Before she knew it, they were dancing.
Nothing wild or intricate like the others around them but a gentle movement of their bodies together. Back to chest. Her hips cradled within his. Hands clasped together with their arms crossed over Jesse’s chest.
Her head fell back into his shoulder as she allowed the hypnotic rhythm of the music to carry away the thousands of things that she kept over-thinking about. Under the star scattered sky, her mind was quiet for the first time in a very long time as she allowed herself to just feel.
Even with the heavy words of wisdom Jax had dropped on her.
Jax dipped his head closer to her, and she shivered at the rough texture of his beard against the sensitive skin of her jaw.
“You smell so good.” The words were a gentle rumble in her ear that seemed to reach down to her panties with an eager tug.
“I love the way you smell, too.” Jesse replied softly and turned around. Jax adjusted them so that his legs slotted between hers with his arms around her waist. Hers went around his neck so that they had an illusion of privacy. A small space that was only theirs to enjoy the intimate brush of their bodies against each other.
“Thank you for coming out with me tonight. I’ve had the best time that I’ve had in … a really long time with you by my side.”
“I had a good time with you too.”
“Better than if you had stayed at home?”
“Leaps better. I was just sitting on the couch, obsessing over your brother.”
“My brother, hmm?”
Oh … fuck … did she really just say that to him?
“Don’t be shy now, tell me what you’ve been obsessing about.” There was something in the way he said it. Maybe it was the alcohol or just her imagination but it sounded decidedly knowing.
Definitely knowing, Jesse decided when she peaked up at him and saw the teasing tilt to his mouth.
“You know what.”
“I do but I really want you to tell me. To make sure we’re both thinking the same thing.”
“I kissed him. The night I left the office.”
“A kiss? Hmm … is that what you called it?.”
Her heart fell to her feet and she froze. Disappointment filled her at the thought that she had read too much into what had happened. That Devon had brushed it off as nothing while she had agonized over their moment together.
“How- What did Devon say?”
“My brother sprouted all kinds of flowery words about how your lips had almost brought him to his knees. I’m sure he would write at least three books of poetry on your kiss if he could.” Jax assured her. “Now me, on the other hand, would need something more to start writing poetry. Something like this.”
That was all the warning Jesse had before he kissed her.
His lips moulded against hers. Light and sweet as his tongue gently brushed against the seems until she parted her lips. He takes his time tasting her. Learning what she liked by the way she squirmed against him.
Her head swam at his teasing touches. Never before had anyone kiss her the way he did. Consuming. Tender. And so frustrating that she wanted to cry.
“Please,” she whimpered when he refused to deepen the kiss.
“I know, sweet guppy, but this is not the place for what you’re needing.”
“No,” she whimpered, barely opening her eyes when he lifted his head. “Why?”
“When I give you what you need, the only audience we will have will be my brother. No one else gets to see you like that.”
Jesse panted at the salacious image he painted for her.
Suddenly, she wanted the same thing.
“Although, I suppose I should probably get you home, right?”
No. I want to stay right here, with you.
“I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
“Give me two seconds. I need to swop keys with Tanner quick, since we’ll be taking his car home.” With a quick kiss on top of her head, Jax disappeared into the crowd before Jesse could say anything.
While she waited for him, Jesse tried to gather her scattered wits about her. A seemingly impossible task. The alcohol she consumed turned the ground at her feet to rubber. The warm glow of arousal added to her hazy surroundings and the tender emotions Jax elicited in her made it difficult to slow her racing heart.
That man knew how to kiss …
With a smile, Jesse touched her still wet lips before feeling her pockets to make sure everything was still there. It took her a second, but she realized something was missing just as Jax got back to her.
“My keys are missing.”
“They weren't on the table in the beer tent. I did a quick check before we left. Could you have left them anywhere else?
“I don’t know. The bathroom, maybe?”
“Do you want to go check, or do you have a spare somewhere?”
“My friends Sasha and Lou have a spare each.”
“Do you want to call them and see if we can pick it up?”
Jesse pulled at her bottom lip as she considered, her eyes on the moon on the horizon.
“It’s really late, isn’t it? Or early, depending on how you look at it.”
“It is but I doubt your friends would mind you waking them up. Sasha seems like a good friend, from what I could tell.”
“She is. They both are.”
She really needed to make sure she told them that more often, Jesse thought distantly as she shivered. The night air suddenly seemed a lot cooler now that she didn’t have Jax holding her close.
“Then you can use my phone and call them.”
Jesse shook her head.
“I don’t want to bother them. Maybe we should just see if we can figure out how to get into my house?”
There was a beat of contemplative silence.
“We could do that or,” a beat before he continues, “you stay over by me.”
“I don’t think staying by you would be a good idea.”
“Worried you won’t be able to resist me?” He gave her that playful grin that she was starting love.
Absolutely, Jesse thought.
“Not to worry, little guppy. I don’t fool around with anyone that’s under the influence. Besides, I want you fully aware and able when I get in bed with you.”
“Confident, aren’t you?” A haughty sniff that was ruined by a hiccup. “That doesn’t fill me with as much confidence as you might think.”
“I’ll be on my best behaviour.” Boy scout salute.
She squinted up at him when he gave her another snappy boy scout salute.
“Were you even a boy scout?”
His grin took on a decidedly wicked tint.
“I was. Until they kicked me out for sneaking girls into the camp.”
Her laughter rang through the night air.