which was crazy-he wouldn’t.
Ever.
But someone had.
That was clear. So was the heat that rushed to her face, knowing her involuntary gesture had just given her away.
Feeling sick for whatever she’d been through, sicker still for reminding her of it if only for a second, he stepped back. “Maddie-”
Tightening her lips, she bent for her purse, then turned away, walking back toward the street. “I
Letting out a long, careful breath, he gave her a head start. He was quite certain that she’d like him to vanish entirely, but he couldn’t do that. There was nowhere to go but back up the pier. So he followed, doing his best to give her the space he figured she needed.
Maddie walked fast down the pier, not slowing until she came to the Ferris wheel. Too bad her life couldn’t be as simple as going round and round…
“You okay?”
Turning, she faced Jax, who stayed about five feet from her, hands in his pockets. “I’m fine.” A little white lie that didn’t count because she
“I’m getting that. It’s okay, Maddie. I’ve been there.”
She doubted he’d ever let anyone take advantage of him or hurt him, but she didn’t want to talk about it. He was giving her an out, which she was going to take. Turning, she started walking. Not surprisingly, he kept pace. “I’m going back to the inn,” she said. “Alone.” She glanced over at him, not knowing what to expect, but it wasn’t the quiet intensity she found. And it certainly wasn’t feeling her own heart skip a beat.
They passed the ice cream shop, and the guy who’d served her waved at Jax. “Hey, man. Hot chocolate tonight?”
“Sure. A large to go, Lance. Thanks.” He paid, then exchanged the warm cup for Maddie’s shake. “For your hands,” he said and guided her off the pier and onto the main street in front of the Love Shack.
A cute blonde burst out of the bar, teetering a little on her heels, laughing with a pretty brunette. “… and he wanted to drive me home!” she exclaimed.
“Well, you said you wanted to get laid,” the brunette said.
“Yes, but look at me! I’m a nine tonight, maybe even a ten. And nothing less than an eight takes
“A little of both,” Jax said, steadying her.
“Join us for a nightcap,” Blondie said, slipping her arms around his neck.
Maddie looked down at herself. Yeah, okay, so she was dressed as a four, tops, but she wasn’t invisible.
A cab pulled into the lot, and Blondie smiled. “There’s our ride. Jax?” she murmured throatily, tugging his hand. “You coming?”
He shook his head, and Blondie and Brunette sighed in joint disappointment, then slid into the cab and vanished into the night.
“You could have gone,” Maddie said after a minute. “Wouldn’t want to hold you back.”
“From…?”
“A threesome.”
He arched a brow. “Is that what you think I want?”
“Well, it does seem to be the top male fantasy.”
“Maybe I’m content with my current company.”
She felt herself soften in spite of herself and decided it was all the emotion of the day. The wind was kicking hard now, but Jax’s jacket was protecting her, and she was content to just stand there. “Are you cold?” she asked, really hoping he wasn’t.
“I’m good. Let me drive you to the inn.” He gestured toward a red Jeep.
“What about your bike?”
“Both mine. But the Jeep’ll keep you warm.”
“I don’t know.”
He met her gaze evenly, his eyes dark and warm, quietly assessing. “It’s a long walk.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “But taking a ride from a stranger would be even more stupid than kissing one.”
“I can provide references if you’d like.”
“From Blondie and Nine-Maybe-Ten?” she asked.
He burst out laughing, and the sound sent heat slashing through her. Sliding his hand to the small of her back, he walked her to the Jeep. “I think I can provide better than that for you.” He opened the passenger door and waited while she hesitated. Gallant superhero, she wondered, or smooth bad boy who’d just managed to talk her into his lair?
Hard to tell.
She buckled herself in. The interior of the vehicle was dark, and he wasn’t giving any hints as to his thoughts while he put the Jeep into gear and headed out of the lot.
She stared out the windshield, thinking that so far, superhero and smooth bad boy seemed to be running neck and neck. Not that it mattered, not when deep down, she secretly wanted both.
Chapter 5
PHOEBE TRAEGER
Jax pulled up to the resort, and they both eyed the dark buildings. “Problem with the electricity?” he asked, idling the Jeep.
She hoped not. “I don’t know.”
“Your sisters are here?”
“I don’t know that, either.”
Jax thrust the Jeep into gear again and drove around to the back of the inn. Maddie held on to the dash and gulped. “This isn’t the part where the big bad wolf eats me, is it?”
He sent her a mischievous glance. “What is it with you and things eating you?”
A nervous laugh burst from her, and he let loose a smile that was just wicked enough to boost her pulse and scare her at the same time. “Tell you what,” he said silkily. “If
Her stomach quivered. Her body had other reactions, too, but she kept them to herself as he pulled up to the cottage, where the windows were lit.
“How did you know to come back here?”
“I spent time out here as a kid. Once, with Ford and Sawyer, I TP’d the entire place.”
It didn’t surprise her that he’d had a wild youth. She suspected he’d had a wild everything. “You did?”
“Yeah, and Sawyer’s father beat the shit out of us when he found out, and then turned us over to your grandpa. Instead of handing out our second ass-kicking of the night, he made us clean up our handiwork and paint the entire inn. He was a good guy.” He flicked his gaze to the cottage, and she followed his line of sight to where both Chloe and Tara stood inside, staring out the window.
“They don’t look very happy,” he noted.
“Yes, I tend to have that effect on people.”
