“Fuck no. I’m too much of a gentlemen to let you do that,” he says, offended. When I give him a really look, he rolls over onto his stomach. “Are you saying I’m not a gentleman?”

I wiggle my foot out of the sandal then move to unbuckle the other. “A gentleman would never say ninety percent of the stuff that comes out of your mouth.”

His jaw drops, and he mockingly places his hand over his mouth. “I can’t believe you just said that to me. After all the door opening I’ve done for you. I even let you violate me when you insisted you had to be the boss. Some of the stuff you did made me feel so dirty.”

I stare blankly at him, racking my brain for a comeback. Laughter overcomes me, though, and my head falls forward as I bust up laughing. “Sometimes… I can’t even…” After the hilarity settles, I wipe the happy tears from my eyes and raise my head back up. He’s grinning at me from the bed, totally pleased with himself. “Gentleman or not, I still want to pay for dinner.” After him forking out money to Lester, it’s the least I can do.

“I don’t want you to do that.” He straightens his arms, pushes up from the bed, and sits up. “I know you’re struggling financially.”

“We both are,” I remind him, slipping my foot out of my sandal.

“Yeah, but,” he hesitates, “you have your mom to take care of.”

“I know I do.” It’s strange talking about my mother with him. It’s been so long since I’ve discussed her situation with anyone besides Nelli. “But let me just pay this one time.” I rise from the chair and move toward the bed. “You’ve paid for pretty much everything on this trip.” I slide my knees onto the bed and kneel in front of him, wanting to tear his clothes off.

His hands find my waist, and he pulls me onto his lap. “You have a very unlady-like look in your eyes right now.”

I clasp onto his shoulders. “So what? I never claimed to be a lady.”

“I know. I’m glad you’re not. I’m too naughty to be with a lady.”

A quiet giggle escapes my lips. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this relaxed and at ease.

“You want to keep going with the mouth foreplay? Or just give in and kiss me like you’ve wanted to all day?” he challenges. His hands skate underneath my dress, and he grips my ass.

Cocky little bastard.

“I agreed to cheer you up.” I lick my lips. “So I’m going to cheer you up.” Without any warning, I shove him back. He lands with a grunt, but I give him no time to recover as I grab the bottom of his shirt and yank it over his head. Then I drag my fingers down his chest, just rough enough to leave faint red lines on his flesh.

“Clara,” he begins to protest as I flick open the button of his jeans. Over what, I don’t know and I don’t care.

I’ve always been comfortable in bed with Jax, and taking charge never was a problem. Sure, I blush here and there. In fact, my cheeks are heated right now as my fingers delve below his boxers, but I never get embarrassed enough to stop.

Jax watches me with inquisitiveness written all over his face as I wrap my fingers around his swollen cock.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask as my thumb skims over the tip of him.

He inhales a sharp breath through his nose and pleasure ripples through his body. “I’m just…” he struggles for words. “Trying to figure out what’s… going on inside… your head.” His neck arches as his head tips back against the pillow. “I find you…” He stops talking as I move my hand up and down.

I shift to the side and let go of his cock, only to tug his jeans lower. Then I return my hand to him and continue to slide my fingers up and down while watching him lose control. Finally, when he looks on the verge of losing it, I dip my head and take him in my mouth like I did the first night we hooked up.

I don’t even know why I did it the first time. Oral sex wasn’t something Mack and I explored. But I was buzzed and horny and curious, and Jax pretty much let me do whatever I wanted to him. It made me feel kind of powerful in a life I had no power over.

A throaty groan escapes his mouth, and I peer up at him through my eyelashes. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows hard and rakes his fingers through his hair. Moments later, he utters my name and reaches down toward me. Cupping my cheeks, he moves my mouth off him right before his body jerks, and he comes apart. After he finishes and cleans himself up, he pulls up his jeans, reclines against the headboard, and opens his arms.

“Come here.” His brows are dipped in confusion.

I hesitate at his request. Holding me is so intimate. Something we’ve never done before. But when his expression starts to plummet, I scoot up to him and rest my head against his chest with my ear right over his heart.

His pulse is jackhammering, and his skin has a light sheen of sweat, but the warmth of his flesh settles my reservations about cuddling.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He drapes an arm over my back and soothingly smoothes his free hand across the back of my head.

“I know. I wanted to.” My eyelids shut as sleep overtakes me.

And that’s how we end up dozing off—in each other’s arms with our bodies tangled together. I have no clue where he starts and I end.

Maybe we start and end together.

Chapter Thirteen

Clara

About an hour later, I wake up from my nap. My head is resting on Jax’s chest and my hand is on his bare stomach.