Ch. 23 – Jax
J ax pulled open the door of the news van. He was waiting for her, his brown eyes hungry, almost feral.
“Come here,” Rico growled.
She obeyed, climbing into the back seat. Her body felt pulled to him like he was a gravity well. He put his hands possessively on her hips and swung her into his lap.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he said, and pressed his lips over hers.
No thoughts. No worry. No fears. Jax was a creature of pure need. She opened her mouth beneath his lips, allowing his tongue to explore hers. His hands cupped her breasts, feeling, weighing, before his thumbs stroked her nipples over her shirt.
She gasped in delight. In the gray twilight of the van, she could see the hard outline of his body. She wanted to feel him, so she pressed her hands into his chest. Taut muscle met her fingertips, and she skimmed her fingers downward.
He tugged her shirt over her head. She bent to kiss him, but he put his hands on her shoulders to pause her movement. Their eyes met.
“I see you, Jax,” Rico said.
And then his mouth claimed hers again.
Jax jolted awake, shivering and twitching. For a moment, her entire body felt like a rubber band, every fiber and sinew stretched to its limit.
I see you. The whisper of the dream pushed her over the edge. The rubber band snapped. Jax came. Hard. Her body shuddered and stars blasted across her field of vision as she gripped her comforter until her fingers ached.
About a year later, she finally felt like she could breathe. She pressed her face into her pillow, panting. What in the ever-lovin’ universe had just happened?
Well, she knew what had happened. She’d just had the most intense orgasm of her life. But why? She hadn’t masturbated in two years. Her body didn’t feel like that anymore. It didn’t do that.
. . . except, apparently, it did.
*
Only an hour into her shift at The Rose and Thorn Jax could already tell the two women at the corner table were going to be a problem. Her red flags started snapping upright around the time they polished off their second glasses of wine and started referring to each other as “bitch.”
“Bitch, you’ve got to get the lake house,” the woman in the tight leopard print top insisted to her companion. “You practically killed yourself remodeling that kitchen. You deserve it, bitch.”
“I know, bitch,” simpered her friend behind massive sunglasses, “but my divorce lawyer says if I want half of Doug’s bonuses for the next five years, I should give up the lake house.”
Jax switched out their empty glasses for full ones and said a little prayer. It was just too damn early on this gorgeous Sunday afternoon to deal with whatever drama these two were brewing .
The winery was busy, and Jax felt eternally grateful for the newest member of their team. At the tasting bar, Tess machine-gunned warm smiles and efficient service to guests. She was learning fast, her hands becoming surer with each pour, her knowledge of their vintages growing by the day.
Jax hadn’t realized how much she needed a Tess in her life. It was pure bliss to work with a server who didn’t duck out for half-hour breaks like Haley used to. Who showed up on time and who didn’t shamelessly flirt with guests or gossip about them behind their backs.
Tess even came with a few built-in bonuses, which Jax had been testily waiting to avail herself of since the start of her shift. Now, she set a crate of dirty wineglasses in the back, brought out a case of clean ones, and glanced down the bar.
Tess was ringing out Cameron, an uber-sexy, utterly sweet guy who owned the local gym and ordered exactly one glass of wine every Sunday morning.
“Tess, you’re an angel, anyone ever tell you that?” Cam said. The man wasn’t flirting. He was just that nice to everyone.
“Oh, stop, Cam,” Tess said, waving him off. “By the way, how’s your guy bonding group at the gym going? You get Theo to join yet?”
Cam gave her an easy smile. “If you’re talking about our Guy Lifting Club where we explore our feelings in a healthy and respectful environment like all real men should, then it’s going wonderfully. But alas, Theo has yet to avail himself of our support.”
And this is why, along with lollipops, men wearing kilts, tasteful facial piercings, and glow-in-the-dark stars, Jax absolutely adored Cam. The man was so jacked, he could play the next Hollywood He-Man, but beneath those amazing pecs beat the heart of one of the kindest, most sensitive men she’d ever met. Never had she met a man who could do so much emotional heavy lifting . . . while also IRL being able to squat a 500-pound barbell.
“Theo’s loss,” Tess said.
“Truly.” Cam nodded. “You ladies have a wonderful day.” He gave them a friendly salute. Several pairs of female eyes followed him as he made his way to the door. More than one pair of male eyes, too.
