Fighting Temptation (Men Of Honor) (20 page)

“I still have it, it’s in storage,” he looks down at me and grins, “Why? Wanna go for a ride?”

“Yes! I miss it. I haven’t been on a bike since you left.”

“Good,” he grunts out, “I’ll take you out once you’re better.”

I give him a small smile, “Thanks.”

I look over his truck as we walk up to it. I have to admit it’s a pretty nice truck- black with chrome trim and tinted windows, but it’s way too high. I stare at the door wondering how the hell I’m supposed to get in. “Geez Jaxson, your truck doesn’t quite reach the street light, I think you need to jack it up some more. How the heck am I supposed to get in?”

He grunts at my sarcasm, “Get over here smart-ass and I’ll help you,” he says opening the door.

I giggle as I walk over to him. His hands span my hips but before he lifts me up he leans in close behind me, his mouth almost touching my ear, “When you’re lippy like that Julia, it makes me wanna do things to that smart-ass mouth of yours.”

The combination of his words and his touch so low on my hips send a shiver through my body. Jaxson snickers knowingly as he lifts me into the truck. He walks over to his side and hops up gracefully, the height not being an issue for him.
Sexy jerk
.

I lean my head against the window, feeling lighter and happier than I have in a long time. I rest my eyes and the next thing I know I feel myself being lifted. I shoot awake and gasp, my arms fling around in panic till I grab on to something.

“Shh it’s ok, it’s just me, I’ve got you.”

I let out a breath and my heart rate slows as I realize it’s Jaxson. I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder, falling in and out of consciousness.

“Where are your keys?” he asks quietly.

“The doors unlocked,” I mumble tiredly in his neck.

He tenses under me and lets out a growl, “Goddamn it woman!”

I ignore him, too tired to argue. He carries me upstairs and lays me down on my bed gently pulling a blanket over me. I snuggle in and moan, loving my comfortable bed.

“Jesus.”

What the hell is his problem now?

He rustles in my purse and pulls out my car keys, he leans over, “Is your house key on here so I can lock the door behind me?”

“Mmhhhmmm,” I mumble sleepily.

He chuckles, “Alright I’ll be back in the morning to take you to the station.”

He turns around to leave but I grab his hand stopping him. He looks down at me curiously, “Don’t ever leave me again, because if you do… I might not survive it.” I feel vulnerable admitting that to him, but I need him to understand, because it’s the truth.

“I’m not going anywhere baby, I promise,” he whispers thickly. Then he leans down and kisses my head, “Good night Julia.”

This time I let him go and fall into a blissful sleep.

I lock up Julia’s house on my way out and do a quick walk around to make sure the windows and other doors are locked, the back door isn’t. I shake my head pissed off, the damn woman is going to start keeping them locked at all times. I hop into my truck and adjust my painfully hard cock. I need to find some control and stay focused on fixing the mess I’ve made, not getting in Julia’s panties. But god do I ever want to get in her panties again.

I pull back up to the police station and see Cooper’s truck still here.

As I walk through the doors the receptionist from this afternoon stands up quickly and eye fucks me as I get up to the front desk. “Hi Jaxson, back so soon?” she purrs, leaning over to give me a view of her cleavage that comes from a great pair of fake tits.

“Uh ya, is Coop still around?”

“He’s in his office, go right in.”

“Thanks,” I go to walk away but she grabs my arm before I can make my escape.

“I’m off in an hour, wanna hook up?”

I actually think about it for a split second. I haven’t been with anyone since Iraq, it’s been a really long fucking year without sex. But I know from experience that fucking any other girl won’t do anything to get my intense need for Julia out of my system.

“Maybe another time,” I say noncommittally.

“Just let me know.”

I nod and walk into Coop’s office. He’s bent over a file looking pissed. There’s coffee and a half eaten donut next to him. Typical.

“Hard at work with your coffee and donuts?”

Coop’s head shoots up, “Jesus, I didn’t even hear you come in.”

That’s one way of knowing he’s upset about something. “What has you looking like you’re ready to shoot someone?”

Cooper lets out a frustrated breath and pinches the bridge of his nose, something he always does when he’s stressed. “Nothing, just some shit I found on someone’s past I wish I didn’t know.”

“Anyone I know?”

“No, but you will probably meet her. She’s a friend of the girls. Now shut up and don’t ask me anymore questions because I can’t answer them.”

“Is it something Julia can get hurt from.”

“No lover boy, so calm down.”

I glare at his ‘lover boy’ comment.

“So what brings you back here? Don’t tell me you’re turning yourself in for murdering Jennings.”

I grunt, “I wouldn’t turn myself in, I would know exactly what to do with that prick’s body so he was never found.”

“Fuck Jaxson, don’t say shit like that to me.”

I chuckle, love getting a rise out of him. “I’m wondering if you can help me drive Julia’s car home for her. It’s still at the beach, I gave her a ride home earlier.”

He grins, “So you finally found her… I was right, wasn’t I? She was hiding from you.”

“No asshole she wasn’t. I found her sleeping on the fucking beach.”

Coop loses his smirk, “Seriously? What the hell is wrong with her?”

“Believe me I said the same thing… a little more pissed off. It didn’t go over well at the beginning.”

“Ya I bet not.”

“Speaking of which, what have you been teaching your girlfriend?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“She’s been constantly threatening to kick my ass and she seems to think she can do some serious damage to me. She says you have been showing her stuff. Whatever the hell you’re doing tone it down.”

