Chapter 5
Jackson
“Hey, you okay?”
Lost in my thoughts, I utter a noncommittal sound.
“Look at me, baby.” Ethan lifts my chin, brows pinched in concern. “Are you having a difficult time?”
Sucking on a Jolly Rancher, I sit on the windowsill of our hotel room and peer out over Denver. It’s snowing, white flurries dancing in the yellow glow of the city lights. It’s pretty from afar, where I’m not freezing my balls off.
“A little.” I gently brush my knuckles over the fading bruises on his chin. “But Aurora’s at the beach house, so I can see her.”
“You mean, stalk her?” He smiles, lighting up his eyes. “What’s she doing?”
My hands find their way to his waist. He’s powerfully built, solid and thick, while I’m lean and cut. I yearn to touch him, to memorize every contour and muscle, but I hold back, letting him lead.
“The contractor came over to assess the damage. Anything you want changed while he’s drawing up plans?”
“We should think about the beach access. Is it worth the risk to our safety?”
I untuck his shirt. “Apart from building a ten-foot wall, nowhere is one hundred percent safe. The security system alerted when someone entered the property. I have an idea, though. Anything else?”
His fingers thread through the back of my hair. “No, it’s perfect. You did an amazing job. I’m glad Aurora chose to stay.”
“Me too. I’m having the pool house remodeled. It’ll eat up some of the yard, but I’m contemplating asking Charlie if he’s interested in working surveillance. He’s up all night and attached to Reece, and right now, we don’t have anyone. I’m sure the twins will want to return to New York soon.”
“Okay, that’s something we can discuss. Is that why you missed dinner? Are you worried?” He bends down and presses his lips to mine. “Fuck, I’ve wanted to do that all day.”
He lingers, and I’m tempted to deepen the kiss, but it’s our first night on the road together, and I don’t want to push it.
We break apart, and I reach up to loosen the knot of his tie. “I was giving you space. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable when I stared at you the entire time.”
Truth be told, yes, I’m worried. Not only about our safety, but about us. All of us. I want to be home, ensuring our relationship is solid and everyone is happy.
He scoffs, removes the tie, and tosses it on the chair. “Grant was asking for you.”
“Did you tell him where I was?”
I begin with the top button of his plain white dress shirt. I should order him clothes. He’ll hate it, but I’ll do it anyway. I’ve already switched out his hair products but left his soap because it smells like him.
“No. Why would I do that?” The corner of his mouth twitches into a slight smirk.
I work my way down his shirt, anticipation building with each button. “Because you want me to be happy and have friends.”
“No, I don’t. I want you in my room, waiting for me. It’s much better than worrying about what trouble you’re causing.”
Once his shirt is open, I slip it over his broad shoulders. “I’m trying to cause trouble now, if you’ll let me.”
He shrugs it off and throws it with the tie. “Promise?”
“What has gotten into you?” I smile and lift the hem of his undershirt. I glide my palms over his heated skin, and goosebumps rise along my arms.
He has let me touch him some over the past week; not much, mostly cuddling and brief kisses. With hockey, the case, Reece being in the hospital, and a crowded house, we’ve had little time, energy, or privacy.
His two-bedroom apartment is relatively small, another reason I’m rushing to finish the beach house. He’s also hesitant regarding Aurora—although she knows about us and is okay with it—and she’s been preoccupied and exhausted.
He yanks the shirt over his head and drops it to the floor. Drawn to him, I trace the lines of his well-defined chest and abs.
I’m starving for him, practically begging—I would beg if he wanted me to.
He returns to running his fingers through my hair. “I missed you today. Meetings without you are boring, and when we are together, you’re a magnetic force, my body always aware of your presence. It’s a fight to ignore, and I’m prickly.”
My heart flutters with excitement and nerves. I kiss his bare stomach to hide my stupid grin. “Prickly, huh? Is that what you call it?”
He fists my hair and tilts my head back. “I can go to the gym if you’d like.”
“Absolutely not.”
His intense gray eyes bore into mine, and he brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. “What do you want?”
Undressing him had my cock thickening, but it’s that deep rumble that gets me achingly hard. “Whatever you’ll give me.” I’ll do anything, take anything.
His caress moves to my jawline. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I haven’t changed my mind. I’ll never change my mind. Now, can I undo your belt?”
He releases me, and I take that as permission. With a tug, I unbuckle it, the click of the metal the only sound in the room.
“I like you undressing me. We may need to do this every night.”
“Promise?” I ask, echoing him.
***
Ethan
My body vibrates with pent-up agitation. Aurora is home, and although she’s well protected, it weighs on me. On the road, Jax avoids me. He does it for my benefit. If I let him, he’d sit next to me with his head on my shoulder, his hands all over me.
And I’d love it—in private.
Instead, he sits with Grant and Killian, the three of them whispering.
I know because I’m acutely aware of Jax.
If he’s in my vicinity, my body senses him—my soul senses him—wanting nothing more than to touch him.
I’m irritated when I can’t, irritated with myself for being distracted when he’s close and twice as irritated when he’s not.
I’m prickly. No other description fits.
Robert, the owner of the Huskies, rejected Jackson’s trade offer, and I’m doing everything in my power to prevent them from having reason to separate us.
But I also don’t want to screw this up with Jax.
The button of my pants comes loose, and he glances up to gauge my reaction.
