I have been writing and editing this chapter for months now, but have never seemed completely happy with it. However, I do want to push through this writers block so I figured I would post it and just keep on going. Please let me know what you think. Reviews really do help keep me motivated. And I have to apologize for taking so long to update.
Chibs paced slowly in front of the living room window, periodically checking behind the curtains for signs of vehicles coming near the house. He knew that Jax was probably right and that no one from the Grim Bastards would move in on Jax's house, but he didn't feel comfortable with "probablys."
"Lowell, can we watch this?" Abel asked, bringing Chibs back to the room. He turned to find Jax's oldest son handing Laurel a DVD case. She looked up at Chibs and smiled, holding up a copy of Minions for him to see. He smiled back at her.
"Of course," Laurel answered, getting up from the floor and opening the DVD case. She looked over at Chibs again on her way to the TV and gave him a small, awkward smile that blushed her cheeks. Chibs looked at her and wondered what that look meant, but turned back to the window instead of thinking too much of it.
Laurel saw the "what was that?" look that Chibs had just given her and blushed harder. She found herself feeling nervous around him since Gemma left and it felt odd. She used to enjoy his company whenever he was around but now she felt like she had to watch whatever she did. He looked so good tonight, being strong and protective, and when she looked at him she kept picturing her dream and all of the ways he made her feel so good.
Besides Happy and Rat Boy parked out in front of the house, the street was quiet. Chibs felt his phone vibrate against his leg, putting him on guard. He pulled his phone from his pant pocket and opened it to find a text from Tig. All the bastards are at their clubhouse. Chibs took in a long deep breath, feeling slightly at ease for the first time that night. He put his phone away and decided that at least for the time being, he could take a few minutes to relax.
"I'll go grab some drinks," he offered, looking at Abel. "Juice lil man?" he asked, receiving an enthusiastic nod. He looked over at Laurel then who was leaning over to put the movie into the DVD player. He swallowed hard, noticing her form again. Her bottom was round and firm looking in her dark, slim jeans, and her white tshirt road up a little as she was bent over, exposing a small patch of skin over the top of her jeans where he noticed for the first time that she had back dimples. He felt himself on the verge of growing hard as he watched her, realizing that for the second time in two days, he was turned on by Laurel. He cleared his throat only slightly. "Laurel?" he asked quietly, causing her to turn her head to face him. "Drink?" he asked.
"Yeah, uh, water please," Laurel answered, returning her attention back to the DVD player, allowing him to stare at her once more before leaving for the kitchen.
She turned and watched as he left the room then exhaled deeply. She thought of how easy it seemed being with him the night before at her apartment, compared to now. She now felt almost nervous with him there, wondering if he could sense the change in how she was acting around him even though he seemed distracted by his own task. While she realized that her dream about him may have opened her eyes to how she really felt about him, it didn't mean that she wanted him to know right away, or at all.
While the movie played and Abel snuggled into her, Laurel fought with the urge to look over at Chibs sitting on the other end of the couch. Although worried that he would catch her, she eventually turned her gaze towards him, starting with his feet. She found his outretched legs crossed at the ankles and smiled in amusement at finding him wearing grey socks with Hanes printed in red underneath the ball of his feet. She continued on upwards, admiring his strong legs under his dark jeans with worn patches and just a touch of dirt on the bottom of the cuffs. His right hand rested comfortably on his right thigh, giving her an opportunity to look at his hands. They looked strong and nimble and their tanned skin provided a pleasant backdrop to the silver rings he wore on his index and middle fingers. She smiled fondly and knew he was a hard worker when she noticed the subtle dark ring around his fingernails and a few rough areas that were slightly visible from that angle. She thought of her dream again and how those hands trailed across her body. She turned warm with the thought and wondered what they actually felt like, imagining those calloused patches tickling her skin. Laurel then moved on to his forearms, visible because of his shirt cuffs rolled up half way to his elbows. She found a birthmark barely visible because of the angle of his arm and a small bit of hair trailing onto his hands from his forearms.
