Your Heart to Keep: Holly and Jax (12 page)

Chapter Twenty One

Holly

Swimming felt great. It was low impact and worked all my major muscle groups at once. I hadn’t done it for years up until recently but it didn’t take long for me to find my groove. Micah always stood at one end the entire time, but off to the side so I could still do my turns. I guess he felt responsible for me and was making sure I didn’t hurt myself, although how I would do that in a contained swimming lane, I wasn’t sure, unless I banged my head at the end of each lap. I had enough sight to see when the edge was coming up as it differed from the water so I wasn’t concerned about that happening.

Nearing the end where I knew Micah would be standing, something pulled on my heart strings. I was coming to know that feeling well. My toes curled as I tried to kick. There was only about ten feet left until I hit the wall. The black shadow of Micah could only just be made out. He had moved to the other side.

Although my heart had increased in tempo from my exertions it grew exponentially with each pull of the water. Something was different and I had to stop to find out what it was.

As my hand went to grab onto the thick lip of the pool, I brought myself up out of the water and looked towards Micah on my opposite side, only in an instant I knew it wasn’t Micah. My heart knew. My body knew. And by some miracle, my mind knew. Jax had traded places with Micah and I had no answers as to why.

“Oh, it’s you!” I breathlessly blurted out.

I guessed I was looking at his face due to the smaller outline of his head. I could hear the water swish and move around him as he curtly replied, “Micah had to go. He asked me to watch you.”

Oh my! Well this was a strange turn of events. It was the most he’d ever spoken to me as I clung to the rough pitch of his voice. We were standing so close because his large frame seemed to swallow up most of the lane so that I was pressed against the marker.

“I don’t want to impose on you, really. I’ll be fine.”

“Just finish up and then I can get you home.”

Trying to keep my cool, although it was getting increasingly harder, I nodded. “I’ll just do a few more laps and then I’ll be done.”

“Yep.”

It was spoken as if I was an inconvenience. I probably was. I knew how he still felt about me. I had hoped that the more times we saw each other, the easier it would become but I guess that just wasn’t going to happen. Not on his behalf anyway. I had tried to be friendly towards him but he hadn’t really budged an inch.

Ducking down into the water I pushed off from the wall needing to put some space between me and Mr. Reynolds. I was dreaming if I thought he would ever see me as anything other than some blind girl who took his girlfriend’s heart, even if she had offered it.

I needed to get it together and try to sever the pull I felt towards him. Clearly it was all one-sided.

Why would an apparently handsome guy be interested in someone like me? I hadn’t seen my reflection in a mirror for years so I didn’t know what I looked like now. I still had visions of the thirteen year old gawky teen I’d been before my sight had worsened.

My face could be covered in acne for all I knew. My family would be too kind to tell me.

No. I’d just have to ignore the strange connection I felt towards Jax. It was uncalled for without any reason whatsoever.

Turning at the far end after another five laps, I decided I’d had enough for one day. My muscles were telling me it was time to rest and I really just wanted to get back home. It was my first day back at the braille school tomorrow and I needed to get things organized.

I loved my work helping others. It gave me purpose and made me feel like my disability hadn’t all been in vain. I knew what it was like to have to start learning a whole new way of life, and reading and communicating was only a small part of that.

Plus I got to see Leah who also worked as a mentor and teacher for other blind students. She had needed a corneal transplant twelve months ago but unlike mine, hers had been a success and restored her full sight. I envied her so much. She was always pushing me to try the procedure again but I couldn’t bring myself to do it when it had already failed once.

Having zoned out for a bit, I didn’t realize I had veered over to the right hand side of the lane until my hand latched onto a rock solid wall of muscle. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts and get my brain to communicate with my hand.

Floundering, unable to touch the bottom of the seven foot depth of the pool, I panicked slightly and clasped both hands around the warm, smooth torso.

Rising up as I kicked about, it didn’t take long to register that I had both hands wrapped around Jax’ middle, our chests pressing in tightly as I momentarily pushed him up against the edge of the pool with the momentum I had gained while swimming.

As he tried to find his own sense of equilibrium and steady himself, I felt one of his large hands grip onto my butt, the other one splayed between my shoulder blades.

As I was pulled in tightly so that every inch of my body from the chest down was glued to Jax, the strange mew that left my mouth was a direct result of the incredibly large, stiff shaft pressed in to my belly.

Something like a moan left his lips and all I could do in that second was hang on and enjoy the ride as we both tried to stabilize. I hadn’t realized I’d picked up my pace on the last lap and practically surged into Jax like a wave breaking on the ocean’s shore.

His groin ground into me, his fingers on my ass cheek because my bikini bottoms had ridden up high. If I wasn’t mistaken I could have sworn he was holding me firmly in place on purpose.

The muscles on his back tightened as I found my head coming to rest on the hilly mound that was his shoulder.

I had never had been so close to a man, while nearly naked. A wet man with no shirt on who appeared to be in agony. I remembered that his back was grazing the concrete tiles and brought my head up as my cheek swept across his. Prickly stubble, scratched my sensitive flesh, my right hand coming up to grab onto his left shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought and didn’t realize I was so close to the end.” Our lips were now practically touching. I could feel his breath mingle with mine and all I wanted to do was experience my first kiss with this rack of steel.

“So soft.”

“Hmm?” If his low voice had been any quieter I probably wouldn’t have even heard him but all my senses were on high alert.

I was actually feeling dizzy from his closeness and had to try and pull away before I fainted.

Pushing against his chest, I needed some breathing space. This man was so intense, it stole all rational thought. If I didn’t get away I was going to do something stupid like kiss him and that would just make me look stupid.

