Page 42 of Holly Jolly July

Mariah

I shake out my arms as I prepare to ring the doorbell. Originally my plan had been for Ellie to do this part, but she reminded

me she’s never been to Jax’s apartment and it would be weird for her to ask to come to his place. This route would require

a lot more acting from me, and I’m on the opposite end of the acting spectrum from Ellie. Hopefully Jax buys what I’m doing

long enough for her to get everything done.

After one more breath while trying to get my pulse to a regular rhythm and the sweat to stop forming on my brow, I ring the

doorbell.

Jax answers a few seconds later, his tall frame taking up most of the doorway. A tight black T-shirt hugs his torso and his

long hair hangs loose around his chiselled face.

“Hello there,” I say.

“Hey. I wasn’t sure if I’d get to see you again.” He crosses his arms, blocking the door.

“Things got busy at work, but it was a boring day today. I thought maybe you could make things more interesting.” I try to

bite my lip seductively, but I’m pretty sure I look more like Andy Sandburg in Jizz in My Pants than Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades of Grey.

Jax doesn’t seem to care; either way he thinks he’s getting laid. He steps aside just enough to let me pass, forcing me to

brush my tits against him as I do. What would have given me excited tingles before now gives me the heebie jeebies.

I plop my overfilled purse next to the door, several items inside clinking, and we sit on his couch.

I pause, looking around his apartment. Before, when I had been staying here and sleeping with him, I hadn’t noticed that it was a sad, drab bachelor pad.

Now—especially compared to the cozy cabin with Ellie—it feels cold and dark.

Why are his blinds closed in the middle of the day? Why isn’t there any art on the walls?

Jax lays his arm over the back of the couch, trying to wrap it around me. “I knew you missed me.”

It’s weird how little I did. “There’s so much we have to make up for...”

He shifts a bit closer. “Is that so? What kind of things do you have in mind?”

I lean closer like I’m about to kiss him, then pull out my phone instead. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, about visiting

me in Vancouver—how you said you don’t plan on staying here for long? My place is too small for the two of us, so I reached

out and booked us a couple viewings for condos downtown.” I open my browser and show him the pictures while watching his face

shift from confusion to fear, then masking to feigned interest.

“Oh, uh, apartments?” His throat bobbles as I hear him swallow.

“I know it’s fast, but we’ve known each other for years. You always wanted me, I always wanted you. It’s perfect, isn’t it?

Can’t you see us in this space?”

“It is a nice apartment, but—”

I’m practically on his lap now, tracing my finger along his jaw. “Us running into each other was a sign from the universe.

I mean, you’re an Aries, and I’m a Gemini. Could it be more perfect?” I’m actually a Capricorn, but he wouldn’t remember.

Jax leans back, inching away from me. “Yeah...”

I follow him, giving him no space. “What was it you said? I’d never heard anyone say anything so romantic. Oh, right. Karma brought us together.”

He presses his lips into a firm line. “I sure did say that. Yep.”

“We can be together all day, every day. We have so much time to make up for...” I lean in to kiss him while Jax pulls away like I have a giant, weeping cold sore.

We’re interrupted by a perfectly timed ringing phone. Jax jumps up and looks at his phone, does a double take, then says,

“Sorry. I have to take this.”

“Go ahead, I’ll just make myself comfortable...” I lean into the couch and eye him amorously, letting my legs drift wider

apart as he watches.

Jax lets the phone ring in his hand as his mouth slowly falls open, eyeing me.

“You gonna answer that, big boy?” Big boy? Gross.

Clearing his throat, Jax tears his gaze away and answers it. “Hey, I’m just a little—whoa.”

I can hear Ellie’s sultry voice on the other end of the line and catch occasional words, like moist and bend me over and spank me . It takes everything in my power to keep from laughing, especially as Jax’s face shifts from surprised, to turned on, to

concerned about me overhearing.

“Uh, sorry, this is important.” He turns and makes his way down the hall to the bedroom, shutting his door.

I get up quickly and unlock the front door, letting Ellie in as she hangs up on Jax. I point down the hall, and she books

it into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Two seconds later, Jax comes out of his room looking down at his phone,

confused.

“Who was that?” I feign innocence.

“Just my mom.” He shrugs, nonchalant. “She wanted to know if I was going to the store on my way over to see her tomorrow.

She doesn’t drive, so I take care of a lot of things for her.”

I have no idea where truth ends and lies begin with that story, but I don’t trust a single thing he says. I force a smile

to my face. “You’re such a good son. I can think of so many ways I want to reward you for your good behaviour.”

