Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 73(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 73(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
He lifts me from his lap, and I feel the cum trickling down the inside of my thigh. Grabbing a napkin, I wipe it up the best I can, then excuse myself to the bathroom to clean up better.
When I get back, Jax is watching the movie with a big grin splayed across his face. I sit back down, and he feeds me a piece of buttery popcorn. “What’s happening in the movie?” I ask, trying to play catch up.
“I have no clue.” Jax shrugs. “I guess we’ll have to see it again.”
CHAPTER NINE
WILLOW
Pink balloons. Pink streamers. Pink cake. Pink cupcakes. Pink is everywhere. Which makes sense, since Celeste and Jase found out they’re having twin girls. I’ve just never seen so much freaking pink in one place before.
I watch Celeste laugh at something one of her friends is saying. She throws her head back, so carefree and happy. She looks adorable, dressed in her designer pink and black dress, with her baby bump popping out. Jase is standing next to her, with his arms around her—one of his hands rubbing the bump. I swallow a bitter tasting lump in my throat. I’m happy for them, but it’s still a hard reality to swallow that I’ll never be pregnant. I’ll never have my own baby to love. I’ve accepted my decision to never have kids, but it doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally feel sad or envious of others.
“I got you a cupcake,” Jax says, sitting next to me on the couch. I jump slightly, lost in my own world, and he gives me a curious look. “You okay?” he asks, his tone laced with worry. Not pity, though, which is one of the reasons I love being with Jax. It’s been four months since we’ve been together and not once has he ever looked at me with pity over my situation.
“Yeah,” I tell him, taking the pink cupcake from him and giving him a fake smile.
He can see right through me though, and he frowns. One thing I’ve learned about Jax is he doesn’t like to see me upset, ever. When I don’t give him anything more, choosing to focus on my cupcake instead, he doesn’t say a word.
We spend the next hour talking to everyone we know. Quinn and her husband, Rick, show up late, and when he tells her they need to get going, Jax and I decide to leave as well. We say our goodbyes to the happy couple and then walk outside with Quinn and Rick.
“How’s the photography business going?” I ask Quinn as we walk down the sidewalk to their vehicle. She started a photography company a few years back and has been working hard at building it up.
Quinn glances back at Rick then says, “I’ve actually decided to put that on hold.”
“What? Why?” Jax asks.
“Well, with Rick and I trying to have a baby, we felt it would be best if I stay home.”
“We felt or he felt?” Jax accuses, glaring daggers at Rick, whose jaw tightens in anger. “You know you can have a family and work.” He points towards the house. “Look at Celeste and Jase. They’re doing it.”
“What my wife and I decide is between us,” Rick says, taking Quinn’s hand in his. “We need to go.”
Quinn opens her mouth to argue but then closes it. “Bye,” she says softly.
“She’s changed,” I tell Jax, remembering how lively Quinn used to be. In the past, we’d been out a couple times together and she was the life of the party. Laughing and drinking and having a good time. Now, it’s as if she’s a scared turtle hiding inside her shell.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “I just don’t know what to do about it.”
Taking my hand in his, we walk down the street to the subway station to go home. Jax is quiet the entire ride home, and once we’re inside, he remains quiet.
“What’s going on?” I ask him, climbing onto his lap and straddling his thighs.
His eyes meet mine and he frowns, almost as if he’s warring with himself as to whether he should tell me what’s on his mind.
“Talk to me,” I insist. Jax has quickly become my go-to person and I would like to think he feels the same way. He’s not just the guy I’m sleeping with. He’s my best friend. The person I wake up with every morning and go to bed with at night. He’s become a part of me.
“You could have what Celeste and Jase have,” he says softly. It takes a couple times of repeating his words in my head to properly string them together. And when I do, I try to back up. But Jax wraps his arms around me and holds me close to him.
“Just hear me out,” he says, but I’m already shaking my head. “Please,” he begs.