“Jesus!” Cooper shakes his head, “I showed her how to get out of a few holds if someone ever tried to attack her. She seems to think she’s Rocky now or some shit.”

“Ya well I swear she’s more pissed at me than Julia is.”

“Ignore her. I think she’s PMS-ing or something. She seems pissed at me lately for something too and I don’t have a fucking clue why. I don’t know what’s going on in that head of hers.”

I can tell Coop seems bothered. “Everything ok with you guys?”

He shrugs, “It will be. Let’s go, I’ll help you take Julia’s car home.”

“Thanks.”

As we walk out of Coop’s office the receptionist stands up quickly again shoving her tits out for us to notice.

“I’m gone for the night Jenny, you can transfer calls to my cell.”

“You betcha darling. See ya around Jaxson,” she winks at me as I walk out.

“Jesus, that’s quite the receptionist you have there. Has Kayla met her yet? Maybe that’s why she isn’t talking to you,” I chuckle.

Cooper grunts, “Ya she’s met her. Trust me Kayla put the gears to her when she started, the girl barely made eye contact with me for the first month and honestly I liked that better. Be careful with her, she’s a persistent one. And she’s been banged more times than a snooze button on a Monday morning,” Coop looks over at me with a smirk before we both burst out laughing.

Damn! It’s kind of good to be back!

I wake up the next morning feeling almost like myself again. My ribs look really terrible but thankfully don’t feel as bad as they look. After my shower I put on a pair of black capri leggings and an off-the-shoulder hot pink shirt that’s loose and comfortable, then throw my natural curly waves into a high messy bun. I have no idea what time Jaxson’s coming, all he said was morning, so I don’t want to take too long getting ready. My stomach does a little flip at the thought of getting to see him again so soon.

I begin making my usual green smoothie when my doorbell rings. I expect it to be Jaxson so I’m surprised when I open it that it’s Grace.

“Grace! This is a pleasant surprise.”

“Hi Julia,” she leans in giving me a gentle hug, “I heard what happened, are you ok?”

“You heard already?”

“Ya Kayla told me.”

“Oh good at least I know you got the right story then,” I giggle and so does she.

“Come in, I’m just making myself a green smoothie, want one?”

“Sure,” she follows me into the kitchen and sets a pie down on my counter. “I made you this, it’s fresh from this morning.”

Grace is an amazing baker, her specialty is pies but she can bake anything. She creates and names them all herself.

“Grace, it’s only 9am and you baked this for me this morning?”

Grace shrugs like it’s no big deal, “Ya, I had an itch to create something and when Kayla told me what happened I created something with all your favorites.”

My heart warms, “That’s really sweet, thank you Grace,” I say hugging her. “What did you call it?”

She looks at me with a straight face and says, “I named it, ‘Wyatt-is-an-asshole pie’.”

We both burst out laughing, “That’s a great name.”

Grace’s smile fades, “You know Julia, I’m happy you ended things with Wyatt. After your guys’ first date he came into the diner and the way he acted with me… well it scared me a bit,” she admits nervously.

“Oh Grace, why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“Well I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, I thought maybe I took it wrong. You and Kayla grew up here with him, I figured you knew him better. I’m sorry, I wish I would have said something now.”

I hug her again, “Don’t be sorry, just know you can always tell me anything.”

All of a sudden my front door opens and slams. Jaxson comes storming into the kitchen angry as hell. Grace gasps and grabs on to my arm, looking scared spit-less.

“What the hell did I tell you about locking that goddamn door!”

I glare at him, “Well good morning to you too, ya jerk. Why on earth would I lock it? I’m home for heaven sakes.”

“Christ Julia, it doesn’t matter if you’re home. If anything that’s why you should lock the damn thing!”

I roll my eyes at him, “Give it a rest and watch your mouth. I have my friend here and you’re making a terrible first impression.”

For the first time Jaxson looks over at Grace. Her grip has loosened a little on my arm now, realizing I know him and we have nothing to fear. I notice she’s quite shaken up though.

I narrow my eyes at him, “Jaxson this is my good friend Grace.”

“Shit! Uh I mean, nice to meet you. Sorry about that, but the damn woman doesn’t listen about locking her doors,” he says as an explanation while glaring at me.

Grace stares frozen for a few seconds, I watch her eyes roam Jaxson. There’s still some fear in her expression but also appreciation. I can’t help but smile at that. She waves at him shakily and clears her throat, “Um hello. Ah what was your name again?”

“Jaxson,” we both say at the same time.

Grace whips her head at me, “Jaxson?” she asks in shock, then she leans over and whispers, “the Jaxson?”

I guess Kayla left that part out this morning. I nod and tell her silently with my eyes that I’ll explain everything later, she gets the memo.

Jaxson interrupts our silent exchange, “Are you ready to go to the station or should I come back?”

Grace jumps in, “Oh no, I need to get to work, I just stopped in to check on Julia and give her this pie.”

I grab Grace’s arm, “Wait! Did you walk here or take a cab?” I know it’s one or the other, because she doesn’t own a car.

“I walked.”

“You walked here!?” Jaxson asks in exasperation.

“Um yes?” Grace says it as more of a question, looking nervous again.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?”

I roll my eyes, “Jesus Jaxson, lay off. What are you the safety police?”

“Julia, you live in the damn country! She’s walking on a gravel road.”

“It’s not that far,” Grace says defensively.

Jaxson shakes his head, “Whatever. I’ll drive you back in and drop you off wherever it is you work.”