost healthy snack.”
He shrugged as we headed toward the cash register. An older woman with blue hair, who wore a pissed off expression, was anything but pleasant as we approached.
I piled our items in front of her, happy to know I had the twenty in my pocket that I earned from babysitting stoned Jax. “Hello, how are you?”
“There’s a pack of Hubba Bubba missing.” Her brow popped up.
“Okay?” I wasn’t sure if this was an inventory issue or what.
“It was on the shelf when you walked in.” She narrowed her eyes while staring a hole in my forehead.
“You think I stole your Hubba Bubba?”
“I don’t know. Maybe your kid’s got sticky fingers or something.” She folded her arms across her chest.
I saw Jax approach. Shock and anger were coursing through my veins. “You think this child, who is an angel dropped from heaven, by the way, took a stupid pack of Hubba Bubba?”
“It was here, and now it’s gone. Give it back, or I’ll call the cops.”
Jax leaned against the counter and flashed his best smile at the blue-haired bitch. “Whoa, what’s going on?”
“You’re going to call the cops over damn Hubba Bubba?” I was ready to kick her ass. Well, she was much bigger than me, so a quick punch and run was likely my only option. Wait, I couldn’t do that in front of Grant; I must be the better person.
She spoke through gritted teeth. “Give me the Hubba Bubba. I’m running out of patience.”
“Well, I’m running out of reasons not to go all New York on your ass, so I guess we’re both in a pickle!”
Jax quickly grabbed some cash from his pocket. “Tell you what, here’s fifty bucks. This will cover the snacks, Hubba Bubba, or whatever. You keep the rest.” He nodded. “Go on and buy yourself something pretty, okay?”
The woman stood still, watching as Jax grabbed my arm and Grant’s hand and led us out. Once outside, Grant ran ahead, and Jax shook his head at me.
“I can’t take you anywhere, can I?” He looked down at me as we strolled along. “Guess that means I need to keep you real close to ensure you steer clear of trouble, huh?”
Laughing, I felt heat trickle down my neck. “I think you’re the trouble I need to steer clear of.” I nudged his arm. “None of this shit ever happens until I’m around you.”
Grant climbed into the truck and closed his door as I reached to open mine.
“Come on. You don’t want to steer clear of me.” He reached ahead of me and opened my door for me. His hand on my lower back, he whispered, “You couldn’t, even if you tried.”
I climbed into the seat and turned to say something to him, but nothing came out but a little squeak. He grinned as he closed my door knowing he had me. Could I fight this lust, or whatever it was? Did I want to?
“I didn’t take the gum.” Grant’s little expression was filled with indignance. “Besides, Hubba Bubba doesn’t even rate in my top five.”
I turned back and cupped the side of his face. “Not once did either of us think you had, Grant.”
* * *
Jax pulled up outside of Daisy’s barn.
“But I don’t want them to sleep in the barn.” Grant hopped down from the truck.
“They’ll be safe in a stall tonight. We’ll figure the rest out tomorrow.”
Jax grabbed the crates and got both into the stall. He pulled the gate shut while Grant and I dropped to the ground and got to know our new friends.
“What names should they have?” Petting the bunny, Grant giggled as it wiggled in his arms.
Jax sat on a bale of hay. “I say Junk Yard and Hellhound.”
Gasp. “Those are horrible names for these cuties! Grant, what do you think?”
He narrowed his eyes at the rabbit. “How about Funny Bunny?”
My hands started clapping. “I love that!” I stroked the little white ball of fluff. “What about the duck?”
Grant giggled harder as Funny Bunny leaped from his hold, and he just managed to catch him again. “Madison, you name the duck.”
I scratched my head, ignoring Jax’s amused grin. “I’ve got it. Firequacker!”
Grant squealed, and laughter came from behind us. Daisy and my dad were heading our way.
“Well look at this! You’re getting your new babies settled, right, Grant?”
Daisy made her way to Grant and gave him a tight squeeze. “It was amazing watching you and Madison today. I tell you what, I had no idea she could run so fast.”
