“What would be inappropriate would be sliding my hands underneath this dress of yours.” His lips brushed her ear.
She squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the last time he had done that. Her breaths increased heavily, almost to a pant.
“We shouldn’t, Jaxon,” she breathed. She tried to pull away again, but he held her firmly to him.
“You say we shouldn’t, but I know that you feel me and how much I want you.” He nipped her earlobe and moved his hips forward, ensuring she felt the bulge in his pants.
“Do you want me? Or just what I have?” she asked. She tilted her head back to look him in the eye. The images of him on Alana’s phone came racing back.
“What is that supposed to mean?” His grip on her hand tightened. He narrowed his gaze on her, studying her face.
“Look, Jaxon. I know what type of man you are. Yeah, you have needs, but that doesn’t mean that it’s just for me.”
“Sofie, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Did you want that chick who was hanging on you at that bar? Did you fuck her?” She broke free of his hold and hated how she sounded. But she couldn’t help it. If he truly wanted her, why had he stayed away from her? Why hadn’t he pursued her?
“Sofie.” He ran a hand over his face and took a step toward her. “Let’s go somewhere and talk.”
“No, Jaxon.” She shook her head then spun on her heels, dashing through the crowd. She tried to breathe in but found she was having a hard time pulling in air.
She needed to leave.
Sofie ignored the sound of her name being called and kept going.
Jaxon released a curse, unsure of what he had done to upset Sofie. He stalked into the house, finding his mother standing in the kitchen with Chance who was sitting in his high chair.
“Hey, Jaxon.” Her smile disappeared the moment she took one look at him. She spooned some food into Chance’s mouth before setting the bowl and spoon on the island. “What’s wrong, baby?”
He hadn’t seen his mother when he’d first arrived at the house. At least he hadn’t thought he had. Jaxon would admit,he’d drunk and partied way too hard last night. He barely remembered walking onto the jet that morning.
The moment he’d arrived at his brother’s place, London had laid into him.
“What the fuck? This is how you show up for my wife’s birthday?” London hollered.
Jaxon winced, London’s voice adding to the throb of his brain.
“What are you talking about?” Jaxon mumbled. The world appeared to turn on its axis, and he stumbled.
“And you smell like a fucking brewery.” London snagged him by his arm and led him into the house.
“I had a little fun last night. We missed you. You should have come.” Jaxon grinned at London who scowled at him. They went up to the second level of the massive home, with London practically carrying Jaxon up the stairs. “Top-notch drinks, women—”
London slammed Jaxon against the wall, holding him by the collar of his shirt. Jaxon’s smile disappeared when he took in the seriousness of London’s face.
“That’s not who I am anymore,” London growled.
“What are you talking about?” Jaxon leaned his head back against the wall. It had always been him and his brother. They did everything together. He quickly sobered up at the look in London’s eyes.
“I’ve grown up, Jaxon. I would suggest you do the same.” London released him and took a step back from him.
Jaxon made an attempt to straighten his shirt, but it was a skewed and half-buttoned.
“I am grown,” Jaxon mumbled.
“We are thirty-seven years old, and you act like you’re twenty-one,” London said. He motioned to Jaxon. “You need to do better. We are getting older.”
“What? You want me to be like you?” Jaxon snorted. He pushed off the wall and moved to stand in front of him. They were identical in every way except a few scars that each had received due to sports in their youth and random tattoos they had both gotten over the years. “I’m not perfect like you. I don’t have the big house, the beautiful wife and son.”