He bites his lip. “Is that so? In that case, you think of all the sexy things you want to do, I’ll be right back.” He heads down the hall to the bathroom where Ellie is hiding.

Oh, fuck, our cover is going to be blown before we even begin! Panicking, I shout, “Have a nice shit!” to warn her.

Jax pauses and turns. “I just have to pee?”

I laugh it off, trying to hide the horrified look on my face.

The second he’s in the bathroom I jump up and pace the room. Shit shit shit ! He’s going to find her! Will he call the cops? Will we be locked up and have to call my parents to bail us out? I’ll lose my job, Ellie will lose

her job, then we’ll have to—

The toilet flushes and Jax is back in the hall—sans washed hands, I note. I exhale a deep sigh of relief.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, uh, you just made me realize I have to pee, too.” I brush past him down the hall and into the bathroom, locking the

door behind me. The room seems normal. Where the fuck is Ellie?

I glance around for a second, then pull the shower curtain back and scream in surprise at Ellie standing there like an axe

murderer. She grabs me and clamps a hand over my mouth.

“Everything okay?” Jax asks through the door.

Ellie gives me a wide-eyed look, then removes her hand.

“Uh... yeah,” I say, scrambling. “Just... got my period!”

Ellie mouths, What the hell?

I shrug, mouthing back, I don’t know!

“Oh. There are some pads and tampons in the drawer next to the toilet if you need anything,” he says.

“That’s actually super considerate,” Ellie whispers.

“Thanks,” I say loudly to Jax. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

His footsteps retreat, and both my and Ellie’s shoulders slump.

“This was a bad idea,” I whisper to Ellie.

“It’s fine,” she whispers back. “Get your head in the game and help me with this.” She unzips her backpack, which is fully

stocked.

“What’s all this?” I whisper. “Is this for pranks? I thought we were doing psychological warfare?”

Ellie grins. “I can’t help it, there are so many great opportunities. Come on, we don’t have much time.”

Reluctantly, I help Ellie Saran Wrap the toilet, cover his faucet handles with petroleum jelly, and place tape over the tap

spout so it sprays him in the face when it turns on. Leaving Ellie snickering like the evil genius she is, I return to the

living room, where Jax is scrolling on his phone. I try to peek at what he’s doing to see who he’s messaging, but he lowers

and locks it with a quick, practised click.

I sit next to him. “Sorry that took me so long.”

“All good.” He seems disappointed, probably because he thinks my vagina is out of commission.

“We still have lots of fun things we can do,” I assure him. I grip him by the hair and bring his face close, watching out

of the corner of my eye as Ellie sneaks from the bathroom to Jax’s bedroom.

Jax grabs my ass and gives it a squeeze. “Oh yeah? Then maybe we should take this to the bedroom.”

“No!” I say, far too loudly. He startles, and I backpedal. “I mean, why should we go to the bedroom when the kitchen is right

there? I don’t think we’ve banged on your table. We should desecrate every object in your house.”

He grins, then nips my bottom lip. “I like the way you think.” He picks me up and carries me to the kitchen, where he sets

me down on the table and, despite myself, I’m a little turned on.

Jax leans in to kiss me. I turn my face to the side, dodging his lips.

Something about him kissing me on the mouth feels abhorrent now, and I can’t even make myself do it to distract him.

Luckily, Jax doesn’t break his stride, sucking on my earlobe instead.

I grimace, trying not to tense while keeping my eyes open for Ellie.

Jax is moaning against my neck and grabbing my body, and I’m about ten seconds away from calling this whole thing off when she finally crawls down the hall into the living room, hiding behind the couch.

There’s a soft bump; she must have knocked into the coffee table.

Jax whips his head around. “What was that?”

I grab his face and turn him back to me. “I changed my mind. Let’s go to the bedroom. The things I want to do to you require

more... space.”

He forgets all about the noise he heard and backs away, letting me off the table. I escort him to the bedroom, grabbing my

purse as we go. I take a quick look over my shoulder before closing the door behind us, but don’t see Ellie. We’re almost

at the finish line. Only a few more things left to do, then we’re home free—all I have to do is not fuck this up. Easier said

than done.

Once inside, I close the door and give Jax a playful shove, forcing him onto the bed. He smiles ruefully at me, manspreading

as he takes me in. I bend down and show off my cleavage while pulling a set of fuzzy pink handcuffs out of my purse.

“Ooh, what do you have there?” he asks.