Part 24 (1/2)

My phone beeps an alert again. I've ignored them, not wanting to be caught up in anything until I return to the hotel, but this time check the phone. Twenty alerts display on the screen and Jax's phone rings too.

”What? Yeah,” he says as he answers. ”I'm f.u.c.king aware of that!”

A couple pa.s.s, and the blonde haired woman glances at us over her shoulder. I'm not staying around any longer. Ignoring Jax's conversation, I stride across the s.h.i.+ning marble floor and hit the b.u.t.ton on each one of the three elevators.

Jax joins me and continues his phone conversation. ”We didn't think. Stop giving me s.h.i.+t, Riley!” He pauses. ”Tomorrow. I'm done for tonight.”

He cancels the call and taps the phone against his chin. ”What's wrong?” I ask.

”Did you ever want to post something that goes viral?”

”What do you mean? We only uploaded the picture an hour ago! Surely you're not that famous.”

He frowns at me. ”Slow news week in the celebrity world, I guess.”

The top hotel floor is booked exclusively for the key members of the tour entourage. I welcome the peace and security of the hallway, but that isn't enough for me to feel safe. I can't get to my suite fast enough.

With trembling hands, I swipe the keycard and shove open the door. Jax follows me inside and closes the door.

I flop onto the sofa beneath the window, across the suite.

”What did Riley say?” I ask Jax.

”She's not happy because she has to step in and contact the PR company's offices in the States. They have to deal with this, it's too late at night for anyone here.”

”The States? Deal with what?”

”Our stupid a.s.s move - her words, not mine.”

For a few moments, I chew a nail. ”So a few photographers want pictures? They were there anyway, probably wanting a shot of the Blue Phoenix couples. We just happened to be there first. They'll forget about us by tomorrow.”

Jax sits next to me. ”You think? Riley seems convinced the world exploded.”

”You said yourself she's p.r.o.ne to overreacting at situations.”

He rest back against the sofa. ”Yeah, let them sort this. Not like we've done anything apart from share a picture of ourselves.”

”Exactly. A picture would've appeared even if we hadn't put one out. Someone would've taken a shot of us leaving together.”

”Yeah.”

I'm happy Jax agrees, but a niggling voice tells me I'm downplaying this to myself too much. I pull my phone out, preparing to run through the notifications and find out exactly how viral this is. Jax takes the phone from me. ”Leave that.”

”But I want to check Twitter.”

”No. Like I said to Riley, deal with this s.h.i.+t tomorrow.”

I swallow. I'm used to checking my social media at least every couple of hours and if there's something happening, I want to see. ”Please, Jax.”

”No,” he replies firmly and puts the phone in his jacket pocket. ”Tonight was supposed to be about me telling you how I felt, not just the world. Do you care more about what they think?”

”No, but I want to know what's on there.” I attempt to retrieve my phone from his pocket.

Jax grabs both my wrists in one hand. ”Tegan. Leave it.”

The adrenaline of the evening courses through my body, from the desire for Jax and the panic of the last half hour. Jax pushes me back against the sofa arm, my wrists still in his hand.

”Forget about them,” he says.

”How can I?”

Jax raises an eyebrow. ”Happy to distract you.” His lips almost touch mine. ”But I'm keeping hold of your hands until you promise not to look at your phone.”

I attempt to pull them away; and as I wriggle, my body moves against Jax's. He presses himself further against me, keeping a tight hold. I'm unable to move against his weight, but I'm not complaining. ”Kiss me.”

My face tingles as he traces his tongue along my lips, and I part them. He presses his warm mouth harder against mine; but before he has the chance to do anything else, I turn my head.

”Let go of my hands.”

”No.”

”Why? I promise not to touch my phone.” I nip his bottom lip. ”I can touch you instead.”

Jax doesn't need any more persuasion and releases my hands. I curl my fingers into his hair, pull his face closer, and pour my frustration and anxiety into the kiss, gripping him to me. Jax winds his hand into my hair too, holding me in place while his tongue strokes mine. I've wanted to kiss him this way since the moment he told everybody I was his.

I slip my hand beneath his s.h.i.+rt and run my fingers along his stomach, tracing the contours of his muscles. Jax pushes up my s.h.i.+rt, his hands rough against my skin. His lips move to my neck as he kisses my pulse point, nipping his way to my collarbone, breath coming in short bursts.

I s.h.i.+ft against Jax and his hand brushes the edge of my cotton bra. He groans as I arch myself into his hand, stroking my nipple through the fabric. With this, he trips the switch on the desire I've held back all evening. This man triggers arousal without touching me, and can turn me on with a kiss. Imagine what the h.e.l.l will happen with his hands and mouth anywhere else; I've had tastes of that, but tonight I need to know.

Kissing him harder, I unb.u.t.ton Jax's s.h.i.+rt, smoothing my hands over his chest and across his taut stomach. Jax pulls his mouth away and rests his forehead on mine.

”Why are you stopping? I thought you were distracting me,” I say.

”How distracted do you want to be?” he asks hoa.r.s.ely.

”Completely.”

”After what you said the other day, I need you to tell me what I can and can't do.” Jax slides a hand across my belly, his fingers dipping into the waistband of my jeans. Heat flows downwards, and I ache for him to explore further. He's barely touched me and I'm falling apart beneath his hands.

I push his open s.h.i.+rt and jacket from his shoulders. ”I don't want any more restraint. If people are making my life h.e.l.l because I'm your girlfriend, you'd better make all this worth my while.”

He sits back, a wicked glint of promise in his eyes. ”I'm sure I can manage that.”

I rub my lips together, tasting him as I pull Jax's s.h.i.+rt from his arms. As he drops the s.h.i.+rt to the floor, I climb onto his lap, seizing his head and delving my tongue into his mouth. He drops back against the sofa arm, a small noise of surprise catching in his throat.

Jax pushes his hands beneath my t-s.h.i.+rt and I pull the hem upwards, indicating he should take it off. Five minutes of struggling with b.u.t.tons, zippers, and clothes later, and we're naked on the sofa. Almost. As if it's going to make any difference, he's pressed against me, the barrier of my panties and his briefs the only thing between us.

I'm deliriously lost. Jax's teasing my nipples with his tongue, licking and sucking. The l.u.s.t that's built between us all night - for the last two weeks - flows through my body, at each point my skin touches his my body burns.

I murmur something - his name? I don't know; my mind can't focus on anything but the aching need for him. Jax growls my name, and dives his hand into my panties, fingers seeking my c.l.i.t and pushes his thumb against me. Jax's breath comes harder against my face, as he glides his fingers through my wetness. I push myself against his hand and Jax pushes a finger inside me. The sensation jolts through my body and I tip my head back, catching my breath. He moves his face back to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and flicks my nipples with his tongue as he strokes a spot inside hardwired to the rest of my body.