Tempting Sydney (20 page)

Brynn leaned back against the arm of the couch. “Okay, I see your points, but part of me thinks you were just freaked out because losing yourself in a moment—and a man—is something you haven’t let yourself experience before. You won’t freak out next time, and when it comes to the actual main event with Jax, I think you’ll be kicking yourself for waiting so long.”

I thought about what she’d said. I was freaked out, but I knew this—Jax—was what I wanted. We both just needed to be patient with each other while we worked through our personal demons. “I hope so. It was scary losing control like that. It felt like my whole world was revolving around him, and the potential to have him inside me. For that brief moment, I was lost. I would have done anything to have him. I didn’t care about the consequences, or about anything else. I was want, need, and nothing more. It scared me. It’s never been like that before. With other guys, sex was the next logical step. It wasn’t…
this
.”

She nodded, smiling like she was remembering some happy moments of her own. “It’s like being drunk, but without the hangover.”

I frowned. “The aftereffects might be even worse.”

“You’re just scared. Stop talking yourself out of this before it’s even happened. Blue Eyes is going to be an
excellent
sex partner.”

“I’m sure he is, but I’m not worried about the sex. I’m worried about what comes after. I’m afraid I’ll get even more emotionally invested because of it, and he won’t.”

She reached over and put a hand on my thigh in a comforting way. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. I’m pretty sure he was invested long before you.”

I spent a lot of time the next week thinking about Jax and what had happened between us. Part of me felt like things were progressing too fast. We were moving forward, but the physical aspect of our relationship was moving a lot faster than the emotional one. I considered telling him we needed to stop everything, but I knew that was a cop-out. Brynn was right. I was scared. Scared to let go, scared to trust someone else to be my partner, scared of the distraction of a relationship—and, to be honest, I was nervous about my lack of sexual experience compared to Jax’s. But sex was how Jax communicated, so meeting him halfway wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Slowing down might not be a bad idea either, though. And that’s what I’d decided to tell him. Then he’d called me and asked if we could hang out tonight.

I had an idea of what his version of “hang out” meant, and it wasn’t going to happen, at least, not yet. Foreplay. We were going with foreplay from now on—for a while, at least.

When I heard him knock, my breath immediately quickened. I took one last look at myself in the mirror, checking my warm, blonde hair, neutral makeup, and rosy cheeks and lips. I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down and not look like a girl who suddenly felt like a virgin. I was even more nervous now than I had been when Jax and I first started spending time together. Maybe because we’d done something intimate—that countless other girls had also done with him. I groaned. That reminder helped my nerves quite a bit, and I opened the door.

So much for my commitment to foreplay.

He was wearing a black leather jacket over a red and black striped shirt. His jeans hung off his hips, tight around his thighs. He looked mouthwatering. His gaze went over me like a physical touch, holding on my hips, and then my chest, before coming to rest on my face. His eyes were dark with unspoken promises.

I couldn’t hide my desire, and a knowing look flashed in his eyes. “Hey, sweetheart. Hungry?”

Hungry? That didn’t even cover what I was for this man. Obsessed, rapturous, lustful. I mean, hungry fit in there somewhere, too, but what I felt required so much more than one word. And a lot of actions. Actions I’d like to try right now, and might end up initiating on the porch if he didn’t get in the house soon. I bit my bottom lip, pulling it back with my teeth. “You could call it that.”

He grinned. “Good.” He pushed past me into the house. It wasn’t until that moment I noticed he was holding bags. “Because I have dinner.”

“Dinner?” I asked, totally dumbfounded as I followed him into the kitchen. “Like, food?” I’d really thought he was about to be my main course and dessert.

He put the bags on the counter. “Food is usually required for dinner.” He shrugged out of his coat, hanging it over the back of one of the kitchen table chairs, and then started taking things out of the grocery bags. “We’re having pasta and chicken. I hope that’s okay.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been cramming for tests and living off of crackers and candy for the last few days. Anything that doesn’t involve energy drinks sounds good to me.”

