Page 86 of Sexted By Santa
When our shoulders brushed on the couch, I felt it resonate through my entire body. When Jaxson leaned in to speak quietly, his breath made my skin break out in goosebumps. By the time Tori said goodnight, giving each of us a hug and kiss on the cheek, I was wound so tightly I was worried I’d come at the first touch.
I excused myself to take Sir Elton John outside one last time, letting his antics and the cold winter air calm my body. I debated returning him to my house, but Jaxson had said I should stay all night. I didn’t know if he truly meant for me to be there at breakfast, but if he did, I didn’t want Sir Elton being an obstacle.
I brought him back inside and left him to his water bowl, then went in search of Jaxson. He was in Tori’s room, tucking in the blankets around her. I stood at the threshold, watching as he murmured a goodnight and kissed her forehead.
Damn. Fatherhood was sexy. I never knew that.
Sir Elton dashed by my legs and made a beeline for the bed.
“No,” I called sternly. “Sir Elton John!”
He ignored me and made a leap I wasn’t sure should be physically possible for his little legs. He sailed over the footboard and landed by Tori’s feet. From there, he was quick to squirm his way up Tori’s body, cuddling in against her tummy.
“Oh, can he sleep here?” she asked, looking delighted. “Please?”
Jaxson frowned, and I came up to the bedside. “I’m sorry. I’ll take him home if he’s too much trouble.”
“Nooo,” Tori wailed dramatically as I bent to pick him up. “Please let him stay. Please! Just for a while?”
Sir Elton John added his big puppy dog eyes and a few whimpers to the mix. Jaxson sighed and put his hand on my arm to stop me.
“Fine. He can stay.” Tori squealed in joy, and he added sternly, “But no playing. Sleep only.”
“I promise!”
“And you can’t get attached to him,” Jaxson continued. “Sir Elton John won’t be here every night.”
He was speaking about the dog, but it felt as if he meant me.Don’t get attached to me.That had been his worry about telling Tori in the first place, hadn’t it? That partners in the past had bonded with Tori then left her high and dry.
I wanted Jaxson to trust in me. Wanted him to know that I wouldn’t leave them. But maybe it was just too soon.
When we finally made it to his room, I was wrapped up in those thoughts as he drew me close. “Finally alone,” he said.
I met his eyes. “It’s okay for you to get attached to me.”
So much for patience. Apparently, I was lacking that virtue.
“What?”
“You and Tori. I’m not going to leave you.”
He drew in a breath. “I know.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think you do. I think you’re scared, especially now that Tori knows. People have hurt you both before, but I’m already attached to you both. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Jaxson’s grip on me tightened. “You mean that now, but…my life is a lot of work and no play, Christian. I’ll be spending all my free time for the next two days picking up extra work as a food delivery driver so I can get Tori just alittlemore for Christmas. Because I’m all she has. And when I’m not working, I’ll have Tori like ninety-five percent of the time.”
“I know,” I said gently. “I love that you’re devoted to her. I love you both. I—”
We both froze. I laughed, a bit shaky. “It’s too soon to say that, but I do. I love you both. I don’t expect you to ditch your daughter for dates with me. I don’t evenwantyou to. I love spending time with you both, that feeling of family. I’ve never really had that. I have Aunt Henry, I have my little misfit family, butthis? This is different, Jaxson. This is like…something I never even knew I wanted until it was right there in front of me. Do you know what I mean?”
Jaxson looked stunned by my confession. My stomach tightened even further.
“Have I scared you away? I don’t mean to. I just…want to take care of you, both of you. I want to make your life easier, and share in it every day, in whatever way there’s room for me. But if this is too fast, I—”
“No,” Jaxson interrupted. “I’ve done slow. I’ve spent years doing slow. I’m done with slow. I want to do fast with you.”
He kissed me then, a gentle exploration of my mouth that went on and on. It seemed to convey without words all the things I’d just said.
