Page 33 of His Secret Obsession

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

I shrug. “Probably not. But I don’t think you should be by yourself right now.” I pause before clearing my throat and averting my eyes. “And I—I would like to hold you tonight, if that’s okay.” Her entire body freezes, and for a moment, I wonder if I’m pushing too much. I rub the back of my neck. “But if that makes you uncomfortable—”

“I would like that,” she whispers.

Not as much as I will.

I don’t speak, only giving her a reassuring smile as she slowly approaches. She climbs onto the bed before snuggling on her side facing away from me. My heart swells, something like awe filling me at the way she burrows into the blankets. For so many years, I never thought I would see the day she willingly climbed into my bed. And to have her look so peaceful—I want to savor this.

“Goodnight,” I whisper.

Pulling the blankets around us, I scoot a little closer. I don’t stop until my chest presses into her back, and I can feel the warmth of her body. When she doesn’t tense, I gingerly drape my arm around her waist. She leans back a little bit, her eyes sliding shut. My heart has never felt this full.

“Goodnight.”

Maddison

Sunlight streams beneath the closed curtains, lighting the room with the rising sun. I struggle to blink my heavy-lidded eyes open as I burrow my face further into the soft pillow beneath me. A heavy weight lays across my waist, and the blankets I’m cocooned in give the atmosphere a comforting feeling. I’m not sure why, but…I feel safe and protected in a way that I haven’t since my parents died.

Then I remember.

My car sliding over the icy roads and into an embankment.

My panic attack.

Jax’s soothing voice that calmed my over-fraught nerves.

Did I really sleep in his embrace last night? Peering down, I observe Jax’s arm as it rises and falls with my steady breathing. There’s something about being encased in arms that exude natural strength that has my belly doing a backflip. I gingerly reach out to trace a bluish vein with my finger. Behind me, his light breath feathers against the back of my neck.

He grumbles something incoherent in his sleep before shifting his hips a fraction. I suck in a shallow breath, my entire body freezing when his morning erection grazes against my ass. My nipples tighten under his shirt, and I swallow hard. I’m reminded of how good it felt to have his thick cock grind against me in the laundry room the other day. And for just a fraction of a second, I wonder if it would be bad to push my ass back into his groin.

If Luke finds out, he’ll never forgive Jax. It will destroy their relationship, and it’ll be my fault.

The thought cools my rising libido as frustration and disappointment take root inside me. Jax and I have been dancing around our attraction to each other for some time now, and last night felt like it pushed us a little bit closer. Now when I think about him, I get a rush of endorphins straight to the brain. It’s not just lust anymore…It’s become more than that.

But Jax would never jeopardize his relationship with his brother, and I can’t say I blame him. I also don’t particularly want to hurt Luke, not even after the way things ended between us. Despite how much it hurt me, I know Luke’s mishap with that girl was a mistake. And while I would never take him back, I don’t want to further tarnish our good memories in a quest for what would look like petty revenge. He would never understand that my being with Jax isn’t about revenge, would he?

Should I even be feeling this way about someone right now? Isn’t it a little soon?

With an annoyed huff, I gently lift Jax’s arm and move it off me. Then I slowly slide my legs over the side of the bed before standing. A brief glance over my shoulder confirms he’s still asleep. Making sure to keep quiet, I tiptoe towards the bedroom door. The hinges creak as I open it, and I wince.

“Where are you going?”

I jump at the sound of Jax’s gravelly, sleep-addled voice before spinning around. Something inside me clenches at the sound of his voice, and I resist the urge to rub my thighs together. He studies me, his face marred with a frown as he rubs the back of a knuckle against his eye.

“I need to take a shower and get dressed,” I murmur, shifting on my feet.

Something snags his attention, causing his jaw to clench. His eyes darken, and I look down. My nipples are so hard that their outline is clearly visible against the white cotton of his shirt. Of course they are. Heat rushes across my cheeks, and I fold my arms in front of me. Jax smirks, not looking at all apologetic for having been caught.

This man doesn’t possess even an ounce of shame.

“I’ll return your clothes to you later,” I say, studiously ignoring the trickle of arousal between my legs. “Thanks for letting me borrow them.”

He shrugs, his tongue peeking out at the corner of his lip. “Keep them. They look good on you.” The words are sensual, stoking the fire inside me higher. What happened to the perpetually silent, grouchy man who used to barely acknowledge me?

“I’ll make us breakfast while you’re in the shower,” he says, a knowing smirk pulling on his lips. “How does a ham and cheese omelet with a side of bacon sound?”

My stomach chooses that moment to rumble, and Jax chuckles. I offer him a sheepish grin. “Do I also get coffee?”

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