Grant spun around. “I know! And then her pants fell down; it made me laugh so hard!”
My face was hot. “Yep, that’s me. A funny girl.”
The lengthy laughter confirmed their agreement.
Jax stood up. “Grant, it’s getting late. We should get you to bed.”
Daisy and Jim hugged Grant once more.
“Good night, honey,” Daisy purred before turning to me. “Come on, Madison. Let me make you some hot chocolate before bed.”
My dad slapped Jax on the shoulder. “Good night, Jax and Grant.”
I LOVED the panic that ran across Jax’s face as he digested the words, realizing I was heading into Daisy’s house, not his. I was making him as crazy as he was making me. My brain didn’t fully comprehend it, but it felt pretty damn cool.
“Madison, can you tuck me in?” Grant kissed Funny Bunny and put him down. Jax’s arm shot in the air like he had just achieved an important victory, but he quickly dropped it by his side when he realized what he’d done.
I bit my cheek, enjoying Jax’s discomfiture as his eyes darted about to make sure no one picked up on his joy at having me in his home at night. “Sure.”
Jax kind of shuffled Grant and me out of the stable and shut the gate. “Alright then, good night, everybody.” He hurried us along, no doubt fearing I’d either get called back or simply just change my mind.
Daisy clapped her hands. “I know; I’ll whip up some hot cocoa and bring it on over for everybody before bed.”
I heard air woosh out of Jax, and it tickled my funny bone.
“Great, see you in a few.” I laughed.
Daisy and my dad took off to their house, and we headed to Jax’s truck. Once Grant was in the back seat, Jax and I stood outside for a moment, and then he turned to me with a conspiratorial look.
“Come back over later, after the whole stupid hot chocolate thing, okay? We could hang out a bit.” His eyes flickered.
“I don’t know if I’m capable of successfully sneaking out. Being quiet isn’t really my thing.”
His brows rose. “I’ve noticed.”
If it wasn’t for the cover of darkness, he would’ve seen the redness crawl up my neck to my face, and then, of course, he would have made fun of me for it, and that was getting old. I couldn’t help my coloring. I opened my door and crawled inside. My brain was screaming that if I snuck over later, it would happen tonight. I had zero self-control when it came to Jax. Was I ready for that?
A few minutes later, Daisy and my dad arrived, with a large thermos of her magical hot chocolate, while Grant and I got out our snacks.
“Who’s up for Spaghetti Os?” I sang.
Daisy filled mugs on the counter. “I noticed several empty cans in the trash and wondered what was up with that.”
Grant giggled. “Madison loves SpaghettiOs. But it’s okay, they have five grams of protein.”
My dad chuckled. “Is that right?” He looked at me with bemusement. “I don’t remember your mom ever preparing anything out of a can when you were growing up.”
“Oh, she would never.” Even the thought of my mother’s face, seeing me slurp down cuisine from a can, was enough to bring on giggles. I made a mental note to crack open a can the next time we were in the same room just to delight in her reaction.
Grant finished his Doritos and cocoa when Jax chimed in. “Alright, Grant, it’s time to hit the hay.”
Grant cheered. “I can sleep in the barn?”
“No, dude. That means your bed.” Jax stood up. “Come on.”
Daisy pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek, spurring him to wrinkle his nose in displeasure. “Good night, sleep well.”
Grant shot up the stairs and disappeared out of sight while Jax grabbed his phone from his pocket and held it up.
“By the way, Mom, why are you using WTF in all your texts? It’s weird.”
She laughed. “It’s not weird! I’m an optimistic person. That’s how I feel.”
Jax popped a brow. “I do not think that’s how you feel. What do you think WTF means?”
“Austin told me it means, wow, that’s fantastic .
Cackling erupted from all except Daisy, who threw her hands in the air. “What?”
Jax could barely speak. “Mom, it means what the fuck.”
Daisy’s mouth dropped to the floor. “No way!”
“Way!” My dad laugh-yelled.
“I’m going to strangle that boy! Just imagine what the youth pastor thinks of me now!”
