Page 56 of Undisputed Player
Jax Easton leaned against the wall with the confidence of someone who owned everything he touched. And he looked even more godly than the memory I'd been trying to unsuccessfully suppress all week.
He wore dark jeans, the denim molded to his thick thighs in ways that made my belly warm. His light blue button-down was rolled upto reveal those powerful forearms, corded with muscle and decorated with tattoos that seemed to move when he flexed.
The same ones that had held me so gently while his fingers worked magic on my aching shoulders.
His blond hair was perfectly tousled, just messy enough to look effortless while probably requiring an hour with a professional stylist. And those blue eyes that had been haunting my dreams locked onto mine the moment we turned the corner.
Heat pooled low in my belly, unwelcome and unstoppable, as I stared straight at him.
"There you are," he smiled, pushing off the wall. "I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind."
His gaze dropped deliberately, lingering on the modest square neckline of my gray dress, the nicest one I owned, though it felt pathetically plain next to his obvious wealth. Those blue eyes traveled slowly, blatantly back up to my face, as if he wanted me to notice his perusal.
As if he wanted me to know he was thinking about what lay beneath the cheap fabric.
"Worth the wait," he murmured, low and smooth, meant for my ears alone.
The heat that rushed to my cheeks was immediate and mortifying. My entire body responded to that voice, to the promise hidden in those three simple words, muscles clenching in places that had no business responding to Jax Easton's obvious charm.
I swallowed hard, hyperaware of how plain I must look in my simple dress, my hair pulled back in a utilitarian ponytail. "We had to clean up the classroom."
And I spent time trying to talk myself out of coming here.
"Jax!" Avery's voice saved me from having to respond as she came barreling down the hall. "Is Leo coming? Is he really coming?"
Jax caught her easily, swinging her up into his arms with a laugh that transformed his face from devastatingly handsome to somethingsofter. "Yes, pumpkin. Leo and Ms. Estelle are coming over. Just like I promised."
Avery beamed, wriggling to be put down so she could approach Leo like a tiny diplomat. "I have so many toys! And we can play in the pool if you want, and Jax has a movie room with a screen as big as a wall, and?—"
“That sounds so fun,” I said gently, seeing the slightly panicked look creeping into Leo's eyes. He wasn't used to such enthusiastic attention. "You'll have plenty of time to show Leo everything."
Jax set her down, his large hand lingering tenderly on her small shoulders. It made something inside me melt despite my better judgment. "Why don't you two walk ahead? The car's just outside."
Avery nodded eagerly, grabbing Leo's hand without hesitation. "Come on! I'll race you to the doors!"
Before I could protest, they were off, darting through the emptying hallway toward the main entrance. My heart sped up with familiar anxiety, and I moved to follow, but Jax's hand on my arm stopped me cold.
The touch was light, barely there, but it made me feel like I'd been struck by lightning.
"They'll be fine," he soothed, his voice dropping to that smooth register. Probably theplayerregister. "Security knows to watch for them."
Right. Security. Of course, Jax Easton's niece—Avery Easton—was safe running ahead here. This was his world, controlled, protected, and privileged beyond imagination.
It was so different from the constant vigilance that defined my existence, where safety was never guaranteed and threats lurked around every corner. Jax saw it himself, the one time he came to my neighborhood, getting himself hurt.
"I should still keep an eye on them." I moved ahead, gently pulling my arm away before I could do something stupid like lean into his touch.
Before I could remember how good it felt to let him be strong for me.
"You're always watching, aren't you, princess? Always on guard."
The nickname sent a shiver down my spine like last time. I was Estelle—reliable, responsible, the one who fixed everything and asked for nothing… Notprincess.
But when he said it, I almost wanted to be his princess.
"I have to be.” I gave him the simple truth. Because I did have to be. In my world, letting your guard down meant getting hurt, getting taken advantage of.
"Not today," he corrected, his hand coming to rest on the small of my back as we reached the doors. The contact was warm and firm, and I tensed up immediately.
