Say You're Mine Read online

  “Jaxson, that doesn’t make you a bad guy. So what if you fought? So what if it was illegal? You didn’t know what you were doing. Now, you haven’t gotten to the part where you tell me about jail, but we can get there another time. I don’t see how this makes you a bad guy. In fact, I think this makes you brave, because you chose to get away from that situation.”

  My words dangle in the air. I know there’s more, but right now, I’m not sure what to expect.

  “I had a sister. Abigail. She was 14 when I found out about all of this. You remind me of her in some ways. Sweet and innocent, but possessing strength that can’t be taught. Anyway, the night I walked away, she was walking back late from the library. She was smart. So fucking smart. I usually went to pick her up, but after I walked away from the fight, I was so out of it I completely forgot.”

  I know what’s coming next. I can feel it. And God, I hope I’m wrong.

  “She died that night because of me. Because I didn’t fight, a bunch of guys who placed bets lost a lot of fucking money because of my dad, and they were waiting for him at our place. She didn’t know what she was walking into. Those assholes apparently thought attacking an innocent kid was required to show my dad that they weren’t fucking around when it came to their money.”

  I can’t take it anymore. I get out of my seat and sit on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and bringing myself as close as I can. I don’t know what to say. I just hope this gives him what he needs right now.

  “If I had been there that night, she wouldn’t be . . . If I would’ve fought that night . . .”

  I grab his chin so I can look in his eyes. I need him to hear these words.

  “Jaxson. Look at me. It’s not your fault. If anyone should be living with guilt, it’s your father. You couldn’t have known what would happen that night.”

  “It’s my fault, Annabelle. My sister is dead because of me, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

  Not knowing what else to say to make him understand that none of that changes the way I feel, I bring my lips to his.

  This man. The way he just opened up to me, telling me what he deals with on a daily basis—I get it now. I understand his why. I get why he freaks out when I walk home alone, and though I don’t agree with it, I understand why he thinks he’s protecting me.

  But I don’t care about any of that. If anything, I want him even more now.

  “Jaxson?”

  He brushes a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Yeah, baby?”

  Yup. That sealed it. Hearing that term of endearment leave his mouth has broken the last wall around my heart.

  “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

  He adjusts me so we’re looking directly at each other.

  “I can’t stay away, Annabelle. I need you. So much.”

  I stand up from his lap and go grab my purse and keys. When I walk back to him, feeling bold, I circle my hands around his neck and place a light kiss on his chin.

  “I have to close up, but I’m all alone. Will you take me home, Jaxson?”

  Before I know it, I’m on the back of his motorcycle knowing my life is about to change forever.

  18

  Jaxson

  I don’t know what it is about this girl, but when I’m with her, I barely recognize myself.

  I’ve never told my whole story to anyone. Not Reggie—hell, not even Kalum and Maverick know everything. They know enough, but the details that I just shared with Annabelle were the secrets I carried with me.

  But once I started talking, it was like I couldn’t stop. The dam broke, and the words poured out. And I’ll admit, I felt relief getting everything out there. Like the burden I’ve carried had somehow been lifted.

  The way she looked at me, the way she let me set the pace, knowing this was hard for me, made me fall that much harder. She knew exactly what I needed.

  And now, I need her.

  As I walk her up to her building door, I don’t stop. I let her lead me. If she wants me to come up with her, I won’t deny her that. I won’t deny myself that.

  I need her. Whatever she’ll give me, I’ll take.

  We take the stairs up to her second-floor apartment. Her building is in decent shape, which makes me feel better—at least she doesn’t live in a shithole.

  She fiddles with her keys and struggles to open the door. I place my arms around her waist, and place a kiss on her shoulder. This seems to calm her, and she opens the door to her apartment.

  The small space is so her. Tons of color, but not so much that it looks chaotic. Furniture that you can tell is second-hand, but has been restored. A painting of a park with a rainbow catches my eye above her full-size bed. It’s a small studio, but she seems to use the space well.

  “I . . . Can I get you . . . Would you like something to drink?”

  Her nervousness makes me smile, because though I might not be showing it, I’m nervous too. Not for whatever might happen tonight, but for what could happen after.

  I take her hand and guide her to the couch. I want to put her at ease. I’m in no rush for the physical stuff. Hell, I haven’t even taken her on a proper date. I can at least do that for her.

  “Come sit by me.”

  She listens to my quiet demand and sits next to me on the couch. But instead of crawling into me like she did at the café, she sits with space between us.

  That won’t do.

  I turn to face her, closing a little of the distance, and take her hand in mine, needing to touch her in any way I can.

  “I don’t know what’s going through that pretty head of yours, but whatever you’re thinking, you can tell me. You now know more about me than anyone on the planet, so it’s only fair.”

  She won’t look at me. The girl who confronted me earlier and demanded I give her answers has now been replaced by this shy beauty.

  “I want to kiss you. But I’m not very . . .”

  All I heard was kiss, and I became a man possessed.

  I direct her to my lap so she’s straddling me, and I claim her mouth like I’ve wanted to every day since the first time I got a taste of her.

