Simply Irresistible (6 page)

Desire.
Bone-melting desire.

When she opened her eyes again, he was even closer. His eyes weren’t the solid warm caramel she’d thought but had flecks of
gold dancing in them, as well. She could have drowned in all that deliciousness.

Not a bad way to go, she figured—death by lust.

Taking the shake out of her hands, he put it on the railing. “Maddie,” he said. Just that, just her name in a deep voice that
promised things she no longer believed in. And suddenly the part of her brain that had dictated the whole giving-up-men thing
went on a vacay somewhere on the other side of reality, probably sharing a suite with the same gray matter that thought she
could make a go of the inn. So instead of taking a step back, she took one forward and met him halfway on wobbly legs.

And what happened next was the oddest thing of all.

Odd and scary and amazing.

A heavenly sigh drifted past her lips as his arms came around her, and then his mouth touched hers, warm and tasting like
the chocolate shake and forgotten hopes and dreams, and then…

And then there were no more thoughts.

M
addie’s eyes had slayed Jax from the very start, but her mouth… Christ, her mouth. The kiss started out gentle, and he’d meant
for it to stay that way, but then she pulled back just enough to stare up at him, all flushed and wide-eyed.

Lowering his head, he pressed his mouth to the hollow of her throat. Beneath his lips, he could feel her pulse racing, and
he touched his tongue to the spot. At her gasp of pleasure, he made his slow way along her jaw, over warm, soft skin to her
ear. When he finally lifted his face to hers, her eyes were huge, a sea of dazed heat as she clearly wondered exactly what
he was up to.

No good. That’s what he was up to.

Proving it, he kissed her again, her little whimper for more going straight through him. He heard her purse hit the pier at
their feet, and then her arms wound around his
neck and she was kissing him, an all-consuming, earthy, raw kiss, and he was a goner. He groaned into her mouth at the pleasure
of her touch, at the rush of heat, at the anticipation that swam through him instead of good sense.

Again she tore free of his mouth and stared up at him, eyes feral, mouth wet, breathing wildly. He had no idea what she was
looking for, but apparently she found it because she tugged him back down, her fingers digging into his biceps as if she couldn’t
get enough.

That made two of them.

He kissed his way down her throat, and she gave a low, sexy gasp when he got to the spot where her neck met her shoulder.
Her eyes slid closed, and she shuddered with the intensity. “You taste good,” he murmured.

“Like chocolate–vanilla swirl?”

He lifted his head as she opened her eyes, opaque with hunger and desire. “Like woman.” Her hair was wild, a few curls clinging
to her face and dancing in the wind, calling to him. Needing to touch her, he raised a hand to stroke her hair back, and she
flinched, hard.

Shock had him going still, fingers hovering near her forehead, but she went even more still. Slowly he lowered his hand. “Maddie—”

With a quick, single shake of her head, she took a giant step back, her eyes shuttered from him. I have to go.”

“Okay.” His brain raced, trying to figure out what had just happened. She’d acted as if he’d meant to hit her, which was crazy—he
wouldn’t.

Ever.

But someone had.

That was clear. So was the heat that rushed to her
face, knowing her involuntary gesture had just given her away.

Feeling sick for whatever she’d been through, sicker still for reminding her of it if only for a second, he stepped back.
“Maddie—”

Tightening her lips, she bent for her purse, then turned away, walking back toward the street. “I
really
need to go.”

Letting out a long, careful breath, he gave her a head start. He was quite certain that she’d like him to vanish entirely,
but he couldn’t do that. There was nowhere to go but back up the pier. So he followed, doing his best to give her the space
he figured she needed.

Maddie walked fast down the pier, not slowing until she came to the Ferris wheel. Too bad her life couldn’t be as simple as
going round and round…

“You okay?”

Turning, she faced Jax, who stayed about five feet from her, hands in his pockets. “I’m fine.” A little white lie that didn’t
count because she
wanted
to be okay. “About that kiss. I shouldn’t have—We can’t—” She blew out a breath and went with honesty. “Obviously I’m not
in a place to start anything up.”

“I’m getting that. It’s okay, Maddie. I’ve been there.”

She doubted he’d ever let anyone take advantage of him or hurt him, but she didn’t want to talk about it. He was giving her
an out, which she was going to take. Turning, she started walking. Not surprisingly, he kept pace. “I’m going back to the
inn,” she said. “Alone.” She glanced over at him, not knowing what to expect, but
it wasn’t the quiet intensity she found. And it certainly wasn’t feeling her own heart skip a beat.

They passed the ice cream shop, and the guy who’d served her waved at Jax. “Hey, man. Hot chocolate tonight?”

“Sure. A large to go, Lance. Thanks.” He paid, then exchanged the warm cup for Maddie’s shake. “For your hands,” he said and
guided her off the pier and onto the main street in front of the Love Shack.

A cute blonde burst out of the bar, teetering a little on her heels, laughing with a pretty brunette. “… and he wanted to
drive me home!” she exclaimed.

“Well, you said you wanted to get laid,” the brunette said.

“Yes, but look at me! I’m a nine tonight, maybe even a ten. And nothing less than an eight takes
this
body home—” Catching sight of Jax, she threw her arms around him. “Hey, sexy! Haven’t seen you around all week. You working
hard, or hardly working?”