Jax noted that no one was waiting to order. For the first time all day, they had a brief moment of respite.
Bingo! She launched her premeditated attack. Tess was midwave to Cam when Jax looped an arm through hers and steered her into the back of the winery at a goosestep pace.
“Uh, Jax?” Tess asked as they slipped into the shadows of the towering shelves. “Am I being kidnapped?”
They didn’t have much time before the customers noticed their absence.
“You were a doctor, right?” Jax asked.
“I didn’t finish my residency, so technically—”
“Close enough,” Jax interrupted. Suddenly, her heart was pounding a mile a minute and her mouth felt like it was crammed with twenty spoonsful of peanut butter. She almost, almost, alllllmost chickened out. But after a short breath, she bent close to Tess and whispered, “Can women come in their sleep?”
A loud peel of laughter erupted from the Real Housewives Reject table.
“What?” Tess frowned. “Sorry, I couldn’t hear. What was your question?”
Jax swallowed. Forced out the words in a louder voice. “Can women have orgasms?”
“Oh, Jax . . .” Tess took her hands .
“No. Shit.” Jax shook her head. “I mean, in their sleep?” Her voice lowered again as if she were whispering a dirty secret. “Can women orgasm in their sleep . . . you know, like men do?”
Tess’s smile was gentle and warm. She squeezed Jax’s hands. “Yes, they absolutely can. It’s less common for women than men, but it’s completely normal and healthy.”
Tess wasn’t laughing at her, and for some reason that made Jax almost want to cry. She looked down and blinked hard.
“Okay. Thanks,” she managed. “I was asking for a friend, by the way.”
Tess surprised Jax by pulling her into a hug. Though Jax was several inches taller and at least fifteen pounds heavier than Tess, she suddenly wanted to melt into the smaller woman’s embrace.
“I’m happy to answer any questions your friend has,” Tess said. “No woman should ever feel ashamed to ask about how her body works.”
“What are you two doing back here?” Breanna demanded, popping her blond head into the back. “I just came in, and there’s no one manning the tasting bar. What the hell are we paying you two for?”
We ? Last time Jax checked, Breanna didn’t own The Rose and Thorn despite the way she acted.
“Weren’t you supposed to open with me?” Jax asked innocently.
Breanna came into the back. Her lean body was dipped into pink yoga pants and a white crop tank with so many crisscrossing straps, Jax wondered how Breanna put it on without choking herself. She frowned at Jax. “I told Theo I might open today if I wasn’t feeling anxious, but I was, so I had to go to yoga.” She stiffened her spine. “It’s never busy on Sunday morning anyway.”
“How was yoga?” Tess asked, releasing Jax from the hug and patting down her blue cotton sundress .
“Get back out there!” Breanna hissed, before stomping up the stairs to Theo’s apartment.
Half an hour later, Jax was still keeping an eye on the trouble table. The women were chugging admirably through their fourth glasses of wine. Huge Sunglasses was nodding a lot and dabbing at her eyes while Leopard Print laid down a landslide of “hard truths,” including the need to start researching egg freezing, a review of possible nips and tucks to undergo before rejoining the dating market, and a detailed conversation on how sleeping with a man in his twenties could be absolutely what Huge Sunglasses needed for her self-esteem right now.
Jax found herself unabashedly eavesdropping. What were the best places in Tijuana for Botox and a boob lift? She had to know!
The door to the winery flung open and Alanna swept inside. To be fair, Alanna only ever swept into places. She marched up to the tasting bar and two guests wisely stepped aside for her.
“Where’s your idiot boss?” she demanded of Jax. She looked like she wanted to skewer someone with her scarlet heels.
This ought-a be good. Jax leaned against the bar, delighted. “What’s Theo done now?”
“Made it even more difficult for me to fix all his shit.”
“Oh, is that all?”
“That’s more than enough!” Alanna’s blue eyes could possibly kill on contact. “He wants to scale back the outdoor patio. But he can’t do that,” Alanna said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. “The patio is going to be a massive draw. Look at these views.” She gestured to the windows that showcased the peaceful vineyards carpeting both sides of the hill. “This patio needs to happen exactly according to plan. It must! ”
“Well, he’s actually with your boyfriend and Hue on the patio,” Jax said leisurely. “I’m pretty sure Theo mentioned something about updating some plans.”