  That first kiss outside her building was desperate—like we were taking something we knew we weren’t supposed to have.

  This? This kiss is determined. Deliberate. Every movement of our lips, every sweep of our tongues, is purposeful—showing what we mean to each other.

  And if I have my way, I’m never going to have another woman’s lips on mine again.

  She lets me set the pace, following me with every movement. I can tell she’s still nervous, but I don’t want her to think. I just want her to feel.

  I break away from her lips and begin a trail of kisses down her neck, then down her shoulder, as my hand goes under her shirt. I’m dying to touch her perfect tits again, but I don’t want to rush this.

  “We only go as far as you tell me, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” I reassure her as my hands feel the soft skin of her stomach and my lips continue light kisses anywhere I can find skin.

  “More, Jaxson. I want more.”

  Taking that as my opening, I lift her shirt over her head. She’s a vision. Her pale blue lace bra is taunting me against her creamy skin. Her tits aren’t too big, but enough to fill my hands, which is plenty for me to work with. Freckles are scattered across her chest and I want to kiss each and every one of them.

  As my lips trace the top of her chest, she begins to squirm on top of me. I can tell this is turning her on, so I don’t let up. I want to learn every single thing that drives her crazy.

  I take a nipple in my mouth through the blue lace, and as I begin to suck on it, her hips buck against me. If I wasn’t hard before, I’m now a fucking stone. Between the confines of my jeans, and her pressed against me, my cock is begging for relief.

  But it can wait. Right now, the only thing on my mind is making this woman scream in pleasure.

  I pick her up and lay her on the couch, taking off her bra before I lay
her down. The couch is so small that I can’t fit on it with her, but that’s fine. I can work with this. She’s a vision as she looks up at me as I kneel next to her—lust in her eyes, wanting everything I’ll give her.

  I take my hand and cup her pussy. I can feel the heat of her center through her jeans, and fuck if it isn’t making me insane.

  “Yes, Jaxson! Feels so good . . .”

  “Are you wet for me, baby?”

  I know she is, but I’m dying to hear her say those words to me. But all she can do is nod her head.

  “Hmm, I’d better find out for myself then.”

  I unzip her jeans as her hand rubs up and down my arm. It’s reassuring that she’s in this with me.

  When I get her jeans off, I can’t help but smile. A pair of panties that match her bra greet me, and as I lift up her legs to slide the jeans off, I can already tell this girl is wet and ready for me.

  “Fuck, baby. You are so wet. I need to feel it.”

  “I’m yours, Jaxson. Make me yours.”

  I pull her panties down harder than I intend to, but those words have lit a fire under me. Her small strip of hair is like a siren calling to me. I feel around her wetness before slipping in a finger.

  Fuck, she’s tight. And fucking perfect.

  Her hips buck against my finger, like she’s shocked about the entrance. But I can tell she likes it. She’s already riding my finger, chasing her orgasm that I’m bound and determined to give her.

  “Do you like that, baby?”

  “Jaxson . . . I . . . yes . . . more!”

  I’ve never wanted to give someone something so bad. My finger continues to go in and out, searching for the spot that will make her scream. As soon as I hit it, I can feel her body shift underneath me.

  “Oh my God, Jaxson!”

  Wanting to give her more, I swing her legs so they are on either side of my head. Still kneeling on the floor, with her legs on my shoulders, I’m at the perfect angle to taste what I’m craving.

  “Baby, I need to taste you.”

  She doesn’t reply before my tongue finds her center and FUCK, I’ve never tasted anything better in my life.

  As my tongue licks the sweetest pussy I’ve ever tasted, I take my hand and rub circles around her clit, which is making her thrash beneath me.

  “Jaxson . . . I . . . what is . . .”

  “Just let it happen, baby. Let me take you there.”

  With a few more strokes and one last suck of her clit, she explodes. Her juices are covering my face, and God, I fucking love it.

  As she tries to control her breathing, I find her bathroom and grab a washcloth. My cock is screaming at me for some relief, but it can wait.

  What I just experienced was like nothing I’ve ever had.

  When I come back to the living room, she’s still half-sitting, half-lying on the couch. She looks relaxed and so fucking gorgeous as she lets me tend to her.

  “Jaxson?”

  I look up at her. “Yeah, baby?”

  “Take me to bed. Make love to me.”

  19

  Annabelle

  I can’t describe this feeling right now. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt in my life.

  I’m coming down from my first orgasm ever. And it was from Jaxson.

  And, oh my God, if that’s what an orgasm is, then I’ve been missing out. But somehow I have a feeling it’s because of him.

  The way he touched me was like he knew what my body wanted better than I did. Which is good, because I had no idea what I wanted—well, not specifically, but I did know I wanted him.

  And I still do.

  As he comes back into the room, holding a washcloth, my heart melts. This big, strong, brooding man is now kneeling in front of me—again—taking care of me—again—after I’ve done nothing for him.

  A few times when I’d fooled around with Marcus, he would take my hand and subtly urge me to give him a handjob. I never did; I never felt comfortable enough.

  But not Jaxson. This man gave me everything and asked for nothing in return.

  And now I want to give him all of me.

  “Jaxson?”

