Her eyes light up delightfully, as though she can hardly believe how badly I want her. But there’s no way she can doubt it, surely, not when my cock is rock hard in my pants. She must’ve felt it against her when we were kissing.
“Do you really mean that?” she asks. “Even if we can’t do anything else, you won’t be mad?”
I smooth my hands down her arms and squeeze onto her hands, hoping she can feel the supportiveness swelling inside of me. Even if I have to keep up my effort not to squeeze too hard.
“I promise,” I say with conviction.
She lets out a slow breath, nodding. “Okay, okay, maybe I can tell you then.”
“Tell me what?”
She stares at me, as time does funny things and seems to warp, and the moment stretches. I could stare into her eyes forever, but she turns away, sighing again.
“Let’s just put it this way. What we just did, that was the first time I’ve ever… done anything like that with anyone.”
Suddenly my heartbeat goes on a rampage, slamming inside of me as my whole body burns and roars and tells me to take her, to take her hard right now. If she’s saying what I think she is, then surely this is a sign – a sign that she’s made for me, me alone, forever.
No other man has ever touched her. No other man is ever going to touch her.
“What do you mean?” I snarl.
I can’t risk getting it wrong.
She paces away from me. As if she can’t stand too close as she gifts me with this secret.
Please, please let it be true.
Once again turning her back to me, she wraps her arms across her middle. As if she doesn’t know how bad that makes me want to walk up behind her and encircle her in my arms. But I’m also learning to read my woman, and I can tell she needs space to make this admission.
“I’m a virgin, Jax.”
I punch the air, a spontaneous celebration I rarely indulge in. It’s the same way I punched the air when I made my first million, but as the years have passed and my worldview has become more jaded, my air-punching days have ended.
But my woman has ignited a whole new love for life inside of me.
She doesn’t see it, being turned away, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.
A virgin…
She’s mine, all mine, only mine.
She will only ever be mine.
I take a step forward, meaning to let it all out, right here, to tell her she is going to have my children. Even if I know it’s crazy – even if it threatens to tear apart our connection just as it’s beginning – I can’t stop myself.
With the taste of her tempting me carnally, with the scent of her filling me, with our future stretching out in my mind like a promise, I can’t fight it.
“Jessie…”
Suddenly there’s a knock at the door, causing us to jump.
Jessie giggles and turns to me, making me laugh just at the mere sight of her happiness. It’s a joy filled laugh, one that feels new and comforting as it moves through me.
“Jessie? Have you got company?”
Jessie’s lips twitch into a disbelieving smile. “It’s my Aunt Claire,” she says quietly, and then raises her voice. “Um, yes, it’s Jaxon. He was just giving me a ride home.”
“Okay. Well, apparently I was only needed for half the night… Wait a second, the Jaxon?”
Jessie walks across the room and switches the light on, stark after so long in the darkness. My gaze can’t help but take in the faded wallpaper, the damp spots on the walls, as my stomach drops and my instincts roar.
I’m supposed to be providing for my woman, my family.
But how can I tell her that before I’ve told her about my claim?
She belongs to me. She just doesn’t know it yet.
“Yes, the Jaxon,” I say, putting on my business friendly voice, even if it’s more difficult with all the unspoken things hovering between me and my Jessie.
Claire laughs comfortably. “Oh my. A celebrity in our home.”
I chuckle. “I’m not sure I’d go that far. But thank you.”
Jessie moves close to me, lowering her voice. “Maybe we can speak soon? Finish where we left off?”
Her voice trembles and her cheeks turn a bright red, that blush sliding down her neck and disappearing into the cleavage of her dress. She won’t meet my eyes, looking at the door, the wall, the floor, anywhere but at me.
I want to tell her no. I want to tell her who she belongs to and that I’m going to provide for her.
And yet, is this interruption really such a bad thing?
I need to think of a way to phrase my crazy desires so they won’t sound so… well, crazy.