Page 53 of Amor Prohibido

A glint re-sparked in her eye. “You’ll become a proper couple?”

I tried to deflect the loaded question. “Like I’ve said before, we’re taking things slow and seeing where we end up.”

“You’ve an odd definition of taking things slow, my dear. Albeit it’s been a small miracle you and Darren both made it this far in life without announcing an unexpected, pending arrival.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I asked gruffly through a laugh.

Mum scoffed and waved a hand. “We know all about the sneaking out when you two were teenagers, Jason.” She cut me off when I went to defend myself. “Sure, it’s not how we imagined it would happen, being out of wedlock and out of the blue,buuut…” she raised her voice above my objection. “…Now that we are over the shock of it all, we’re absolutely thrilled for you and Jax. Plus, we get to share our grandparent status with our best friends. It’s the icing on the cake,” she beamed, clapping her hands together.

I gave her a bland look and made my tone as dry as possible. “Well, I’m glad you guys are happy.”

Mum ignored my snark, and it wasn’t until she sniffed that I realised she was having an emotional moment. She dabbed her eyes on a handkerchief and blinked rapidly, making my heartstrings tug. I didn’t like seeing Mum upset—especially on my account.

I slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “C’mon, Ma. What’s wrong now?”

She fobbed me off with a wave of her hand. “Oh nothing. Just happy for you. And sad that you’re moving out again.”

I snickered and ran a hand over my head. “Mum, I’ve been home for two months—you should be sick of my ugly mug by now.”

Her smile wavered. “Don’t be silly, Jason; you’ve got a pretty face. It’s just been nice having you back home.”

“I’ll be just around the corner! It’s not like I’m moving back to the city. And please don’t call me pretty ever again. It’s bad for my manly image.”

She chuckled as Dad walked in and asked how the packing was progressing. He volunteered to help me move the bed and bigger items of furniture. After a few nights of sleeping on J’s couch, I couldn’t wait to get my bed set up.

I stood and rubbed Mum’s shoulder. “I’m ready. Mum, however, is not.”

Dad’s reaction was nonchalant yet loving. “Your mother cries at a good cup of tea, don’t mind her. Ay, love, you do.”

“Oh, shut up the pair of you,” she harrumphed. “Just go take care of our precious girl and I’ll be happy.”

With that, she patted my arm affectionately and left the room. I promised to see her soon and followed Dad outside. The bed of his awaiting truck was loaded up with my set of drawers and bed. It was the only furniture I’d kept when I moved back home. Besides, the way things were going with me and J, I wouldn’t be in my own room for long.

* * *

Jax hovered nervously in the bedroom doorway once Dad departed. He’d given me a good luck slap on the back and hugged J, then left us to it. Jax’s presence made me halt mid-bend as I made my bed.

Being alone together, having gone from friends to roommates, there was definite sexual tension in the air. Sexual tension I needed to try to ignore. I didn’t move in just to put the moves on her. Though, my body had other ideas because seeing her in yoga tights and a long-sleeved top that barely covered her ass was a distraction of the best kind.

We stood sealed in a bubble where the world around us became unfocused and blurred, locked in an unblinking stare, six feet away from one another. Silent. Studying. Waiting.

She twisted her fingers nervously under my gaze. I wanted to bring them to my lips and kiss them, then run my thumb over her bottom lip to stop her from gnawing on it.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I whispered thickly, unsettled by her unwavering gaze.

Jax jolted a little and her cheeks coloured. A stunning smile revealed her pretty teeth. “Hey.”

Stepping into her space only flustered her further, so I backed off again and continued to grapple with my sheets. I was coming up for air when she finally found her voice.

“I just wanted to let you know, now that you’re living here, I don’t need to be babysat by an ever-present, hovering hulk. So just carry on like you normally would in the usual shared-living situation.” She flapped her hands, looking cute as hell.

“J, I don’t hover.”

“We’ll see. And if you do, be prepared to have your ass nailed to the wall.”

I smirked. “I’d like to see you try.”

She waved me off despite her dark gaze heating. “Whatever. Just don’t hover or leave your dirty washing or wet towels on the bathroom floor. And there’ll be hell to pay if you leave the toilet seat up.”

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