Page 33 of Anyone But Me

Jax smiled proudly. “Holy shit is right.” She walked over to the pool and dipped her hand in. “My parents always keep this pool fairly warm since we mostly use it in the winter.” She looked over at me with a mischievous grin. “It’s the perfect temperature for skinny dipping.”

Why was she telling me tha- oh no. Hell no. “You want me to skinny dip at your parents’ house?”

Jax smirked and shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened here.”

I fought the jealousy creeping in under my skin at the thought of Jax skinny dipping with other girls in this very pool. It almost made me want to skinny dip to try to erase some of the other memories she had. But, I couldn’t. “What if your parents wake up?”

Jax pulled her hand out of the water and shook it off.

“My parents never wake up. Plus, their bedroom is on the third floor, and they have a mini fridge filled with water. There is absolutely no reason for them to come downstairs. Honestly, this is your best chance of not getting caught while skinny dipping. I’ll even turn around. You’ll practically be by yourself.”

She made a good point. Where else could I possibly skinny dip that I wouldn’t be risking a public indecency charge?

It kind of was the perfect time. Plus, I’d be checking another thing off of my list, which I needed to do if I was going to keep up with Jax.

I wasn’t sure when or how I would possibly complete the fling and performing in public, so I might as well get this one done. “You know what? You’re right.”

“I am?” Jax’s eyes went wide as if she was honestly shocked I had agreed.

“Yeah. Let’s do it.” Let’s. Shit. Shit. Nope. Can’t do that. It certainly was tempting though. “I mean… like… I’ll do it. That’s obviously what I meant.”

Jax smirked at me. “Let me know if you change your mind about that one.”

Then, she winked. That damn wink had me thinking about asking her to jump in with me. Don’t do it, Carter. Don’t complicate things.

I smiled at Jax and twirled my finger in a circle. “Turn around please.”

Jax did exactly as I asked, and after taking one more sweep of the area to make sure there was nothing and no one around, I started to remove my clothes.

The musty air of the pool room felt nice on my naked skin. I had to admit, there was something very freeing about standing completely nude in a wide open space like this.

I walked over to the pool and dipped my foot in. Jax wasn’t lying. The water’s temperature fell nicely between that of an average outdoor pool and a hot tub. I couldn’t wait to feel it on my skin, so I backed up a few feet, took a running start, and jumped into the water.

The water on my skin with nothing in the way was a sensation I couldn’t explain.

It wasn’t like I had never gotten a bath before, but this was different somehow.

Maybe it was the knowledge that I was doing something outside of my comfort zone.

Whatever it was, I loved it. I wanted to soak it in.

I hoped Jax was patient, because I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to get out of here.

“How does it feel?” Jax shouted from across the room, her back still turned.

“Not gonna lie, it’s amazing.”

Jax groaned. “I’m so jealous. I love skinny dipping in there.”

Then join me. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ve done it plenty of times though.”

“True.” Jax went silent for a few seconds, and I figured that meant she had moved on. “Still! It’s so nice. If I promise to close my eyes, can I please get in?”

There was no harm in that, right? Plus, she did say please. “Okay. Deal.”

“Yes!” When Jax turned around her eyes were closed and there was a satisfied, almost cocky, grin on her face.

She didn’t waste any time before tearing her shirt off, and even though it was hard, I forced myself to turn around. Jax was being respectful by closing her eyes. I needed to give her the same respect.

After a few seconds, water splashed over me and Jax’s boisterous laugh rang out behind me. Even though I wasn’t looking, I could feel her getting closer. Soon, goosebumps popped up on my arms from her proximity.

Jax’s mouth came so close to my ear, I could feel her breath. She whispered into my ear, saying each word so slowly, I worried I might have an orgasm from that alone. “Just for the record, I never said you couldn’t look.”

I knew I shouldn’t turn around. I knew it would open a can of worms I couldn’t close back up. I couldn’t stop myself though. Jax had given me permission, and I had to see her.

As soon as I turned around and saw how close she was, I gasped.

All I had to do was reach out the slightest bit, and I’d be able to touch her.

My fingers tingled at the thought of her skin underneath them.

It didn’t matter that my view of her body was distorted by the pool water.

I could still tell she was gorgeous. My body was so hot, it was as if the pool water had been replaced with flames.

Honestly, it could have been. I could be on fire, and all I’d be able to see was Jax in front of me.

As promised, as I ogled her, Jax’s eyes were still pressed tightly together. That’s not what I wanted though. I wanted to know what she saw when she looked at me. Feeling a strange burst of confidence, I leaned in to whisper in her ear the same way she had done to me. “You can open your eyes now.”

Jax swallowed hard, but followed my directions. Her eyes slowly opened as if she was giving me time to change my mind. Once they were fully open, she sucked in a deep breath. “Fuck,” she whispered breathlessly.

We both remained in place, bobbing up and down in the water and taking each other in. The way Jax looked at me was even better than my wildest dreams. She looked at me like no one ever had before. Not even Marcie.

“Fuck,” she whispered once again.

At that moment, all I wanted to do was touch Jax.

If the world was coming to an end, I would have spent my last moments doing just that.

These thoughts made a crazy idea pop into my head.

It was an idea so crazy it should stay locked inside, but I was afraid if I kept it in, I might burst from the tension.

I cleared my throat as I considered how to present this. “I have a crazy idea.”

“Yes,” Jax practically shouted. “Whatever it is, my answer is yes.”

I laughed at her enthusiasm. “I think you might want to listen to what I’m going to say first.”

Jax rolled her lips in and lifted her eyebrows as a way to silently tell me she was listening.

“So, about my list. Remember how I’m supposed to have a one-night stand or a fling? What if that was you? You know… uhh… what if you’re my fling?” I obviously wanted much more than a fling with Jax, but right now, I’d suggest whatever allowed me to have Jax’s body against mine as soon as possible.

“You want to have sex with me?” Jax’s breathing became heavier. “Right now?”

Words swirled through my mind as I tried to think of the perfect thing to say. “Yes, please.” So, it wasn’t the smoothest line in the world, but at least I was polite.

“You want to have sex with me?” Jax repeated.

“Only if you want to.” She did want to, right?

Jax licked her lips and looked me up and down, before smirking at me. “Yes, please.”

I wasn’t sure who moved in first, but soon our lips were crashing together, and I was finally… finally… kissing Jax again. This one was so much better than our first, because we weren’t putting on a show. Jax actually wanted this. She wants this. Fuck, I might explode.

Much too soon, Jax pulled away from the kiss. Our chests heaved as we took deep breaths and stared into each other’s eyes. I didn’t want to look away. I wouldn’t.

Jax grabbed my hand and nodded toward the door leading into the house. “If I’m going to do what I’ve been dreaming about doing for much too long, I don’t want it to happen while we both fumble around in the pool trying to find the best angles. Let’s go to my room.”