“What? He flew back? That bastard,” he grumbled, sounding upset.

“Why do you say that? I’m honestly glad I don’t have to follow a crying Quinn around anymore.”

“No, I’m glad they are making up. I’m just jealous he got to go see his girlfriend. I’m about two seconds away from jumping on a plane myself, especially after seeing your gorgeous face again,” he grinned at me through the screen. I loved that little smirk on the edges of his lips.

“I’m glad you caught me, I was about to jump in the shower.”

“Yeah, Jace and I are wiped. Mom has a million things for us to do. We just came in for some lunch.” He smiled at me and then I watched as realization hit him. “Babe, do you have a shirt on?”

I shook my head at him. “I was about to get into the shower,” I reminded him coyly.

“So, you actually don’t have anything on at all right now?” When I shook my head, he leaned forward and groaned. “Just move the camera down a little bit.” He pointed downward.

I decided to do him one better and lean back in my chair so he could still see my face while he got a show of my chest. I loved the lust that engulfed his blue eyes. When I reached down to cup my br**sts in both hands and push them together for him, I swear I heard him growl.

I was about to ask him to show me something, when I spotted Jace walking into the room behind him. His eyes shot wide when he saw me in my compromising position on his brother’s screen. I rocked back forward so the camera was back on just my shoulders and face. Jaxon jutted that plush bottom lip out at me in a cute pout. I almost returned to my seduction, but I remembered how mad he would be when he realized Jace was behind him. Who, by the way, was still standing there with a big Cheshire cat grin on his face.

“Uh, Jax?” I asked.

“Yeah, Beautiful?” he responded breathily.

“Next time we should do this with your bedroom door closed.” I pointed behind him. His head shot behind him to look at his brother.

“Damn, Em, I knew you had a great rack, but wow…” Jace leaned over to look at me from behind his brother, who was now standing up.

Jaxon did not look happy. I saw his hand shoot up to grab his laptop screen. Before it slammed shut, I heard him say, “I miss you, baby doll!” Then the screen went black.

I got up to walk to my shower, laughing at the image of those two, who were probably wrestling with each other right now. I missed Jaxon tremendously, but I realized that I missed Jace too. He had become like a brother to me. Well, maybe not a brother, since brothers wouldn’t tell you how hot your rack is, but definitely closer than just a friend.

When I stepped out of the shower, I noticed I had a text message waiting for me.

Jaxon: Don’t be mad at me, but check your email.

I hate when people start comments like that; my mind always shoots to the worst conceivable outcome. What could he have possibly done in the last twenty-five minutes that would make me mad? When I opened up my email, I noticed that there was a confirmation for a plane ticket to Texas and the flight was leaving tomorrow.

Me: You bought me a plane tickets?

Jaxon: You don’t have to use it, but I hope you will. I miss you like crazy.

Me: You better be at that airport bearing gifts for doing this!

Jaxon: YOU’RE COMING?

Me: There’s a handsome hunk on the other side of this ticket, of course I am.

Jaxon: I’d bring the world for you if I could.

Ellie and Charles were sad to see me off so soon, but I think Ellie was happier that there was someone out there that was worth it for me to visit. I laughed at Quinn, who could barely tell me good-bye because she was so far down Cole’s throat. We’d be back in our apartment together soon anyway.

When I got to the arrivals terminal, I rode an escalator down to the baggage claim. Jaxon was the first person in the line of greeters waiting at the very bottom. I started laughing the instant I saw him because he looked like a little kid at Christmas. His excitement was contagious, and I noticed the other people around him smiling at his giddiness. I’m sure my face mirrored his as well. He grabbed both me and my bag before I even made it down the last two steps. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled his face to my lips.

He walked over to a bench kissing me when I heard an elderly woman say, “Man, can I get a welcome like that one?” I laughed into his mouth.

He sat me down on the bench and handed me a silver wrapped box that I hadn’t noticed he was holding behind his back.

“Jax, I was kidding about gifts,” I said, while taking it from his hands.

