Chapter Eight
Presley sat on the sofa and stared at the TV. She wished she’d never come here. Never seen Jaxon Callahan again. It had been only an infatuation when she’d seen him two years ago, and now it was turning into more. How can a person fall in love in a week? A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought about leaving him, but she couldn’t stay away from him. She knew that if he called her right now, she’d go to him.
Reclining on the sofa, she wondered if he was still at the dance or if he’d left. He’d surprised her when he’d asked her to dance. She knew he didn’t make a habit of that with the guests. It had felt so good to be in his arms. Placing her hand over her mouth, she did all she could to hold a rising sob back. She jerked when someone knocked at her door. Sitting up, she wiped the tears away as she stared at the door. Who would be at her door this late? Maybe it was Bett. Pushing herself up, she slowly walked toward the door and jumped back when whoever it was pounded on the door again. Then she practically ran to it when she heard Jaxon’s voice .
“Presley? It’s me, Jaxon.”
She opened the door, and they stared at each other.
“Ask me in, please,”
he said in a low tone of voice.
Swinging the door open, she nodded. He strode in, and she closed the door behind him, leaned back against it, and stared at him.
“What are you doing here, Jaxon?”
Reaching her in two strides, he pulled her into his arms then took her lips in a deep, hard kiss. She moaned when his tongue touched hers. He raised his head.
“I told you I can’t stay away from you.”
“Then take me to bed, cowboy,”
she murmured against his lips and felt him smile.
“Whatever you say, darlin’.”
He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, making her squeal with laughter. She ran her hands down his back to his ass in his tight jeans.
“You have a fantastic ass. Cowboy butts drive me nuts.”
She laughed when he growled and ran his hand along her leg, under her dress and then to her ass.
When he reached the bedroom, he placed her across the bed, put his hands on either side of her head, and held himself above her then leaned down and kissed her. With a wicked grin, he moved his hands over her breasts and down to the hem of her dress and pushed it above her waist. He groaned when he saw her blue lace bikini panties.
“I’m so glad you didn’t tell me what was under this pretty dress. I would have had trouble walking.”
She laughed then gasped when he leaned down and kissed her stomach then hooked his fingers into her panties and pulled them down. He tossed them across the room and pulled her boots and socks off. As he locked his eyes with hers, he moved his finger between her slit and moved it up and down, rubbing his knuckle against her clitoris.
“Jaxon—”
Her plea ended on a groan.
“You’re wet, darlin’.”
He removed his finger from her and put it in his mouth. “Do you have any idea how good you taste?”
“Jaxon, please.”
She moaned and grabbed fistfuls of the bedspread. He could drive her insane.
“I will please you. In more ways than one,”
he said as he dropped to his knees between her legs and pulled her to the edge.
A groan tore from her when his tongue touched her clitoris. His tongue moved through her curls as he licked her. When he rubbed his teeth against her, she reached down and fisted her hands in his hair. He inched a finger inside her as he continued to suck on her. She pulled on his hair as her belly started to flutter, and her orgasm hit her hard, making her scream out. As she lay there trying to catch her breath, she looked through her lashes to watch him as he stood and unzipped his jeans. His hard cock jutted out as he took a condom from his wallet and rolled it on. Then he pulled her legs around his waist and thrust into her. Tightening her legs around him, she lifted her hips in time with his thrusts. He was taking her there again so quickly. She groaned and pulled at his arms. He leaned down over her and kissed her, mating his tongue with hers. She moaned in his mouth as she came again. Jaxon stiffened then growled low in his throat as he throbbed inside of her then he collapsed on top of her.
After a few minutes, he pushed himself up and entered her bathroom. He came back out, zipping his jeans and snapping them. She took deep breaths then pushed herself up on her elbows. She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“You didn’t even take your jeans off, Callahan.”
Jaxon laughed and winked at her. “You didn’t take your dress off, either.”
Heat poured into her cheeks as she pushed the dress down from her waist.