“Well, I think it’s time for me to turn in, too. Come on, Daisy. It’s our wedding week, and I know your mind has been running miles. It’s time for sleep.”
“I’ll tuck in Grant and head over in a bit.”
She joined my dad, and they walked to the door. “Good night, all. Madison, I’ll leave the hall light on for you so you don’t trip up the stairs again.”
“Thank you, but I do the same tripping in daylight, too. It’s just how I roll.” I waved as they disappeared.
By the time we got to Grant’s room, he was already curled up on his side, blanket tucked under his chin, as Jax clicked off his lamp.
“He’s adorable,” I whispered as we walked into the hall.
I followed him down the hall, and when we neared his bedroom, my heart started thumping, panic running through me, and I bolted in front of Jax.
I whisper-yelled over my shoulder. “Oh my gosh, I left my SpaghettiOs in the microwave!”
I sprinted down the stairs to the kitchen, whipped open the microwave, and grabbed my chow. I sat on a stool as he moseyed in, wearing a little grin. He pulled open a drawer and slid a spoon over to me.
I immediately started scooping the pasta into my mouth. It seemed that eating was giving me a second to figure out WTF I was going to do.
Every time something happened between us, it snuck up on me, but there we were, all alone. Now the main course could happen at any second, or I could fling myself out the window and run like hell.
I swore the walls were about to bust due to the tension that filled the room. Jax leaned against the counter, wearing a smirk. He watched me continue to shovel my Os in like I was in a speed-eating competition. Stop eating! You look ridiculous!
“Those look good.” He tilted his head.
“They really are.” Speak, say something even remotely smart, damn it!
“I wanted to thank you.” He took another spoon from the drawer and dipped it into my bowl before taking a bite. “I was hoping Grant’s first day back here would be a nice one, and you made that happen.” His head shook in appreciation of the cuisine before him. “These do hit the spot, huh?”
I nodded. There was no way he wasn’t feeling my nerves. Why couldn’t I just be like Zoey and go for it? I was all wobbly inside and pretty sure I needed to get out of there before I did something that would make me appear as stupid as I felt.
“He’s a great kid. I think you’re good for each other.”
He took another spoonful. “He’s nuts about you.”
A giggle released some of the tension. “How could he not be? Did you see me grab Firequacker? I was a maniac out there.”
He threw his hand in the air. “And the mooning. Springfield may never be the same after your visit to the fair.”
We sat smiling as we finished the last four Os in my bowl. My eyes were down, afraid of meeting the gaze I could feel burning into my skin. After a LONG moment of silence, I slowly looked up to find him watching me with a straight face and thoughtful eyes.
“Well, uh, it’s late. I’m sure you’re tired.”
Oxygen hit my lungs, and I could breathe again. He was reading me and somehow understanding my unexpected uncertainty. I still had no flippin’ clue where that came from. Let’s face it, a few hours ago, I was ready to seal the deal in a camper at the fair, and now I was like a scared chick awaiting her first kiss. Can you say multiple personalities?
“Why don’t I walk you to the door?”
He smiled, I stood, and he took my hand. He led me slowly to the door and onto the porch. The fall air was crisp and felt amazing on my skin. He pulled me to him, wrapping his thick biceps around me.
He whispered. “I like you, Madison.”
Something knocked around in my chest. “I like you too.”
He pulled me to him and hovered above my lips for a second before kissing me. It wasn’t like in the camper. It was a sensual, slow, smoldering kiss, telling me everything he couldn’t say aloud.
His fingers gently ran through my hair before his lips kissed my cheek and traveled down to my neck ever so slowly. My body was liquefying as I lost myself in him. His hands gliding down my back, I gripped his shoulders to hold myself up.
Everything from the making-time-stand-still kisses to his touch was shouting that he needed me. He needed me. Something was shifting, and there was a current between us, a pull that was unsettling and addictive at the same time. He broke the kiss before resting his forehead on mine.
“If you don’t go now, you won’t get out of here at all. Fair warning.” He pushed a piece of hair from my face. “You don’t know what you do to me.”