“It’s nothing really. Just open it.”

I slid my finger under the silver flap and peeled off the wrapping. When I opened the box, I instantly knew what they were. A box filled with only chocolate raspberry truffles. I don’t know how he had found this, but this man was mind-blowing.

“You remembered?” I gasped in a whisper.

“I remember everything about you, Emerson.”

“Wow, I’m in love with Texas already.” That made him throw his head back and laugh.

We walked out to the parking garage and I realized I had no idea what kind of car I was looking for; with Jaxon, it could be anything. To my total shock, he walked right up to an old black muscle car that appeared to be in perfect condition.

I froze. “This. Is. Not. Your. Car.” I could totally imagine him driving this and I was already turned on.

“Uh… yeah, my dad rebuilt with me,” he said, self-consciously.

“Why the hell didn’t you bring this with you to California? This is so hot!”

Relief spanned his face. “My mom said I would only get in trouble with it. Little did she know, I would move right next door to trouble.” He winked at me.

“Oh, I can show you all kinds of trouble in this.” I rubbed the shiny black hood.

“Please, God, do.” He came around to me and pushed me backward up against it.

“What kind of car is this?” I asked, while he was moving his body up against mine. “All I know is, it’s hot.”

He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “It’s a 67’ Camaro. 470 horsepower.”

“I have no idea what any of that means, but I can’t wait to watch you drive it.”

He laughed while opening my door for me and helped me into the seat. I don’t know what it is about seeing a guy drive a manual transmission. Maybe it’s the way they pull the shifter into each gear, the way the muscles in their forearms flex with the movement, or maybe it’s the cocky smile Jax got on his face while driving it, but I was thoroughly turned on by the time we pulled up to his house.

I was still staring at him when he put it into park. “I don’t think I can meet your mom like this.”

“Like what?” he asked, smiling.

“Like I’m about to jump your bones, that’s what.” I shifted in my seat uncomfortably.

“Oh, Beautiful, there will be plenty of time for that.” He winked.

Before I could tell him I didn’t think I could wait, Jace came barreling down the porch steps. There was a gorgeous and surprisingly young woman who was the female version of her sons trailing right behind him. When I opened my car door, Jace scooped me out of the car and into a bear hug.

“Emmy! I missed you,” he said smiling. Someone was finally in a better mood; maybe he got some over the holidays.

Laughing at his enthusiasm, I returned his hug. “I missed you too, Jace.”

“Sorry about walking in on you and Jax yesterday. I got my ass kicked for that.” He gave me a puppy-dog look that closely resembled his brother’s.

“Don’t try to pull that sweet look on her after you violated her privacy.” His mom shoved him. She knew about that? Great.

“Oh,” I said, mortified.

She pulled me into a hug once Jace set me down. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. These boys tell me everything. I’ve heard it all, trust me, it doesn’t bother me.” I smiled at her warmth. “I’m Julie, by the way.”

“I’m Em, thank you for letting me stay in your home.”

“Think nothing of it. So you like to be called Em?” she asked. “Jaxon calls you Emerson.” Jaxon had made his way around the car and was smiling at the two of us.

“Yeah, Jax is the only one that calls me that. I tried to break it,” I shrugged.

“Come on, ladies, I’m hungry,” Jaxon said while putting his arms around the both of us and directing us up the stairs of the porch.

“You’re awful smiley, son,” Julie grinned up at him.

“I’ve got my two favorite girls in the same place, what could be better?”

“Ugh, gag me, please. When did you become such a pussy?” Jace asked, while squeezing under Jax’s arm and pulling his mom away from us. These two were dangerously adorable with their mom.

