Page 20 of Black Light: The Crossover
“Thank you, Linda!” Chase said, beaming a smile at her as Emma’s parents carried the twins outside. As soon as the door to the mud room closed, he sank onto the couch across from Jax with a heavy sigh.
The silence really was incredible, and Jaxson leaned his head back on the recliner as his heartrate slowed from the temporary flare of drama over Andrew’s missing coat and the twins’ tantrums. Chase seemed to be enjoying it as well, but Emma was still lingering near the doorway into the kitchen.
“Come sit down, Emma.” Jaxson pointed at the couch, waiting a full breath before he let the rising irritation find its way to the surface as she ignored him. Cranking up his Dom-voice, he added, “That wasn’t a request. Come sit down.”
“I’m fine standing,” she replied with a little flip of her hand that had him clenching his jaw, which she couldn’t see because she was still standing by the kitchen, pointedly disobeying him while watching her parents and the twins through the window.
“Emma!” He put an edge to his tone that had Chase’s eyes widening, but his beautiful wife just groaned at him.
“Would you stop it? I told you I’m fine standing, and I want—”
“AndItold you to come sit down, and you ignored me,” Jax growled, forcing a deep breath to push back the urge to drag her over, because if she could see her parents, they could probably see inside the house too, and he did not want to explain to Emma’s father why he was manhandling her.
Even if that was exactly what she needed at the moment.
Well,that, and some quality time with a belt or a paddle.
“Emma, look at me.” Chase’s tone was much calmer, and something in it obviously worked because Emma let out a huff but she actually turned to face him.
“What? What is it?” Her tone was short, dismissive, and Chase’s quick glance at him told Jax that his husband had noticed it too.
“I know we’re at your parents’ house, Emma, but if you think I won’t drag you somewhere secluded enough to light your ass up — you’re wrong.” Jax pointed at the couch again. “Sit.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going to go out with the twins to take pictures, but you guys should stay in here and relax.” Emma was already halfway out the mud room door when she called over her shoulder, “Dad made some fresh coffee if you want some! Love you!”
Jaxson was staring at the empty doorway into the kitchen as if Emma would suddenly reappear and realize she’d just ignored him, but instead he heard Chase’s quiet chuckle.
“I can light your ass up too, Chase,” Jax grumbled, “and I don’t think Robert and Linda would care nearly as much.”
“Go ahead. You’re not the only one dealing with a case of blue balls for the past few days.”
Rolling his eyes, Jax dropped back into the recliner, groaning under his breath. “Is it just me, or is she purposefully pushing my buttons?”
“She’s been in ‘mom-mode’ all week and—”
“Which is exactly why having Kelsey with us would have made this so much easier,” Jaxson grouched.
“Kelsey has never stayed with us here,” Chase retorted and Jax glared at him.
“We wouldn’t have been juggling two car seats, a mountain of suitcases, and the twins through the airports on our own if she’d been able to travel with us and fly home from here.”
“You realize most families only have two parents, instead of three, and no nanny… right?” Chase was fighting a grin, but it was the truth in his words that annoyed Jaxson more.
“So, I’m being an asshole?”
“Nah.”
“So, Emmaispurposefully pushing my buttons.”
“Well… not exactly.”
“I really am going to spank your ass in a second, Chase,” Jax grumbled.
“Okay, not that I’m turning down your offer, but listen to me for a second.” Chase leaned forward on the couch, bracing his arms on his knees. “It’s the holidays, Drew and Alicia are old enough to start participating in this stuff, and you know how much she wanted their Christmas to be special. So, Emma has been in ‘mom-mode’ extra hard this week, which we both know means she spends a lot less time in ‘sub-mode’ than she usually does.”
“But isn’t the whole benefit of coming here supposed to be that she haslessstress over that stuff because she can let Linda and Robert help out?”
“Are you kidding? You’ve seen how territorial Emma can get about the clubs’ finances, and those are just spreadsheets.” Chase laughed, relaxing back against the couch. “This is about the twins.Our kids. It doesn’t matter how much her parents want to help, Emma isn’t going to give up control on Christmas Memories any time soon.”