“The fuck he did!” Alanna growled. Oh, the woman was magnificent. She stormed to the back patio like a bull entering the ring ready to lacerate livers and hoof-stomp faces.
Jax had to see this.
“Taking my break,” she called to Tess, who nodded. With Breanna finally on the floor, they had things well under control.
Jax followed Alanna out the side door to the small, grassy patio area where a few guests sat at uneven tables. Two old umbrellas wobbled in the wind, providing uneven shade. Jax had seen Alanna’s plans for the space, and they were brilliant. Alanna wanted to massively expand the patio, putting in a large tiled surface with enough space for a dozen tables. She planned to build an outdoor bar for easier serving, add a retractable overhang to keep out the sun, and invest in heaters for cooler evenings.
Eventually, she wanted to add a gazebo for musical performances, bring in food trucks, install a playground for children, and put up a large permanent tent for special events. Jax marveled at the possibilities. Alanna’s force of personality was so strong that Jax could almost see a gorgeous bride making her way toward the gazebo on a carpet of rose petals.
The fact that Alanna had offered her PR services to Theo several months ago with plenty of business coaching on the side was a true stroke of luck. As much as Jax respected and even loved her boss, he was as blind as a bat when it came to running a business. Luckily, he had Alanna, who looked about ready to tear him a new asshole. She rounded the corner, Jax at her heels, and stopped short .
Theo stood with Sully and Hue at the edge of the patio. He pointed at something, and Sully nodded and jotted a note on his tablet.
“What. The. Fuck?” Alanna cried, stomping toward them.
All three men froze like they’d been caught burying a body. Jax leaned against the corner of the building, unwrapped a lollipop, and stuck it in her mouth.
Sully turned around first and gave Alanna a bright smile. “Hello, dear.”
“Don’t you even dare!” she pointed a manicured finger at him. “Whatever you just wrote down, delete it immediately.”
“Should we take cover?” Hue asked Theo.
Jax’s boss ignored him. He turned to Alanna and ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. “So, um, I see you got my email.”
“You’re damn right I did,” she retorted. “And after double-checking that it wasn’t April 1st I came down here to inform you that I’m not going to let you ruin all my hard work. We are NOT scaling back the patio.”
Theo grimaced. “We have to, Alanna. I’ve got to fix part of my irrigation system and I just lost an acre of vines. I can’t afford the full expansion even if Sully and Hue do most of the work at cost.”
The lollipop paused in Jax’s mouth. This was the first she was hearing about the irrigation issue. Sure, Theo’s winemaking and growing equipment was older than time itself, but Theo took studious care of it all. Somehow, through constant vigilance, prayers, and a small country’s worth of duct tape, he managed to keep everything in working order. Things rarely actually broke down.
“Can you up your bank loan?” Alanna asked, planting her hands on her hips.
“Let’s talk about this privately,” Theo answered.
“Nah, we all know you’re broke,” Hue said .
“Thanks, man,” Theo responded.
“Fuck,” Alanna hissed. She paced back and forth. Several patrons at the outdoor tables watched her in amusement. “Okay, fine,” she decided, every word like the crack of a whip. “We’ll scale back, just a little. Move some renovations a little further out until the revenue can catch up.”
She speared Theo with an icy glare. “You and I are going to sit down and update the plans together. Okay?”
Theo gulped. “Okay.”
Alanna looked at Hue and Sully. Both men nodded in mute agreement.
Jax wanted to be an Alanna when she grew up.
The woman herself turned on her heels and marched back into the winery. After a pause, the men trudged after her.
“Theo,” Jax said as he approached.
“I’m assuming you heard all of that?” her boss asked glumly.
“Yup. What happened with the irrigation system? I thought you did a full check of it two months ago.”
Theo’s eyes became weary. “I guess I missed something.”
Jax shook her head. Theo missed all sorts of things in the realm of human relationships, but not when it came to his vineyards. There was something he wasn’t telling her.
“What happened?” she pressed.
He sighed. “One of the drip systems ruptured. Probably last Saturday night. We didn’t catch it until Sunday.”
He walked past her followed by the other two men. Jax lingered outside. Something gnawed on the edges of her brain, some flicker of memory trying to break through. Then it came .
The black BMW. She’d seen it coming down the road from the winery last Saturday night long after the winery had closed. And everyone knew Mayor Bishop drove a black BMW.
