inwardly, disgusted by her own behavior. She had allowed this man to maul her in front of her child, a child who had seen first-hand the horrors his father had committed.
"I was kissing her," Jax said lightly. "Does that bother you?"
"Yes," Able said, his face grim. Sarai rubbed a hand against her forehead. How was she going to explain this to Able?
"I don't plan to hurt her, and I won't do anything she hasn't agreed to let me do," Jax said, keeping his tone friendly. "But I wasn't making her do anything she didn't want me to do."
"Is that right, Mom?" Able asked, turning his accusing gaze to her. She sighed, knowing he would be upset if she said yes. For a moment she considered saying no, covering up her part in the kiss. But she had never lied to her children before, and now wasn't the time to start.
"Yes," she said. "I agreed to let him kiss me."
"Oh," Able said, at a loss for words. He looked confused, and suddenly very young.
"Why did you do that?"
Sarai gave a choked laugh, wondering what to tell him. Because I can't control myself?
Because I made a deal to get rid of him? Because your father only hurt me, but when this man touches me I feel like I'll break into a thousand pieces, and it feels good? None of them were answers she could give her son.
"Because sometimes men and women like to kiss," she said finally. Able's face grew dark again.
"That's a stupid reason," he said after a brief pause. Then he whirled and ran out of the room.
Sarai slumped back against the counter.
"I'm a terrible mother," she whispered, looking up at him with haunted eyes. "How could I let you do that where my children might see? This deal we've made, none of it can happen around them. They are my life, they are far more important than you. Can you understand that?"
Jax nodded, his gaze inscrutable.
"As long as you understand that at night you're mine, I'll make sure I don't touch you in front of the children."
"Thank you," she replied. "I can't have them getting hurt over this. They've already been hurt enough."
Jax reached one finger to her chin, and lifted her face so he could look at her directly.
"I understand," he whispered, dropping a quick, light kiss on her mouth. He straightened, then spoke again in a louder voice. "I'll go take care of that pipe now. Let me know if you need anything, all right?"
He turned and strode out of the room.
* * * * *
He could win her over, he knew it.
Sarai was inside getting the children ready for bed. He sat outside her bedroom in the garden, waiting for her. It had been dark for hours; she'd kept the children up well past their bedtime. She was avoiding him, using them as a shield. But eventually she would run out of excuses.
He saw the light come on in her room, and the outline of her body against the drapes. If she had any idea how sheer they were she would faint, he thought with amusement. Every night she gave him a show, as she got ready for bed.
She untied her apron and started removing her clothes quickly and efficiently. Turning as she pulled off her dress, she was briefly silhouetted. Long, slender legs, shapely breasts that were still fairly firm, even after two children. Her blonde hair hung down her back like a curtain. What would it look like over her naked body? he wondered. That one night they'd had together had been all too brief. He'd never gotten the chance to see her as he'd fantasized so many times. He wanted her astride him, her head thrown back in pleasure and her breasts bouncing. Her hair would be wild and free, offering him glimpses of her body even as she rode him through the night.
He hardened at the thought, blood rushing to his groin. A familiar ache spread through him, making him groan.
Her room went dark. It was time to make his move.
He rose and walked silently over to the sliding door that separated them. He tested the latch, noting with amusement that she'd kept it locked. As if a lock would be able to keep him out.
He knocked softly, but she
"I was kissing her," Jax said lightly. "Does that bother you?"
"Yes," Able said, his face grim. Sarai rubbed a hand against her forehead. How was she going to explain this to Able?
"I don't plan to hurt her, and I won't do anything she hasn't agreed to let me do," Jax said, keeping his tone friendly. "But I wasn't making her do anything she didn't want me to do."
"Is that right, Mom?" Able asked, turning his accusing gaze to her. She sighed, knowing he would be upset if she said yes. For a moment she considered saying no, covering up her part in the kiss. But she had never lied to her children before, and now wasn't the time to start.
"Yes," she said. "I agreed to let him kiss me."
"Oh," Able said, at a loss for words. He looked confused, and suddenly very young.
"Why did you do that?"
Sarai gave a choked laugh, wondering what to tell him. Because I can't control myself?
Because I made a deal to get rid of him? Because your father only hurt me, but when this man touches me I feel like I'll break into a thousand pieces, and it feels good? None of them were answers she could give her son.
"Because sometimes men and women like to kiss," she said finally. Able's face grew dark again.
"That's a stupid reason," he said after a brief pause. Then he whirled and ran out of the room.
Sarai slumped back against the counter.
"I'm a terrible mother," she whispered, looking up at him with haunted eyes. "How could I let you do that where my children might see? This deal we've made, none of it can happen around them. They are my life, they are far more important than you. Can you understand that?"
Jax nodded, his gaze inscrutable.
"As long as you understand that at night you're mine, I'll make sure I don't touch you in front of the children."
"Thank you," she replied. "I can't have them getting hurt over this. They've already been hurt enough."
Jax reached one finger to her chin, and lifted her face so he could look at her directly.
"I understand," he whispered, dropping a quick, light kiss on her mouth. He straightened, then spoke again in a louder voice. "I'll go take care of that pipe now. Let me know if you need anything, all right?"
He turned and strode out of the room.
* * * * *
He could win her over, he knew it.
Sarai was inside getting the children ready for bed. He sat outside her bedroom in the garden, waiting for her. It had been dark for hours; she'd kept the children up well past their bedtime. She was avoiding him, using them as a shield. But eventually she would run out of excuses.
He saw the light come on in her room, and the outline of her body against the drapes. If she had any idea how sheer they were she would faint, he thought with amusement. Every night she gave him a show, as she got ready for bed.
She untied her apron and started removing her clothes quickly and efficiently. Turning as she pulled off her dress, she was briefly silhouetted. Long, slender legs, shapely breasts that were still fairly firm, even after two children. Her blonde hair hung down her back like a curtain. What would it look like over her naked body? he wondered. That one night they'd had together had been all too brief. He'd never gotten the chance to see her as he'd fantasized so many times. He wanted her astride him, her head thrown back in pleasure and her breasts bouncing. Her hair would be wild and free, offering him glimpses of her body even as she rode him through the night.
He hardened at the thought, blood rushing to his groin. A familiar ache spread through him, making him groan.
Her room went dark. It was time to make his move.
He rose and walked silently over to the sliding door that separated them. He tested the latch, noting with amusement that she'd kept it locked. As if a lock would be able to keep him out.
He knocked softly, but she
Similar Books
The Great Scottish Devil
Starla Kaye
Bone Deep
Gina McMurchy-Barber
In Vino Veritas
J. M. Gregson
Wolf Bride
Elizabeth Moss
Just Your Average Princess
Kristina Springer
Mr. Wonderful
Carol Grace
Captain Nobody
Dean Pitchford
Pretty Witches All in a Row
Lisa Olsen
Paradise Alley
Kevin Baker
Kleber's Convoy
Antony Trew