CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
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Sometime in what I think is the middle of the night Jax's phone rings and he has a short mumbled conversation before he turns over, throwing an arm over my waist he buries his face in my hair and takes a few deep breaths. "Time to get up darlin', duty calls."
I groan and roll out of his embrace, my feet hit the floor as the smell of coffee invades my nose, deciding that showering and dressing can wait I follow the smell to the kitchen where I find Gemma standing at the counter, a tray of coffee's from Lumpy's in front of her and a loaf of what looks suspiciously like Bobby's banana bread beside it.
"Good morning baby, how'd you sleep?" She asks brightly.
"Not bad, but I feel like I could sleep another few hours." I say, thanking her as she hands me a cup of strong black coffee. The first few mouthfuls burn my tongue but I'm so grateful for the caffeine that I barely notice.
I've drunk half my coffee before Happy and Jax both stumble out to the kitchen, Jax's hair is wet, trails running down his face and darkening the collar of his blue shirt. I absent-mindedly watch a drop of water run from his hairline, down his cheek where it collects a few more before trailing down his collarbone and vanishes from site. Completely unaware of anything I lick my lips.
Gemma waves her hand in front of my face, "You done ogling my baby?"
My face flames red but I shake my head, locking eyes with Jax. "Never gonna be finished ogling him as long as he looks that good."
Gemma laughs and I leave the room as fast as possible, heading towards his room for my toilet bag and clean clothes. The bathroom and a shower of my own. The room is steamy and smells very distinctly of Jax when I push the door open, he's left his towel on the floor and his shampoo bottle is open on the floor of the shower. Tidying up behind him I get out my body wash, shampoo and razor before turning the shower on.
Surrounding myself in the smells of vanilla and black orchid makes me relax but yesterday's shock is still at the forefront of my mind, and even if I wouldn't say it I feel like I've put everyone's lives in danger just by returning to Charming.
A knock at the door breaks me from my thoughts and Gemma's voice comes floating in, "We're leaving in 20 minutes. You gonna be good to go?"
"Yep." I call as I flick the shower off and step out; looking round the room I'm unimpressed when I notice the pile of towels that I had put in here the previous morning are gone. Opening the door I stick my head out, "Hello, towel please?"
Jax comes out of the kitchen and stands at the end of the passage. "Didn't you take one in?"
I glare at him, "No. I put about 8 in here yesterday."
"Not sure where they went, but the one I used was the last one. They're in the linen cupboard, right there." Jax points to his linen cupboard, which is halfway between where he's standing and the door I'm hiding behind.
Throwing open the door I walk down the hall completely nude towards him, passing the cupboard I come to a stop a few inches from him, my hair is wet and running down my skin, the water is cooling and I feel my nipples pucker behind the sheet of dark brown. "That wasn't very nice Jackson." I tell him, flicking my hair behind me. It lands with a wet splat on my back, the ends curling away from my ass.
Jax's eyes flick down then back up to my eyes, an unusual look crosses his eyes and I don't try and decipher it. "Sorry." He snaps before spinning around and storming back into his kitchen. I grab a couple of towels and go to get dressed wondering what I've done to piss him off this time.
I'm back in the kitchen 15 minutes after Gemma's time order was given, dressed for the day in another pair of shorts, a cropped shirt and sandals I'm the complete opposite to how Gemma is, she's wearing a white business shirt, blue jeans and boots.
Gemma gets into the driver's seat of her car while Happy and Jax try and hide in the back, we have to take them back to get their bikes from Gemma's house, and for a second I wonder why she came over but the coffee in my bloodstream cuts that thought off and is just grateful.
We're on the main street of Charming when I turn to Gemma, "Can we get more coffee, please."
"Sure thing." She pulls into a car park within a couple of seconds Jax is at her door asking her what the problem is.
"I wanted more coffee." I tell him, I'm a bit annoyed at his reaction this morning but can't be bothered fighting with him so I try and let all the irritation I feel disappear before I speak.
I climb out of the car and meet Jax at the front of the car, "I'll only be a few minutes."
"Get the normal order, plus yours." Gem calls from the driver's seat.
Jax shoots a look over his shoulder, "Ma! I want her off the street, not walking it."
The words make my back bristle and I feel like an angry cat, I'm not sure if what he said was meant to be protective or to make me sound like a hooker but he's succeeded with the second. "Jackson Nathaniel Teller you are an asshole." I shout at him, ignoring the looks of the people standing around us. Most of them I vaguely recognise but I can't be bothered trying to place them.
Spinning round and stomping into the store I place the order for the usual from Gemma and ordering myself a triple espresso. A wicked smile crosses my face as I consider that Jax will have to deal with me coming off a coffee high in a few hours but an obnoxious throat clearing behind me causes the smile to fall. Looking in the mirror behind the counter I see Cousin Jacob standing behind me. Forcing a polite smile I turn around.
"JJ, how are you?"
"I heard you were back in town. But associating with that lot again. Really Sarah, did you not learn last time?" JJ's face looks like he's swallowed a lemon and I'm surprised he bothered to talk to me, but I guess if he was right behind me he couldn't really ignore me.
"Obviously not, now did you want something?" My coffee order has just been placed on the bench behind me and I grab the 2 trays and turn back to him hoping the ordeal will be over.
"Yes, unfortunately Father has found out you're back as well and wants you to come for dinner on Saturday." JJ is speaking like he's smelled something bad and his face is still screwed up.
"Tell Uncle Jacob that I'd be happy to be there." I turn to leave the store, "Oh, and JJ, if you keep looking like that your face will stick that way."
I shove the door open with my foot and step outside, Jax is gone but Happy and Clay are still waiting patiently by their bikes. Climbing into Gemma's car is a little difficult but she leans over and takes the trays while I get sorted in the seat.
"Thanks." I sigh.
"Wanna talk about it?" Gemma asks.
"What?" I know I sound startled and I wonder if she knows about this morning's towel incident.
"I saw you talking with Jacob."
"Oh, yes. I've been ordered to go there for dinner on Saturday, the same day as the wrap party." I say, looking over at Gemma.
"Fuck."
"Nah, Uncle Jacob will have dinner on the table at 5, we'll be done by 7 and we both know that none of the Sons will be at that party till 8 at the earliest, even with free food and pussy, gives me at least an hour to go from responsible niece to party guest at a fuck factory."
"True." Gemma nods in agreement with a chuckle as we pull into the lot.
Standing round the office door is all the Sons, the mechanics are trying to be discrete from the other side of the lot but I can see them looking in that direction every few seconds.
"What's going on? Does this have something to do with why Jax compared me to a hooker?" I ask.
Gemma nods and opens her door, "Yeah, but we're about to find out how bad it actually is."
"What?"
"Craig visited the shop last night at some stage. Apparently he left a gift for you on the door." Gemma's nose wrinkles.
"Please don't tell me it's another dead animal? They wouldn't be that cruel to make me have to deal with that would they?"
"It's nothing dead." Gemma assures me, putting her hand on my shoulder.