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The laughter stops and I closecloser to him, even if that’s impossible I want to sink into hiain

Tonight, a voice whispers Give yourself to hiht

I try to ignore the feeling

We’ve just had a near death experience We’re both exhausted

And yet er has only affirently I need to be with thisso close to the end has made me realize how badly I want to start our lives

I will the words to come to my lips, “Jaxon, I think I’m ready”

But it coainst his chest, and so I lie there in silence, pressed close to my man

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jaxon

We fall asleep on the couch, Jessie draped over me like the best blanket in the world My hands curl around her hips on instinct as I drift in and out, always ainst me

She ainst

I warn myself to calm down

Even if I’ le second noto feel the same

If I caht now, she’d probably softly – but fir in that sort of mood

And I can’t blame her No way

So I focus on her sleepy breaths instead, on the sensation of her war safety, a future, and love

Love

I can’t deny that feeling any with a whole host of messiness

The way I felt when Tyrone was threatening her – the bone-deep terror I experienced at the prospect of losing her – can only be called love I’m not sure what other word I could possibly use to describe it

I h that part ofuntil a more appropriate time

“Hrinding herself against my crotch “Jax, Jax”

Her voice coer forBut what? Does she want me to stay close to her or move further away?

“I thought you were asleep,” I whisper