Page 61 of Undisputed Player
It was a black one-piece that seemed modest enough, but hopefully wouldn’t cling obviously to my lack of curves. I changed, shedding my dress and underwear, noticing the quality of the fabric, the perfect stitching.
Even the most basic item in Jax Easton's world was luxury beyond anything I'd ever owned.
It fit surprisingly well, hugging my body without being too revealing, but as I stared at my reflection in the massive mirror, I unfortunately recognized the woman looking back at me. With my hair still in its ponytail and my face bare of makeup, I looked boring, completely out of place in this palace of marble and glass.
I turned to the side, frowning at what I saw. The suit emphasized how thin I was, how my breasts were practically nonexistent compared to the voluptuous models I'd seen hanging on Jax's arm in magazine photos.
I'd never really focused on my small breasts before—they were practical, unobtrusive, easy to hide under loose clothing. But standing in Jax Easton's bathroom, about to appear half-naked in front of a man who probably had Victoria's Secret models on speed dial, I felt inadequate in ways I'd never considered.
A knock at the door made me jump. "Everything okay in there, princess?" Jax's voice called through the wood, warm with concern.
"Fine," I called back, quickly gathering my clothes into a neat pile. "I'll be right out."
I folded my dress carefully, my underwear tucked discreetly inside, and took a deep breath before opening the door. Time to face whatever came next, even if it meant exposing every inadequacy I never noticed before.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Estelle
Jax was already waiting in the bedroom when I walked back in, and the slow, hungry look that crossed his face made me stop in my tracks.
His eyes darkened, traveling slowly, obviously, from my face down to my toes and back again, lingering on the curves, or lack thereof, the swimsuit did little to hide despite its modest cut.
“God,” He breathed, not even trying to hide the way his gaze roamed over my chest, hips, and bare legs.“You’re fucking gorgeous.”
His words, his eyes, his everything, made my face flame with heat, and the fabric between my legs suddenly feltwet. I couldn’t believe him, but I still crossed my arms over my chest, self-conscious and heated.
“Where’s the pool?” I asked clipped.
He smiled. "This way, princess. I've already checked on the kids.”
I followed him through the house, trying not to stare at how low his dark blue swim trunks hung on his hips, revealing a V-line of golden skin that was sin itself.
The snake tattoos coiling up his arms and neck were fully visible now, dark ink against sun-kissed perfection. He didn’t seem to have any body hair, his skin smooth and way too touchably soft-looking to be real.
He was so beautiful. And I was a street rat next to him.
The pool area of his house was straight out of a resort, opening to a sprawling deck. It had an infinity edge bleeding into the ocean, and the water was crystal clear with a beautiful waterfall fixture and a hot tub to the side.
Avery and Leo were already splashing around in the shallow with a bunch of floaties, while an elderly woman seemed to watch them from a lounge chair. When she spotted us, she straightened, her weathered face softening into a smile.
My protective instincts flared, and I opened my mouth to inquire. Why was there a random woman watching my nephew? Leo wouldn’t have gone in the pool without proper supervision, and given that he was currently splashing about, he thought he had that supervision.
Jax glanced at me and immediately nodded to the woman, who rose quietly. “I'll prepare some refreshments for later,” she sang, her voice warm despite my mistrust. “The children will be fine. They both swim well.”
“Thank you, Elsie,” Jax replied, his eyes never leaving my face as I slowly calmed myself down. I didn’t like surprises like that.
“Look, Estelle!” Leo called out. “I'm learning to do handstands underwater!”
I turned, and the sight made my heart squeeze. The joy in his voice washed away all my negative thoughts. “That's great, buddy! You're doing so well!”
I sat at the pool's edge, dangling my feet in the perfectly warm water. Avery made Leo watch her blow bubbles underwater, and he was somehow taken with it, even if it was the simplest thing ever.
Jax settled beside me, his thigh pressing against mine, solid and warm and completely overwhelming. I’d never truly been self-conscious about my body before, but knowing Jax’s reputation, I felt like a child compared to the women who usually surrounded him.
"You're beautiful,” he murmured, as if reading my thoughts. "You know that?"
I shook my head, unable to meet his eyes, painfully aware of all the ways I didn’t measure up to his usual type. “I look like a stick.”
