Page 48 of Tangled in His Embrace

Chapter 12

“Good morning.” Jax stood beside the bed, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Gabby lifted her arms above her head and stretched. “Morning.”

The action caused the blanket to inch lower, exposing her breasts, and his gaze followed.

His pupils dilated and her nipples began to harden in anticipation.

But they couldn’t go there. Taylor would be up soon and Gabby didn’t want to start the morning by trying to explain the birds and the bees.

Pulling the cover up and tucking it under her arms, she propped herself against the headboard. “You’re up early.”

Jax shrugged and went to the backpack he’d retrieved from the trunk of his car the night before to dig out a clean pair of jeans and underwear. “It was either get up and take a shower or ravish you again.” He shot her a glance over his shoulder, his eyes still smoldering. “I decided to be a gentleman and let you sleep.”

She felt her inner muscles clench and release.

“That,” he said, “and we have to talk to Taylor this morning and figure out how to explain the new living arrangements.”

That sobered her up. Of course they needed to talk to their daughter about Jax moving in. Gabby didn’t think Taylor would have a problem with her father being here full time. In fact, she was guessing Taylor would be thrilled about it. But one could never tell with a three-year-old. Sometimes what Gabby thought wouldn’t be a big deal ended up in an epic tantrum and vice versa.

Gabby threw the covers off her, got out of bed, and went to get her robe. There was no sense in getting dressed until after she’d had a shower. She smelled like sex and Jax. Not that she was complaining, but she needed to be in mom mode this morning and that meant putting her needs as a woman on the back burner.

She secured the robe around her middle and padded across the room to her dresser to get some clean clothes. When she turned around, clothes in hand, Jax was standing there looking as appealing as ever. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that had her wanting to run her hands over every inch of him.

Without a word, he cradled her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.

It was a simple kiss, but it left her insides tingling.

He ran his thumb along her cheek and stared into her eyes. “I’ll make us some breakfast while you shower. Eggs and bacon okay?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Jax grinned and gave her another quick kiss before he dropped his hand and moved away. “Don’t take too long or I might be tempted to come help you.”

She chuckled and headed for the door. “Somehow I doubt you’d speed things along.”

His laughter filled her ears as she entered the bathroom.

Gabby hurried through her morning routine, but she was still drying her hair when a soft knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Mommy?”

She opened it to find her sleepy-eyed daughter standing on the other side in her pajamas. “Good morning, sweetheart. Did you need to go to the bathroom?”

Taylor nodded.

“Okay. I’ll be outside if you need help.”

After bathroom rituals were taken care of, Gabby and Taylor made their way into the kitchen where Jax was plating the eggs. He looked up at their arrival and smiled. “Perfect timing, ladies.”

“Smells good.”

Taylor must not have been fully awake before, because it was only when she heard her father’s voice that she lit up. “Daddy! You’re here.”

She launched herself across the room and into his arms. “Morning, Pumpkin.”

That feeling of rightness filled Gabby’s chest.

“Are you hungry?” Jax asked.

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