His lips lifted as he preheated the oven, and then started preparing the food. “Good.”

“Can I help with anything?”

“Yeah.” He handed me a bowl. “Can you make the breading mix for the chicken?”

I stood next to him at the counter. “What do I need to do?”

He put water on the stove to boil for the pasta. “Crack the eggs in the bowl, then lightly spank them.”

I burst out laughing. “There’s no way your recipe says to ‘spank’ the eggs.”

“Lightly spank. Lightly beat. Same thing.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You have a thing for spanking?”

He bit his bottom lip and cocked a brow. “Wouldn’t you like to find out?”

The trouble was, I really did want to. I knew, without a doubt, that sex with Jackson West would be mind-blowing. And I got the feeling he had an adventurous streak when it came to carnal activities. That made me excited—in more ways than one. I’d never had a partner like that before.

I eyed him over the mixing bowl. “Are you going to turn all of the instructions into innuendo?”

He grinned. “I might. I have a gift.”

I laughed as I beat the eggs and added milk. “You didn’t tell me you were going to bring dinner. And I definitely didn’t know you were a chef.”

“I’m a mystery,” he said, pouring the pasta into the pot. He grabbed a glass pan for the chicken.

“Yeah, I thought we were going to fix that.”

He didn’t say anything as he dipped the chicken in the egg mixture and then coated it all in bread crumbs. When he was done, he put it in the oven and set the timer. He checked the pasta, and then leaned against the countertop, his palms pressing into it, making his biceps bulge.

“What do you want to know?”

I was pretty captivated by his arms—and body in general—so it took me a minute to remember what I’d been asked. “Oh, umm…where did you grow up?”

“A small town in Arizona. There wasn’t much to do there. I left as soon as I could.”

“Where did you go?”

“California.”“For work?” I could easily see him booking a job as a model. And he’d acted in the haunted house…maybe he’d tried to get a job in Hollywood.

He took a sauce pan off our pan rack, and started mixing the red pasta sauce on the stove. “No. For school. I studied mechanical engineering.”

My eyes went wide. With a mechanical engineering degree, he should be doing a job that was far more complicated than fixing blown tires and radiator hoses. “Then how did you end up in Winchester?”

“I like to move around. A job I enjoy and life experiences are what matter to me.”

Oh. My stomach felt like it dropped to the floor, and I tried not to let the disappointment show on my face. So even though he was here and we were in a relationship for now, he probably wouldn’t be staying long. Maybe that was for the best, though. I could move forward in the relationship with the knowledge that it wasn’t long term. It might help me become less attached.

He drained the pasta and poured the sauce over the top. He sprinkled bread crumbs and cheese on top of it, then put the pan in the oven with the chicken. “This is almost done. Do you want to grab some plates and wine glasses?”

I opened the cabinet and put everything on the kitchen table. I went back to grab napkins and heard the front door open. “Damn! That’s a hot truck in our driveway. I’m almost not pissed that it’s taking my spot and I had to park on the street.” Brynn sauntered into the kitchen leaning against the counter and smiling playfully. “Hey there, Blue Eyes.”

Jax raised a brow at the nickname. I was surprised she hadn’t used it in front of him before.

I rolled my eyes. “Jax, you remember Brynn—from all of the times you’ve rescued us. Brynn, Jax.”

She slowly shook her head. “Nope. He’ll be Blue Eyes forever.” She inhaled deeply, noticing the heavenly smell coming from the oven. “Oh. My. Shit!” Her mouth fell open. “Blue Eyes can cook, too? Jesus, Syd! Marry him!”

Color rose in my cheeks. She didn’t seem to care. “Actually, better let me taste it first. Then we can decide if you should make a run down to the courthouse tomorrow.”

