Chapter 2

Jax's heart hammered in his chest and he realized he was both intrigued and angry. His hands automatically settled at her hips and he leaned back so he could see her face. She had nice bone structure and he wasn't going to deny she had a nice set of tits. Right now one of her hands was on his shoulder and the other still held the fork. He realized she was talking to him, so he focused on her mouth and the words coming out of it.

"...I promise I know what I'm doing, in the kitchen and out of it."

He watched her tongue dart quickly across her lower lip and realized he'd missed most of what she'd said. His eyes narrowed and then he reached up and rubbed a hand over his beard before he smiled. He didn't want her to realize he hadn't heard, so he just waited. He wondered why he was so distracted. He figured he probably shouldn't have finished that fifth off after the fight. The fight he probably shouldn't have started and where he'd probably broken something in his hand, but fuck it hurt...everything hurt and the whiskey dulled the pain in his hand and his heart.

She sighed. "Jackson, stop staring at my tits and pay attention." She slapped his cheek lightly, waited a beat and continued. "You like my food, you pay me and I get a kiss, but no peck on the cheek. You kiss me like you mean it." She smiled, waved the fork in front of him again and then added. "You hate it. Well, you don't have to pay me and I'll never bring the kiss up again."

He snorted, thankful that she'd given him something to focus on again. "If you win and I kiss you, it doesn't ever come up again. You understand darlin?" He watched her face. She was so cocky that at this point he was pretty sure he was going to lose if he tried the damn food and he knew he couldn't back out and not look like a complete ass...or a total pussy. He frowned. "I mean it. Never. Again."

He watched as she bit back a sly smile and gave him a look from under her lashes. She nodded, leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "I'm very discrete...unless you're paying me not be." She sat back with a wink.

He laughed, reached for the hand with the fork and as he watched her face he closed his mouth around the, now cold, morsel on its end. The temperature didn't change the fact that it was good – real good and that came with the realization for the first time all day that he was hungry. Of course, Venus was right and he knew he'd just lost the bet. He reached around her, suddenly starving, and grabbed the plate from the table. He held the plate between them and looked up to her expectantly. "It's good."

Venus shot him a cocky smile. "Everything about me is good." She handed him the fork she still held in her right hand, but didn't remove herself from his lap.

Jax shook his head and shoveled food from the plate into his mouth as he watched Venus gloat. He chewed and swallowed and then paused to reach for his beer. He took a sip to wash down his food and realized he'd almost finished what was on the plate. He noticed the look in her eye and shook his head. "You won...do I get to finish my dinner first?" He set the bottle down and lifted the fork from the plate he still held.

Venus still smiled at him and he watched her lick her lips and cock her head to the side in consideration before she asked. "Do you fuck like you eat?"

He coughed on the last bite of food, which had her giggling on his lap. She pulled the plate from him and replaced it with his beer. "Here drink before you choke to death." She rolled her eyes and leaned closer. "Unlike our mutual friend Alexander, I much prefer my kissing partners breathing." She added, which only had him sputtering into his beer.

Jax shook his head and looked up at the woman on his lap. "You're a serious piece of work, you know that?"

She flashed a smile and smoothed a lock of blonde hair out of his eyes. "I've been told that a time or two and we both know your club has paid me handsomely in the past for that very reason." She watched his face. She saw the heaviness in his guarded blue gaze and wished she could do more than make his pain disappear for a few seconds. "But..." She leaned a little closer and purposely squirmed against his thigh, "I just don't remember you personally sampling my services."

He smiled softly as he leaned back effectively regaining the space she'd taken. He shook his head. "Like I've said, I don't really roll that way sweetheart."

"Oh come on Jackson, have you ever tried it?" She leaned forward again, this time she let her hand snake up his chest to rest on the back of his neck. "I'm soft and warm, you already admitted that you like me..." Her breath brushed over the curve of his ear and she felt him shiver, watched the goosebumps bloom down along his collar bone. "My mouth can do things you've never even dreamed about." Now she let the full curve of her bottom lip stroke his ear as she spoke and her fingertips teased along the sensitive skin at the nape of his neck. Her voice was low and thick sounding and she knew he could feel the evidence of her own interest thick against his thigh. "And tell me the last time you said no when a girl offered you her ass?"

"Shit..." his eyes fluttered shut and he forced himself to swallow the dry lump in his throat. "Venus..." His hands found her hips and gripped, stilling her or him he wasn't sure. He opened his eyes and tried to focus. "Girl isn't exactly what you are though sweetheart."

