Natural Attraction (23 page)

The woman all develop serious looks (well as serious as they can
considering their levels of intoxication).  They study their glasses and consider how to deal with this epiphany. 

The men all just start looking at each with a look that suggests they all have a secret and it is amusing.

What’s so funny?

“I know that Ma.  I’ve got it sorted.” Jax grins and winks at his father.

“He sure has.”  David winks back at Jax.  “Time for all you young men to gather your woman folk and families.  You need to hit the road.  It’s time for me to take advantage of your drunken mother.” 

He leans over and pull
s Ro towards him to give her a blistering kiss.

My jaw drops as I stare at David.  Did he just really say and do that? 

Ewwww.

My parents would never have done anything like that in front of me or my brothers.  In fact, I can’t honestly say I have ever even seen them do more than give each other a chaste peck on the cheek when one or the other was leaving to go somewhere. 

Public displays of affection were absolute no-nos.

“I’m sure you can show Ash your cars next time she comes to lunch,” I hear David mumbling against Ro’s mouth.

“I’m sure I can,” I hear her mumble back. 

They then continue to ignore us and go about their unashamed snogging.

“Right then!” Jax announces as he pushes his chair back and grabs my hand.  “We’ll be off.  Drive safely folks and I will see you next week.”

Everyone mutters their good-byes and I see Luke lean and whisper something in Teagan’s ear.  She jumps up out of her seat with a huge grin on her face, wobbling a little bit as the full impact of the bourbon hits her. 

“Wait!” She yells as she takes off out to the pergola.

She is not gone long before she returns, swaying slightly, looking pleased with herself.

“Here,” she says shoving an open can of diet Coke in my hand.  “One for the road.”

“Um, thanks?” I smile brightly at her thinking it is very thoughtful of her to bring me a
Coke for the trip home.  After four bourbons I probably
will
be thirsty on the trip.  This said, a bottle of water would have been just as welcome.

“You.
Are. Welcome.” She states a little drunkenly.  “I. Like. You.” 

She beams up at Jax as Luke moves to her side to wrap an arm around her waist.  I’m sure he has noticed she is swaying slightly.

I look back around the table at everyone staring at me, all with bright smiles on their faces. 

Seemingly they like me too?

No funny business

After a round of cuddling we make a quick stopover in the family room.  It is here that I am shocked to receive good-bye cuddles from
all
the children.  This includes one that goes on a bit too long from Christopher.  One that causes Jax to growl at his nephew to make him me let go.

We are then back in Jax’s truck and headed home.

We have only just made it out the front gate when I realize I am starting to feel a bit thirsty so I take a big swig out of my can of Coke.

What the fuck?

The burn of bourbon tears down the back of my throat and I start to splutter. 

Worrying that I will spray
Coke all through Jax’s truck, I slam my hand across my mouth and swallow.  Tears come to my eyes as I feel a lump ball up in my throat as I try to swallow something that doesn’t want to go down.

She laced my
Coke?

I see Jax smiling as he holds his hand out for my
Coke can.  He holds it up to his nose and sniffs.  He then starts laughing loudly.

“She’s a shocker,” he says with amusement.  He hands it back to me grinning, his eyes sparkling with
humor.

“I think your family was trying to get me drunk.” I state with what I can now hear is a slight slur in my voice as I sniff the can myself.  “How am I am going to get home?”

He flicks me a glance and I see the faint hint of a dimple popping as he says, “We are going straight there now.  Mum and Dad’s house is about halfway to your place. I figure if we go straight there now, we’ll be back at my place in about two hours.  That means we’ll get home just in time to feed the horses.”

How drunk am I?  Did he just say we were going to my place and
then
back to his again?  That’s back to front.  Or is that inside out?

That’s wrong.

“Um…  Why would I be going to back to your place afterwards?  Just taking me home is fine, although I am then carless and Maverickless,” I ask.

I look down at my can as I drunkenly start to plot how I am going to get Jen to help me to get back to Jax’s house sometime tomorrow to get my car and my horse. 

In among my plotting I realize that I am now headed home, I’m already drunk and I have a strong can of bourbon in my hand. 

Bottom’s up, may as well finish it.

I take another swig and enjoy the strong burn as it slides down my throat.

As I feel the effects of my latest swig lighten my body even more, I start to think that perhaps I was just imagining him saying what I thought he just said.  There is no way we are going back to his place again.  It was probably just drunken, wishful thinking on my behalf.

I peek at him driving out of the corner of my eye while continuing to pretend to focus on my can.

God he’s gorgeous.

The way he leans back casually in his seat, one hand gently flopping over the steering wheel is out-and-out sexy.  I can see the veins in his hands and forearm bulging out. Lustful thoughts of leaning over and running my tongue along each one of them leap into my mind.

I feel a tingle in my belly and my body starts to warm.  A dull ache between my legs reminds me I haven’t had sex in a while and I’m sitting next to a man God. 

Shit. 

I need a distraction before I decide to drunkenly unbuckle myself and launch on the poor guy from the passenger seat.

“Wanna play a game?” I ask.

“Sure.”

“Truth or truth.  Since you’re driving you can’t do dares so we’ll mix it up a bit.  If you don’t want to answer the question, you have to give a truthful statement about yourself.  How does that sound?”

