I bring my hand up to her face, cupping her cheek. The instant my hand touches her face, my dick jumps in my jeans and my heart rate peaks. “We may not be friends, and sure, we’ve hooked up a few times, but there’s no use in denying we’re pretty fucking good together when it comes to the bedroom department. But, let’s not forget, we’ve only been on the no speaking terms since you decided to tell a chick I gave you a STD. Before that, we were forming somewhat of a friendship. I’m still human, Brooklyn. I’m not a total asshole...even if you want to think differently. If someone is threatening to hurt you, I want to know.”
The air around us is sparking and crackling as she licks her lips and stares up into my eyes. A look of want and need is brewing in them as she gently tugs on my tee again. I don’t know what comes over me, but I find myself pressing my body against hers pinning her to the countertop before grazing her lips. My hand slides from her cheek to the nape of her neck as I press my lips harder against hers this time. I feel her body melting into mine as soft moans vibrate against my lips.
“Brooklyn! Where the hell did you disappear to?”
The sound of Mya’s voice shouting from the family room startles us both, causing me to stumble backwards away from her. I wipe at my lips with the back of my hand before smoothing my t-shirt back down trying to rid it of all its wrinkles, thanks to Brooklyn fisting it a few seconds earlier.
“I better get going before Kayden starts bustin’ my balls for telling him not to drag his ass and then go and pull a disappearing act on everyone.”
“Okay,” Is all she says as she grips the edge of the counter and closes her eyes for a moment. I can’t take my eyes off her as I watch her working to pull herself back together. She closed her eyes, shutting away the beautiful, broken mess she revealed to me and replaces it with the fun, bubbly Brooklyn once again. Pushing off of the island, she flashes me a flirtatious smile, runs her hand over my shoulder, which sends a shockwave through my body, “See ya around, Dixon.”
With that, she’s gone. She disappears into the family room, yelling to Mya, and I finally find the strength to make my legs work and head back out to the driveway. Everyone’s hanging out around the trucks when I step back outside. “There you are. We figured your ass fell in the fuckin’ toilet or somethin,’ you’ve been gone so long. You ready to hit the road?” Brantley asks as he grips the handle to the back door of my truck.
“Yeah, let’s roll.” I spot Alec, instead of Jax, climbing into the truck with Kayden and Braxton faltering my steps. “Knox! Where’s Jax?” I shout across the driveway as I swing my driver’s side door open and step up onto the step bar of my truck.
“Oh, change of plans. He’s staying here with the girls and Alec is coming with us. He’ll stay back at the cabin to watch over everything while we go out on the boat.”
Fucking, Jax. Of course, he’ll volunteer to stay and protect Brooklyn. Like she said in the kitchen, ‘She has Jax. He’s been there to keep her safe.’ I feel like a fucking idiot for getting pissed off. This is what I wanted isn’t it? To live a Brooklyn-free life?
Climbing into the truck, I slam the door a little harder than usual and fire up the engine before peeling the rubber off the tires and shooting down the wrap around driveway. I can’t get away from this house and her fast enough because whenever I’m around her, all my common fucking sense flies out the damn window making it impossible to think straight.
Chapter Nine
My run in with Dixon Saturday was definitely interesting, to say the least. I took Savannah’s advice and used Jax as a tool to see if I could get under Dixon’s skin, and it worked. The moment I mentioned Jax was making sure I was safe, I could see jealousy boiling over inside of him. Why are guys so damn stubborn? We both are stubborn...that I’ll admit. However, Dixon takes the gold freaking medal for most stubborn and hard headed person on the planet.
If he would ask me what I want and wasn’t playing these games of hot and cold, I’d honestly tell him that I wanted him. I’ve never felt this way before so sure I’m terrified by what it is I’m admitting. I know, for a fact, we can’t do a relationship. It would be a disaster, but at least exclusive hook ups would be nice. I only want him, and wish he felt the same about me. I feel bad because Jax has been so sweet and everything I could ever wish for with everything going on right now, but I don’t feel that pull to him like I did before and now do with damn Dixon.