She smiled again when she looked at his belly, seeing that he had a softer middle, despite his toned physique. She looked down slightly, seeing the puckered jean fabric over his lap, and suddenly thought of what lay beneath. Laurel took in a deep breath, bringing Chibs attention to her without her knowing. He watched her as she looked him over. She pulled in her bottom lip slightly, considering what the weight and warmth of his body might actually feel like pressed against hers. Chibs watched in wonder, as Laurel looked him over, almost hungrily, without him knowing. When she allowed her eyes to climb higher up his body, she was embarrassed to find him gazing at her in return. Her eyes grew wide and she turned away quickly, back to the movie she was supposed to have been watching. After what felt like moments, she dared to look over at him again and he seemed to have turned towards her in unison. She smiled at him, out of reflex, and earned a smile in return, which faded quickly, but left them both staring at each other. They both took in a visibly deep breath while unable to turn away from each other.
Chibs's phone began to vibrate in his pocket and he quickly got up before removing it from his pocket as he entered the kitchen. Laurel watched as he entered the kitchen, glancing back at her before he disappeared out of view. She drew in anotherr deep breath, wondering what was going on with her that night.
"Lowell, can I have more juice please?" Abel asked quietly from beside her.
"Of course," she answered sincerely as she tossled his hair. She stood up and covered him with a blanket then bent to retrieve his cup from the coffee table.
"Any news?" Laurel asked quietly upon entering the kitchen, finding Chibs leaning against the counter next to the fridge, typing quickly into his phone. He looked up at her as she walked in front of him and shook his head.
"No, jus' Tig wonderin' if Jackie was 'ome yet," he explained, leaving out the part of the text that informed him that nothing seemed to be happening at the Bastards clubhouse and that they didn't expect any retaliation tonight. She opened the fridge and grabbed the carton of juice then stood beside him to pour a cup for Abel. Chibs looked around the kitchen at all of the empty counter space she could have used and grinned. He then felt her elbow brush across his arm as she lifted her arm to pour. He turned to watch her and lost himself for a moment. She was looking down with her head titled to the side, causing her hair to fall towards her back, exposing her neck. Her skin looked soft and perfect and he wondered just how it would taste. She finished pouring and walked in front of him again to return the carton to the fridge, this time, making eye contact with his dark hooded eyes.
She didn't know exactly when things had changed for him, but she knew that her dream was the catalyst for her sudden desire for him. She stood about a foot in front of him, frozen, and stared at him as he did the same. He barely parted his lips and licked them, drawing her eyes to his mouth and the scars that led away from it. Not knowing why, she desperately wanted to reach up and softly trail her finger across one. Instead, she looked up into his eyes and found the same fire that they had in her dream the night before.
Coughing from the living room caught both of their attention and Laurel looked down at the cup in her hand. "I should," she began, raising the cup a little, then walked away from Chibs.
Almost an hour later, with about twenty minutes left in the movie, Laurel looked down to see Abel fast asleep against her arm. She leaned over to be sure and smiled up at Chibs when she realized he was out for the night. She carefully began to slide away from Abel so she wouldn't wake him and stood up quietly. As she bent down to scoop him up, Thomas began to cry for down the hallway. She stopped, looking towards his room then back at Abel.
"I'll get him t' bed," Chibs offered beside her, standing up to help her out.
"You sure?" she asked, straightening up. Chibs stepped up beside her and answered with a nod while keeping his eyes on Abel. "Thanks," Laurel added then made her way towards Thomas's room and turned back at his doorway. She stopped to watch as Chibs bent down and carefully lifted Abel into his arms, resting him against his chest. Abel shifted a little in his sleep and draped his arms around Chibs's shoulders as he tucked his head into the crook of Chibs's neck. He stopped and rubbed Abel's back gently in order to settle him. He gave her a quick wink as he began her way, causing a flutter in her belly, even though she knew that it was just Chibs's ways of saying it was no big deal. She smiled in return and noticed how neither of them broke the eye contact they shared until he had walked past her.
Laurel sighed at seeing a softer side of Chibs and felt her heart beating quickly in her chest as he walked by her. She took a deep breath to clear her head and entered Thomas's room, noticing the strong odour of a dirty diaper. She smiled when she spotted Thomas standing up in his crib in the dimly lit room, and decided to leave the light turned off in hope that he would settle after a diaper change. She picked him out of his crib and adored how he rubbed his sleepy eyes with both hands. After quickly and quietly changing his diaper, she lay him back into his crib and left the room to wash her hands, giving him a moment to settle on his own.