Jax grinned and pulled the food out of the oven. He opened a bag of fresh rolls, and put it next to a salad on the counter.

I shook my head at Brynn. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I thought you had higher standards than just a man who can cook,” Jax said to Brynn. “I remember the conversation from Soup and Spoon. There seemed to be a size requirement.”

She grabbed a cherry tomato from the salad bowl and took a bite. “Yeah. Well, I’m pretty sure you’ve got that covered.”

“Brynn!” I yelled, completely humiliated.

Jax’s lips lifted in an unapologetic smile. “Yeah. I do.”

“But you’re dating my best friend. So, it doesn’t matter to me. I am, however, looking out for her, and have decided you’re one in a million,” she turned to me mouthing the word ‘million’ again, “And she needs to get on you immediately.”

Jax slid me an inviting glance. “I couldn’t agree more.”

I rolled my eyes at Brynn. “I might regret this, but do you want to eat with us?”

She grabbed another tomato, popped it in her mouth, and answered around it. “Can’t. I have a date.”

“Someone new?”

“Yep. Nothing better than combining research and pleasure.”

I pushed my brows together, concerned. “Where did you meet him?”

“In class. We’ve done some projects together. He’s nice.” She glanced at the clock. “I better go change or I’ll be late.” She leaned down and gave me a hug. “Have fun. And definitely do something I wouldn’t do…if you can think of anything.”

I shook my head. She had no filter.

“Good luck,” Jax said. “I hope he’s everything you’re looking for—you know, for the sake of research.”

She flashed a devious smile. “Me, too,” she said, skipping out of the room.

Jax and I sat down. “She’s a little hyper,” I said, spooning food onto my plate.

“I like her.”

“Most men do,” I answered as I cut my piece of chicken.

“Well, I like her personality.”

I frowned, thinking that Brynn was not someone I could compete with when it came to men. If Jax wanted her, or someone like her, I’d never be able to keep his attention. “And she likes pretty much
everything
about you.”

“Syd.” His voice was deep and soft. I looked up at the change in his tone. His gaze locked with mine, his attention totally focused on me. Like he’d read my mind and knew my insecurities. “There’s only one woman I’m interested in having a relationship with. And she’s sitting across from me.”

A warm feeling spread through me, and I grinned like a kid on Christmas. I couldn’t help myself. “Good answer.” I took a bite. “The food is fabulous! Where did you learn to cook like this?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been on my own for a long time. I knew I’d have to learn to cook if I didn’t want to eat stuff from the frozen or canned food aisles for the rest of my life. So I took some cooking classes.”

We continued eating as we talked. “How long is a long time? I don’t even know how old you are.”

“Twenty-seven. And you’re what, twenty-two, twenty-three?”

“Twenty-three.”

“What do you plan to do after law school?”

“Become a successful lawyer. I’d like to do pro bono work for non-profits on the side, though.”

He took a drink of his wine. “You have a big heart.”

I shrugged, not liking attention being drawn to me. “I just try to help where I can.”

The food was amazing, but I didn’t know what Jax’s plans for the rest of the night were. If they included me naked, I didn’t want to look like I was growing a food baby. So, I sat back and sipped the rest of my wine. “You’ve met my friends,” I said, “so when do I get to meet yours?” I remembered him telling me he didn’t have many friends, but there had to be
someone
.

He pushed his plate away and relaxed back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his stomach. I wasn’t sure where he was putting all the pasta because it wasn’t showing up on his body. I’d kill for his ability to eat carbs. “I don’t have a lot of friends. Well, that’s not really true. I have a lot of
surface
friends,” he said, emphasizing surface. I doubted he’d ever let the surface/deeper conversation we’d had go. “I’ll admit,” he said, “it’s been really nice having you in my life. You’re the first person in a long time that I’ve wanted to get to know.”

I looked at him, eyes wide. I wasn’t expecting that confession. “Thanks, Jax,” I said sincerely. “That means a lot.”