“You know the thing about time?” Jax asks softly, wrapping his hand around my jaw until my eyes meet his.
“What?” I whisper, seeing the look of longing and optimism in his gaze that has my heart beating a little harder.
“There’s always more of it. It’s one thing that will always be available, one resource that will never diminish. We have time, Ellie. I just need a chance.”
Could I do that? Give him a chance and risk being hurt again by someone I care about? I don’t know if I can, but my stomach hurts when I think about not trying, when I think about not seeing if, for once in my life, I can have what other people have, a future with someone, someone in my corner and at my side when I need them, someone to lean on when the road gets bumpy. I know Hope adores him, and he’s someone I trust with her.
“I want to try, but we have to take this slow. I haven’t…” I pause, taking a breath. “It’s been a long time since I’ve dated, and we live together.” I pause again, looking away, and say, “Until I can get a place for me and Hope…” His fingers tighten on my jaw, where he’s still holding me, causing my head to turn back toward him. “I don’t want it to get awkward,” I finish on a whisper then swallow from the look of raw determination in his eyes.
“Just tell me you’re in this with me.”
I can’t believe I’m doing this, that I’m taking this kind of risk, but I really don’t want to fight this pull I feel anymore. “I’m in,” I get out right before his lips crashes down on mine, pulling the air from my lungs as his tongue thrusts into my mouth, tangling with mine. My hands grip his shirt tightly, feeling the material between my fingers as his hands move, one sliding across my body right above my ass. The other drifts into my hair, where he wraps it in a fist so he can deepen the kiss before slowly pulling back, nipping my bottom lip one last time, leaving me panting for breath. When I open my eyes, his are on me, and there is no denying the happiness I see in their hazel depths.
I just hope he doesn’t regret this. I’ve never dated—okay, I did in high school, but it was two different boys, and all we ever did was kiss, so I don’t even think that really counts. Right after high school, I started cosmetology school and worked full time, so there was never an opportunity for me to date during that time. Then I was granted custody of Hope, so I was left with even less opportunity, and I didn’t want to bring random guys around my daughter.
Now, I’m a twenty-four-year-old virgin, with a kid and no dating experience. What the hell do I know about dating a guy like him?
“Now, let’s go see the flamingos,” he says, pulling me from my thoughts by putting me in front of him, my back to his chest, and placing his hands on the outsides of mine, which have automatically grasped the bar of the stroller in front of me. As we begin to walk again, I wrap my hands tighter around the bar so I don’t fall on my face as Jax walks behind me, occasionally nuzzling my neck, sending sensations through my body that cause my core to throb. Reaching the area where the flamingos are, I bend and check to see if Hope is still sleeping, which she is.
“Let’s just come back here when she wakes up,” I tell Jax over my shoulder.
Nodding, we move down the pathway, following a sign to the gorillas. When we reach the bottom of a small hill, there’s a rock formation that looks like a large cave. Going inside, there are three large glass panels, where you can watch the gorillas that are out lazing in the warm fall sun. On the other side, there are benches lining the walls, so you can sit in the cool air.
Moving the stroller to a bench, I sit next to Jax when he pulls me down to his side, and then I adjust Hope’s stroller in front of us, so we can keep an eye on her. Leaning my head on Jax’s shoulder, I watch the families coming and going until one of the large gorillas comes to the glass across from us, looking directly at me.
“I think you’ve got a new admirer, baby,” Jax grunts against my ear, making me smile. Getting up from the bench, I walk toward the glass, keeping my eyes on the large creature in front of me and the way he backs away then stands up on his legs and pounds his chest.
“I can see why he’s fascinated by you. You’re very beautiful.” Jumping at the voice next to me, I turn my head, coming face-to-face with a very handsome man about ten years older than me, with caramel-colored skin, dark hair, and startling green eyes, holding a young boy in his arms.
“I…thanks,” I mutter, taking another step away from him as I notice something in the way he’s looking at me is off.
“Baby, c’mere.” Turning to look at Jax, I see his eyes are on the man next to me. “Babe,” he repeats, holding out his hand. Ducking my head, I walk to him and place my hand in his. As soon as I’m in his grasp, his hand goes around my waist and he moves me to the other side of his body, the side farther away from the man and his son, then leads me outside while pushing the stroller with one hand.
“Are you okay?” I ask, feeling the muscles of his body draw tight.
“I’m good,” he says, giving my waist a squeeze as we move back up the hill we just came down. “I didn’t like the way that guy was watching you before he approached you.”
“I didn’t see him,” I admit.
“I know; you were watching the gorilla when he came in, but it wasn’t like he came in to see them. It was like he came in to watch you. I don’t even think he knew I was there until I called you over,” he says, sending a chill through me.
“I heard you on the phone this morning. You said another girl was taken,” I confess quietly while leaning over to make sure Hope is still asleep.
“Yes, another girl was taken. Her family contacted me. The police can’t do anything yet, because it hasn’t been more than seventy-two hours. She was hoping we could look into it.”
“What are you doing here? You should be out looking for her.”
“All of my guys are on it, and at the risk of sounding like an asshole, baby, you’re more important to me than any of that. I needed to come make sure you were okay,” he states.
“Jax, I’m okay, but you have to help her. Do you know how scared I was when I was taken? I prayed over and over that someone would find me, that someone would be looking for me, but I knew I was praying in vain, ’cause the people who should have informed the police I went missing were the same people who set me up to be taken in the first place.”
“I’m so fucking sorry, baby,” he says, letting out a ragged breath and holding me a little tighter.
“You have to find her,” I repeat, feeling my throat close up with emotions.
“We’re working on it, and so are Wes and the guys.”
“Wes is helping?” I ask with a frown. I know Wes and a few of his friends own a repair shop, but I didn’t know he helps Jax out, and July never mentioned it.
“Since July was taken, he’s been on a mission to find the guy who got away.”
“Are you guys any closer? Do you know who he is?” I ask, hearing the hope in my voice.
“We’re getting closer,” he says, but I notice he doesn’t fully answer my question, which makes me wonder what he’s trying to keep from me or if I’m in danger.
“Nothing is going to happen to you, Ellie. No one is going to get close to you or Hope; you have my word.”