I stood frozen as he looked down at me. My voice cracked. “Thank you for slowing this down a little. I have no idea what I’m about.”
He kissed my cheek, and a grin slid across his lips as his eyes bore into me. “Madison, I will have you. All of you. We both know we can’t leave it any other way.”
I shivered as his words whipped through me like a hurricane. I’d never felt so desired in my life, like a sexy, strong woman, yet at the same time, I was a breathless girl with no clue what being with a man like Jax could do to me. I feared he would leave his stamp on my heart, and I’d never find his match.
I floated off the porch, my hands trembling, as I headed towards my dad’s house. I glanced over my shoulder to see him standing in the same place watching me, and I couldn’t quite catch my breath.
Once inside my dad’s house, my shirt got stuck in the door. I yanked it, shot backward onto the sofa table, and boom, it crashed to the floor. The good news, it wasn’t busted. Bad news, Daisy flew into the room WITH A GUN.
I saw blinding spots before my eyes, stumbled back, and fell on my ass.
“Oh, my poor girl!” She set the gun on the back of the couch and helped me to my feet. “I am so sorry! I didn’t realize you weren’t home yet!”
My dad appeared shirtless, wearing red silky boxers; I went blind again.
“What’s going on?”
“I knocked the table over.”
“Then I almost blew her head off.” Daisy shook her head. “I thought you had come back earlier, already in bed, and maybe someone was trying to break in. I’m sorry, honey.”
“It’s okay.” My body was twitching from my nearly dead incident. “I, uh, I was sitting on the porch for a while. I didn’t mean to wake everyone.”
She hugged me. “All good. I promise I won’t pull a gun on you again.”
Music to my ears. “Well, I suppose I should let you two get back to sleep.”
My father’s face turned neon pink when Daisy’s giggles grew louder. “Sure.”
How effing fast could I fly out of there? “Well, good night.”
While I kept my eyes straight forward, there was no mistaking the sound of a slap on my dad’s silky boxer-covered butt. Really? Come on, Daisy! How could I unsee the last three minutes of my life?
After shaking my head like a wet dog until the vision of my dad’s bare chest finally vanished, I pulled on my ginormous sweatpants and bat-shit crazy sweatshirt. I could’ve replaced them with some pajamas in Daisy’s closet but didn’t. I was planning to wear them every night for the rest of eternity, as memories of rolling around Jax’s living room floor while getting it on ran rampant.
Once in bed, my mind was a spinning like a tilt-a-whirl, leaving me exhausted and a tad nauseous.
I ran down the laundry list of Jax worries that had become my life. One night with him and sex will be ruined forever and ever; no man could ever hold a candle to the Hot One. I make piss-poor decisions when it comes to men; whatever I want to do, do the fucking opposite, and maybe I’ll have a shot, blah, blah, blah.
After what seemed like forever, I dozed off. When I rolled over a bit later, I opened my eyes to find myself face-to-face with Jax. My pulse shot through the ceiling as I opened my mouth, and he put his hand over it.
“Shhh.” He kissed me, his hand crawling around to my back and pulling me close.
“Jax, what about Grant?— “
“Don’t worry. Austin stopped by for a beer and crashed, so I snuck over.”
He pulled me on top of him, and maybe it was seeing him below me or the longing in his eyes, but a bomb went off in the room. His kiss was hard, and his whiskers scratched my face, sending my stomach into a free fall.
I felt cool air hit my skin as he pulled my sweatshirt off and sat up. I was practically throttling him in my attempt to help him off with his shirt. His eyes dropped to my breasts, and his breathing quickened.
“You’re unbelievable.”
His hot skin on mine was intoxicating. I pulled him close and rubbed against him, reminded that he was my new addiction. Anything he wanted was his.
His hands were everywhere as I gently sucked his neck, drawing a deep growl from him.
He turned, and I was on my back, forgetting how to breathe, as his kisses found my stomach and his hand tugged at my sweatpants. How could I survive this?
I rolled over, opened my eyes, and nearly shot through the roof to find Daisy sitting in the chair next to my bed. WTF?
