Page 53 of Power Forward

“Jax,” I moan.

“That’s it. Say my name, Cas.” He thrusts his hips deeper. “I love it when you say my name.”

My toes curl and abs tense as heat sizzles down my spine.

“Jackson.”

I’m panting hard. My heart is thumping wildly in my chest. His hips falter, and he lets out a loud curse when I clench around his pulsing cock.

“Hayden.” His moan is almost feral as his hot release fills the condom. He collapses on top of me, both of us gasping for air and skin sticky with sweat. My entire body tingles, like I’ve been zapped by a million tiny shocks.

I might not have come, but holy fucking shit, it was like I had an out-of-body experience.

After a few minutes, Jackson gently eases himself off me,and I listen to his soft footfalls as he enters the bathroom and turns on the tap. He returns a moment later with a warm washcloth and cleans me up. I roll onto my back and search his expression for disappointment when he realizes I didn’t come, but the only expression on his face is lust and affection.

“Is there anything you need? Or is there anything I can do for you?” he asks.

I shake my head. There’s a puck-sized lump of emotion lodged in my throat.

“No, that… That was more than perfect for me.”

Jackson smiles and gives a small nod. He ditches the washcloth, then slides into bed next to me. He wraps his big body around mine and presses a tender kiss to my temple.

“Jax?” I whisper.

“Mmm?” he murmurs sleepily.

I swallow roughly because there are so many things I want to say. LikeI’ve never stopped loving youis on the tip of my tongue. But there’s something holding me back from saying it. Maybe it’s because I only used to speak of that four-letter word when we were lying in bed, bodies covered in sweat and drying come.

I don’t want it to be like that this time. I want him to know how I feel about him outside of being high from orgasms.

He’ll soon get bored of you, the voice tries to convince me, but I squash it down.

After everything I’ve told him, he’s still here. That has to mean something, right? That maybe I’m not as broken as I think I am?

“Thank you,” I say instead.

I cringe when he doesn’t reply because it sounds so pathetic. But he answers by squeezing my torso and nuzzling his face in my neck.

“Night, Cas,” he mumbles against my throat.

“Night, Jax.”

I don’t know how many hours pass as I lie there watching him sleep. His lips are parted slightly. His steady breaths come out in warm, soft puffs of air. His thigh rests heavy over mine, and his arm is draped loosely over my waist. I lift my free hand that isn’t caught beneath his arm and gently brush the hair away from his face. He looks so fucking peaceful and beautiful that I choke on my breath, and my eyes burn with tears.

Fuck, I almost didn’t get this. I almost didn’t get this opportunity to watch him sleep again. To have him in my arms or the memory of how he felt inside me.

I blink away the few tears that threaten to fall.

“I won’t fail you a second time, Jackson,” I whisper, carding my fingers through his hair. “I swear to you, I’ll be loving you every day for the rest of my life.”

Chapter Nineteen

Jackson

“Daddy?” Isabela tugs on the collar of my jacket. “Get ice cream now?”

My mom chuckles. “See? She’s going to be perfectly fine. I mean, yeah, it helps that you have the money for therapists and specialists, but still. You’ve been worrying yourself for nothing. These are the best people in Chicago to give her everything she needs.”

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