“Just what did you do with my panties? ”
He glanced around. “I tossed them somewhere. Trust me, I didn’t think of making sure where they landed. I just wanted them off you.”
He put his hand out to her, and she placed hers in his and pulled her up then kissed her.
“Can you stay with me tonight?”
“No, but you can come to my place if you’d like.”
“Why can’t you stay here?”
she asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
“Because I don’t want to be seen leaving here in the morning. It doesn’t look good for you or the ranch.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. That took the wind out of your sails, didn’t it?”
Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed his chin. “I’d love to stay with you. New guests don’t arrive until after two, correct?”
“Yes, so that means you can stay with me until at least noon.”
He pressed his lips to hers and groaned when she pulled his bottom lip between her teeth.
“You have such sexy lips,”
she said against them.
“And they taste like you.”
He laughed when she blushed again. “Get some clothes to wear for tomorrow, and I’ll head out. Meet you at my place. ”
“You don’t want to walk together to your place?”
“Let’s go separately in case some people are still in the barn.”
They both jerked when someone knocked on her door. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Walking to the living room, she stared at the door. “Who is it?”
“Bett. I wanted to get your email address and say goodbye,”
she called through the door.
Taking a deep breath, Presley glanced toward the bedroom to see Jaxon leaning against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his broad chest and his hip cocked. Walking to the door, she opened it but didn’t let Bett in.
“I was getting ready for bed. I forgot all about exchanging emails.”
She smiled.
Bett tried to glance behind her, but Presley blocked her view. “Um, okay.”
She handed Presley a small piece of paper. “Here’s my email. I’m glad we met. Please email me.”
She pulled Presley into her arms and hugged her, then whispered in her ear. “Have fun with Jaxon.”
She winked then walked off the porch to head for her own cabin.
Presley closed the door and leaned back against it groaning .
“What’s wrong?”
Jaxon asked as he leaned against the doorway to the hall.
“Don’t ask me how, but Bett knew you were here.”
He grinned at her. “Probably because she mentioned to me that you had left the dance, and then I disappeared too.”
He tilted his head. “I didn’t think you two got along.”
“Well, at first, when I thought she was after you, I didn’t care for her.”
She watched one side of his sexy mouth rise. “But then she told me she wasn’t as bold as she seemed. She’d had an abusive husband.”
“Son of a bitch,”
Jaxon muttered as he pushed away from the wall and strode toward her. He wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and leaned down to kiss her. “Hurry up.”
“Are you going to wait for me anywhere?”
“I want to stop at the barn first to see if Dev and Willa need any help or if they’re done cleaning up. Go on up to my house. The back door is unlocked.”
“You leave that beautiful place unlocked?”
“Jinks will bark and scare anyone away that doesn’t belong, but he won’t hurt you.”
He walked to the door and put his hand on the knob, then turned back to face her. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. ”
Presley smiled. “Make sure you are, cowboy.”
She laughed when he smiled and disappeared out the door.
****
Jaxon entered the barn to see Willa and Devin swaying on the dance floor. He cleared his throat, and they glanced over to him.
“You do realize there’s no music?”
he asked as he walked toward them.
Devin grinned. “There’s music in my heart.”
Jaxon and Willa both groaned.
“Apparently, your wife thinks you’re as full of it as I do.”
Devin put his hand over his heart. “I’m hurt that two of my favorite people think I’m full of it.”
“We love you too, Devin,”
Willa said as she kissed him.
“Do you two need any help? I’m heading home if not.”
“Go home. We’re almost done. Just need to clear the tables off.”
Devin looked at him. “Yeah, go home, big brother. I’m sure you want to head to bed.”
Jaxon narrowed his eyes. “I’m tired.”
“Uh huh. Go home.”
Devin grinned along with Willa.
“If your beautiful wife wasn’t here, I’d say something. ”
Willa laughed. “Oh, like I’ve never heard you two say that to each other. By word or finger.”
