Chapter 5
five
Based on the startled squeak that comes from inside the moving pod, whoever it is, didn’t hear me come up behind them, and it makes me chuckle.
My heart nearly stops when a pair of familiar wide green eyes peek out from behind the metal door and lock with mine.
Her name falls from my lips before I can stop it. “Sasha?”
Hair pulled up in a messy red bun on top of her head, she looks just as gorgeous as I remember. A light sheen of sweat on her skin gives her an ethereal glow, and her full lips are still parted on a gasp.
“Jax,” she breathes. Jesus. The way she says my name sends a jolt straight through me, making my dick twitch.
For a second, neither of us moves. I’m struggling as I try to process what I’m seeing. Sasha—the woman who’s been haunting my dreams for months—is standing right in front of me.
And she’s moving in next door.
Quickly covering up my surprise with a smirk, I shove my hands in my pockets and wait for her to step out.
“Well, shit, Sasha. If you wanted to see me so bad, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t have to pull out all the stops and move in next door. Didn’t take you for the stalking type.”
Her cheeks flush as she wrinkles her cute little nose. The piercing on the right side catches the light right before her eyes narrow and she huffs, “Are you just going to stand there and be an ass or are you going to get over yourself and grab a box?”
I can’t help but laugh. That sharp tongue of hers is one of the things I could never—not in a million years—ever forget.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say, giving her a mock salute as I move to step past her.
Grabbing the heaviest box I can find, which just happens to be filled with books, I hoist it onto my shoulder. “Where do you want it?”
Briefly thrown off by my nonchalance, she quickly recovers. “Um… Living room?”
She grabs another box, and I follow her inside, trying not to stare at her sweet ass and the way her hips sway as she walks. Shit. If her shorts were any shorter, I’d be able to see the crease where her butt cheeks meet her thighs.
Stepping inside, her living room is pretty much set up already, with a cream colored sectional, sleek entertainment center and a few empty bookshelves.
“Just set it down anywhere,” she says with a vague wave of her hand.
I place the box on the floor next to the bookshelves and straighten, taking a moment to look around. “Nice place. Getting settled in okay?”
“I was until someone woke me up this morning mowing their lawn,” she frowns, crossing her arms over her ample chest.
My gaze flicks from where it’s locked onto her tits and back up to her face. “It was after nine,” I counter with a grin. Her frown deepens. “But point taken. Sorry about that.”
An awkward silence falls between us. There’s so much I want to say, so many questions I want to ask, but instead I settle for, “So, you’re moving to Lakeside, huh?”
“Yeah. I’m opening a Summit Studio in the empty building next to Rise and Dine.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “No shit?”
A hint of pride crosses her face. “Yep. Just closed on the sale. Took a lot longer than I thought it would. Small town red tape is no joke.”
“Trust me, I know.” I shove my hands back in my pockets. “Well, congratulations.”
“Thanks. Figured Lakeside could use a yoga studio. The only other one I know of is in the next town over.”
“And you just happened to pick the space right across from our shop?” I tease.
A flush creeps up her neck. “My only thought was that the location is perfect. I didn’t even think about Skin & Ink being across the street until Noia brought it up.”
“Right,” I drawl. Still not able to hold myself back from giving her shit, I take a step closer. “And it was just a coincidence you moved in next door?”
“I didn’t know,” she snaps. “Trust me, if I did, I would’ve picked somewhere else. Anywhere else, actually.”
“Ouch,” I cringe, arching an eyebrow. “Was I that bad, sweet-cheeks?”
Her back stiffens in annoyance. “Let’s just get the rest of the boxes inside,” she mutters, turning away to stomp out the front door. “And don’t call me sweet-cheeks.”
“Why not? From my vantage point—and if those shorts you’re wearing are any indication—you’ve got some pretty sweet cheeks.”
All I hear as she walks out the door is a frustrated groan, and it makes me grin.
We fall into a rhythm, moving back and forth between the pod and the house. I try to focus on the task at hand rather than how her legs flex with each box she lifts, or how the short hairs at the nape of her neck are curled with sweat. But it’s damn near impossible.
An hour later, the pod is empty, and I’m sweating bullets again.
“Water break?” I suggest, wiping my forehead with the back of my forearm.
She nods. “I’ve got some in the fridge.”
