Chapter 14

MILA

So, let me get this straight.

I get a text from Willow that she's sick. Like really sick.

I text her back and tell her I'm on my way over to help her out.

Never once does she mention that… Jax is here…?

Oh, and why the hell is Jax not wearing a shirt?

And he just walked out of Willow's bedroom?

I'm half tempted to just turn around and leave.

I don't want or need the story of him shirtless in Willow's room.

Do it, Mila. Just leave. Right now. Don't even think about-

"I thought Willow was sick," I say in a really nasty tone.

The kind of tone that makes a guy like Jax want to mess with me even more than he already has been doing.

"I have a magical elixir," Jax says.

The. Most. Stupid. Thing. To. Say.

"Oh, here we go," I say. "Tell me the story of how your cum cures illness."

Jax's eyes go a mile wide.

He was not expecting me to say that.

But here I am, still engaging in something like a conversation with him.

I force my eyes up.

My eyes to his eyes.

It is one million percent perfectly not right for me to even think about looking elsewhere. I cannot and will not look at his broad chest or his round shoulders or those muscles at his shoulders and neck…

I should know what those muscles are called.

Better yet, I wonder if Willow sank her teeth into them.

Jax… shirtless…

I don't want or mean to look down to see if his jeans or pants are…

"Okay, Willow text me that she's sick. That's why I'm here. What's your excuse?"

"What is going through your head right now, Mila?" Jax asks. "Am I sensing jealousy?"

"Eat dirt," I say.

I start to walk toward Willow's bedroom and Jax blocks the way.

"I gave her some medicine and some soup," he says. "She's resting."

"Yeah? What? Naked? Legs spread? Huh?"

"Wow. Your mind really goes to one thing."

I have to touch Jax to attempt to shove him out of the way.

He's hard.

Not… boner hard… but hard… muscle hard…

I can't move him an inch.

So I go around him and open Willow's bedroom door.

Willow is asleep.

Sitting up in bed, head tilted to her left side.

She's holding a container of soup.

I sneak into the bedroom and take the soup from her so she doesn't spill it on herself.

I put the lid back on and then I creep back out of the room.

I turn around and Jax still doesn't have his fucking shirt on!

"What the hell are you doing?" I snap. "Put your shirt on!"

"I can't."

"Why?"

Jax holds up his shirt and shows off a giant wet spot.

"What happened there?" I ask.

"Willow," Jax smirks. "She makes a mess when she gets excited."

"That's disgusting. And if that's true… you know what? Never mind. I'm not doing this with you."

I turn to leave and Jax is somehow in front of me.

"Relax, honey," he says. "Here. Watch." Jax wrestles with his wet shirt and forces it on. "There. Okay? For the record, this is not Willow juice."

"Gross," I whisper.

"It's soup. She accidentally spilled soup on me. Believe it or not but hot soup is very hot. So I took my shirt off to not burn my skin."

"You did all this for Willow?" I ask.

"Impressive, huh?"

"I'm really confused, Jax."

"How about we sit down and catch up then? Just you and me?"

"No thanks, Jax."

"Fine. Then it's a stand and talk thing. I get it. Cool. So… I showed up for a tutoring session. And, no, that isn't some sexual thing. You know that Willow is my tutor, right?"

"I'm well aware," I say.

"Okay. Just making sure."

"Jax, this isn't a fun game anymore, okay? Whatever you think you're doing. Just stop."

"Okay… all I did was see how sick Willow looked and I made her go straight to bed. Full disclosure, I carried her to bed. I wasn't going to leave her alone being sick so I ordered some supplies for her. Got her some kick ass cold medicine. That's why she's sleeping. And I got her some chicken noodle soup."

That's my favorite soup when I don't feel good.

"Oh," I say. "That's… good."

"I didn't know she texted you," Jax says. "I mean that. I guess that means she wants me to leave."

"I don't know why she texted me either," I say. "You don't think she's like… really sick…?"

"Like dying? No. She probably has the flu. But I'm not a doctor. If she keeps burning up and feels like shit tomorrow then she should go see a doctor."

"Okay. Well, I'll just hang around here then. So you don't have to waste your time."

"I'm not wasting time. Not at all. What's your favorite thing to watch?"

"Huh?"

"Well, if you're crashing here, what are you watching?"

"I don't know, Jax."

"Yes, you do. Everyone has something they go to…"

"Actually, I kind of don't," I say. "I don't care if you don't believe me either. Okay? For example, there's some indie horror movie coming out at the end of the week. Made by someone that goes here. Am I a horror fan? A little bit. I think it'll be fun to see a movie made by someone who goes here."

"Wow. That was detailed."

"I don't know why I just said that," I say. "Um, but, yeah, I'm fine here, Jax. By myself. Okay?"

"Are you kicking me out?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing. I don't need you here lingering around."

"Nothing wrong with having a big, strong man here to take care of things."

I clutch my chest. "What will I ever do without you around?"

I walk to the door and open it.

"Really," Jax says. "Wow. You're really telling me to bounce."

"Yes. I am telling you to bounce."

Jax moves to the door. He pauses for a second. He looks down at me.

I'm waiting for him to say something but he doesn't.

The worst part?

I'm kind of let down he didn't say something else to me.