Jaxon grinned and winked at her. “Welcome to the family, Willa.”
After giving them a wave, he headed to his house and hoped Presley was there already. As he walked up to the porch, he heard Jinks barking from inside. Jaxon opened the door and entered the house. Jinks sat and put his paw up. Jaxon shook it, then glanced around. She must not be here yet. Damn. He was hoping she’d made it before he did. He liked the idea of coming home and finding her here, and he hated that he liked it. Damn it! This was just wrong. Maybe he should just tell her to go when she did arrive. Thinking with your dick does nothing but get you into trouble.
Walking down the hallway toward his bedroom, he pulled his T-shirt off over his head, entered the room, and came to a stop when he heard water running in the bathroom. Slowly, he pushed the door open and hissed in a breath when he saw her standing beside the Jacuzzi in nothing but her blue lace panties. She turned toward him and smiled.
“I, uh…”
He cleared his throat. “I didn’t think you were here yet.”
“I practically ran here,”
she said, laughing .
Jaxon grinned as he stepped into the room. “Do you plan on sharing that tub?”
She scrunched up her nose as she stared at him. “Only if it’s with you.”
“It had better be, sweetheart.”
He leaned down and kissed her then straightened up to unsnap his jeans then he sat on the closed toilet to toe off his boots.
“I think those boots are so sexy.”
He raised his eyebrow. “They’re just boots, darlin’.”
“ Sexy cowboy boots. I love the distressed ones. Although I do like the ones you wear to work too.”
“Do you have a fixation with cowboys?”
He stood to push his jeans and boxer briefs off.
“Maybe. It is one reason I wanted to come here.”
“One reason? What are the others?”
“Denise told me it was fun, and I could just take the time to relax and think about the job offer.”
“Have you thought about it?”
“Not really.”
She stripped her panties off and stepped into the tub.
Jaxon walked to the tub, then sunk down into the water behind her, and groaned when Presley hit the button to turn the jets on. Pulling her back against his chest, she rested her head in the crook of his neck .
“I could sit here with you all night,”
Jaxon whispered in her ear, then kissed her neck and at the same time, he could feel the anger washing over him that she had this hold over him. She wasn’t the only who may have a broken heart when she left.
“I’d like that too.”
Pushing away from him, she turned around to face him. “Although, we would have to drain out the chilly water and put hot water in again. So, what would we do in the meantime?”
Jaxon grinned at her then pulled her close. “I’m sure we can think of something.”
This running hot and cold needs to stop. Either be with her or tell her to go!
Presley laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sure,”
she whispered against his lips.
“Come here, darlin’.”
He pulled her onto his lap.
Smiling, she moved over him but didn’t take him inside her. She rubbed against his hard cock, making him groan. He moved his hand down between her legs then moved his knuckle against her clitoris. He didn’t think he could get any harder, but when she tilted her head back and moaned, he went rock hard. When she started taking deep breaths, he moved his other hand to her breast and rubbed her nipple with the pad of his thumb then took her lips in a deep kiss. He wanted her moans to fill his mouth when she came. When he moved his hand away from between her legs, making her whimper, he lifted her then settled her over his cock. Gritting his teeth as she lowered herself down over him, he buried his face in her neck and groaned.
“Jaxon, you feel so good,”
she whispered as she pulled away from his kiss.
Jaxon wrapped his hand around her nape and pulled her back to press his lips to hers.
“I want your screams to fill my mouth when you come.”
Her arms wrapped around his neck as she moved up and down his hard length. He moved his hands to her hips to set a rhythm. She moaned deep in her throat, then groaned his name when she came.
“Shit, I don’t have a condom on,”
he said as he tried to move her off him.
“I’m on the pill, I need this, Jaxon. I need to feel you inside me.”
She shivered despite the hot water.
Jaxon couldn’t hold out any longer. Clenching his teeth, he put his lips against her neck then lightly bit her as he came hard.