“A little of both,” Jax said, steadying her.

“Join us for a nightcap,” Blondie said, slipping her arms around his neck.

Maddie looked down at herself. Yeah, okay, so she was dressed as a four, tops, but she wasn’t invisible.

A cab pulled into the lot, and Blondie smiled. “There’s our ride. Jax?” she murmured throatily, tugging his hand. “You coming?”

He shook his head, and Blondie and Brunette sighed in joint disappointment, then slid into the cab and vanished into the night.

“You could have gone,” Maddie said after a minute. “Wouldn’t want to hold you back.”

“From…?”

“A threesome.”

He arched a brow. “Is that what you think I want?”

“Well, it does seem to be the top male fantasy.”

“Maybe I’m content with my current company.”

She felt herself soften in spite of herself and decided it was all the emotion of the day. The wind was kicking hard now,
but Jax’s jacket was protecting her, and she was content to just stand there. “Are you cold?” she asked, really hoping he
wasn’t.

“I’m good. Let me drive you to the inn.” He gestured toward a red Jeep.

“What about your bike?”

“Both mine. But the Jeep’ll keep you warm.”

“I don’t know.”

He met her gaze evenly, his eyes dark and warm, quietly assessing. “It’s a long walk.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “But taking a ride from a stranger would be even more stupid than kissing one.”

“I can provide references if you’d like.”

“From Blondie and Nine-Maybe-Ten?” she asked.

He burst out laughing, and the sound sent heat slashing through her. Sliding his hand to the small of her back, he walked
her to the Jeep. “I think I can provide better than that for you.” He opened the passenger door and waited while she hesitated.
Gallant superhero, she wondered, or smooth bad boy who’d just managed to talk her into his lair?

Hard to tell.

She buckled herself in. The interior of the vehicle
was dark, and he wasn’t giving any hints as to his thoughts while he put the Jeep into gear and headed out of the lot.

She stared out the windshield, thinking that so far, superhero and smooth bad boy seemed to be running neck and neck. Not
that it mattered, not when deep down, she secretly wanted both.

J
ax pulled up to the resort, and they both eyed the dark buildings. “Problem with the electricity?” he asked, idling the Jeep.

She hoped not. “I don’t know.”

“Your sisters are here?”

“I don’t know that, either.”

Jax thrust the Jeep into gear again and drove around to the back of the inn. Maddie held on to the dash and gulped. “This
isn’t the part where the big bad wolf eats me, is it?”

He sent her a mischievous glance. “What is it with you and things eating you?”

A nervous laugh burst from her, and he let loose a smile that was just wicked enough to boost her pulse and scare her at the
same time. “Tell you what,” he said silkily. “If
I
ever get the chance to eat you, I promise you’ll like it.”

Her stomach quivered. Her body had other reactions, too, but she kept them to herself as he pulled up to the cottage, where
the windows were lit.

“How did you know to come back here?”

“I spent time out here as a kid. Once, with Ford and Sawyer, I TP’d the entire place.”

It didn’t surprise her that he’d had a wild youth. She suspected he’d had a wild everything. “You did?”

“Yeah, and Sawyer’s father beat the shit out of us when he found out, and then turned us over to your grandpa. Instead of
handing out our second ass-kicking of the night, he made us clean up our handiwork and paint the entire inn. He was a good
guy.” He flicked his gaze to the cottage, and she followed his line of sight to where both Chloe and Tara stood inside, staring
out the window.

“They don’t look very happy,” he noted.

“Yes, I tend to have that effect on people.”

His callused hand slowly slid up her back. When she started because she was looking out the Jeep window and not expecting
the touch, he very gently touched the back of her neck. Warmth engulfed her.

“I don’t know,” he murmured very quietly. “You did a decent number on me tonight.” His thumb swept over her nape, urging her
to look at him.

One of them leaned in, she wasn’t sure who, but suddenly her hands were on his chest and his hands were sliding up her arms,
pulling her in as close as she could get with the console between them. “My sisters—”

“Can’t see inside the Jeep.” He kissed her once, and then again—small, brushing kisses that weren’t enough, not even close,
but when she heard a soft moan and realized it was hers, she pulled back.

“Yeah,” Jax said, studying her intently. “I like this look on you a lot better.”

“What look?”

“Heat. Desire. Not fear.”

It took her a second for the words to register. When they did, she turned to open the door to get out, but he gently pulled
her back and kissed her again, deep and hot. Her eyes drifted shut as she gave herself over to it, to him, and what he made
her feel. He was such a good kisser, and his taste, his touch, his scent, the heat off his body—it all combined together so
that she couldn’t talk herself out of having this moment. She
needed
this moment. She deserved this moment, and, giving herself permission to enjoy it, she slid her hands over every part of
him that she could reach, absorbing the groan of approval that rumbled from his throat.

“Haven’t made out in a car in a damn long time,” he said when they broke apart, his voice low and gravelly.

“Me either.” In fact, she wasn’t sure she’d
ever
made out in a car. She looked around. “We steamed up the windows.”

He slid a hand over her shoulder, up her throat, his thumb skimming her pulse point. “We steamed up a lot of things.”