“Money,” he responded.
“How convenient.” I didn’t mean to drag out the word but it just rolled off my tongue that way.
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “I shouldn’t have brought Isabel last night. I did it to rile you and ended up riling everyone.”
I narrowed my eyes at his confession because Jax never really admitted to being wrong. I snatched the clothes from him, waiting a couple beats.
“You did say this was casual though.”
“Hmm. There it is. Your reasoning.”
Instead of responding, he started to strip in front of me. I’m not proud to say I stared for a little too long.
He caught me and grumbled, “Put on the damn clothes before I decide to take advantage of you in my shirt instead, Whitfield.”
I looked down, somewhat appalled. “You’re kidding, right? This is the worst look ever.”
“You’re in my clothes.” He took a step closer. “You smell like me.”
I clung to the clothes he’d pushed into my chest as he moved in enough that I had to crank my neck to look up at him.
“And I bathed you last night.” He wrapped his arm around my waist so we were close enough that I could feel his excitement. It was long and hard enough that my body, although hungover, shivered at his touch.
Embarrassment swept swiftly through me. I looked down at my hands gripping the clothes. “Can we never talk about that again?”
“Oh, we’re talking about that night again.”
I succumbed to the need to roll my eyes even if it was rude. “I don’t see why. It was terrible.” I pulled away from him. “Can you turn around or leave the closet?”
He smiled at me like I was an idiot. “Why?”
“You know why! I need to change.”
He scoffed. “I’m not turning around or leaving. I’ve never let you hide from me. I’m not starting that shit now.”
My foot itched to stomp. “Jax, I was an embarrassment last night. I need some privacy to get myself looking presentable again.”
This time he snorted. “You always look too damn presentable, if we’re being honest here. And the privacy you can expect to get from this point forward with me is zero.”
I wanted to throw the clothes in his face but figured it wasn’t worth the battle. I ripped off the shirt quickly and I pulled on the panties and sports bra that somehow fit perfectly. Then yanked up the black yoga capris. I threw the workout shirt at him for good measure and said, “I don’t need that.”
His laugh boomed around the closet and echoed its way into my heart. “All right. Suit yourself,” he replied as he pulled on a long sleeve shirt. We both put on shoes and moved together like we were made to do just that.
He looked so happy here with me that I thought somehow, some way, maybe we could work.
That scared my heart into making my mind not think for the first part of our run. I pushed myself hard to keep up with him but halfway through I grabbed his arm to stop him and bent over.
I didn’t have to say anything when I vomited into a nearby trash can.
I groaned before going to push my hair out of my face only to find Jax already held it out of the way.
I glanced his way and mumbled, “Thanks.”
He nodded. “Happy our runs are starting to have a pattern of you purging your mistakes from the night before.”
I shoved a little at his chest and took in the park we’d run through. The morning was cooler than I’d anticipated as I walked ahead of him.
He moved in right behind me, rubbing up and down my arms. “You’re cold now, aren’t you?”