“It’s so unique and beautiful,” I said, watching as the cliff disappeared in the distance. I turned around in my seat, still stunned by how Jaxon lived. Here I was, a part-time nurse, even though I had millions given to me by my family, I could never make as much money as Jaxon makes being a nurse.
Pat on the shoulder though— what I did was legal.
“Thanks, that is what I wanted. Plus, if anyone shot at us, they would just chip the rock, and the windows are bulletproof.”
“Cool,” I said, turning around one last time to see if I could steal another glimpse of the wonderous cliff-home. It was out of sight, blocked by the beautiful forest of tall redwoods. It truly was a beautiful area.
“So, the town is small. Boutiques only. We don’t live near a mall unless you want to travel.”
“That’s okay. I like supporting small businesses. They are essential,” I said and pressed the button to the heated seat. “Oh, yeah.” There was nothing better than toasty buns.
“Still love heated seats?”
“Till the day I die.”
“I need a warmer,” he said.
“Oh, here,” I reached forward to press the button, and he grabbed my hand, redirecting it to his hard cock.
“I’m fucking freezing, baby,” he said, rubbing my palm along his shaft. He wasn’t semi-hard, but fully erect.
“You don’t feel cold.” I played his game, knowing he liked it. “You feel really…hot,” I emphasized the T in the word, stroking his cock faster and faster.
“I’m getting there. I’m definitely,” he hissed and thrust his hips, which caused his foot to hit the gas pedal, lurching us forward onto the main road sooner than he wanted. A car honked and swerved out of the way at the same time Jaxon corrected the wheel. He jerked the wheel to the side of the road, and I removed my hand from his cock since my heart raced like a thoroughbred racehorse. “Hot,” he finally finished his thought, with both hands on the wheel at 10 and 2.
“Maybe fooling around while driving isn’t such a good idea,” I hesitantly admitted, gripping that ‘oh-shit’ handle above me for dear life.
“As much as I hate to agree with you because there is nothing better than the feel of your hands on me, I don’t think I’m mentally capable of watching the road and enjoying your touch. It’s too easy to forget what the hell I’m doing when your hands are on me.”
It was the best compliment a woman could receive.
He took a few calming breaths to slow his heart, a beat I could see through the fabric of his tight, sexy shirt, and put the car in drive as we got on the road again. We sat in silence for a few moments, trying to get over the close encounter with death. He flipped on the radio, and classic rock sounded through the speakers.
Why wasn’t I surprised? Seemed his taste in music hadn’t changed either. Jaxon was a free spirit, the kind of man that had the ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude and did whatever he wanted. I remembered one time, the year escaping me, but I remembered it was summer. It was hot as hell outside. Heatwaves floated through the air, and Jaxon’s air conditioning went out in his 1980 Jeep. It wasn’t a wrangler, so he sawed off the entire top of his Jeep, like a Wrangler, just shittier looking. It was fun to ride in, though. The air in my hair as he drove like a new teen who had just got his license, and kicked up dust on the dry, parched dirt road.
He was crazy, wild, and dangerous. I never wanted him to change. He made me want to live life just like him. He brought out the wild side I kept buried, a part of me that a lot of people would frown upon.
Jaxon was my liberation, a freedom unlocked within myself.
As we pulled into town, I noticed how the building were nestled right in the mountains. Miles of forest surrounded us, and since we were high up in elevation, the clouds skimmed over the trees, eerie yet beautiful. No wonder Jaxon lived here. It was too beautiful to even want to live anywhere else.
We parked, and across the street, I noticed a small restaurant with outdoor seating that said, ‘The Lighthouse Grill’. I could smell the food from here, and my mouth watered.
“You’re hungry. Seriously? After that massive heart attack, you had for breakfast?”
“I’m a growing girl! Don’t judge me.”
He grabbed my hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing my knuckles gently. “Better feed you before you get all hangry and shit. I know that hasn’t changed. Come on,” he pulled me to the delicious, mouther-watering scent of pulled pork.
“Really?”
“Anything for you, Quinn. We will get food to go too. After the hike, we will be starving.”
A few hours later, belly stuffed with a two-pound cheeseburger and fries and dozens of shopping bags in hand, we made our way to Strawberry Rock, whatever that was. There was food in the backseat, hoagies, and they smelled so good. They were zipped up in a backpack we just bought. He got me everything.
Jewelry, dresses, pajamas, underwear, lingerie, skincare, makeup, shoes, and whatever else I saw and wanted— he bought.
It made me feel like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing since she was a hooker. I knew I wasn’t Pretty Woman, but still, a rich guy buying me stuff after having sex with him? I couldn’t shake the similarities.
My eyes fell closed as we drove, the curvy roads lulling me to sleep as soft rock played in the background.
I was in the weird stage of sleeping and awake, groggy, and comfortable with my ass warm, and the seat leaned back when the tires crunched over gravel, and we came to a stop. I closed my eyes briefly and reached down to press the lever to bring the seat up. I fumbled as I blindly searched for it.
“I bet you could eat and sleep for the rest of your life, and you’d be happy as a clam.”
I sat up and grinned. “Are you offering me that way of life? I’ll gladly take you up on it.”
He leaned over the middle console and placed a large hand on my cheek. “Baby, you want me to hand feed you. I’ll fucking pluck grapes off the vine and plop them in your sexy mouth.”
“Don’t tempt me, or I’ll become a baby maker that only pops out your kids and eats and sleeps.” I realized what I said and leaned back, glanced out the window, and grabbed the door handle to get the hell out of the car. I didn’t want him to think I was pushing him into having kids or anything. I opened the door, and his hand snaked out and stopped me from enjoying the great outdoors.
I slapped my leg when a bug landed on it.
Okay, maybe not so great, after all.
“Is that what you want? Do you want kids?”
“Do we have to talk about it now? Let’s start walking. Didn’t you say it was a mile and half to the rock? We should get going before it gets dark.” In eight hours. I panicked. I ripped my arm from him and bolted out the door, slamming it with too much force. I started to walk toward the forest, the worn tiny trail nestled between two fence posts. I had no idea if I was going the right way, but it was better than talking about kids with Jaxon.
We had just gotten back together after ten years, a prison sentence, betrayal, and whatever else festering between us. The last thing the man wanted to talk about was kids. We were young. We had time.
“You better fucking stop right there, Quinn. I’ll bend you over my knee right in the middle of fucking nowhere and spank you.”