“Morning, Madison.” She wore a pink bathrobe and had two cups of coffee in her hand.
I scrambled out of bed, looked out the window to find it was daybreak, and there was no Jax.
My pulse was nine hundred seventy over six thousand as I realized the most amazing dream in the history of the time had been interrupted by Daisy. Well, shit. Did I make sounds of sexual satisfaction in my sleep? Please, God, no.
I sat on the bed and focused on inhaling and exhaling with my heart beating in my ears.
Daisy giggled. “I’m sorry to frighten you. I just feel so bad about the whole gun thing last night. Plus, I just want to spend as much time with you as I can while you’re here.”
“It’s all good.” I took a coffee from her outstretched hand and tried to push the vision of where the dream was going out of my mind. “Maybe next time we could wait to spend time together until I’m conscious?”
She nodded and flashed that liquid sunshine smile. “Yes, that’s fair. You know, it was just me and my boys most of my life. It’s so nice to have another girl around, even if it’s just temporary.
Those words hit me hard for some reason, so I did my best to shake them off.
I nodded as the heavenly aroma from the cup in my hand hit my nose.
“I have a mani-pedi this morning, and I was hoping you’d like to join me.”
Like to? Sweet mother of pearl, nothing could make me happier. But I knew my sad little bank account had a balance hovering right around one hundred dollars. I wanted to bitch-slap the psychic.
“I don’t?—”
“Madison, I insist you come. It’s my treat. You have no idea how much it means to your daddy to have you here. How about we meet downstairs in an hour?”
I nodded and swore I heard angels singing from above. I may have fallen in love with Daisy at that very second. After all, you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy good nails, and that’s kind of the same thing.
“I would love that.”
She stood and lifted a box from the floor and placed it on my bed. “I have something. When I saw them they just looked like you.”
“I don’t know what to say.” I lifted the lid and swear to God I felt rainbows enter my blood stream. There before me were beautiful Ralph Lauren tall black boots with a two inch heel. “Daisy!”
“Do you like them?” Daisy wore a concerned smile.
I jumped off the bed and hugged the boots with one arm and Daisy with the other. “I am crazy about them! I can’t believe you did this.”
Her face lit up like the sun.
After a steamy shower, I visited Daisy’s closet, which I’d named, The Busty Boutique , given that every shirt in there required all sorts of tucking and safety pins in order for my boobs to even be visible. Sigh.
I found a pair of jeans, way in the back, still with tags on. Having not been worn before, they nearly fit me. After the whole ribbon debacle yesterday, I was seeking anything to ensure my ass wasn’t seen by any more citizens of Montana. Now that was a goal I never imagined having.
It took an entire forty-five minutes to achieve the natural look I was going for. After a few curls in my hair, I dove into the drawer of cheap cosmetics. And do you know what? I decided there was very little difference between Wet N Wild eyeliner, which likely costs a buck, and my normal make-up counter version, which costs upward of sixty dollars. Shocking revelation, really.
I swiped on some of the lip gloss and realized I liked it better as well. So much so that I tucked it into my bra so I could whip some on later when I saw Jax. Clearly, being broke was teaching me some valuable lessons.
I entered the kitchen to find my dad at the stove whipping up something that smelled fantastic, while Daisy pulled on her oh-so-sky-high heels, the perfect match for her leopard long-sleeve shirt and leggings.
“Good morning,” my dad sent me a wink. “Sit for an omelet.”
I sprinted to the table just as Grant ran in, arms flying in the air, an oversized tool belt resting on his hips, and a baseball cap on his head.
“I’m starving!” He hopped into the chair next to me.
“Good morning, Grant. Why are you wearing tools?” I held up my hand, and he returned my high-five. Yeah, it was kind of our thing.
“Jax and I are very busy. We woke up at six o’clock today. We already went to the hardware store. Lots of projects.”
My dad strolled over and flipped omelets onto mine and Grant’s plates. “Well, you arrived just in time. You probably need some protein to keep that body moving.”
