Chapter 12

JAX

I walk down the hallway.I can already feel my lip curling with annoyance.

It's nothing against Willow. At all.

This whole tutoring thing…?

I arrive at her door and knock.

I wait.

She never answers the door right away. That pisses me off.

She knows I'm supposed to be coming over and she's never ready for me.

That pisses me off too.

I have to knock a second time.

Then the door finally opens.

Willow looks at me. "Oh, Jax…"

"Holy hell," I whisper.

"Thanks for that."

"Are you okay?"

"No, Jax. I'm sick. Can't you tell?"

She looks… rough.

Her hair looks like a rat's nest.

Her skin is all clammy.

Her lips are dried, wrinkled, and chapped.

Her nose is bright red from sneezing and wiping.

Her eyes are big and puffy too.

"Something bad?" I ask.

"Like what? Some sexual disease?"

"Wow. No. I mean… never mind."

"I should have texted you. I'm sorry. I thought I could sleep it off. You just woke me up from a nap. But, whatever. You're here. Come in. We can still hang or whatever. You can work on some stuff and I'll check it."

Willow turns and I follow her into her dorm.

She's in an old sweatshirt and some booty shorts that are hugging her ass tight. And I mean… tight.

I stare at her ass.

At her legs.

She's barefoot.

I look at her feet. Her toes.

What are you doing, Jax?

Willow looks back. "I am really sorry about this."

I look at her eyes. Her face.

I have the sudden urge to just walk up to her and take that hoodie off her.

See what she's wearing under it.

My best guess?

Nothing.

She's wearing nothing under that hoodie.

That means when I walk up to her and take it off… it'll just me be and her bare breasts…

I wonder what her tits look like.

If she has little button nipples.

Or if her nipples are dark pink or a light color pink.

"Jax, you okay?" Willow asks. "If you're freaked out about me being sick, you can leave. I wouldn't blame you."

I hurry toward her.

Willow turns all the way around and backs up, bumping into the table.

I'm right there, damn near on top of her.

My body a millimeter from touching hers.

I don't care if she's sick. She needs someone to hold her, right? Cuddle her, right?

I could go down on her for hours.

Orgasms help, right?

Orgasms can cure illness…

I grit my teeth.

"Jax…" Willow puts her hands to my chest.

I swallow hard. "I'm not going anywhere, Willow. You shouldn't be alone when you feel sick."

I back off from her but I touch her forehead.

She feels warm.

"Here's what we're going to do," I say. "First thing, you're going right to bed. No questions asked. You need to get under the covers and get some sleep. The more the better. Then I'm going to order some soup and ginger ale for you."

"Wait… what?"

I touch her cheek. "Let me take care of you."

"Why?"

Because I think I want to fuck you, but I can't fuck you. I can't fuck you because I don't think of you in that way, Willow. It's complicated to explain. Yet somewhere inside me I really can't just leave you alone if you're not feeling great.

"I can call someone," she says. "I have friends, you know."

"I'm already here. Don't be stubborn. If you don't go to your room, I'm going to carry you."

"Carry me away then," she says.

I grab her and pick her up.

She gasps and her cheeks turn bright red.

"I wasn't joking," I say.

I carry Willow into her bedroom.

I place her down onto her bed.

She touches my face.

"Jax," she whispers. "Are you thinking about kissing me?"

"I'm thinking about a lot more than that right now, Willow."

Her lips quiver. "I wouldn't say no to you…"

"I can sense that, Willow."

"But it doesn't feel right," she whispers.

"It doesn't. I don't know why."

"I guess the whole fucking your tutor fantasy is out the window," Willow says.

"Oh, there are plenty of tutors out there."

"You're an asshole, Jax."

I smile and help her under the covers.

Willow is so vulnerable. Sick. Horny.

Yet I just… can't…

I tuck her in and brush my lips to her forehead.

She looks up at me and sighs. "I hate feeling sick."

"Yeah, I'm the same. Makes you feel weak and useless."

"Totally."

"I hate when people tell you to just rest too."

"I know. I don't want to rest. I feel bad. You're supposed to be studying with me."

"Willow, I know the material."

"You're not leaving?"

"Not a chance."

"Then you can go study."

I smile. "Yeah. Right. I'll go crack those books open right away."

"Jax…"

"Shh," I say. "I'm in charge now."

Willow sighs. "That should turn me on so bad right now. I mean, it does, in a way. You're so hot, Jax. Why isn't this happening?"

"It's a weird feeling," I say. "Now shut up and rest."

I walk out of Willow's bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

I take a deep breath and shake my head.

I can go right back in there and fuck my tutor.

She's right there. Waiting.

And what am I doing?

I'm going to go order her some chicken noodle soup…

… and think about someone else I want to fuck instead.