Things with Zak are only making this crazier for me. I’ve felt so isolated these last two weeks, so I’m looking forward to a few days away. I doubt Zak would try to cross borders and go into Canada. I only planned on being in Vancouver until Wednesday and flying home. Though, from the look of things, we now won’t wrap up the action scenes they wanted us to re-shoot until Thursday, so I booked my flight back to Houston for first thing Friday morning.
Saturday night, after our full day of pampering, Mya, Savannah and I spent a while soaking in the hot tub and drinking wine when Mya suggested a fantastic idea: Savannah and Kayden should look into a mini vacation to get away for a while. They can escape the craziness and give the police time to track down Zak. Savannah brought it up to Kayden Monday afternoon when she finished up her first therapy session with the psychiatrist her physician suggested she see to help deal with the trauma she went through during the kidnapping and accident.
He told her he was all for getting away for a few days and even suggested we all come. We, as in, Jax and me, too. I was over the freaking moon because he suggested we all fly on his private jet down to the Bahamas where he has a private island! The only potentially catastrophic part of it all is Kayden also invited Dixon to fly down with us.
We’ll be leaving Friday morning and returning Sunday evening. I can only pray to God we survive this trip, and I don’t end up feeding Dixon to the sharks. After his Mr. Oh so Sweet and Caring Act he put on for me in the kitchen Saturday, I tried to text him Sunday night to see if he wanted me to come over and he texted me back that he was busy, almost twenty minutes after I first sent the damn message.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I pulled up his Instagram on my phone knowing, like most twenty-somethings, everything from gym selfies to what they’ve eaten today to what they’re doing for fun is on there. Sure enough, I find an Instagram photo of Dixon and some botoxed, platinum-haired bimbo with way too much silicone in her chest together at Vertigo.
I tried to tell myself I didn’t care, but then went and vegged out on a bag of chocolate pretzels with Savannah and drank half a bottle of wine before passing out curled up in Jax’s arms. The entire time I was wishing it was Dixon in bed beside me, because I’m the world’s biggest fool thanks to my stupid heart deciding now that it wants to start actually feeling something for a damn guy.
“So, the Bahamas? Do you think they’d notice if I stowed away in one of your suitcases?” Frankie asked, half joking, half serious as he popped another sweet potato fry into his mouth.
The massive ogre looking dude beside me has made people steer clear of our outdoor table where Frankie and I are having lunch. Kayden had Jax help him find the best security in Vancouver that celebrities use while filming up here. So I’ve been stuck with Shrek also known as Big T. I don’t know what his real name is, all I know is he’s pretty damn scary looking and not friendly at all. He keeps to himself and is constantly watching everyone around us as if they’re all crazy people with the intention of hurting me.
I appreciate the bodyguard, especially since Zak is still running loose around God knows where. He’s not Jax. Jax makes it not feel so scary. He’s able to joke with me and keep me distracted, not allowing my mind to run wild.
Taking a long sip of my Coke, I smile with the straw still pressed between my lips and nod my head yes before releasing the straw and setting my glass down. “I’m excited to get away. To the Bahamas no less. And not just the Bahamas—like staying at a hotel or whatever—we’re staying on a private freaking island!”
“I so hate you right now. Not only are you going to a private island but also with two hotties who both have parked their Range Rovers in your parking garage. That’s going to be awkward or really super-hot! Have you ever considered just banging the both of them at once? Save you a lot of time and prepping.”
My jaw, I’m pretty sure, just dislocated before falling onto the table. I blink at him from across the table for a few seconds before I lean over holding my stomach and let out the loudest laugh to escape my lips in weeks. “Range Rovers?! Seriously, Frankie! I think all that rainbow freaking hair dye has poisoned your brain. And a threesome? Even though that sounds super hot, Dixon would probably go all alpha male on Jax and turn it into a dick measuring contest, leaving me lying on the bed having to pleasure myself while they fought over who fucked me better.”
That got Big T’s attention. He clears his throat and interrupts our conversation, “You’re needed back on set in thirty. It’s best if you speed up your lunch if you don’t want to be late.”