Page 47 of Undisputed Player
He shifted slightly behind me, not pressing closer but not pulling away either, and I could feel the solid weight of him, the careful control he was exercising to keep this gentle when it could so easily become something else entirely.
Was he holding back? For me? Because he knew I needed gentle right now?
"Better?" he asked softly, his fingers trailing along my collarbone, finding the hollow at the base of my throat.
I nodded, not trusting my voice, and leaned back into him justslightly, the first time in years I voluntarily sought comfort from someone other than Leo.
His arms came around me, careful and warm, creating a cocoon of safety I'd never experienced before. I could feel his heartbeat against my shoulder, steady and strong, and for the first time, I felt truly protected.
This is what it felt like to be cared for?
BEEP BEEP BEEP!
The harsh sound of a car horn shattered the moment completely, followed immediately by the buzz of Jax's phone. I jerked away from him instinctively, the spell broken, reality crashing back.
“Fucking Adrian,” Jax cursed under his breath, pulling his phone from his pocket with obvious reluctance. The screen showed texts from said ‘Adrian’ that made him sigh heavily.
Adrian
GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE
I'm double-parked and there's people looking at the car weird.
MOVE IT!
"My ride is here," Jax said quietly, but he made no move to leave, studying my face instead. "I have to go."
I nodded, stepping back to put some distance between us, trying to rebuild the walls he'd so effortlessly dismantled with nothing but gentle touches and patient hands.
"Thank you," I said formally, my voice small after all the things he just made me feel. "For dinner. For... everything."
He stepped closer again, close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes.
“This isn't over, Estelle," he said softly, his voice carrying a promise that made my stomach flutter. "This is just the beginning."
The beginning of what?
Another honk from outside, this one longer and more insistent,made him grimace. "I'll see you tomorrow," he promised, reaching out to gently tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "Sweet dreams, princess.”
And then he was gone, leaving me standing in my tiny kitchen with tingling skin and a heart that felt too big for my chest, wondering what the hell I'd just gotten myself into.
And wondering why I already couldn't wait to see him again.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jax
The car rattled beneath me as Adrian and I cruised through the city streets, the SUV uncomfortable and shitty. The night air rushed through the cracked window, carrying her remaining citrusy scent that still clung to my skin.
I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face, slow and satisfied like a predator after the hunt, even when Adrian’s honking antics pissed me off a second ago.
“That,” I said, flexing my supposedly injured wrist, “was fucking perfect.”
Adrian barked out a laugh, the sound filling the car's cramped interior. “I wish I’d videoed when I nearly ran you over.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, messing up the careful dishevelment I'd crafted for my role as injured victim. “The concern in those pretty eyes was worth it.”
“And the way she rushed over to help,” Adrian added, making a dramatic swooning gesture. “Your little nurse, huh?”