"Looks like I got the easy job," Chibs rumbled quietly as he entered the room after Laurel had returned, seeing her standing beside the crib. His voice stirred something in her again and she played it off with a quiet chuckle, looking down at Thomas who was already sleepy again. From the corner of her eye she saw Chibs settle in beside her, just as Thomas's head drifted to his side and he fell back to sleep. "I remember when 'e was first born," Chibs said happily, looking down at Thomas and seeing traces of Jax in his relaxed face.
"Yeah?" Laurel asked, looking at Chibs beside her, who was smiling fondly.
"Changed quite a few of his nappies, t' be honest," he admitted, remembering how he used to frequently check in on Tara after Thomas was born, while Jax was in prison.
"Really?" Laurel asked, surprised, trying to picture him navigate his way around a dirty diaper.
"Aye," he answered proudly with a nod. "I was quite good at it, too," he looked over at her. "Strong stomach."
Laurel began to laugh but stopped herself, not wanting to wake up Thomas. She looked at him quickly then back at Thomas. Chibs stepped in closer then, resting up against her left arm. She tensed but didn't flinch at his contact. She wanted to say something but her mind drew a blank. All she could focus on was the warmth of his body and how the back of his hand seemed to lightly brush against her own with each breath they took.
"He looks a lot like Jax when he's asleep," she noticed out loud. She was so used to seeing Thomas smile so much while he was awake, that when he slept and relaxed his face, it was almost odd to see how much he looked like his very serious father.
"Yer used t' seein' Jax asleep?" Chibs asked playfully, knowing what she meant but playing with her statement that was left open for interpretation.
"No, not at all, I just meant," she turned to look at him in order to explain herself and found him giving her a cocky little smirk that drew up the right side of his mouth, creating a beautiful dimple in his cheak. "You're messing with me, aren't you?" she asked, turning away as she finally figured out what Chibs was doing. She nudged her elbow into him quickly when she heard his breath quietly escape him in a laugh causing him to let out an "ooooff" in reaction to her elbow.
"Aye," he happily answered, enjoying the friendly give and take they seemed to be getting into again. Chibs felt her stiffen then as his hand touched hers again, and liked that he could make her feel a little nervous. He looked at her then, watching Thomas sleep. In the soft light, her skin was glowing and he could tell that her breathing was more erratic than usual. He smiled in response to feeling Laurel push back against his own hand, creating constant contact between them. Chibs leaned closer to her then and very slowly slid his hand forward and turned it in order to engulf hers. Laurel's breath caught and a warmth spread throughout her entire body. His hand was warm and soft but strong and she could feel the slight roughness she expexpcted while looking at his hands earlier in the evening. She didn't dare turn to look at him but could feel him looking at her, and she liked it. Chibs then turned his body completely towards Laurel, pressing his chest against her shoulder and arm before bringing his head closer to hers, daring her to look up at him.
Nervous, Laurel's breath caught, revealing her feelings. "You're holding my hand," she awkwardly muttered, not knowing why she said it. She expected him to laugh at her but heard nothing. Instead, she turned her head to look at him and was caught off guard when her forehead grazed his chin. Her heart pounded standing so close to him and she felt herself pressing into him, testing to see if he really was that close to her. Chibs let out a slow breath and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Laurel pressed against his chest. He felt her gradually tilt her head upwards and he found her lips without looking. It began timidly, with both of them inhaling quickly at the shock of what was happening. Chibs smiled against her soft lips when he felt Laurel squeeze his hand tightly, causing a flutter to run through her when she felt the hairs of his goatee dance across her skin. She turned her body into his then, wanting to feel his body against more than her arm. The front of his cut was smooth and its smell reminded her of the ride he had given her on his motorcycle. Without really thinking, she released his hand and with both of her hands, grabbed fist fulls of leather at his chest to pull him in closer. He laughed lightly to himself at her forcefulness but also saw it as a huge turn on. His own hands snaked around and clasped onto her lower waist, pulling her in, and pressing himself against her. He grazed one hand up her back and squeezed her hard against him, not wanting any space between them.