  He looks up at me, giving me a questioning look like he’s wondering if I’m regretting what we just shared.

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Take me to bed. Make love to me.”

  My words shock him. Honestly, they shock me too. I know we’ve just figured things out. Hell, I don’t even know if we’ve done that yet. But I know, more than ever, that this is the first man I want to be with.

  No matter how long this relationship lasts, no matter what happens, I want Jaxson Kelly to be my first.

  “Are you sure? Baby, we don’t have to do this.”

  I nod my head. “I want to. I want to feel you, Jaxson.”

  With that, he picks me up, cradling me against him, and carries me to the bed. He places me down gently, like he might break me if he lets me down too hard.

  I’m now sprawled before him, completely naked. He’s standing over me, with every bit of clothing on.

  “I think you’re overdressed,” I say to him as I trail a hand over my chest and down to my pussy.

  I don’t know where this wanton woman is coming from, but I like her. She’s sexy and confident. A woman worthy of Jaxson.

  The look he’s giving me is hunger. Like he’s starved for me, and I’m about to be his last meal.

  He frantically begins undressing, grabbing a condom from his wallet before he tosses his jeans to the side.

  I got a taste of what he looked like underneath his clothes when I saw him shirtless at the gym, but that was nothing compared to what I’m seeing now.

  There are tattoos strategically placed all over his body. They are beautiful. I all of a sudden have an overwhelming urge to lick every inch of ink that covers his body.

  His chest is smooth, with abs so defined they look like a sculptor made them, and there’s a small trail of hair leading down to his—oh my God!—he’s fucking huge.

  I knew he would be. He’s so big everywhere else, why would his dick be any different? I’m now all of a sudden nervous. How in the hell is he going to fit?

  I haven’t told him I’m a virgin and I’m not going to. He’ll stop this if he knows. I know he will. And there is nothing I want more than this. Right here. Right now.

  “You look absolutely gorgeous,” he says as he lowers himself next to me on the bed. His hand replaces mine at my center, as he begins working me again. I’m convinced that nothing will ever feel as good as his hands on me.

  I pull him into me, needing to feel his lips on mine. He responds, rolling me over so he’s on top, kissing me like we’ve done it for years. It’s amazing that we’ve just gotten together—we’re already in sync with each other’s movements.

  My first kiss with Marcus was awkward and sloppy. We butted heads a few times because we didn’t know which way the other would go. Not Jaxson. Kissing Jaxson is as natural as breathing.

  Without thinking, I move my hand down and begin to stroke his cock. It’s so big and hard, and it twinges at my touch. Feeling that he responds to me like that turns me on all that much more.

  “Jaxson, please. I want you . . .”

  He stops his kisses, stroking my hair back while looking down at me. “Baby, we don’t have to. I never expected it to go this far when I came up here. This is enough for me.”

  “I know. But I want you,” I know I’m pleading, but I can’t help it. “I’ve wanted you for so long. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

  And he doesn’t. He grabs the condom, slips it on, and positions himself on top of me.

  He kisses me again as he lines up with my center, and I don’t know what I expect to feel when he enters me, but it’s definitely not this.

  A sharp pain. I knew it would hurt; I’d been told numerous times it would. Unfortunately, I flinch, and Jaxson takes notice.

  “Are you okay, baby? Did I hurt you? We can stop.”

  I sh
ake my head. “I’m okay. Please, Jaxson, keep going. I want this.”

  He takes it slow, and after I adjust to his size—holy shit! I don’t have words. The feeling of him inside me, moving in and out at a pace that’s not slow, but not rushed, is the most amazing thing I’ve felt in my life. The way he’s filling me is nothing I could describe and everything I didn’t know I wanted.

  “More . . .”

  I don’t know where that came from, but my body wants it. Is craving it. He listens, and pulls one of my legs up so he can go deeper.

  And God, does he.

  I don’t even realize I’m doing it, but soon my body is meeting his thrusts and silently asking for more. I feel my orgasm coming again, but it’s still out of reach.

  “Fuck, Annabelle. You’re so fucking tight. So fucking perfect. I’m not going to last much longer, but I need you to come again.”

  “Yes, Jaxson. Please.”

  He takes both of my legs and puts them on his shoulders and holy fuck I don’t know what spot he’s hitting, but it’s . . .

  “AAHHHH!!!!”

  I explode. I’m seeing stars. I’m grabbing for anything I can hold on to as my body convulses in pleasure.

  And before I know it, I feel Jaxson tighten inside me, and he follows my orgasm with his own.

  We collapse on the bed, him on top of me, spent from the night.

  I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, but I hope it’s more of that. Because that’s what I’ve been waiting for.

  20

  Jaxson

  A slice of daylight wakes me from the best sleep I’ve had in who knows how long.

  And it has everything to do with this beautiful woman next to me.

  Being with Annabelle last night was everything and nothing I could have imagined—the way her body responded to mine, and the little moans that drove me fucking wild. Not to mention her tight-as-fuck pussy gripping the life out of me.

  The recollection of how she screamed when I gave her that last orgasm will be something I’ll have burned into my memory until the day I die.