Page 109 of Stay with Me

Oh no.

Biting down on my lower lip, I twisted around and saw Jax standing at the bottom of the stairwell, already dressed for our date. Dark denim jeans and a white button-down. He looked damn good.

He was also grinning a smug little grin. “So you like me? You really do?”

I groaned, cheeks heating. “Shut up.”

Jax tipped back his head and laughed. He was lucky he had such a great laugh.

Lip gloss was almost the finishing touch and I was glad I was done getting ready. My tummy was grumbling and I really hoped Jax liked girls with big appetites because I had a feeling I was going to gorge myself on food.

I’d put loose waves in my hair and parted it on the side. I’d skipped on the Dermablend again, opting for the light look with smoky eyes.

The dress I had on, since I had to bring all my clothes with me, was cute and flirty. It was a strappy dark blue sundress that was fitted through the breast and waist. Maybe a little clingy around the hips, too, but then it flowed around, the skirt bouncy and ending just below mid-thigh. I paired it with a pair of sandals with a low heel. The final touch was the baby blue cap-sleeve cardigan that ended just below my breasts and was also fitted.

Checking myself out in the mirror, I had to say that I looked pretty damn good.

I nodded at my reflection like a dork and then marched into the living room. While I’d been getting ready, Jax had puttered around the house and then made his way to the couch, where he was reading his book.

Studying his profile, with his chin dipped and his face masked in concentration, I had to say that he was hot. But when he looked up and saw me he was even hotter.

“I’m ready,” I said, and then added, “To go to dinner and eat.”

Yep. It was official. I was an uberdork.

His eyes darkened and heated. In a second he was on his feet, and then he was in front of me. One hand curled around the nape of my neck and the other landed on my cheek. His thumb moved along the bottom of my lip and got my stomach doing cartwheels.

“You look beautiful,” he said.

And I felt beautiful when he said that. “Thank you. You look beautiful, too.”

A dark eyebrow rose.

Ugh.

“You look manly beautiful,” I amended, but that sounded even more stupid. “Okay. That was dumb. You look hot.”

He chuckled as he moved in, brushing his lips over the curve of my cheekbone. He kissed the scar again, and I tensed, but it was for a different reason than the norm, because his lips had skated to the space below my ear.

“I’m hot and you like me,” he murmured. “It’s my lucky day.”

“Shut up.”

Another deep chuckle and then his mouth claimed mine. I liked—no, I loved—the way Jax kissed. It started off slow and then became something entirely different, definitely not slow, and very much deep and hot. Before I knew it, my hands were flat against his chest, sliding up to his shoulders.

“Dinner.” He kissed me again, his mouth lingering in the sweetest way. “We’re going to be late.”

My fingers dug into his shirt as I all but clung to him. I didn’t get the chance to respond, because he was kissing me again, in a way I felt devoured.

“Dinner,” he repeated, and his lips brushed mine. “I made reservations.”

Moving my hands down his chest, I tipped my head back and opened my eyes. “Yeah. Food.”

“Steak.” His arm tightened around me. “Really good steak.”

A grumble came from my stomach, and I broke away as he laughed. “Shut up,” I said again.

“It’s cute.” His hands dropped to my hips, so I didn’t get very far.

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