He could feel her muscles tense as she held him and was flattered by how much she was into the kiss. His mouth was gentle against hers and his facial hair was soft yet still a little prickly at times. The little reissistance it created in allowing her to completely feel his lips made her want to kiss him harder. Laurel then softly whimpered as she felt his tongue slide between her lips and caress her own before retreating. It drove her crazy and she wanted more of him. She could hear his breath and his low moans and felt herself growing warm with desire.
Laurel pulled away from him suddenly, realizing that they were still in Thomas's room. "This feels awkward," she finally voiced between quick breathes, looking down at the sleeping toddler and not feeling right about continuing in front of him.
"Right," Chibs conceded, thinking that Laurel had second thoughts about kissing him. He let go of her and headed for the door, feeling Laurel closely behind him. He could still feel the tingle of her lips on his own and he was trying to force his growing erection to subside. Stepping into the hallway, he was surprised to feel Laurel push him against the wall just outside of Thomas's room and resume her place against his body before kissing him urgently. Chibs smiled against her lips as he felt her hands grasping onto his waist, pulling him closer as she pushed her hips into his. He hissed when he felt her body rub up against him and brought his hands up to her neck before depening their kiss.
Laurel could feel him growing hard against her body and she was reminded of her dream. She realized that reality was so much better as his tongue danced with hers and his hands roamed the delicate skin around her neck. He pulled away from her then and looked her in the eyes, breathing heavily as his own eyes grew hungry. He leaned in and found her mouth again, finding her lips already parted. With ease he pushed off of the wall and swung them around, placing her against the wall this time while he took the dominant position. Laurel sighed deeply, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being against the wall with his weight against her and felt her head drift back slightly as Chibs's hands moved from her neck to firmly grab her bottom.
"Daddy!" Abel shouted from his room.
They both heard him and froze in place, still connected along their bodies but their mouths had slightly parted. Laurel was breathing deeply but didn't dare move, hoping that Abel had simply called out from a dream and would fall back to sleep at any moment. She felt Chibs's goatee nuzzle her upper lip and desperately wanted to lean forward and kiss him again, but she waited. Chibs looked down at Laurel in his arms and saw her looking at his lips. The corners twitched into a quick smile before he moved in to kiss her again, receiving a sharp intake a breath in response.
"Daddy!" they both heard again, knowing that their moment was over. Chibs stepped away from Laurel then, giving her room to walk to Abel's room. Before she did she paused and looked at Chibs, thinking about how much she wanted to continue what they had just started. She wanted to say that she would be right back but couldn't find her voice. She nodded instead and walked down the hall, hoping to return to him quickly.
He was sitting up in bed, the blonde hair on his forehead darkened with sweat. He looked sad and scared and a little confused at seeing Laurel walk into his room instead of his father.
"Were you having a bad dream?" Laurel asked gently before sitting down next to him and lightly rubbing his back. He didn't answer her but began nodding his head. She guided him over towards her where he cuddled into her side. She could feel the heat off of him and knew that it must have been some dream. She pulled the comforter off of him to give him some more air and asked what his dream was about. Not wanting to talk about it, Abel shook his head again and leaned into her harder. "Bad dreams suck," she offered honestly. Abel nodded slightly and she laughed. "Did you want me to lay down with you for a bit?" Again he nodded, and moved away from her to lay down in his bed. Laurel adjusted his sheet and made sure that he had his stuffed bear to cuddle. She lay down beside him, propped up against her bent arm so she could see if he was sleeping. Luckily, within minutes of closing his eyes, he was back to sleep. Laurel rolled out of his bed then and covered half of him with his comforter before leaving his room again.
As Laurel was about to enter the hallway she suddenly felt nervous. She wondered if Chibs would be waiting there for her and if he would want to continue what they had started. Or worse, would he stay away from her and tell her that it was a bad idea? She tried her best not to over think it and walked out of Abel's room. She was disappointed not to find him there waiting for her but figured he had simply gone to the living room. Laurel made her way away from the bedrooms and heard his low voice at the door, along with Jax's muffled voice. As she came around the corner, she found Chibs closing the door behind Jax and Gemma, who both looked tired.
