They gazed at each other for another long, intense moment before he said, "I'd like to take you bowling tomorrow."
"Why?"
He took a step closer. "Why?" Jax smiled. "Do you really have to ask?" The air around them snapped, crackled and popped with sexual tension.
She licked her lips nervously. "Mixing breeds complicates things, remember?"
Jax didn't think Denim was ready for him to tell her she was going to be his mate. "Maybe, but I'm attracted to you and that's not about to go away." He pulled her tighter. "How about at least agreeing to see me again?"
She had to tilt her head to meet his eyes, and then gave him a light nod. "Okay."
Jax dropped his lips down over hers, his tongue opening her to him. Passion. And when his tongue touched Denim's, he heard a moan. She brought her arms around his neck, locked her fingers together and leaned in closer. Her smell surged through his veins. Her mouth was hot, urgent and irresistible. This was what he had been waiting and yearning for. Her taste. Her smell. The feel of her body against his. He pulled her closer, and yet it still wasn't close enough.
Jax slid his hands down her back, rounding her hips and cupping the swell of her bottom as he lifted her gently off her feet. Another moan slid from her lips. Pulling her even closer, he pressed her against his arousal. Knowing how badly he wanted her drove him crazy. His hand slid around to the front of her dress and cupped the swell of her breasts. Perfect. His hand was kneading, stroking while his index finger circled the peaks, straining in response. He craved her and wanted Denim so badly his body was humming with an overwhelming need he'd never felt before. A need to possess and make her his.
Suddenly Denim pushed lightly against his chest. "Jax, please, stop before Pappy sees us."
"I don't think a wolf howling would wake your grandfather up." Jax laughed.
"Ha-ha! Very funny," Denim replied, as she pulled her dress back into place and turned away.
Jax caught her arm. "I'm sorry." Their eyes locked. "There's something about you that makes it hard for me to behave properly when you're around. Blame it on the animal in me." In fact, he had no control over his emotions when she was close.
"It's okay, I feel the same way when I'm with you," she admitted, then he noticed her look up at the house. Probably looking for Pappy.
"Hey, why don't you let me make it up to you and take you to a movie on Friday?"
Her brows rose. "What happened to bowling tomorrow?"
Jax laughed. "That too. You can even have some popcorn if you want it."
Smiling, she turned on her heel and moved toward the house. "Jackson Wilde, I might just take you up on that offer. I'll be in touch."
Chuckling, he called after her, "Don't keep me waiting too long."
Jax waited until she was safely inside the house before he climbed back into his car and backed out the driveway. At the blink of an eye, Denim Barr had managed to wiggle her way into his life. And this time he wasn't letting her leave again.
12
After Jax left, Denim took a hot shower and padded across original wood flooring into a large, pink bedroom that had been decorated for a young girl. The air condition unit was blowing Grandma Bea's handmade pink curtains that hung in front of a window. There was a full-size canopy bed, two white dresser drawers and an old wooden desk with a reading lamp that had once belonged to Denim's father. He had often commented on spending hours studying in that same room.
In the corner was the Barbie Dream House Denim had begged Pappy to buy her. Barbie and Ken were seated in their pink convertible ready for their next adventure.
Denim slipped on a pair of panties with Beauty stitched across the ass, then laid across the cool sheets. Instantly, thoughts of Jax filled her mind, not that they were ever far away. All she kept thinking was just how much she still liked Jax and that she wanted so much more. Dinner had been amazing. She had enjoyed spending time getting to know him and discovered he was a passionate man with hopes and dreams. Two things she lacked. Every time he spoke and gave her one of those white teeth smiles, he took her breath away. It was the kind of smile that made a woman do anything. She wanted Jax so badly her core ached. For once in her life she was going after what she wanted, and to hell with the consequences.
Her cell phone started dancing on the nightstand. Denim reached over and then swiped her finger across the screen to read the text message.
Meet me at the treehouse.
Instantly, she sprang off the bed, yanked a grass green sundress over her head, then with sneakers in hand, she tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen long enough to grab the flashlight. Her heart was pounding and she was feeling warm all over at the thought of seeing Jax again so soon.
Denim stepped out the side door and sat on the sturdy old porch swing long enough to slide her feet into her sneakers, then took off into the forest and had to force herself to slow down. She was acting way too desperate and anxious. And just because that was the way she felt didn't mean that's the way she had to behave.
Denim was giving herself a firm pep talk when she heard something that wasn't human. She stopped and listened closely. It was a low growl of some kind of dog, maybe even Jax, howling in the distance. She kept moving towards the treehouse, faster this time, but the sound got louder. Uneasiness trickled along her spine and she kept looking over her shoulder with this feeling that someone was watching her. She increased her speed and was almost to the treehouse when a shadow zipped to her left and then something jumped in front of her. Immediately Denim screamed, then jerked back and banged her hip against a tree.
What the fuck!
It was a large beast just like Jax, the werewolf, only this one wasn't blonde. It was red. She stood there stunned, momentarily immobilized, not sure what to do.
"Jax, is that you?" her voice came out in a whisper. Denim knew it was a stupid question, but she didn't know what else to say.
The wolf growled, reared back on its hind legs ready to attack. Nope. That's not Jax, she thought as she stared into a pair of piercing green eyes that looked as lethal as those long teeth hanging from its jaws. "Okay … maybe not," Denim murmured and started to back up at the fury gathering in its eyes. "But I don't think Jax will be too happy to know you tried to eat me."
Snarling, the wolf then stalked toward her. Denim spun around and took off running toward the treehouse, heart pounding, legs burning, but she knew she was running for her life. The big red monster was faster and stronger and eventually jumped in front of her. Denim reared back in surprise and let out a loud scream, certain she was about to lose her head, among other things.
The bushes shuffled and there was another growl. In a rush something sailed through the air and landed onto the ground with a loud thud between the two of them.
A blonde wolf.
Jax? She wasn't sure. He was beautiful and snarling, showing large, long, white teeth. He lunged at the red wolf and they rolled around for a few moments, before his claws raked the back of the first perpetrator. The red wolf howled in pain, then ran off and disappeared into the forest.
Denim refused to stick around to see who her possible hero was and fled the scene at full force. Her chest was burning, thighs tight from running, but she refused to stop. There was rustling in the trees, and then the blonde wolf was in front of her, blocking her escape. She startled and the wolf growled and slowly she backed away. He took a step forward and she was instantly afraid.
"Please don't eat me," she begged and backed up slowly. Denim stared into his eyes, watching him just as he was focused on her. Mesmerized, she couldn't look away. Soon there was a familiar glint in that golden gaze. "Jax?" She kept backing up because she wasn't taking any chances. He tilted his head, howled into the sky and then her lips parted in an O as the wolf began to shift. Bones cracked, fur disappeared, paws and claws changed to hands and fingertips as the beast transformed into a man.
It was Jax.
"Jax!" she cried out with joy and couldn't begin to express how happy she was to see it was him. Although he had completely transformed, his teeth were still sharp and long.
"What the hell are you doing out here alone?" he finally said when he was no longer a wolf, and yet he was still growling. Jax moved like a predator toward his prey, backing Denim further into the forest.
"I-I received a text message to meet you out here." The fire in his eyes caused her voice to quiver slightly and her voice came out in a whisper. There was so much anger in his eyes that no wonder she didn't recognize him.
"What text message? I didn't … " Jax's voice trailed off, then he dragged a hand across his head. "Dammit. It was Troy."