Jaxon’s mom didn’t care that I would be sleeping in his room with him and she didn’t bat an eyelash at some of the stories they were telling her about college parties. I learned that she got pregnant with them when she was seventeen, which was why she looked so young. Their dad sounded like he had been crazy in love with her and he had worked extremely hard to build a magnificent life for his family. I had no idea how well off Jace and Jaxon were. Apparently their dad had been the CEO of his own company, so when he died, they were at least left with enough to live comfortably for years and years. I didn’t ask for specifics. I just enjoyed hearing all of their family stories; they seemed to be pretty tight-knit. I had heard Jax talk on the phone with his mom every couple of days back home, but it was nice to see them all together in person.

I would only be out here for a short time before all three of us would fly back to California. We spent most of our time together, Jace and Julie included. Surprisingly, it wasn’t lame at all to have their mom with us the whole time. She was awesome, and she could joke right along with her boys. I could see where they got their charm. I can only imagine how devastatingly handsome their dad was.

This was the first time since I’d met Quinn that I wouldn’t be spending her birthday with her, but I was glad that Cole was there. I talked on the phone with her the majority of that day, neither one of us liking the fact that we weren’t together. I may hate celebrating my birthday, but I love being with Quinn on hers. Jaxon and I had a chocolate cake and flowers delivered to her and she made me promise to bring her something back from Texas.

Jaxon and I also went to a few parties in his town. It was nice meeting a large number of the people that he grew up with. Their parties were a lot more low-key and mellow than anything I’d been to on Fraternity Row. On New Year’s Eve, we went to a bonfire out on one of their friend’s property. I’d never actually been to a real bonfire before, so it was nice to experience it with him and his family. I could stare into Jaxon’s blue eyes lit by a fire for the rest of my life. For the first time ever, I kissed someone at midnight and I was thankful it was Jaxon I was kissing.

His family showed me around their town. Jaxon ended up buying me a pair of leather cowboy boots that he said would look hot on me with a dress. Julie bought me a dress that she said would go great with the boots. In one of the stores we ended up looking through, we lost track of Jace. I eventually came across him in the back of the store. I was surprised to see him talking with Audrey. He was speaking in harsh clipped tones to her and she looked incredibly sad.

“Hey Jace, are you ready to go?” I said across the aisle from him, afraid to go over there and get in between them.

She looked at me with a shocked expression, “What is she doing here?” she demanded, raising her voice to him.

“She’s Jax’s girlfriend, that’s what she’s doing here, Audrey,” he replied sharply, walking away. Audrey looked upset by this fact. I really didn’t like the girl, but I felt bad about the miserable expression on her face.

He came over, threw an arm around my shoulders and we walked away from her. “You okay?” I asked, looking up at him.

“Totally fine, Ems. She just cornered me.” He shrugged and we walked back to the front of the store to find my boyfriend and his mom.

On our last night there, Jaxon was cooking us all dinner. I was thrilled to see how this would turn out, because he had never cooked back home before. He had the surround sound throughout the house playing country music. Jace, his mom, and I were all sitting on the couch with drinks and talking. When a new song started playing, Julie clapped her hands together.

“Oh, I love Brantley Gilbert!” she exclaimed.

Jaxon came over to me with an apron on and reached out his hand for mine. “Dance with me?” he asked.

I smiled, placing my hand in his and he pulled me into an embrace. I put one hand on his shoulder and one in his outstretched palm. I looked over to see Jace pulling his mom up to dance with him as well. Jaxon spun me around the living room. Man, these boys could dance; their mom had taught them well. There wasn’t an inch of this living room that Jace and Jax didn’t cover with the two of us. Jace kept switching his mom and I back and forth between his brother and him. Jaxon only allowed me to dance with Jace for so long before he would come steal me back. Jace and his mom were laughing hysterically at how he kept spinning her around in a circle repeatedly as fast as he could.

Throughout the whole song, Jaxon was singing along right into my ear. I closed my eyes and let his voice flow through me. The artist sang about how no one knew his girl like he did. When he sang that she was his best friend, I melted into Jaxon. This was the sweetest song. I had no doubt in my mind he was singing this to me on purpose and in a way no one did know me like he did. I gripped him tighter as he sang the last words of the song to with his intoxicating voice.