Chapter 14
Rowyn
“Jax, I don’t even know what to say.”
I set my fork down, my gaze lifting to meet his across the small table. The golden light from the pendant above flickers over his face, catching the mischievous curve of his mouth.
“That’s saying something,” he teases, leaning back in his chair. “Coming from the girl who always has an opinion on everything.”
I laugh, soft and a little breathless, and wipe the corner of my mouth with a napkin.
“True. But this meal…” I lean forward, lowering my voice like I’m confessing something scandalous.
“Don’t tell your mom, but it was better than hers.
You, Jaxon Sheffield, are a man of many talents in the kitchen. ”
“Hey,” he says with a wink that hits low and hard in my stomach. “You don’t have to sweet-talk me. I’m already a sure thing.”
“Cocky much?” I shoot back as he uses my words against me, but the smirk tugging at my lips betrays me.
He wipes his mouth and I stand, gathering both plates to busy my trembling hands.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“You cooked. I clean.” Why do I sound like a squirrel jacked up on energy drinks? The water hisses as I turn on the tap, waiting for it to warm, for something—anything—to steady the rush inside
“Set those plates down right now.” The low rasp of his voice comes from just behind me, and my entire body stills. I feel him before I see him—his heat, his scent, the rough whisper of his breath against the back of my neck. My heart trips into a sprint.
“I’m cleaning up,” I manage, but it comes out more like a gasp. “You cooked, I clean. That’s fair.”
He steps closer. The air thickens. “Set those plates down,” he says, voice low and firm. “Now.”
My breath catches. That tone does mysterious things to the needy, traitorous place between my thighs.
“Jaxon, I can’t—”
“You can,” he murmurs, his mouth close enough that the words slides over my skin. “And you will.”
Oh God.
Why does that tone make me want to do everything he says? I’m a grown woman. Independent. Capable. I handle my life, my job, my world. But right now, all I want to do is hand myself over to him.
His hand finds my arm, tracing down slowly—so slowly—it’s like he’s learning my wants, my needs by touch alone. When his fingers reach mine, still clutching the plates, he gives the gentlest squeeze. “Down,” he whispers. “Now.”
I swallow hard, set the plates in the sink, and shut off the water.
“That’s my girl,” he murmurs against my ear.
My girl.
The words are a spark in a room full of oxygen.
Before I can turn, he’s already pressing against me, his body solid and hot, pinning me lightly to the counter. It should make me feel trapped, but instead, every nerve in my body wakes up and sings.
“Did I tell you how good you looked in this dress?” he asks, his lips brushing the edge of my jaw.
“I… think so.” My voice is barely a whisper. My brain, well, that’s gone completely offline.
“Did I tell you how good you’re going to look out of it?” he practically growls.
A burst of heat races through me. “God, no,” I rush out, the words tumbling over themselves.
His fingers pause on my arm. “No, as in I didn’t tell you,” he murmurs. “Or no as in you don’t want that to happen?”
I wet my bottom lip in anticipation as the words slip out, “I want it to happen.”
That seems to please him because the second I say it, he growls deep and turns me.
My dress slides up my legs, fabric whispering against skin, and then I’m in his arms—weightless, breathless—as he lifts me up against him.
Instinct takes over. My legs wrap around his waist, my hands brace on his shoulders, my body burns in a way it’s never burned before.
He starts toward the hallway, each step long, determined.
But halfway there, like the bedroom is simply too far, he changes course, setting me down on the cool surface of the kitchen island.
He opens my legs, and my pulse leaps as he situates himself between them.
He braces his hands on either side of me, the heat of him, the scent of spice and soap and sin curling around me like a storm.
For a moment, he just looks at me. Like he’s memorizing what I look like right before he ruins me, and yes, I’m confident this man is going to ruin me in ways I don’t yet understand.
“I thought I’d show you,” he says slowly, voice dark silk. “Some of my other talents in the kitchen.”
A laugh escapes me, rough and needy. “I…Jaxon…” Never before have words abandoned me, but then again, I’ve never been with a man like Jaxon.
He grins, inching closer. “You like that idea, huh?”
There’s no hiding from him. Not with the trembling in my voice, the way my breath keeps catching. But that’s okay, with everything we’re doing here, with the lessons he’s about to give me, there can only be truth.
His thumb brushes my damp panties, and the growl that crawls from his throat fuels the fire inside me.
“Jaxon.”
His head lifts, and as my eyes drift shut he commands, “Eyes open.” My lids flick open. “You’re going to want to watch what I’m doing to you.”
Right, because he’s teaching me how to please a man. But wait, no. He’s pleasing me, wanting me to understand my wants and needs too. My heart wobbles, because this man…this man…
Careful girl, don’t go falling for the wrong man.
My heart pounds so hard, I’m sure I’m going to break a rib when his lips find mine.
I moan into his mouth, kissing him back with all the hunger building inside me.