He looks across at me smiling, nods slowly and then returns his eyes to the road.  “Sure, this should be interesting.”

This is going to be so cool, I love truth games.  You always find out the oddest things about people.  I slide down a bit in my seat and lean back into its leathery comfort.  “I’ll go first.  What’s your middle name?”

“Straight for the heavy stuff then?”
  He says as he grins and keeps his focus on the road. “Tyler.”

“J. T.  Go figure
,” I mumble and muse to myself as I take another small swig of my can.

“My turn,” he chuckles, “What’s your address?”

Good point.

“33 Chesters Lane, Smythes Creek.”

He leans over to pluck his IPhone out of its dock in the dashboard.  He fiddles around with it for a minute or so.  He then gently places it back into the dock and resumes his concentration on the road.

“It’s dangerous to fiddle with phones while driving,” I offer informatively.  My tongue is definitely looser with those last few mouthfuls of bourbon.

“We could crash and die and then no one would be going home to feed our horses.  On top of that, I’d rather not die today.  This is because I have not yet written up my will and made arrangements for my golden girls, or Maverick.  Jen does not yet realize she is going to inherit my golden girls and I’ve recently decided you will inherit Maverick.  What’s your
favorite color? ”

He turns to look at me. I can sense him staring hard into my eyes behind his sunglasses.  He appears amused but responds to my question without hesitation.

“It recently became green.” 

He starts gently tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.  It would appear he is now inpatient.

Interesting.

“What was it before that?” I ask.

“One question little girl, one answer.  My turn. Do you have any paid leave available to take from your work?”

What sort of a question is that?
 

Who cares? 

“Why?” I blurt and swing my full attention to him.

“Truth or truth, your game.
  Answer the question.” 

He says this blandly still concentrating on the road.  His long fingers continue their inpatient tapping against the steering wheel.  I start to get distracted by his fingers and naughty thoughts about what his fingers could do slip into my mind.  I really
am
drunk.

“Yes I do.  I have months and months of recreation leave.  Pretty much the only leave I ever take is sick leave.  This would be because I keep falling off my horses.   Sadly, by the time I get better and return to work I feel bad about being away unexpectedly so decide not to take any holidays.  I love my job and I love my boss.  I always feel bad when I leave her in the lurch taking unplanned sick leave.” 

Yes I am a workaholic but what does that matter to you?

“You don’t
plan
sick leave,” he laughs and stops tapping his fingers.  “Who the hell plans sick leave?  Actually don’t answer that, I don’t want to waste a question.  It’s your turn anyway.”

“That it is.  I have to ask again.  Why do you need to know if I have any leave?”

I narrow my eyes at him and give him my best impression of a stern, interrogation look.

He glances across me and smiles and my stern face.  Turning back to the road he casually explains why.

“I need to know ‘cause you will be taking the next two weeks off to stay at my house and work with Maverick.”

“What the fuck!” I yell loudly, suddenly sobering a good deal. “When did you come up with that?”

I watch his body start to gently shake as I realize he’s trying not to laugh at me.  This is not funny.  I’m sure he’s a weirdo now.  All hopes of marrying him are now gone because he is clearly mad.  There is no way I am going to spend the rest of my life attached to a madman.  Stupid people and mad people, stay the fuck away.  So far this has proved to be an excellent motto in life for me and I have no plans to change it now.

I decide that I need to get away from him.  The sooner I do this, the better.  Mad people are untrustworthy and do
mad
things. 

Like kidnap people.

I start darting my eyes around me as I take in my surroundings to work out whether we are actually headed towards my place.  I need to be sure he is not taking me into a state forest somewhere to rape and kill me. 

Perhaps he is going to dump my body down an abandoned mineshaft?  The forests around here are littered with deep shafts from the old gold mining days.  Being dumped in a mine shaft is the preferred method of body disposal for people in this state.

I quickly decide we are indeed on a major highway and headed towards my local area so perhaps I’m okay for a while.  As long as he sticks to his current course, I can probably hold off on my escape.  This will ensure I am at least close to home and know where I am. 

The moment he takes a turn up a road I don’t know, I need to think about jumping out of this truck. 

Fuck.
 

That’s probably gunna hurt way more than stacking off a horse. 

Perhaps I can do it at an intersection?  I should probably also turn my phone to silent so he forgets I’ve got one.  That way I might be able to use it at some stage to call 000. 

Fuck. 

Where is my phone? 

Fuck!
 

Maybe he’s a vampire? 

Maybe
they
are a family of vampires?  That would explain why his family all liked me so much.  Maybe I’m dinner?  Maybe that’s why they have been feeding me up and getting me drunk? 

Holy shit.

I’ve walked into a
‘Twilight’
feast and I’m the main course. 

Jax breaks into my thoughts by asking another question.

“One question at a time.  It’s my turn again.  And stop looking at me like I’m planning a murder.  I’ve already told you I won’t let you get hurt.  I keep telling you I want to keep you
safe.
  Now quit fucking around in your head with whatever shit you got rolling and listen to what I am saying. 

You and Maverick have progressed heaps this weekend and I think it would be in both your best interests to continue to work together every day.  If you go home now, it’s going to be another full week
at least before we can get back together.  Having seen the way you and Maverick can both lose it when you’re not listening to each other, I don’t think you should be working with him on your own.