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"I don’t like steaks," I lied I loved red irl, meat and more meat

He arched a brow as his thumb smoothed over the inside of my wrist "Please tell me you like steaks I don’t knoe can be friends if you say you don’t"

I alhed, because that was ridiculous "I like steaks, but--"

"Perfect," heany dresses with you? I’d like to see you in a dress"

I did bring sus with me to hide the scars, but that was beside the point "Why do you even want to go out with me?"

"Because I like you"

My heart jumped inhappily "You can’t like me"

"I’ve already told you that I want to fk you You can’t forget that"

Holy crap "I kind of blocked that out"

He laughed deeply, clearly a and liking are two different things"

"Yes And no" His eyes locked withno because you don’t think you’re pretty?"

Holy crap on a Conquistador

"I know"

I tried to pull back this tiacid-tipped claws into my skin My chest rose with a deep breath and I forcedhi to take attention off how he’d hit ging s I ended up between the V of his thighs Close, too close to him

I didn’t understand that statelare "Lethis thumb up the inside of e things tohile every eants," he said, keeping his gaze on mine "Before you showed ht, I already knew"

There were no words

"Your mom used to talk about it a lot, tell us how pretty her baby is Not used to be, but is"

I was going to killno idea that I just added Uncle Clyde to my ht, because I’d done the saeants or the way your ht?"

Clyde had hated the pageants, but"Dad never said anything to Mom"

"I think he talked to Clyde" Jax sht about the whole pretty thing? I wasn’t fking around That’s why I’ you out"

Then his arm curled even more, and I was chest to chest with hih me His head dipped, his ainst his chest

I couldn’t breathe

I didn’t care

"You didn’t kiss ht," I said, and then I wanted to kick htly "Fuck no, I didn’t"

A pang lit in my chest "Then why do you want to take me out?"

Jax stared at me a moment, and then his features returned to the lazy, relaxed look that was so to do anything with a girl who’s drunk, especially you No way in hell When I said you were safe witharound I even told you that last night"

"You did?" All I re while I was knee-deep in freak-out mode and about to hurl "Oh"

"Oh," he murmured, and then he rockedme I was your first kiss That shit in the office earlier doesn’t count, but I’ to be your real first kiss After I take you out on Sunday"

Myout, because he’d known aboutturned on Yes, I was turned on I nized what ood, because there was no way I could explore any of that with hiive either of us tirazed ht cheek "I want to kiss you now"

I shivered

Jax felt it "And I think you want me to kiss you Correction I know you want me to kiss you"

I shuddered this time, nearly overcoles down below My hand fisted in his shirt He couldn’t kiss o out with hiain? It didn’t matter The reason had to be dumb

He made a deep sound in the back of his throat that really twisted me up in delicious little knots and noas his lips sliding over ht for--

The office door burst open "Jax, are you--whoa Not expecting that"

I jerked at the sound of Uncle Clyde’s voice and started to pull away Jax let o His araze moved over my shoulder I could feel the heat of Jax behind , toothy s that," he said, s his hand over his apron "Not at all"

I had to do da out on Sunday," Jax announced to ainst his chest, into his heat, and I alht there The wayto happen "I’ her to Apollo’s"