Page 26 of For the Promise (The Raider Brothers #2)

“This is scarier than riding the rollercoaster at Mermaid Mystical Gardens backwards without a harness.” ~ Blossom

Blossom

I cuddle into the warmth surrounding me and inhale a deep breath. Ocean and whiskey. I’m addicted to the smell. And I’m becoming addicted to the man who carries the smell.

Too bad this all ends on Monday. My stomach sours but I ignore it. If I only have one more day with Jaxon, I’m not using the time to throw myself a pity party. I’m going to enjoy my last day with him.

Hold on. Why does today have to be our last day together? Why can’t our relationship continue?

Yes, we agreed the marriage was fake when we said our vows on Friday. But I didn’t expect to spend two nights getting sweaty in the sheets with Jaxon either. Maybe things have changed.

They certainly have for me. Before Friday, I was pissed at Jaxon for ghosting me. I’m no longer pissed .

Nope. I’m the idiot who’s falling hard and fast for her fake husband. But who can blame me? He literally punched Alan to defend me. I would have never guessed my nerdy whiskey maker knew how to break someone’s nose. Let alone that he’d actually break one at a wedding for me.

Jaxon kisses my ear. “What are you thinking so hard about?”

My stomach tingles at how gravelly his voice is in the morning. I want more of these mornings. But does he? Will he choose me, pick me? And do I have the courage to ask him?

“Not thinking. Just enjoying the morning.” I guess I’m short on courage this morning.

“Liar. You always twirl a finger in your hair when you’re thinking.”

My hand freezes from where I am, in fact, twirling my hair.

“I don’t always twirl my hair when I’m thinking.”

He snorts. “I’ve watched you for the past months. I know you. ”

I rotate my body until I’m facing him. “You watched me? You ghosted me is more accurate.”

He drops his chin but not before I notice the flush on his cheeks. “I thought it was for the best.”

“For the best?” My brow wrinkles. How could ghosting someone ever be for the best?

“You’re not on the island to stay. Mainlanders never stay.”

“Mainlander?” I rear back. “I’m an islander now. I built a life here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know. But I didn’t a few months ago.”

“Let me get this straight. You ghosted me because you thought I was only on Smuggler’s Hideaway temporarily?”

“Yes.”

“Liar.”

His chin lifts and he glares at me. “I’m not lying.”

“You certainly weren’t telling the truth.”

His eyes narrow on me. “Yes, I was.”

“Okay. Prove it. Stare me in the eyes and tell me you ghosted me because you thought I was on the island temporarily.”

His blue eyes gaze into mine. Shit. Was he telling the truth?

“Even if you stay on the island, it doesn’t matter. We’re too different.”

“Too different?”

“You’re outgoing and don’t get scared to walk into a room full of people.”

“I’m being punished for being an extrovert?”

“Not punished. You’ll be bored of me in no time.”

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow. “No other man has poured chocolate and champagne all over me before licking it off.”

He frowns. “Most of the champagne ended up on the sheets.”

I giggle. “I thought your face was going to burst into flames with how red it was when you phoned the reception to ask for new sheets.”

“It’s not nice to tease.”

I snort. “You spent half the night teasing me.”

He smirks. “Different kind of teasing. ”

My nipples perk up at the promise in his voice. “Why don’t we continue this?” I ask before I realize what words were going to come out of my mouth.

“Continue what?”

The question is out there. I might as well fight for what I want. I motion between us. “Enjoying each other.”

“Hooking up?”

I shrug. “Sure.”

He shakes his head and my stomach sinks to my toes. He’s saying no. He’s not choosing me. He doesn’t want me for more than a bit of fun on a weekend. I feel exposed and tighten the sheet around my naked body.

“I don’t want a friends with benefits situation.”

He doesn’t … Hold on. We’re speaking about two different things.

“I didn’t mean friends with benefits.”

He frowns as he reaches over me to snatch his glasses from the nightstand and put them on. “What did you mean?”

Holy smugglers. He’s going to make me say the words.

“I enjoy how much chemistry we have between us. It’s explosive and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.” His nod is the encouragement I need to continue. “But I want to explore more than our chemistry. I want to get to know you. Spend time with you outside of the bedroom.”

“As in dating and a relationship?”

“Yes,” I agree and hold my breath as he contemplates his answer .

He fiddles with his glasses and I dig my fingers into my thighs to stop myself from throwing the glasses away and climbing on top of him to convince him to pick me. To give us a chance. But sex is not the way to convince Jaxon. He needs logic and reasoning.

“I’ve had a great time this weekend. Outside of this bed. At the rehearsal dinner Friday. The wedding yesterday. Even the dinner with those assholes who thought they were better than us was fun because I was with you.”

“The dinner yesterday wasn’t horrible.”

“Until you punched the groom in the face.”

“Alan deserved it.”

“He’s such an asshole. I can’t believe I ever dated him. I can’t believe my parents died worried I was with him. My parents died while I was rebelling against them.” My eyes itch and I close them before any tears can escape.

Jaxon wraps an arm around me and pulls me near. “Don’t cry. I don’t know how to handle tears.”

“You don’t handle tears, nerd boy. You let the woman cry and hold her until she’s finished.”

His arm tightens around me. “Okay. Go ahead and cry. I will hold you until you’re finished.”

“You’re not going to argue and tell me to get over it?”

“If this is what you need, I’ll give it to you.”

My body tingles at his words. Jaxon is not a man who would force me to go to my parents’ funeral without him while whining, ‘they never liked me’. He’d stand by my side. He’d hold my hand and not make me face the situation alone.

Damn. I want this man by my side for as long as he’ll stay. Maybe forever.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

He combs his fingers through my hair. “You never have to thank me for giving you what you need. But you may need to tell me what you need. I’m not exactly emotionally intelligent.”

I tilt my head to meet his gaze. “Who said you’re not emotionally intelligent? Do you want me to beat them up?”

He wipes the tears away from my cheeks. “We both know I’m going to suck at being in this relationship. I’m going to make all kinds of mistakes. Probably piss you off on a weekly basis.”

“Wait a second. Are you saying you want to be in a relationship with me?”

He nods. “But you have to give me room to mess up.”

“Same, nerd boy. Same.”

He glares at me. “And you have to stop calling me nerd boy.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I waggle my eyebrows. “Prove you’re a man?”

“Are you finished crying?”

I nod.

“And you’re no longer sad?”

“My tears have all dried up.”

He contemplates me for a long moment before clearing his throat. “In which case, I will show you I’m a man. ”

He throws his glasses onto the side table before whipping the sheet off of me and crawling down the bed until he’s kneeling between my legs.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m showing you I’m a man.”

“I might have to call you boy more often.”

He growls before shoving my legs further apart and settling his shoulders between my thighs. He pulls my lips apart with his fingers before latching onto my clit. I thread my hands through his hair and hold on tight.

Jaxon sucks on my clit as he sinks two fingers into me. He is not messing around. I am definitely teasing him about being a boy more often.

A memory of him ghosting me after we kissed tries to invade my mind but I ignore it. He explained why he ghosted me before. He won’t do it again. I have faith in him.

Besides, if he tries to ghost me again, I’ll sic his brothers on him.

And then I’ll mend my broken heart. Because Jaxon ghosting me would hurt worse than Alan not accompanying me to my parents’ funeral. Somehow, in one short weekend, he’s lodged himself deeper into my heart than Alan ever managed.

Jaxon thrusts another finger into me and I forget all about the future. Allowing myself to enjoy this moment with him is not going to change our future anyway.