Jax lurched forward, toward the door, ready to announce her suspicions to Theo, then stopped. What did she have? A blurry memory of a black BMW? That car could have belonged to anyone. What about the attendance of the Porter Development Co. executive at the last city council meeting?
Still just circumstantial evidence that she couldn’t even connect to the winery. Jax slumped against the outer wall of the winery. Theo didn’t have cameras on his property, which meant Jax had nothing but groundless accusations . . . for now.
That would have to change. But first, she needed to get to the end of her shift.
*
Twenty minutes later, Alanna “I Slay the Day as My Morning Warmup” Sandoval returned to the front of the winery, took a seat at a table next to Sully, and proceeded to melt into a happy ball of goop. The transformation was truly stunning. By the time Jax made it to the table, Alanna was leaning into Sully, a doofus smile on her face as they whispered and giggled. Sitting opposite the couple, Hue looked like he might start projectile vomiting at any moment.
“What can I do you for?” Jax asked Ms. Rainbows-and-Pixie-Dust.
“Malbec,” Alanna said. “One glass. I’ve got to update Theo’s whole PR plan.”
“See you tonight, though, right?” Sully asked.
“You couldn’t keep me away if you tried,” Alanna purred at him.
Sully leaned in and kissed her.
Hue coughed. “If you keep looking at her like that, her clothes are going to fall off,” he grumbled .
“I wouldn’t mind,” Sully said.
Alanna just gave Hue the finger.
Jax returned to the bar just as Theo stepped out of the back. He looked like he’d been hit by an eighteen-wheeler truck, which had then proceeded to back up over him a dozen more times for good measure.
“That woman is the bane of my existence,” he said, tossing a glance at Alanna as she giggled and swatted Sully on the shoulder.
“Change is hard,” Tess said as she finished a pour and handed two wineglasses to a couple, “but you know Alanna has your best interests at heart.”
Theo shook his head. “She wants to change so much, so fast.”
Tess put a hand on his arm. “From what Alanna says, it needs to be done.”
“It does,” Jax confirmed. “Theo, this place can’t survive without her plan.”
Theo put his hands on the weathered bar as if he could somehow absorb energy from the ancient piece of wood. “I know,” he finally said.
“You can do this, Theo,” Tess told him. “Even if the look of The Rose and Thorn changes, it’ll still possess the same spirit. And more importantly, the quality of the wine will never change. That’s the true heart of this place.”
Theo gave her a grateful smile. Even though Tess was nearly a foot shorter than him, her small hand on his arm seemed to be holding him up.
“Um, Tess, we need more clean glasses up front,” Breanna said from the other side of the bar, her voice cold.
The lines etching across Theo’s forehead returned. “I’ll get them,” he said tiredly. “Tess, stay up here at the bar. ”
Jax poured an extra full glass of malbec for Alanna and quickly delivered it. The next hour flew by as more customers arrived at the winery. At some point, Alanna disappeared, but Sully and Hue remained.
Jax had just returned from taking orders outside when she noticed someone new had joined their table.
She groaned even as a hive of bumblebees took off in her stomach. When she approached the table, Rico Torres turned and blasted her with his trademark saucy grin.
“Jacklyn, what a surprise.”
“I work here. You know that,” she answered.
That sexy-as-sin smile stayed in place. “So you do.”
“What are you doing here?”
He checked his nail beds, forcing Jax to note the pump of his bicep beneath his golden skin. “I decided to stay in town for the weekend and catch up with my friends.”
Sully brightened and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Are we officially friends? That’s great.”
“Speak for yourself,” Hue grumbled. “Being friends with this guy is a lot of work.”
“What?” Rico turned back to his companions. “I’m a great friend. I took your rat.”
“How is the rat doing?” Sully asked.
Rico leaned casually in his chair, giving off radioactive levels of allure. “Sancho is thriving. I’ve given him a serious housing upgrade, and we’ve really developed quite the routine.”
God, he was so fucking hot and he knew it. Currents of heat snaked through Jax, each full of pain and delight. She could barely look at him as images from her dream flashed in front of her eyes. She remembered the feel of his fingers stroking across her nipples, the taste of his hungry mouth taking possession of her lips.
I see you. The whisper of those words made the hairs prickle on the back of her neck.
