Page 151 of Second Chance Mates

His mouth parts as I choke back the heaviness on my chest.

“I haven’t been able to say it because somewhere inside of me, I’m terrified if I voice it, then I’ll lose you. I’ll lose everything good in my life. But now, I realise the world isn’t against me. I’m allowed to love; I’m allowed to be loved,” I say through trembling lips.

Jaxon closes his eyes and presses his forehead to mine. “Baby,” he whispers.

“I love you more than I thought I could ever love anyone or anything. You’ve shown me that life isn’t just pain and suffering. It’s so much more than that. It’s something I have never truly experienced before. I will cherish your love forever because it is one of a kind,” I state with truthfulness. “You breathed happiness into me, and you brought me back to life. You’ve taught me how to truly live.”

He clenches his jaw, only to release it seconds later. “Ava.”

“Most people think home is a place, but to me, home is a person.”

I nuzzle my head further into his. He peppers kisses over my cheek and the curve of my jaw. “The universe led me into your path,” I whisper. “And you never gave up, no matter how difficult I’ve been.”

Jaxon’s strong arms cage around me and tug me onto his lap. I wrap my hands around his neck and hold him close. “Because we are made for each other, Ava. I couldn’t give up on the best thing in my life. Not even when things got rough. We worked together; we grew together. You are not just my mate; you are the reason I exist. You brought me back to life, too. You make me want to get up and be a better person than I was the day before.”

I glance down at his lips and kiss him. I kiss him with all the passion, desire, and love I have in my body until we both lose our breath. His large hand cups the back of my head while my legs straddle his thighs.

The kiss is slow, perfect, and everything in between. He sensually devours my mouth as his tongue slips inside ever so carefully. I whimper.

I need you, I beg through the mindlink. I need you so badly.

There’s fire inside my heart. A deep desire for us to be as close as possible.

You’ve got me, baby. He nips my bottom lip, and I moan.

The centre of my core begins to burn, and I clench my thighs together. Jaxon fists my hair and inhales deeply. My arousal floods us both. My heat is blossoming, and I want him.

My hands slide into the back of his hair, and I angle his head to kiss him harder. His hands trail heat across my skin with a brush of his fingertips.

“I’m ready,” I whisper against his mouth.

Jaxon pants and looks up at me through dark eyes. “What?”

“I want you. I need you. I want to be close to you. I trust you with my life, Jax. Please. Please.”

He pauses for a moment and swipes his thumb across my bottom lip. “Tell me exactly what you’re saying, Ava.”

“I want to be with you. Intimately. I want to feel you inside me.”

Jaxon searches my expression carefully. “Are you sure about this?”

I nod. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life.”

“The first time I make love to you isn’t going to be out in the open,” he rasps against my lips. “It’s going to be in our bed, where I can worship you and we can take our time. I don’t want a single distraction because all my focus is going to be on you.”

My legs quiver beneath me and I nod, eager for it. “Please.”

Jaxon smiles before capturing my lips between his.

51

JAXON

Ava slips into the shower when we get home. The sound of pattering water from the en-suite echoes into the room. When I shut the door, it turns off. I perch on the edge of the bed as Ava steps out with a white fluffy towel wrapped around her body. Steam wafts from behind her, and when our eyes meet, she offers me a smile. I strain at the sight of her like this.

“Come here,” I beckon, breathing through my nose heavily.

If I don’t have her in my arms in the next five seconds, I might die.

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