I brush his hair from his forehead and thread my fingers through the top. “We have to keep this between us,” I mumble, ashamed to even say it. “Around the team.”
His hands run up my sides, and I shudder, my breath catching in my throat. He trails open-mouthed kisses along my waistband, and my stomach flip-flops.
“How about when you walk inside this room, you forget about what’s outside it? It’s just you and me.”
“I care about how this will affect you. Remember PR Patty? Remember your jealousy?”
“Being affectionate in private helps me obtain my daily dose of Ethan.” He gives me that devilish smile, a slow, sly curve of his lips. “I’ll be good, I promise.”
He’s a damn liar.
He lowers my zipper, easing some of the pressure on my aching erection, and I want more than anything to believe him.
I’m wearing black boxer briefs. There’s no hiding the giant bulge in front of his face, and I know the moment he sees how hard I am for him. He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, biting it to suppress his grin.
My traitorous cock jerks. “I wanna bite that lip.”
He traces his finger over the outline of my length, and the searing heat of his touch is undeniable. I feel it in every cell of my body, spreading like wildfire.
“You’re killing me, Jax. Take me out.”
He full-on grins, tugs my boxers down, and wraps his fingers around my shaft without hesitation. “What can I do?”
Fuck if I know. I can’t believe this is actually happening. I’m barely able to remember my name at the moment. Anything? “What do you want to do?”
“Make you come. Repeatedly.”
Those raspy words alone might do it.
Precum beads at the tip of my cock. His tongue darts out, licking along the slit and tasting me.
Fuck me. I’m going to last an embarrassingly short amount of time.
I collar the back of his neck then reconsider. Without a word, he snatches my hand and returns it.
He licks from base to head, following a bulging vein. My cock throbs, and it takes all my willpower to remain still.
“Fuck, baby boy.” The words slip from my mouth, and I immediately regret them. I run my fingers through his hair. “Shit, sorry.”
“You can say it. I like it.”
He flicks the sensitive underside with his tongue, and sparks of pleasure shoot straight to my balls.
“You sure?” I ask, somewhere between a grunt and a groan.
He reaches down and fists his thick length over his joggers. “Yep.”
I’m staring at his erection, wondering what the hell I’m going to do with that, when he grabs my waist and wraps his lips around the head of my cock.
“Fuck.” That’s all I can manage. My mind is blank, overcome with the pleasure of it being him.
Him sucking my cock. Jax.
He draws me in deep, and my restraint unravels.
One hand in his hair, the other clasping his nape, I punch my hips forward. “Your mouth feels so fucking good.”
His pupils blown wide, he groans, and I feel it everywhere, from my dick to my fingertips.
I tense my muscles to stop from losing control, but I can’t stop my mouth. “You like that? You want me to fuck your throat, is that it?”
Even as I say it, I’m not sure I can do it. I’m not sure I can be rough with him.
He loosens his jaw, permitting me to take what I need, and icy flames crackle along my skin.
My grip on his hair tightens, I flex my hips, and he gags, the muscles of his throat squeezing me.
“That’s it, baby. Fuck. You’re doing so well.” He feels incredible. Still, I hold back, not wanting to scare him.
He doesn’t let me, though. He clutches my hip, takes me deep, and strokes my shaft in tandem with his mouth.
I can’t look away. I’m mesmerized by those perfect pink lips. “Your mouth wrapped around my cock has got to be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”
He doubles down, sucking me harder, his cheeks hollowing. His hand moves from my hip to massage my balls, and I break.
I thrust unrestrained, my cock hits the back of his throat, and I jerk in his mouth.
“Oh, fuck.” My orgasm hits hard and fast. “I’m gonna come, baby boy… Fuck…be good. Don’t swallow.” My words are fractured and strained, my body engulfed in flames.
The entire time I’m coming, his gaze never leaves mine. He moans right along with me, my ecstasy mirrored in his eyes.
I’m feral for him. I yank him to his feet, hold out my hand, and demand, “Spit.”
He unloads cum and saliva into my palm and then licks his lips.
“Good boy.” I rip down his joggers and boxers far enough to get my wet fist wrapped around his cock.
I devour his mouth, backing him up against the window. He tastes sweet and salty—cherry Jolly Ranchers and cum, a mix of him and me. “You taste so fucking good with my cum on your tongue.”
His hands roam my body and tangle in my hair, our kiss punctuated by his soft moans. He flexes his hips, chasing his orgasm. I bite his swollen bottom lip then capture his mouth once more, our tongues intertwining, while I stroke his cum-covered cock.
“You mean the world to me, you know that?” I say between kisses. “You and Aurora, I couldn’t live without you.”
“Fuck.” He tilts his head back against the glass, the snow dancing in the city lights behind him. “You’re gonna make me come.”
I pump my fist faster and sink my teeth into the curve of his neck. He comes with a strangled, throaty moan of my name and coats my fingers with his hot release.
“So fucking good.” I slip under his T-shirt and rub my hand over his stomach.
His lips curl into a dreamy smile. “Are you marking me in every way possible?”
“Maybe,” I mumble, unable to stop kissing him.
I draw a finger over his skin—a line, a curve, another curve, a swoop.
His smile grows. “Did you just write ‘I love you’ in cum on my stomach?”
“I might have.”
“That’s fucking hot. Who knew you were so romantic, Coach?”