Without a word, Jax spun around and marched back to the bar. She shook her head hard, trying to dislodge the memories of her dream. What the hell was wrong with her?
Taking a deep breath, she quickly filled a few orders and delivered them outside on the patio. The fresh air did wonders for her brain. As she wrestled her uncomfortable feelings under control, a new idea percolated. Jax glanced at her watch. Close enough.
She re-entered the winery and moved to the end of the tasting bar.
“I’m taking a fifteen-minute break,” she told Theo, who was filling drinks at the bar.
“You just took a break an hour ago,” Breanna responded, popping up from God knew where. The woman seemed to see and hear everything.
“I get one more break today,” Jax told her. “I’m moving it up.”
“It’s fine,” Theo said, not even looking up from his pour.
Breanna frowned.
From the other side of the bar, Tess glanced at Jax, then to the table of men. Her eyes zeroed in on Rico. She gave Jax a questioning look . . . which Jax promptly ignored.
She ducked into the back, then made her way to the men’s table. Images from her Rico sex dream popped up in her mind like unwanted gophers and she ruthlessly whacked them with an imaginary mallet.
His thumbs teasing her nipples.
His hot lips.
The feel of rippling muscles under her hands.
Whack! Whack! Whack !
Jax swung into a chair at the table and set down her recorder, laptop, and a sandwich bag filled with trail mix.
“What’s happening?” Sully asked.
“More shenanigans, clearly,” Hue groused, and took a long pull from his beer.
“Hello again, Jacklyn.” Rico’s dark eyebrows lifted with interest. “Come to join us?”
Jax flipped open her laptop and turned it on. She hit the power button on her recorder and placed it in the middle of the table. She paused for a beat, then plunged in. “So, as Rico’s friends, what can you tell me about him?” she asked to two men, pointedly ignoring Rico.
Hue laughed. “Shit, how much time do you have?”
“Wait a minute, now.” Rico’s amused expression slid off his face.
“Fifteen minutes,” Jax replied to Hue. She glanced at her phone. “Fourteen.”
“Let’s see . . .” Sully rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “Very health conscious. Seems to be coming around on the rat-as-pet situation.” He assessed Rico. “Clearly he spends some effort on his hair.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Hue put his large, freckled forearms on the table. “I’ve known this fucker practically his whole life. I’ve got the goods.”
“Don’t talk to him, Jax,” Rico said. “He’s clearly very biased.”
“I’m all manner of biased,” Hue confirmed with a grin.
“Do tell,” Jax said.
Now Hue sat back and crossed his arms. “What’s in it for me?”
Jax didn’t blink. “Isn’t the chance to humiliate your friend reason enough?”
“Good point,” Hue agreed. “I always liked you, Jax.”
“I veto this source,” Rico spoke up. “You’re supposed to be writing a more flattering piece. ”
Jax looked at him. Damn, his hair was amazing. Today he wore a tight black T-shirt that didn’t hide the outline of his defined pecs. And his snug jeans clearly proved Rico wasn’t afraid of squats.
I see you.
Jax’s body quivered, and she forced herself to snap back into reality. “I told you I would consider writing another piece, but only if you opened up. That includes hearing from your friends.”
“Let’s see . . .” Hue clasped his hands behind his dingy Marines cap, clearly glorifying in the moment. “Where to even begin? First of all, this kid was tiny. He had to run around in the shower just to get wet. And the hair obsession was always a thing. He looked like one of those characters in Grease when he was in high school.”
Sully snorted into his wineglass.
Rico put his head in his hands. “Remember what I told you about friends, Jax? Don’t have friends.”
A crash interrupted the mild din of conversation.
“Whooopsy,” Leopard Print sang, and giggled as she stared at her shattered wineglass on the floor. Jax sighed. She had meant to cap them at glass number five, but Breanna had given them both another refill. It was time to send them on their way.
Tess started to move from behind the counter, but Jax caught Theo’s eye. He nodded and called Tess back.
“Hi ladies,” Jax said, sidling up to the table. “Looks like we’re having a good time here.”
“I didna do it. I think . . . that guy bumped the table,” Leopard Print said, pointing at a random guy sitting two tables away.
“Not a problem,” Jax said soothingly. “We’ll get this cleaned up. How about I bring you two the bill?”