“I need to get out and get dressed.” I offered as he let me go and I pulled myself up out of the water.

He quickly followed and took my arm, leading me over to the bench, my skin flaming from the contact again.

I wasn’t sure if he could feel it too or whether it was just me. He didn’t appear to let on if he did.

“Did you want to take a shower?” His husky voice ground out.

“What? No!”

“I mean, the ladies change rooms are nearby. The chlorine…”

“No that’s okay. I’ll take one at home. I’ll just dry off a bit and then I’d like to go.”

“Just give me a few minutes, I’m gonna go take a cold…I mean a shower and then I’ll be right back.”

“Yep. I’ll be here.” I replied bending my head over and towel drying my sodden hair, pretending not to be affected by what just happened.

I listened to his heavy footsteps stomp away and then I breathed out long and hard, hiding my trembling hands under the towel.

Chapter Twenty Two

Jax

Standing under the ice cold spray in the shower cubicle I achingly stroked my length because if I didn’t get some serious release after what happened back there, I was going to die from the pain. I’d been hard as it was just seeing her in that damn bikini, let alone having her lithe body pressed up against me like that with her fucking ass in my hand.

Her skin was like satin as I knew it would be and that butt cheek had fit into my hand like it had been crafted for it.

I’d made sure I had the showers to myself, knowing I wouldn’t have been able to keep quiet in my quest to douse the volcano about to erupt inside.

Increasing my strokes on my cock, I remembered the way her body had felt in my arms. The way she’d rested her head in the crook of my neck, all breathless from her swim. Fuck! None of this shit was real.

I’d nearly lost my load in my gym shorts when her pelvis had rammed my cock like that. My mind moved to wondering what it would feel like to surge into her all the way to my balls. That tight virgin pussy, clamping around me so hard I’d probably only last a minute.

Not actually knowing for sure that she hadn’t popped her cherry for some other dude, I was only surmising about her being a virgin. She was blind so I couldn’t imagine her having a lineup of men trying to beat her door down.

Ugh. I was so close just imagining breaking her in. Hearing her small cries of pleasure. Or maybe she wouldn’t be quiet. Maybe she’d scream my name as I stretched her so wide, she’d be ruined for anyone else.

Feeling my dick throbbing in my hands, pre-cum beading on the tip, I massaged the head, spreading the slick fluid all over it as I let out several groans. There was something massive brewing that started in my balls and worked its way up to the base of my cock and then up the length, bringing with it a wave of glorious pleasure.

“Fuck. Yessss. Fuuuuck!” I spurted out everywhere still stroking furiously to lengthen the orgasm until I had nothing left and I became too sensitive to keep going.

With a grunt I slumped against the tiled wall struggtling for breath, feeling somewhat better but still wondering how I was going to be able to deal with spending any more time with Holly, the girl I didn’t want to like.

After cleaning myself up and gathering my thoughts, I put my wet shorts back on and wrapped my towel around my waist. If I knew I’d end up in the water, I would have brought a change of clothes.

Slicking back my hair I strode back out to the pool, eying Holly sitting on the bench where I’d left her. She’d wrapped the towel around her chest and had her cane all ready as if she was anxious to get going.

“You ready?” I asked, stopping momentarily to let her know I was back.

“Yes.” She stood and turned in my direction, walking slowly to search for obstacles.

I could have taken her arm again but decided against it. I didn’t need to be touching her and experiencing that charge that bolted through me whenever we connected so I opted for walking beside her, making sure she had a clear path through the gym.

Exiting through the front door, I stopped and keyed in the number for the cab company.

“We have to get a cab. My car was totaled in the accident.”

“I forgot about that! Gosh, I’m so sorry! Will insurance cover the costs of getting a new one?”

“Yeah but I’m considering a bike.”

“Aren’t they like, dangerous?”

“No. It depends how you drive them.” They were no more dangerous than a car. My mustang had proven that theory.
“I guess.”

I turned my back on Holly and dialed the number, ordering a cab. The despatcher said it would be around fifteen minutes. What the hell were we meant to do in the mean time?

Eying a café a few doors down, I decided coffee would be a good idea. I needed something!

“You up for a coffee while we wait for the cab?”

“Yes! I mean, that would be nice, thank you.”

She seemed just as eager for her caffeine hit as I was so I told her to follow me down the road. Stopping at the door, I pulled out a chair on the sidewalk and took her arm, ignoring the shock of electricity that zapped me as I helped her sit.

“Wait here and I’ll go get the coffees. What do you drink?”

“Skinny, double strength caramel latte, please.”

I staggered back, squinting my eyes at Holly as if by doing that I would be able to make sense of the words that had just left her mouth. I hit the other chair, causing it to topple backwards but I didn’t move to fix it right away. I was too busy staring at the girl who had just blurted out Chloe’s favorite drink. What the fuck? What was happening with this chick? There was some weird shit going on and it was beginning to freak me out. Was she psychic or something? One of those incense burning hippie types? That’s twice now she’d spoken Chloe’s words. Clear as a bell. No mistaking it. Surely once could be coincidental. But twice? I had to ask.

“You want a skinny, double strength caramel latte? Do you get that all the time?” My legs were feeling jittery, needing to move and I had the urge to crack my knuckles.

“You know, it’s really weird. I never drank coffee until after the operation and then I started craving it. I mean really craving it. And just now, I don’t even know where that came from. I’ve never even heard of the drink before. It just came out like I knew it with my very heart.”

“Fucking hell!” I turned and stormed into the café, Holly’s last words rolling over and over in my head.
I knew it with my very heart
. Chloe’s heart. This bullshit was going to kill me.