Page 65 of Reputation
It took everything inside him to pull away, but he knew he had to.Kissing her had been an indulgence, one he couldn’t resist, but it was meant to be a reminder to her, so she wouldn’t forget what was between them.
She stood frozen in place, her cheeks flushed.He let his breath wash over her mouth before he stepped back.Goosebumps pebbled her skin as her eyes hooded over with desire.
The stamp of open longing on her face tested his control as he experienced what felt like a punch to his gut.He took another step back casually and smiled at her before he did something more than he’d intended.
Without giving her a chance to speak, he said softly, “Goodnight, Cinderella,” and walked backward down the hallway.
She blinked, challenge flashing in the bright blue irises.Slowly, she gave him a wide, flirtatious smile.Sparks that had his blood heating flashed from her eyes.“Goodnight…Mr.Morghan,” she said, emphasizing his last name, then turned to unlock her door.
He laughed deeply as he continued his backward journey down the hallway, refusing to let her out of his sight until the last moment.The damn woman knew how to fight back, and, God help him, he loved it.
She looked over her shoulder as she stepped into her room, giving him one more stunning smile before the closing door took her from his view.
This woman, Jax thought as he turned to unlock his own door, was going to be the death of him.
Chapter Twenty Four
Eavie
The next day, the team traveled from Sin City to the City of Angels.Eavie and Molly sat beside each other near the front, where Eavie spent the short trip trying—and failing—to get some work done.Beside her, Molly slept with her head resting on the window.When Eavie asked what time she’d gotten back this morning, Molly had simply saidlate.She’d woken up tired and pushed a pair of sunglasses onto her face until she could take advantage of the flight to nap.
Molly wasn’t the only one recovering from last night’s partying.The ordinarily chatty flight was silent, with soft snores emanating from some players as they slept.She and Jax were among only a few to be hangover-free this morning, which was probably for the best.Otherwise, people might notice that they couldn’t seem to stop looking at each other or the smiles that passed between them.Eavie tried her best not to, but that invisible pull had her eyes seeking him over and over again.
Other times, she felt a tingling creep up her arm or neck, and when she looked over her shoulder to the seat three rows down and across the aisle, their eyes would connect.
Since last night, the sexual current that pulsed between them went from strong to overpowering.Her blood instantly raced through her veins, and a heavy ache formed between her legs.It was the type of attraction that would burn her carefully crafted world to the ground.
Which was precisely why, despite her body’s begging and pleading, Eavie would turn around, fixing her eyes back on her laptop.She knew she was already walking along a cliff’s edge.She had contemplated how it had happened while she lay in bed last night, brimming with an aching need for the man who slept four doors away.
When she had emerged from her x-rated dreams, sweat beading her skin and heart racing, she’d reached for her phone, needing to talk to someone about last night.
Joyce picked up her FaceTime call on the third ring.“Hey, pacific coaster,” she said, smiling.“How’s the weather?”
“Good,” Eavie grumbled, still laying in bed.“We’re in Vegas right now, so it’s pretty hot.”
“God, I hate you.It’s done nothing but rain here since you left.”Joyce’s face scrunched as if she smelled something foul.“Anyways, how’s the trip going?”
“Fine,” Eavie started, her lips twisting.“That’s kind of why I called you.I need to tell you something.”
“Okay.What is it?”Eavie could feel Joyce’s eyes boring through the screen.
“Something happened with Jax last night.”
Joyce’s scream echoed through the phone, making Eavie turn her head away.“Oh my god!You slept with him!Fuckingfinally,” Joyce squealed as she jumped around, the picture on the screen blurring.After another moment of ear splitting excitement, Joyce asked, “Tell me.How good was the sex?”
“No!”Eavie finally managed to interject.“There was no sex.We barely even kissed.”
Joyce pouted on the other end.“Well then, what happened?”
Eavie explained what had happened, first at the bar then when they went to get pizza.Finally, she recounted, in detail, the moment in the elevator when she had been ready to rip their clothes off and finally surrender to what was starting to feel inevitable.
“Fuck,” Joyce drawled once Eavie had finished.“Girl,how?”
“How what?”
“Howdid you not end up in bed with him?”Joyce asked as if it was obvious.
Eavie covered her face with one of the many pillows adorning her bed.“I don’t know,” she mumbled into the soft, down bedding.
