I pause, toothbrush in hand, and gape at the note. Without reading it, I recognize my favorite pair of shorts, and an old Ramones T-shirt, with a matching bra and panty set. I blush thinking of Jax going through my drawer just to find a matching pair. That’s the only thing I don’t have color-coordinated. I just toss them in my top drawer. Awesome. I have no idea how he was able to get all of this over here, but then it’s Jax. He’s capable of anything.

After getting dressed, I tuck the note in my back pocket and decide that I’ll read whatever he has to say when I get home. I’m too afraid to read it while I’m here. Glancing around his room for the first time since I woke up, I’m not even a little surprised that my entire outfit from last night is missing. In its place is my favorite red purse and black Toms. At least he’s thoughtful about my morning-after outfit. Points to him.

I paint a smile on my face that I’m not feeling as the elevator doors open. When I spot the doorman, I beam at him, my exit only a few footsteps away. As he holds the door open for me, I’m caught off guard to discover Jax’s driver waiting patiently for me. I’m tempted to hail down a taxi just to spite Jax, but I don’t want his driver, Henry, to think I’m mad at him. I really like Henry, always have.

Swallowing my pride, I close the distance between Henry and me. “Thanks, Henry, but can you do me a favor?”

“Whatever it is, consider it done, Adalynn,” he says in his British accent. If he wasn’t happily married, I have no doubt that he would be as big of a player as the boys.

“Next time call me so that you’re not just waiting out here.” He seems confused so I add, “I was just going to get a taxi. You didn’t have to wait here to take me home, I’m a big girl.”

If it’s even possible, he looks more confused than before. He opens his mouth to say something but stops when the back door opens from the inside. I’m so startled to see Jax waiting for me that I nearly fall flat on my butt. And when I say nearly, I mean if Henry didn’t step in to catch me, I would have been mortified.

“Why are you in the car?” I accuse more than ask.

Jax counters with a smirk. “Why aren’t you in the car?” he asks while extending his hand out for me.

I smack it out of the way. “I got it.” He gives me another one of his classic smirks and I roll my eyes at him.

Getting in the car was a lot easier than thinking of what to say to him. My mind tries to piece together an explanation, but I can’t come up with anything to explain why he’s sitting next to me. I give up quickly and cross my arms over my chest and wait. He obviously has something to say to me or he wouldn’t be here.

I should have read the stupid note before I got into the elevator!

Following my lead, he leans against his door to fully face me, too. Right when I think he’s going to say something, he winks. Actually winks! What I wouldn’t do to give him a nice hard kick to the balls.

“Ouch. What has your panties in a twist today?” he asks.

It isn’t until he places a hand in-between his legs to protect himself that I realize I said that out loud.

I just glare at him. I hate when he does that stupid raised eyebrow thing. I want to smile. Ugh, he’s annoyingly charming. I need to wait him out. I’m not going to break under the pressure.

As he stares intently into my eyes like he did last night, the memories come crashing down. My face heats up as I blush a deep crimson, remembering everything that happened, and it suddenly gets way too hot in this air conditioned car. Needing a distraction from the staring contest, I take in his appearance for the first time today. Which of course is a huge mistake. Why didn’t I just look out the window instead of at him? He’s too hot for his own good. He’s wearing his dark blue jeans that I know hug his ass in that sexy way only he seems to be able to pull off and a faded black Superman shirt that makes his green eyes stand out in contrast.

Looking back up at his face is an even bigger mistake. He’s studying me in a way that makes me think he can see right through my soul. Remembering the way he drank me in last night right before his lips trailed up my legs, I bite my bottom lip to keep from making any embarrassing sounds. My body temperature rises. I’m positive that he can hear my heart hammering through my chest. He licks his lips and I let out a barely audible moan.

He isn’t even touching me and yet every time his eyes sweep over me, I can feel it like a caress. I somehow find the will power to break the trance he has me under and turn towards the window. My body burns so I rest my forehead against the cold glass as I watch the city zoom past us. I can’t focus on a single thing going on outside of this car. However, I’m more than fully aware of everything inside it. Without taking my head off the window, I can feel him stretch out his legs. He must have pressed a button because suddenly the privacy window slides up.

“Fuck it.” Jax nearly growls and that’s the only warning I get before he is on me.

His tongue takes full advantage of my gasp. His kiss is anything but gentle. It’s almost like he’s mad that he’s kissing me and is taking it out on me. Fine by me. He can take it out on me whenever he wants if this is how he’s going to do it. I dig my nails into his biceps, trying to hold on as he kisses me passionately.

I angrily grab his face and kiss him back. I take out all of the conflicting emotions swimming inside of me, out on him. We become each other’s oxygen supply. He breathes me in and then breathes the air into my lungs. Repeat. We’re both running out of air, but neither of us makes a move to slow down the kiss. We can’t. It’s all-consuming. The kiss starts to transform from sexual frustration to something more.

Something much, much more.

Something that terrifies me.

I pull away and study his face. I need to know that I’m not just imagining this. I need to know that he’s feeling the weight of this just as heavily as I am.

He caresses my face and smiles at me. “You’re my light,” he says simply before kissing me again.

I know what he means because I feel exactly the same way about him. He’s my light that shines through all of the darkness.

Chapter Nine

He guides me against the back seat and hovers over me. I know that he needs me to say something, but I can’t. I have no words. I’m at war with my mind and my heart. I know what I want to say, but I can’t tell him how much he means to me. I don’t deserve to ask for more from Jax.

“Don’t,” he says as if reading my mind.

“I can’t, Jax,” I say, full of regret.

He knows that I can’t do this, I’m not ready, but I can’t seem to stop either. I’ve gotten so used to building walls, brick-by-brick, that it seems impossible to let someone in. Even Jax. With each brick that he has broken down over the years, another one replaces it. As much as I want to tear down all of my walls for him, I can’t trust him to catch me. Every time I do, he disappears.

“Let go.” I barely have time to process what he’s saying before he’s kissing me again.

Everything slips away with his hands caressing my face while his tongue tangles with mine in a soul shattering kiss. I’m almost out of air, but I don’t dare stop him. Reading my mind again, he eases up and leaves a wet trail of kisses down my chin, then across my jaw, and then he’s sucking on that spot right below my ear. I shiver as I dig my nails into his back. I bite my lip so hard to smother the moan that I cut it. He nips on the pulse point at my throat and I whimper.

“I want to hear you,” he whispers huskily into my ear and I almost combust on the spot.

Holy-hotness, just hearing him whisper to me in that voice is enough to make me cum. I’m vaguely aware that we’re still in a car. I try to be quiet but he rolls my earlobe with his teeth, making my last strand of willpower break. I moan loudly. He fondles my boobs over my shirt. I moan again, this time louder than the last. Jax forcibly grabs my face and swallows the rest of my sounds.