The door opened, and Jax walked in with his usual heart-dropping effect. A gray “NO” t-shirt showed off those biceps that I literally wanted to swing from. He was rockin’ a tool belt and jeans that fit so well, I envisioned sliding my hands in his back pockets and just squeezing. The thought of his perfect butt cheeks in my hands made my tummy feel all wiggly. It’s 100 percent safe to say that Steve never EVER made me feel all wiggly.
Daisy stood and hugged Jax. I realized I had never noticed a time when she had not hugged Jax or Austin when they entered a room. Mental note: hug my mom more.
“What are you boys up to this morning?”
“Just a few projects.” His eyes fell on me with some sort of knowing…like he held the answers to world peace or something.
Grant spoke through his food. “We can’t tell anyone what it is. It’s our secret; just between me and Jax.” Pride filled his eyes.
“Well, I can’t wait to find out what it is.” Daisy patted his hand. “Madison and I are going for mani-pedis. I’m thinking lunch, too.”
Jax took the seat across from me as my dad tossed an omelet onto his plate. “Sounds like a fun morning.”
While Grant, my dad, and Daisy chatted away, my eyes found Jax. He looked up, and those topaz eyes sparkled at me. How could this man turn me into a mess with one look?
I inhaled my kick-ass omelet while Jax and I continued to play peek-a-boo until Grant dropped his fork on the table.
“Come on, Jax. We’ve got to go.”
Jax shook his head before picking up his omelet, folding it, and shoving the entire thing in his mouth. And how could that be sexy? Who the hell knows, but I had the urge to bite him, so hot was he. Rharr.
I watched his perfect backside until it disappeared out the door. Whew.
* * *
Thirty minutes later, Daisy had picked ruby red for both our fingers and toes while I listened to all the gossip of the town I knew nothing about. It was an amazing tea spill.
Turns out Carl, the eligible school bus driver, has not only been taking care of the children but, apparently, some of the single mothers on his route, as well.
Then there’s Hannah Miller, who just moved into town and works remotely as a marketing person for some hoity-toity advertising firm in London. No family or friends here, so why would she choose Montana to settle in? AND rumor has it she bought her house with cash. I agreed it sounded like a witness protection situation, and we were dying to figure out the details on this one.
Once our limbs were freshly painted and pampered, Daisy chose a seafood restaurant for lunch. I ordered a California Roll, while Daisy chose the catch of the day, which was weird since we weren’t near any large bodies of water. Was the catch from the river I fished at yesterday?
Just when I took a sip of my crisp iced tea, Daisy pointed.
“What’s wrong with that kid?”
I spun around in my seat to see a teenage couple at a table next to ours, shoving food in their mouths, not seeming to notice the kid next to them, who was wheezing with a bright red face.
Within a few seconds, I stood in front of the table. It took a big wave of my arm for the couple to stop eating long enough to notice me.
“Excuse me. I think something is wrong with your child.”
The girl held her finger up while she swallowed. “He’s my brother. I’m babysitting.”
I pointed. “Would you agree he’s not looking well?”
She peered past the guy next to her and wrinkled her nose. “I think he’s having a reaction to his allergies.”
“What?”
The teen dude glanced over as he popped a shrimp into his mouth.
“Well, he has a slight shellfish allergy, but I told him not to touch anything. He just breaks out in like a rash, no biggie.”
“What is wrong with you? It’s a seafood restaurant!”
She wrinkled her nose at the boy. “What should I do?”
I threw my hands in the air. “Uh, panic. Yes, now is the time to panic! Do you have an Epipen?”
“I don’t think so?—”
Daisy stood up. “You are the worst babysitter ever.”
She joined me and shook her head at the idiots as I flagged down the hostess.
“We need an Epipen! Do you have one?”
She dug through her little podium, held her hand in the air, and took off running toward me. I snatched it from her, sat by the boy, and used my medical expertise from Grey’s Anatomy. A quick breath before I stabbed the kid in the thigh, possibly saving his life.
Pride swelled inside me, well, until he slapped me across the face and screamed. I probably would’ve done the same if a stranger had just stabbed me in the thigh with a needle, but not even a thank you?