He grips my butt, and pulls me harder against him.
My legs dangle over the counter as he deepens the kiss, and groans into my mouth as he grinds his erection against my aching core.
I swear to God, I’m seconds from spontaneously combusting, from telling him to touch me already, when he breaks the kiss. He watches me for a moment, and then he grips my dress, raising it higher. He growls as his gaze drops to my white lacy panties, and he runs his finger along the band.
His head lifts, his eyes darker, full of hunger when he asks, “Did you buy these for me?”
“Yes.”
“Then they’re mine?” He cocks his head, a mischievous yet ravenous look in his eye. “I can do what I want with them?”
Since I have no idea what he’s talking about, and I’m having a hard time finding my words, I simply nod. A tiny smirk begins at the corner of his mouth as he focuses in on my panties again, slowly running his finger over the lace, before bunching the slip of material in his hand.
I watch him carefully, mesmerized by his intense concentration. A second later, a tearing sound reaches my ears, and I gasp when I realize he’s ripped them from my hips.
“Jax.”
He taps my outer thigh. “Lift.”
I put my hands on the counter, and lift, and he slides the panties out from beneath me, leaving me bare, exposed as he tucks the lace into his back pocket, like it’s some kind of souvenir, and damn if that doesn’t make me feel wanted…sexy.
“Mine,” he says before he slides his hands under my legs, tilting me backward to better position my body for the taking. His mouth closes over my aching pussy, and I briefly wonder what he meant by mine. Was he talking about my panties, or…me?
But those thoughts melt when his tongue finds my clit for a sweet, leisurely exploration that has me leaning back and balancing on my hands as I tilt my head, wanting to watch everything, just like he said I would.
My breathing changes, becomes faster as he applies such delicate pressure to my clit, his tongue swirling and finding my hot entrance. He slides his tongue inside me, tasting me deeply before replacing his tongue with a finger.
He inches it in slowly as his tongue reclaims my clit and my entire body burns from head to toe.
I claw the counter, practically score the marble as he lifts my legs, putting them around his neck as he delves in deeper.
My muscles clench around his thick finger as he pushes it deep, stopping to caress the bundle of nerves inside no man has ever before found.
“Jaxon,” I cry out and he angles his head. Our eyes lock for a brief second as he checks in with me, and I simply watch, my words lost as he reads me, and goes back to pleasuring my body in ways that are going to make me forget my name and always remember his.
He moves his finger in a steady rhythm as he suckles my clit, and a keening cry catches in my throat.
My legs tighten around his shoulders, my hips coming off the cool counter as my body takes over.
He groans, clearly loving what he’s doing to me and that comes with its own measure of excitement.
My throat dries as I gulp air, and when he slides a second finger in, a deliciously snug fit, my muscles ripple, tightening in preparation.
Pleasure gathers, builds in my core and I focus on it as it gains hurricane strength.
He presses his mouth harder against my clit and a storm erupts inside me.
“Jax,” I cry out, quivering as a powerful, mind-numbing orgasm sweeps through me, making me forget everything but the man between my legs and the pleasure he’s bringing. This…this is what I’ve been missing out on. I’m so goddamn mad about that.
He stays buried between my legs, licking and moaning, and lapping up every last drip of my climax. My body continues to quiver, riding out every hard clench of pure pleasure.
“Baby, you are so fucking sweet,” he murmurs from between my legs and when he lifts his head, his mouth glistening under the light, it nearly brings on another orgasm.
How could I be ready for more, so fast. He adjusts me on the counter, pushing me back so I don’t fall off it before he straightens to his full height.
He leans in, presses his mouth to mine and kisses me deeply. I taste myself on his mouth as I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him to me. His hands move to my hips and he lifts me again. I’m about to wrap my legs around his waist when he speaks.
“Stand.” I let my legs slide down his body and as I push against him, his erection indents my stomach. He threads his fingers through my hair, pushing it back. “You like that, baby?” he asks. “You like my mouth between your legs?”
I nod, barely able to believe the sexy way he’s talking to me. I quickly remind myself this is Jaxon, just not the Jaxon I’ve ever known. “Yes. I had no idea how good that could be,” I admit honestly
He touches my face, brushes his thumb over my flushed cheeks. “You enjoy learning what your body likes?”
“Uh, huh.”
“You like coming for me?” God, his voice is so soft, but beneath the tenderness there’s need and hunger.
“Yes, but there’s a problem.”
He blinks, his brow knitting together as he inches back, his gaze searching my face for answers. “Problem?” he asks.
“You see, there’s other things I like. Things I didn’t know I liked, until you.”
I blink up at him, innocent, inexperienced and the second he understands what I’m hinting at, he changes. His body goes hard, rigid, as he steps back, giving me space. Despite the distance, the air between us is still hot. Our eyes stay locked, mine conveying exactly what I need.
He tears his shirt off, and drops it to the floor. “On your knees. Now.”