She chuckled, took his hand and pressed it against her breast. "It's not exactly what I'm not either Jackson." She smiled when his hand moved, palmed the underside and his thumb brushed over her nipple. She didn't miss the sound in the back of his throat or the small hitch in his hips either. "Your mind might be saying one thing, but your body knows what it wants." She leaned in, a gasp escaped from her throat as he continued to tease her breast. "Besides, you still owe me a kiss."

He nodded then, his eyes on her lips as she wet them with her tongue. "I'm not backing out on our deal." The hand still on her hip slid up her side, grazed the curve of her breast and gently caught the curve of her cheek. "I always pay my debts." He let his other hand linger for a few more seconds on her breast and then slid that one north as well. He paused and two fingertips traced the line of her jaw, he noticed she had a bit of a shadow along her jawline and he he smiled. "Your beard's growing in." His nail moved over the new growth.

She gasped, her hand suddenly over his and she felt herself flush. "I'm so sorry Jackson. I should have shaved before you came home. I just wasn't thinking about it." She attempted to sit up and pull away.

He shook his head, a smile still on his face. "Thinking about what? Kissing me?" He pushed her hand from her face and tugged her closer with his other. "I'm a little disappointed that you don't fantasize about me constantly." He pouted at her, tugged the back of her neck again and sat forward. "The longer you sit here, the more I think about it and the more I wonder how it will feel to kiss a girl with some beard on her face."

She smiled self consciously. "I prefer you didn't think about that at all, but since you do owe me that kiss..." She shrugged and let herself be pulled closer, tilting her head to the side as she went. Her hand pressed to his chest as she exhaled lightly, the small puff fanned out across the scruff on his face and chin and she smiled when she felt it against her cheek. "I doubt you'll feel much through all your own fur."

He pressed forward, eased his head slowly up and down against the skin of her cheek. "Do you mind it?" One hand had fanned across her neck, the other moved down her side to reclaim its spot by her breast. His thumb brushed the nipple again.

Her head moved side to side and then her lips brushed his cheek. "Not...at...all" She whispered as she feathered soft kisses toward the corner of his mouth. "You're beautiful Jackson." Her breath skimmed his lips and then her lips were pressed firmly to his.

Jax didn't move at first. He let the feeling of her lips settle against his and he waited for it to feel wrong. He waited for disgust to rise up from his gut, but it didn't. Instead he found his hand moving more firmly against her breast and his mouth sliding against hers as he slanted his head to fit their mouths closer together. He pulled her head in and when her tongue moved against his mouth he opened eagerly. His tongue found hers; thrusting, playing and then retreating. He found his body moving with and against hers, straining toward her, pulling her closer. He found he wanted more and couldn't get enough. He buried a hand in her hair and gripped as he pressed toward her only to suddenly pull back and take a breath. He sat, panting and staring at the woman on his lap.

Venus looked back at him, her mouth slightly open, lips swollen and wet as she struggled to breath. A seductive smile shifted the shape of her mouth just before she spoke. "Holy fuck." She fixed her hands to his shoulders and let her weight slump forward. "That was...intense."

His posture mimicked hers and he smiled smugly. "Were you expecting something else?" His hand wandered over her shoulder and teased her jaw before he gently pushed her hair behind her ear. He didn't stop her as her head moved into the curve of his shoulder.

She turned her head and let her lips trace the muscle and tendon in his neck, she smiled and then nipped at him with her teeth. "I wasn't sure what I was expecting...Maybe that you wouldn't really let yourself go..." She took a chance and slid her hand down his chest to pause just above his belt.

He growled, low and menacing as his hand dropped to hers. "You're playing a dangerous game baby."

She kissed to his ear and pulled the lobe between her teeth biting down until she heard him hiss, then she dragged the tender flesh through her teeth, the let it pull loose. "I know how this game ends Jackson." Her lips found the flesh she'd just abused, but this time her tongue gently plied it soothingly. "I'm pretty sure you can protect me from any danger we find together..."

He lifted the hand he had over hers and when her hand slid over his erection he didn't bother holding back the moan as he lifted his hips against the pressure she provided. He heard her whisper something, but he missed the words. He was sure it was probably something soothing, or encouraging and he didn't care much at this point. He watched as she slid her other hand down and together her fingers worked his buckle open. He stopped her then. "Not here darlin..." He nodded toward the living room.

She smiled, slid from his lap and held out her hand. "Lead the way."