Anna: Hey Creepy McCreeperson, less of that.
Jax: Lol, okay. Pink sparkly dress, hair done up like a sixties pin-up girl, matching pink high heels, bright red lipstick, matching bejeweled phone case and purse, and because I’m a dude, I have to say I’m also imagining matching pink panties. Please say they have sequins.
Anna: God. I already regret giving you my number.
Jax: No, you don’t. You like to play games. How close am I?
Anna: Well, I know you’re not in my bushes. I just giggled saying that last part. Sounds perverted. But no. You aren’t close at all. Black yoga pants, a white tank top with a mustard stain from the hot dog I ate for lunch, panties are comfy cottons in the color boring-beige, and I haven’t brushed my hair in two days. Are you running yet, Jax? #girlygirl
Jax: #dreamgirl
It had the times printed with the messages. It had taken Annalise three minutes to respond because he’d surprised her. She’d expected him to be turned off and leave the conversation. In a way, she’d been testing him.
Anna: Really?
Jax: I’m relieved. I told you…deal breaker. I’m not really into girls who sparkle. Was I at least close on the phone case?
Anna: Nope. I don’t even have a cute case. My phone is just black. Dream phone case would have a cute skull on it, though. I saw one once in a store. It was expensive so I didn’t get it, but I still think it’s the cutest one I’ve ever seen. I like sugar skulls.
Annalise set the page down and ran her finger along the edge of the jewels on the phone Jax had gifted her. He’d remembered a conversation from four months ago. He’d bought her a new phone and a dream case. He didn’t seem like the type of man to give gifts easily, but he’d seen her need for a phone and filled it. And he’d done it in such a meaningful way. And then he’d listened to her last night when she’d expressed her regret over losing their text conversations and he’d printed it out.
Under that top page was a title page. The words were short and sweet.
Favorite Story
By: Anna and Jax
“Oh my gosh,” she crooned, pulling out the huge manuscript from the box.
This was her favorite present ever. He’d gifted her endless highs when she needed an escape from the hard stuff. She could pull out any page from these hundreds and be instantly transported to the moment they were having that conversation and how she felt—which with Jax, was always happy. Or as happy as she could be at the time.
Out loud, she admitted softly, “Aww, I like him.”
The vision of his glowing green eyes flashed across her memory, but she didn’t care. Because inside of this giant of a man, this dangerous man, this Titan Bad Bear, he cared, and he was sweet. Maybe the outside world couldn’t see that part of him, but she did.
And lucky her that he had shown her this hidden piece of himself.
Chapter Eight
Annalise sat on the floor surrounded by pages of Favorite Story. She’d been devouring their old conversations for the past half hour.
There was a soft knock at the door. Hopeful, she stood and jogged over the scuffed wooden floors to answer it. Jaxon stood on the ground, right near the first porch stair, his hand on the back of his neck, chin lowered, with a look of such uncertainty in his lightened eyes.
“The present,” she started, struggling for the words that would do her gratefulness justice. “Jax, that was everything.”
Must’ve been good enough because his lips curved up in a stunning smile. Just a flash before it faded and he said, “Can I come in,” in that gruff voice that said Titan was still close to the surface.
“Just so you know, my dirty mind wants to turn that perverted.”
“Can I come in your house, and in you?” he said with a bad-boy grin.
“You were always good at playing.”
The smile faded, and he leaned against the railing, staring toward the other cabins. “You needed the play. I could tell.”
“You could?” she asked.
“Yeah. You would have quieter days, but the second we started playing, you would perk up and be your abnormal, funny, perverted, weird, perfect little self again. I didn’t mind playing. It made me feel better, too.”
She gave him a naughty smile. “You may enter my mansion.”
“God,” he muttered and then chuckled as he made his way up the stairs.
She expected him to just walk on through, but his hand slipped to her waist, and he squared up to her, pinning her against the doorframe. With a quick glance toward Ben’s cabin, Jaxon leaned down and sipped at her lips. It was so surprisingly gentle that she melted against him immediately.
She loved everything about this. The way his hand stayed relaxed on her waist, as though they’d kissed a thousand times, and the way he tasted, the way his lips moved against hers like gently rolling lake waves. The way both of their animals stayed silent, like they were giving their human sides a moment to just be together, no reminders that they were monsters.
It was the most normal moment she’d experienced since she’d been Turned.
And Jax was the one giving it to her.
Awww, I like him.
Her stomach fluttered as he switched the angle of his kiss and pressed himself against her firmly. No man had ever been able to draw this kind of reaction from her body. Every cell reached for him, like they could never be close enough.
He dipped his tongue past her lips, but didn’t push for more. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers and let off a shaky sigh. Eyes closed, he brushed his fingertips down her arms and linked their hands. And then he said something that confused her. “You’re terrifying.”