Inside, she grabs two bottles of water. When she hands one to me, I nod my thanks, ignoring the electric current zipping up my arm as our fingers brush.
“Thanks for the help,” she says, leaning against the counter.
I take a long swig. Throat working as I swallow, I force myself to look away from the bead of sweat leisurely making its way down her cleavage just before disappearing below the line of her top.
“No problem.” I clear my throat and flash her a crooked grin. “That’s what neighbors are for, right?”
“I guess so.” She starts fidgeting with the label on her water bottle. “Look, about what happened—”
“Don’t worry about it,” I cut in, waving a dismissive hand. “We both agreed it was just a one-time thing, right?”
She nods. “Right.”
But as soon as the words fall from my lips, I know I’m just spouting bullshit.
My gaze takes in her tiny shorts, tight as shit tank top and her gorgeous face flushed from the heat, and something inside me snaps. Two strides, and I’m invading her space.
Loving the thrill it gives me to see her eyes pop wide in surprise, I drop my voice into a low rumble and lean in. “Actually…”
She swallows hard, throat working as she shifts her stance to lean against the counter. “Jax—”
I can’t help myself. Reaching out, I brush a damp strand of hair away from her face, trailing my fingers down her cheek.
Just as soft as I remember.
“You know what I do think about?” I move in even closer—close enough our bodies are a hairsbreadth apart.
Her breath hitches. “What?”
I don’t know why I’m all up in her proximity right now, but I just can’t fucking help myself.
There are things I didn’t get the chance to do to her before that I’m itching to do now—like tear those goddamn, sexy as shit, raggedy-ass jean shorts down her legs and shove my face in her pussy, and make her come all over my tongue.
“About you and me in the alley. How you came all over my dick. I think about it all the time.”
The urge to touch her, taste her, feel her skin against mine again is overwhelming. But I brace my hands against the cabinet on either side of her head instead.
She doesn’t push me away like I expect her to. So when her tongue darts out to wet her lips, that’s all the invitation I need.
Slowly, I lean in, giving her a chance to stop me. But she doesn’t. When my lips finally meet hers, it stokes a fire in my veins. The kiss starts out soft and tentative, but quickly turns hungry, desperate.
And I can’t get enough.
Capturing her full bottom lip between mine, I suck gently until she makes this little moan deep in her throat, and it nearly does me in.
Her lips part and I deepen the kiss, languidly sliding my tongue against hers. She tastes sweet, like sex and heat.
Then her hands find their way to my chest, fingers splaying across my skin. For a second I think she’s going to push me away, but she only grips my shoulders and pulls me closer.
I press her against the counter, sliding one hand around her waist while the other cups her face. God, she feels amazing.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. Her lips are swollen, eyes dark with desire, and I want nothing more than to carry her over to the couch and finish what we started.
“This is a bad idea,” she whispers, hands clenching my shoulders.
“Probably,” I agree, running my thumb across her bottom lip. “But I don’t really give a fuck.”
Her laugh is a breathy sound that shoots straight to my cock. “We agreed—”
“I know what we agreed,” I growl, cutting her off. “But I haven’t been able to get you out of my head. I tried. In those first couple of months after you left, no other woman even came close to how amazing it felt being inside you. Now you’re here. Moving in next door.”
“Just a coincidence.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
Then, something shifts in her expression. Hands that were pulling me close only moments ago shove me away.
“No,” she says, shaking her head.
Stunned, I pull back to search her face. “Why not?”
“Because we’re neighbors, Jax.” She slips out from between my arms, putting the kitchen island between us. “Not to mention I’ll be working across the street from you. It’ll make things… too complicated.”
“Doesn’t have to be.” But I can already see her walls going back up, brick by brick.
She sighs, fiddling with her messy bun. “Look, what happened between us was great. Really great, actually. But it was a one-time thing for a reason.”
“And what reason is that exactly?” I lean against the counter, crossing my arms over my naked chest.
“Because I’m not looking for anything serious, and neither are you.” Her voice is firm, but there’s something in her eyes I can’t quite read. “And besides, neighbors with benefits is a clichéd disaster just waiting to happen.”
The set of her jaw tells me it would be pointless to argue. So, I plaster on a smile instead and shrug like her rejection doesn’t bother me.
Whatever. I’m not going to give up. I made up my mind the moment I saw her this morning. She’s going to be mine. I just need some time to figure out how I’m going to make that happen.