Presley continued moving against him until his hands gripped her hips tighter. He raised his head and looked into her eyes. She stared at him .
“I can see the wheels turning, Jaxon,”
she whispered.
“I hate that I want you so much,”
he snapped and moved her off him.
“You seriously need to make up your mind, Jaxon. One minute you want me, and the next, you don’t.”
Presley stood and stepped from the tub and yanked a towel from a rack.
“I told you how this could go—”
“But you never told me why .”
“You know about my wife—”
“I know. She died, Jaxon and I’m sure if she could tell you, she’d tell you that you need to get on with your life.”
Standing, Jaxon reached for a towel. After drying off, he left the bathroom to enter the bedroom where he pulled on sweatpants, and a T-shirt then walked to the kitchen. He shouldn’t have said anything. It was none of her business. Shit! Shit! Shit! You are such an idiot, Callahan. You should have stayed away from her. He knew the minute he’d looked into her eyes when he handed her the towels, he should stay away. But just like every other man, he let his dick do the talking. Son of a bitch! Walking to the refrigerator, he opened it and pulled out a bottle of water. Jinks sat on the floor, staring up at him.
“Yeah, I know. You don’t have to say anything.”
He smiled when Jinks put his paw over his eyes. Squatting down, he rubbed the dog’s ears. Shaking his head, he stood then walked toward the living room and glanced down the hallway but didn’t see her. God, he hoped she wasn’t crying. He’d been an ass to walk out like that. Taking a deep breath, he set the water bottle down on the hall table and headed down the hallway to the bedroom.
****
Presley turned the jets off then stood and reached for a towel to dry off. She just didn’t understand. The hospital expected her to return with her decision made. Only thing was, she had made no decision whatsoever. To think of leaving Jaxon was killing her but she had to go. Jaxon didn’t want her for anything other than sex, and if she were honest with herself, she wanted him to ask her to stay with him. Three weeks to go, and she was no closer to making her decision. She wanted the new position, didn’t she? She’d have more free time and more money. But money didn’t make you happy and the thought of more free time wasn’t as appealing as before because she knew all she’d do with that free time would be to think of Jaxon. The real appeal was working in that department.
A tear rolled down her cheek. She was so in love with Jaxon, but there was no question about her leaving because he didn’t want her to stay. He was still in love with his dead wife. Biting her bottom lip, she tried to keep it from trembling. Hearing a sound beside her, she turned her head to see Jaxon leaning against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest. She couldn’t stop her eyes from skimming down over him. The sweatpants he wore left little to the imagination, especially since she knew what they covered. Raising her eyes to his, she saw him staring at her.
“Jaxon, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but we have to.”
“There is nothing to talk about. Didn’t I make my feelings clear from the beginning?”
Wrapping the towel around her and tucking the ends over her breasts, she walked to him then stared up into his face.
“Yes, you did.”
Her voice caught. “Do you…do you want to stop seeing each other?”
His arms wrapped around her. “No,”
he said adamantly.
Raising her head, she stared up at him. “Jaxon, I don’t know what you want from me.”
“Don’t you? Isn’t it obvious?”
He stepped back from her, and she could feel him distancing himself from her.
“Yes. You have made it clear, and I’m a fool for agreeing to it, but…I care for you. ”
“Don’t,”
he snarled.
Presley clenched her teeth. “Fine. I’m done. I just can’t do this.”
“And I can’t do more.”
She was doing her best not to shout at him when just minutes ago they were holding each other.
“Then, why bother?”
Clenching her fists so she wouldn’t hit him, she stared at his handsome face. “Whether you want to admit it or not, you need to move on. I didn’t know your wife—”
“You’re damn right you didn’t.”
He stared at her for a minute, then spun away from her. “Get dressed. I’ll walk you back to your cabin.”
“I don’t need you—”
“And I sure as hell don’t need you,”
he said as he left the room.
More tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched his retreating back. He worried about breaking her heart. He already had .