"You're back?!" she said, not knowing if she meant it as a question or a statement.
"Yeah," Jax exhaled, taking off his cut and tossing it across the back of the couch. "Thanks for stayin' late. You really helped us out tonight," he added gratefully, knowing that his sons probably appreciated having her stay with them instead of one of the Sons.
"It was no problem. It was my pleasure," she offered, feeling herself become warm as she quickly glanced behind Jax at Chibs. She crossed her arms just then, bringing her right hand up to gently touch her reddened lips. Chibs caught her movements and thought of how her lips felt against his own only moments ago. He was glad that Jax had been released but was disappointed that his time with Laurel had been interrupted.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Gemma asked suddenly. "You looked," she narrowed her eyes, then continued. "Flustered," she explained, stepping up closer to Laurel.
"I'm fine," Laurel answered easily. "Guess I'm just a little tired."
"You should get goin'," Jax offered. "How were they?" he asked her suddenly, remembering how Abel was still feeling a bit off that morning.
"They were fine. Thomas went down easily and Abel fell asleep while watching a movie," she recapped, remembering the events that led up to her and Chibs kissing. She felt her cheeks grow warm before adding "Actually, I was just in there with Abel. He had a nightmare and was calling out for you."
Jax took in a deep breath and began his way to his sons room. "Alright. You should get goin'. Thanks again, Laurel," he said.
"I'll walk ye out," Chibs offered from near the door.
Laurel shifted her gaze and found his eyes staring back at her, finding it hard to breath as she really looked at him. He was tall and strong and she remembered how good it felt to be wrapped in his arms. The look in his eyes mirrored her own and she wanted to run to him to continue where they left off. She was interrupted by Jax's voice from down the hall.
"I need you to call some of the guys and get 'em here," he said in a quiet voice at Abel's door. "We need to go over some things, so don't be too long," he finished his request with a nod then disappeared from the hallway.
Laurel looked at Chibs and both of them stood still for a moment, feeling as though there was unfinished business between them that would not get resolved soon enough. Laurel put on her shoes and grabbed her purse from just inside the living room before giving Gemma a smile as she found her clearing off the coffee table.
"Thanks for stickin' around," Gemma offered appreciatively.
"It was no problem," Laurel admitted. "If you need me again, just call, okay?" Laurel instructed, receiving a smile of thanks from Gemma.
Laurel headed outside, feeling Chibs only a few steps behind. The cool evening air felt nice on her skin and she closed her eyes as she took in a slow deep breath through her nose. She could hear the scuff of Chibs's boot heals behind her and just as she reached her car and unlocked it, she felt Chibs's hand wrap around her right hip and turn her around to face him. Laurel looked over at the house, wondering if they were being watched, and found no one. With a sense of relief at being alone once more, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled Chibs in to her, pressing hard against his lips. It was fast and aggressive, unlike their kisses inside. They both knew that they only had a moment before they had to part and they wanted to make the most of it. Their breathing was erratic as their tongues fought for dominance. Chibs's hands roamed her back and he lowered one down to grab her ass and lift her up slightly, pulling her closer into him. Laurel stood on his tip toes, loving how their bodies fit together, and ran her hands along his neck and jaw line.
Laurel felt herself begin to ache with want and knew that she should pull away, for now. With regret as soon as she had done it, Laurel pulled away from Chibs's lips and closed her eyes, lowering her head in order to compose herself. She was still held tightly within his arms as she heard Chibs let out what sounded like a low growl.
"I shou' get back in there," Chibs said quietly, understanding why Laurel stopped them. He relaxed his grip on Laurel but still held her close.
"Did," Laurel stopped, wanting to ask if he wanted to come by her place after he was finished with the club, but she hesitated, knowing that, for her, that was moving too fast. "I'll see you later?" she asked instead, looking at Chibs and finding him grinning at her.
"Aye. I'll see ye tomorrow," Chibs confirmed, staring into her glowing green eyes. He exhaled loudly then took a step back, letting go of Laurel. He continued backing away towards the house, never breaking eye contact with her. She let out of sigh as he waved and winked at her before finally turning around and heading into the house. Laurel let out another sigh and then groaned as she raised her eyes to the night sky, wishing she had invited him over after all.