Page 56 of Ours to Keep

My knee bounces as Jax pulls up to the gate, and we wait for it to open. Elliot already texted Tommy our approach, so we knew he’d be waiting. Jax barely stops the car before I have my seatbelt off and the door open. I jog up to the front door, which opens before I even have a chance to knock.

“Where’s our girl?” I ask in greeting.

Tommy smiles. “She’s reading in her room.”

I approach him and cup his shoulder, squeezing it once before moving around him.

“Yeah, good to see you, too, man,” I hear Tommy mutter under his breath, but my main goal is reaching Lily.

I take the stairs two at a time; Lily’s signature scent invades my senses, drawingme to her like a beacon as I movetowards theopen door. Sure enough, cuddled up in a chair wrapped in a blanket, she has an e-reader in her hands, her cheeks reddening from whatever she’s reading.

The soft carpet cancels out the sound of my footsteps. I probably should have removed my boots, but in my haste to get to Lily, everything else fell short.

She still doesn’t notice me until I’m barely a few inches away, and her eyes snap up to meet mine, widening, her lips parting in a gasp of surprise.

“Miss me?” I ask.

“River?” She blinks at me as I crouch before her and cup her cheek.

“Damn, it’s good to see you, beautiful,” I say, reaching for her hand.

“You’re here,” she whispers.

I lean closer until my lips brush against hers in the softest of kisses, belying how much I want to consume her with my mouth.

Pulling back, I smile, taking a moment to breathe her in.

“Don’t hog her, Riv,” Elliot says, causing Lily’s head to jerk in his direction.

Reluctantly, I let go of her hand and stand. Moving aside, I allow Elliot to reach for her hands and gently tug her to her feet, where he wraps her in his arms. She buries her face into his neck before he pulls back and kisses her softly.

“What are you two doing here?” she asks, her expression wary. “Is everything all right?”

“Everything’s fine, Duchess,” Jax says.

“Jackson,” she says softly as he enters the room along with Tommy.

Elliot lets her go, and I notice his reluctance to do so. Jax approaches Lily, moving until he’s right in front of her, his hands moving to her hips as she slides hers up to cover his chest.

“We wanted to see you and tell you what’s happening before we head to the airport tomorrow. But first, Ineed to do this.”

His hand moves tothe back of her head as he angles her right where he wants her. She visibly swallows, and then he kisses her, but unlike Elliot and me, he doesn’t hold back. Her soft moans make my cock harden, pressing against the fly of my jeans. Maybe I shouldlook away and give them a moment, but I’m weak when it comes to this woman. If it were anyone else, other than the three men in this room kissing her, I’d be cutting their tongues out. Yet Lily’s pleasure is in tune with mine; I’m only jealous that I didn’t devour her in the same way.

When he finally ends the kiss, he gives her a peck to the tip of her nose, her breathing is ragged, and she sways on her feet, her fists still clutching his sweater.

“Just in time for dinner,” Tommy says, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against while he watched them, too.

My stomach grumbles at the mention of food.

Everyone laughs as I grab Lily’s hand and tug her to my side. “I could eat,” I say, glancing down at Lily with a wink.

Her cheeks heat from my double innuendo because if I have my way, food will not be the only thing I’ll be eating tonight.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

JAX

River takes Lily’s smaller hand in his and leads her out of the room as the rest of us trail behind.

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