Chapter Thirty-One Madison

I knew before getting involved with Jaxson that he was the adventurous type. But I never really understood the lengths of it until spending time with him here, in New York.

The entire first week with him, he took me out every day. From showing me every sight there was to see, to a broadway show, and a ballet performance. Granted, for him it was probably nothing special, but for me it was intense, most I’ve honestly ever done.

Never has a man treated me as if I was the only object of his affection.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel like a princess. The understanding of what Kylie and Sam have tried to explain to me so many times about love and being with someone finally sinking in. The only problem is that the longer I’m away from home, the more I feel as if a piece of me is missing.

More precisely, my mom is missing… or well, at least at home where I am not.

I can understand why the others were okay with leaving home. Most of their relationships with their parents strained, but with me… it’s always been my mom and I.

Sitting upon the cream-colored chaise lounge, I continue staring out the window, letting this week's events run through my mind. As soon as my second week started, Jaxson had to get back to business. Not that I would ever complain, I know he has a business to run. On top of all the PR work he had to do for the show, something I quickly declined not wanting to deal with the headache of people being on my ass twenty-four-seven.

I suppose I just didn’t expect that he would be gone every day… all day long. And though he’s taken me to a few of his restaurants to eat, he wouldn’t allow me in the kitchen regardless of my constant ask to help him, telling me that this is my vacation and I need to relax. Though all it’s done is remind me of everything I’m missing out back home.

I’ve never been someone to relax. Maybe after work with a glass of wine or occasionally on a weekend. But other than that, I don’t. I wake up, work, and go to bed. It’s what I’ve done for years. And to top it off, by the time Jaxson gets home it’s late. And he just wants to have sex or pass out. The intensity and connection we had prior to coming back here feeling further and further away every day.

Grabbing the white chunky knit blanket from my legs, I pull it up tighter around me and let out a heavy breath before picking up my phone to check the latest on social media. However, before I get too far through it… he calls. His name popping up on my phone like a Christmas light causing me to bite my bottom lip as I smile.

“Hello?” I say softly the moment I answer.

“Hello, gorgeous. What are you doing?”

Rolling my eyes, I let out a scoff of laughter, shaking my head. “Relaxing… as you instructed.”

“I see. Well… I was wondering if you would like to go do something fun today. I know I’ve been working like crazy this week and I wanted to take you somewhere. ”

The thought of actually getting out of his apartment was like fireworks going off in my brain. There was no way I would refuse his request. “Hell yeah! Let’s do it.”

“Perfect. I’ll be out front of the building in fifteen minutes. Wear your workout clothes.”

Workout clothes ? “Um, okay. I’ll see you in a moment.”

Fifteen minutes later, I push through the front doors of the building and out into the cold air of New York City. The mass of my hair pulled up into a bun on the top of my head as I thank God for choosing my oversized knit sweater instead of my workout jacket. The black leggings make it look casual while still making sure I stay warm.

Before me, a sleek black car pulls to a stop. The driver quickly gets out to open the door, only to reveal Jaxson’s smiling face on the other side. “Well, don’t you look gorgeous.”

Stepping towards the open car door, I climb in, my eyes wandering over his attire of black slacks and a button-up shirt absolutely confused as to why he would tell me to dress the way I am if he wasn’t going to be dressed this way. “Uh, why are you dressed up and I’m not?”

“Because my change of clothes are already where we’re going.”

Change of clothes? What the hell does he have me doing ?

He doesn’t wait for me to respond as he pulls me close to him, capturing my lips in a gentle kiss before pulling back, his eyes locked with mine as he smiles at me. “I missed you.”

“You just saw me this morning…” I retort in a playful way.

“Maybe,” he shrugs, keeping me tucked under his arm as he leans into his seat. “Doesn’t mean I don’t think of you while I’m gone. I look forward to getting back to you every time I’m away.”

There’s something sweet in the way that his words flow from him. The thought that he can’t stand to be away from me even when he has to make me wonder if for the past week, I misread his distance. I mean, he does have a life here. I can’t hold it against him for having to work.

I don’t know how long it takes us before we pass a sign that says Westchester. My brows knitting together as soon as we pull up to a massive U-shaped building with bright white letters on it that reads ‘Indoor Skydiving’. It’s the last place I expected to go with Jaxson, but considering the things he likes to do, I don’t know why I am surprised .

“What do you think?” He finally says the moment we step out of the car. “Think you’re up for a challenge?”

Challenge? Skydiving …?

Shrugging my shoulders slightly, I nod, turning to him with wide eyes. “I guess we will find out. This is definitely something I’ve never done before… and if I die… I’m fucking haunting you for the rest of your life.”

“I thought so,” he replies.

Taking my hand within his as he ushers me towards the front doors of the building. The moment we step inside, my mind is blown by how incredibly big everything is. The Ceiling is so high that it seems to go on forever. Tall clear cylinders with people in blue and black suits floating around. It wasn’t super busy right now, probably because it’s in the middle of the day—but it was something.

“Jaxson!” A man calls from across the entrance. His skin-tight blue suit matches the radiant blue of his eyes as he stares at Jaxson. Clasping his hand in greeting as the two exchange a few words and their eyes finally fall to me.

“Patrick, this is Madison. She’s going to be joining me today.”

The man’s smile widens as he glances over me before offering me his hand to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you," he says, his accent thick as the Australian influence flows off his tongue. “Jaxson didn’t tell me he had a girlfriend.”

“Something like that,” Jaxson chuckles, catching me off guard. He didn’t deny or confirm if we were together, but simply that our situation is something like that . And something about it hits a part of me the wrong way. Would it be so hard to simply say I am his girlfriend… or that I’m not?

