Page 82 of Close to Heaven

Twenty-Three

Jax awoke at six in the morning like he usually did, but he didn’t immediately go downstairs. There was a good chance his sister was still sleeping, and he wanted to delay waking her for as long as possible, so he took a long shower, erasing all traces of Avery’s scent from his skin.

Avery. He liked the sound of her name in his head and on his lips. Then he pictured her soft, full lips and recalled the sounds she’d made when she climaxed. He glanced down at his growing arousal and said, “Settle down!”

After he’d finished and toweled off, he took his time shaving and getting dressed, feeling a bit like a teenager getting ready for prom, even though he was wearing jeans and a flannel instead of a tux. When Smoky started pacing in front of the bedroom door, Jax knew he couldn’t stall any longer. He cracked open the door, and Smoky took off like a shot.

When Jax entered the living room, Dakota groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. He let Smoky out and then sauntered into the kitchen to make coffee. Soon the aroma of pumpkin-spice-flavored coffee filled the cabin, and Dakota poked her head out from under the blanket.

“What time is it?”

“A little after seven.”

“Why are you up?”

“Um…because it’s daytime.”

“Barely,” she groaned.

“Here. Maybe this will make you feel better.” He went into the living room and handed her a cup of coffee.

“Thanks,” she said, wrapping her hands tightly around the mug.

Jax opened the curtains and let in the light. He stood in front of the window for a while, sipping his coffee and enjoying the view. The mountains were shrouded in fog, but the sun poked through the clouds, lending an ethereal beauty to the scene.

“Is that coffee I smell?”

He spun around, his coffee sloshing in the mug, and saw Avery breeze into the room wearing the same dress and fuzzy socks as yesterday and looking just as beautiful.

“Good morning,” he and Dakota said at the same time.

She smiled. “Morning.”

“I’ll pour you a cup,” Jax said.

“Thanks.”

As he walked past her, he gave her a quick wink, which was the best he could do under the circumstances.

Avery plunked down on the couch next to Dakota, and Jax eavesdropped on their conversation as he poured her coffee.

“How’d you sleep?” Dakota asked.

“Really good. How about you?”

“I woke up a few times. I kept hearing noises, but maybe I was just dreaming.”

Jax stilled as he awaited Avery’s response.

“Maybe it was Smoky.”

“Maybe.”

Since he couldn’t hide out in the kitchen forever, he returned to the living room and handed Avery her coffee. Then he sat down in the chair across from the women. He tried to act nonchalant, like it was any other day and not the morning after he’d made love to the gorgeous woman sitting across from him.

“What’s your plan for today?” he said, directing the question to his sister.

He noticed Avery was trying her utmost to act casual too. She’d even tilted her body away from him so as not to give herself away. Still, it felt like there was an invisible line connecting them that buzzed with electricity.