My lungs took in the life around me, mixing scents of lilacs and maple trees. It reminded me what I loved so much about just taking time to enjoy running and the changing of seasons. Those seasons pushed you to take advantage of the short summers because winter was always lingering in the back of your mind.
Lost in my own thoughts, I found myself stopped in Jay’s driveway. I knocked on the door, taking in his house as I always did when I stood there waiting. Sleek, contemporary, and manly described it. With its intimidating size and lakefront location, I knew how expensive it was.
Yet, it suited Jaydon more than any other place we’d shopped around for. I smiled, remembering how he’d asked me to look for a house and then move in with him when he bought this one. I rolled my eyes at how mad he’d been when I’d said no and moved down the hall from Rome instead.
The door swung open and I jerked back, shocked to find a more dangerous Stonewood holding open the door.
Jax leaned onto the door and looked me up and down. He did it as slow as the Big Bad Wolf had when he’d looked over Red Riding Hood.
Instinct had me wanting to shrink back. I never paid attention to the looks I got when working out. I didn’t care whether or not people accepted my wardrobe, just that I felt good in it. Now though, I snapped my head down to look. Sweat dripped from everywhere, and I could bet every part of my body glistened in the sun.
Every one of my curves shined more brightly. Jax dated stick-thin models. I knew that when I snapped my head back up to look at him, he wouldn’t be devouring my body with his eyes. Instead, he was looking over my shoulder with a muscle in his jaw ticking.
He was probably that disgusted and wanted to check to see who’d seen me at his brother’s door.
I huffed and put my hands on my hips. Whether or not my instinct told me to curl into myself, I stood taller on display.
I was real. No plastic surgery, no lipo, nothing. He’d appreciated me once before, so I let him take in reality for a second.
Instead of him dwelling on my stance a second longer though, he grabbed my elbow and yanked me in. “Did you jog all the way from your place?”
“Yes.” Was he insinuating that I wasn’t in good shape?
Jerk.
I crossed my arms and stared him down as he scanned outside, probably looking for paparazzi. So what if one actually caught him standing with a woman who looked a little bigger than his type? Right?
“And I looped near the lake.” I’d make sure to set him straight regarding how in shape I really was. “Anyway, where’s Jay? I only have a little more time to spend with him before he’s off to LA.”
He ignored my question as he slammed the door and spun around to face me. “What the hell are you thinking running around like that?”
“Excuse me?” I paused to lift my eyebrows at him. “Like what?”
“Like that!” He motioned to my sports bra and I realized he was actually stupid enough to comment on my body type.
Even so, I’ll admit I crossed my arms over my bra to hide what I normally felt comfortable in.
Bastard.
“You’re an ass.”
I went to find Jay and left him standing in the entrance. He belonged in there with its two staircases and statue of Venus. The foyer and him—both perfect, pristine, and completely pompous.
“Brey, that you?” Jay yelled over the clanking of pans.
I walked into the kitchen of stainless steel, granite counters, and windows the size of the walls. The kitchen, although not exactly how I would have decorated it, always made my heart ache for a home. I wanted to learn to cook, make my chai tea in the morning, and overlook something other than apartment buildings.
This kitchen in particular made my heart stop though, because one beautiful blue-eyed man was smiling so big at me that I couldn’t shake missing him already.
“Sass Pot, you want a burger?”
I went and hugged him from behind as he worked on his indoor grill. “Not after jogging over here.”
“Come on. No one’s judging here. Jax is having one too, right?”
“No judging from this side of the room,” Jax grumbled as he walked in behind me and sat down at the barstool near the marble island.
I huffed into Jay’s back and squeezed him a little tighter before I let go and went to the fridge to find something a little healthier.