Pushing past my emotions, I clear my throat and smile at Patrick. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m one of his childhood friends visiting.”

I make sure to emphasize the word friend as I shake the man’s hand. Not missing the flicker of emotion on Jaxson’s face from the corner of my eye. I mean he didn’t confirm or deny that we are together and in fact, he hasn’t told anyone we met since we started seeing each other. “Shall we get going?”

Patrick and I glance at Jaxson who tilts his neck from side to side before pushing a smile on his face. The eagerness in his eyes to move from where we are standing is clear, especially when he starts walking towards the large black desk on the far left wall of the building. Patrick hot on his heels leaving me standing in the foyer by myself.

A soft chuckle escapes me as I shake my head and follow after them.

If Jaxson doesn’t like those comments thrown around, he probably shouldn’t start throwing them around first. Though after the way I’ve felt over the past week, messing with him does seem more interesting than skydiving.

By the time I’m finally dressed in my blue and black suit, I step out to find Jaxson holding two blue helmets adorned in a red suit. His back to me at first, slowly shifts as he glances over his shoulder to finally see me approaching. “You ready, cupcake?”

“Yep!” I exclaim, the adrenaline rushing through me at the idea of trying this out. I’ve seen it on commercials before and on social media where people have posted how they have done it. But I’ve never had the chance to try it out.

It isn’t until he hands me a helmet that I get a proper view of him, and my mouth waters. You can literally see every inch of his perfectly sculpted body through the suit. Down to the large bulging area between his legs that seems to be covered by an internal padding to ensure it isn’t inappropriate.

He seems to notice me noticing him because when I finally glance up at his face, he’s smiling. “See something you like?”

Smartass .

“Nothing I haven’t already had,” I reply sarcastically as I give him a wink and brush past him to where Patrick is waving for us to follow.

“Is that how you want to play things?” He teases the moment he catches up to me. “Because I can play like that.”

When we step into the large white room where we will be skydiving, I stop. My body turns to face him as I tilt my head at his comment. I’ve known Jaxson for a long time, and one thing I do know about him is that if he’s bothered by something, he will make it known. And every part of me wants clarification on what we are.

Guess we’ll find out .

“You go first… show me what tricks you have up your sleeve. ”

It’s clear by how his eyes widen that my response wasn’t what he was expecting. His lips parting for a second before closing shut as his hands fiddle with pulling on his helmet. “Okay…. But I promise, it’s not as hard as other things you’re used to.”

I bet it isn’t.

The machine starts, and Jaxson slowly steps out. His arms out and in one swift motion, the wind takes him away. Soaring high into the tube as he spins around, then darts back down just like the birds I’ve seen flying outside the bakery back home. My mind is in complete awe over how amazing it all looks.

He gestures with his hand for me to follow, and my nerves kick in. Slowly pulling on the helmet, I try to regain my composure as I step up to the doorway.

Does he really want me ?

Hesitating for a moment, the thought crosses my mind. There’s only one way to find out .

Glancing over at Patrick who stands with a smile watching as Jaxson flips in the air, a mischievous idea falls into place. Curiosity has always gotten the better of me, it just so happens to be time to put a theory to the test. “Patrick… I’m really nervous. Can you help me?”

“Of course, no problem,” he replies, placing on his helmet before walking towards me.

My eyes glance up to where Jaxson is. His gaze fixed onto me and Patrick as he slows down his quick movements, seemingly watching what’s going on between the two of us. But the moment that Patrick steps up to me, one hand on my arm as his other slides down the small of my back to the curve of my ass—Jaxson fills the doorway to the airgate and lifts his visor to stare at Patrick.

“I’ll take over from here.”

Patrick pauses for a moment, staring at Jaxson before his gaze shifts to me and I play stupid, having no idea what’s going on. But proving my theory nonetheless.

He does like to make a point known… he doesn’t like people touching what he wants .

I barely have a moment to process what’s going on before I’m pulled out into the chamber. One hand on my arm, I quickly grasp what I’m supposed to do as he lifts me higher with him. His eyes penetrating mine with an intensity I didn’t expect.

One move after another, he pulls me around. The wind brushing against my skin as the weightless feeling of flying takes over and my heart rushes with a euphoric high I can’t even begin to explain. If doing the things he does makes him feel like this all the time, I can understand why he does it.

The rush, the emotions. It’s a feeling that I could easily see myself becoming addicted to.

By the time we finally come down, I can’t remove the smile off my face. Patrick is clapping for us, and telling me how well I did on my first try. But the moment he leaves the room to take a call, Jaxson snatches me to him.

“What are you doing, Madi?”

“What do you mean, what am I doing?” I reply, staring at him with complete confusion.

He snorts, running a hand through his hair as he glances at the doorway before looking back at me. “Why would you let another man touch you when you came here with me?”

Ouch… now we’re acting like a dick .

It only takes a second and everything clicks with amusement. Patrick.

“I don’t understand why you’re upset, Jaxson,” I reply with soft amusement. “He was helping me.”

“I can help you,” he softly snaps, leaning in a little closer. “That’s why I brought you here.”

Letting the corner of my mouth lift into a small smile, I run my hand across his chest and slowly look up at him underneath dark lashes. “I don’t understand what the problem is, Jaxson. I’m your friend, remember? In fact, perhaps he’s free later.”

“Watch it, Madi,” he snarls softly. “You’re mine, remember?”

“If that’s the case, Jaxson,” I reply, watching his face soften a little as I lean up to brush my lips against his. “Then start fucking acting like I am.”

His face goes void of everything the moment my words leave my lips. My body moving back from him as I smile and turn, making my way towards the door. If Jaxson wants me to be his friend, I will.

Otherwise… he better get it together.