“I’mma getting divorced,” Big Sunglasses said. She giggled. “Doug’s penis is crooked. ”
“Tiffany!” Leopard Print gasped, and then giggled.
“It issssss,” Tiffany said. Then her lip quivered.
Shit.
“I’m thirty-eight,” she whimpered. “That’s, like, allllmost forty!”
“Oooooh, Tiffany.” Leopard Print staggered out of her chair, almost falling and wrapped her friend in a hug.
“Ladies.” Jax kept her voice friendly. “Would one of you want to call an Uber? They usually get in here in ten or fifteen minutes.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Tiffany gushed. She pulled off her sunglasses as tears sent streaks of mascara down her cheeks.
“Yeah, we’re good here,” Leopard Print said. She yanked up her tight tube top. “Just ’nother glass of the moosecato please.” She snorted. “Moosecato. Oh my God, I’m so drunk.”
Jax took a breath. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m just going to get your check . . .”
“Bitch, I said more moose-cat-o.” Leopard Print wobbled, straightened, then shot Jax a bleary-eyed stare.
Jax crossed her arms. Hard way it was. “No more moosecato or anything else. I’m cutting both of you off.”
“Whhhhat?” Tiffany gasped.
“How dare you,” Leopard Print spat. “We’re not going anywhere. This is ’Merica!”
“He’s not getting the fucking lake house!” Tiffany wailed. “I won’t let him. I dunn’t care what my lawyer says. I dealt with a crooked penis for eleven years!”
Gawd. This was going to get ugly. Jax girded her ovaries for the coming fight.
“Ladies, how are we doing today?” a smooth voice spoke behind her.
Leopard Print’s eyes grew huge. “RICO TORRES!” It was a miracle her high-pitched squeal didn’t shatter every window in the place.
“The one and only,” he said, followed by a soft crunching noise. Jax turned. Rico was chewing. Her eyes dropped to his hands. That bastard had stolen her bag of trail mix!
“Riiiico,” Tiffany said. “I’m getting divorced.”
Rico popped another handful of trail mix into his mouth. “Then he’s obviously an idiot and you can do so much better.”
The women giggled.
“Rico, Rico, Riiiiico,” Leopard Print said. “I watch you all the time.”
Rico put a hand to his chest. “I’m honored. Truly.”
“Can I get a pic with you? Hold on. Where’s my phone?” Leopard Print swayed as she dug into her small purse.
“Ooooh, me too!” Tiffany wiped her eyes, smearing mascara across half her face. “I wanna picture.”
“Of course. I love taking pictures with my fans,” Rico said. “But how about we let this nice lady get your bill? Then we can head outside, and I’ll wait for your Uber with you.”
“OhmyGod, you would do that?” Leopard Print asked. She smoothed her hair. “You’re, like, the hottest, nicest person.”
Rico glanced at Jax and mouthed, Hottest, nicest person.
She made a motion of sticking her fingers down her throat.
“Go on, get their bill.” Rico shooed her away, the bag of her trail mix swinging in his hand.
Roughly 10 minutes later, Rico sauntered back into the winery, sloppy lipstick prints on both cheeks. Jax was waiting for him at the door.
“Tiffany and Gloria are on their way home, probably to spend the night hovering over the toilet,” he said proudly. “You’re welcome. ”
“I was handling the situation,” Jax said.
“And I handled it better. You’re welcome. Again.”
She wanted to smack him but settled for snatching her bag of trail mix from his hand. The bag was now half full. “This was my afternoon snack, you dick.”
“Next time, get the kind without the M&MS,” he chided her. “Too much sugar and empty carbs.”
This man! “The M&MS are the best part,” she gritted. Everyone knew that. What was even the point of eating trail mix without the M&MS?
At the center table, Hue and Sully stared at them. Jax gave them both a glare, and their heads quickly turned back to their drinks. She could practically feel Tess’s eyes boring into her from the tasting bar, but she refused to acknowledge her friend.
“I wouldn’t want you to ruin your appetite anyway,” Rico told her. “We’ve got dinner plans.”
“Like hell we do.” Jax put her hands on her hips. “I told you I wasn’t interested in a date.”
Rico’s charming smile slid off his face. For the first time all day, he looked serious, maybe even a little nervous. “It’s a not a date. Trust me, I wish it were.”
“Then where are we going?” she pressed.
He swallowed. “To meet my family.”