Author's Notes:

Thank you all so much for the reviews and the following and the 'favoriting.' Thanks for welcoming this repost back as I revise each chapter day by day. With your encouragement y'all are helping me get into the habit of writing daily – which I had fallen away from. This is priceless! Again, the brand new chapter will be Chapter Eight and there might be a Chapter Nine. Not sure. Jax and Tara will have to tell me when and how their Want Me story will end. I'm just being quiet and listening. Enjoy!

[Revised Ash Wednesday 2018 (non-explicit version) – Hope you still like it!]

CHAPTER FIVE

"Hey, come on, honey

Go along home and wait for me, baby

I'll be there in just a little while….

Love my girl. She lookin' good. Lookin' real good…."

~~"Five to One" by The Doors.

A bunch of Sons surrounded him with back-slapping hugs and laughter until Piney made them all move away so that his family could get near him. Soon there was space around him and then her view of him was unobstructed.

Tara could hardly move. There he was, Jackson Eric Teller, still sitting astride his Dyna. He had taken off his helmet, revealing the buzz cut he still maintained, and was staring at her from behind those pitch-black sunglasses, his face carved in stone. She swallowed and moved forward with Abel who was tugging her hand, urging her to move faster. Just before they reached him, Gemma intercepted with a big smile on her face and a suspicious mistiness in her eyes as she hugged Jax tightly, looking him over carefully.

"You okay, baby?" She kept the heavy strain of worry and anxious relief out of her voice as best as she could. This was the first time she'd seen or spoken to him in over six weeks. What that did to her was some indescribable shit.

Jax smiled slightly. "Yeah."

Some croweaters hovered near waiting to get closer to the prince but Gemma scowled at them. Nary a one of this bunch had lifted a g*ddamn finger to help prepare for the party. They thought all they had to do was come around and spread 'em when all the men arrived.

"Ay. You mind giving him some breathing room? He wants his son, not you trick hoes. Move!"

The women slunk away pouting but determined to get their chance later, certain the prissy stick-up-her-ass doctor wouldn't be able to give it to him hardcore tonight. All the bikers wanted it rough and constant after they'd been without it so long….

Both Gemma and Jax turned to look at Tara who didn't miss a beat and thrust an excited Abel towards his father. It was only at that point that Jax finally got off the bike and whipped off his shades. He barely seemed to notice when Tara took them from him before he wrapped his arms around Abel.

"Who is this big man? Is this my son?"

Abel squealed and hugged him and it brought tears of relief to Jax's eyes which he sought to hide under the cover of a prolonged embrace. He had been afraid that his boy wouldn't be happy to see him when he finally got out. Jax remembered those painful final, visits before he was put in 'the box,' when Abel ignored him like he didn't know who he was. The child simply must have been as tired of visiting the prison as Jax was of living in it. But now Abel pressed a sloppy kiss on his cheek and held on to him while chattering loudly in his face about things important to toddlers. Jax was ready to get down on his knees and thank whatever God might exist.

Tara stood there awkwardly, watching Jax and Abel together. They were so much alike. She examined Jax covertly while his attention was diverted. She was dazzled by the transformation of his face from emptiness to joy. There were extra lines around his eyes and mouth that detracted nothing from its apollonian symmetry. He seemed all around bigger too. This she'd already noticed during her later visits to Spee, indicating that he made consistent use of the gym. The extra weight looked good on Jax.

Damned good.

But the moment came when Tara knew she'd been standing there unacknowledged too long. It was noticeable to anyone looking. And she could feel everyone looking. She was not a particularly sensitive woman except unfortunately when it came to this man. Embarrassment, longing and disappointment lay heavily on her chest. When Gemma moved in to hug Jax again while giving Tara an accusatory look, she'd had enough. After all she'd been through during the past year, Tara had zero tolerance for disrespect and bullshit no matter who was dishing it out.

Before she could take two steps away, Jax grabbed her arm. Her eyes flew to his and got caught in twin blue flames of feral emotion. The sight kept her speechlessly routed to the spot.

"Mom, take Abel." His voice was deeper and gravelly as if he hadn't spoken for a very long time.

Gemma cast a wry glance between them and took the squirming boy away from him. "There's food at your house and I called Neeta. She can keep him for two nights – if necessary." Then she promptly turned away. "Phil!"

Seemingly by magic Filthy Phil appeared out of nowhere, short of breath. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Go get Tara's purse. She's leaving."

"Yes, ma'am."

Tara bristled. Presumptuous woman! And why was this was the first time she was hearing about someone asking Neeta to watch Abel? It also bothered her that Gemma still had keys to the house that she was paying bills for, and calling 'home,' and raising Jax's son in. It was practical in the beginning but not anymore. Tara couldn't figure out why she hadn't done anything about it before now. Tomorrow she was going to –

That and every other thought flew out of her head when Jax curled a hand around her neck and pulled her into a stormy kiss. It was clumsy and searching and desperate as if he was unsure of her. He paused only long enough to say her name roughly and tunnel his hands into her hair. Angling her head, he thoroughly plundered her mouth – demanding, consuming, taking as much as he could get.

"Jax!" Tara gasped, tugging her mouth to the side so that he would have to let her breathe. No matter. He sought to claim the rest of her. Whatever part of her he could taste to assuage his hunger would do just fine….

Tara held onto him, caught in the web of his sensual onslaught. The evidence that he was on the crazy edge of lust was like a weapon digging into her abdomen. They had to slow down before things got completely out of control right here, right now…. From what seemed like far away she heard hooting and shouting and ribald encouragement which seemed to be directed towards their locked bodies.

"Hm! Not a sight for the kiddies," Lyla said cheerfully, grinning as she took Abel from Gemma to rejoin the other children in the backyard.

"Jax!" Gemma called out sharply. "Go on and take her home. These beer guzzling hyenas ain't going anywhere before you get back."

Clay squeezed her to his side with a look of amused exasperation. "We need him for Church," he said low in her ear.

She answered with a half-pitying huff. "Look at him. Baby, you're not having church today. Come on, you just got home. Give the Sons a break. Hell, give me a break. I just got you back. It's time to celebrate."

"All I need is my ride, a beer and you."

"Uh-huh. Whatever's last on your wish list, you might not get, so I'd rethink your word order if I were you."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right. You'll just have to be content with the memory of those seven one-hour conjugal visits they let you have. You –" In a rare good mood, Clay suddenly started tickling her. "Clay! Stop, you crazy man!" Laughing, she ran from him as he chased her into the clubhouse and some of the guests followed them in.

Meanwhile Phil, feeling extremely uncomfortable, approached the engrossed couple tentatively and, clearing his throat, handed Tara her purse for which he received a whispered 'thank you.' As he ambled back to the clubhouse, Phil figured that after bearing the status of being Queen Gemma's patient bitch-boy as long as he had, he should be patched the hell in tonight!

Even though their foreheads were pressed together, Jax tugged on her free hand as if she were too far away.

"Come with me," he whispered huskily, a faint threat curled in the timbre of his voice. "Now."

Tara swallowed, nodding wordlessly, and after he gave her his helmet they mounted the bike. Tara blushed at how high her skirt rode up her thighs and how he was between her legs where she could feel the flex of muscle through his jeans. He put on his shades.

"Wish I was ridin' both of them tonight, man! You trading?"

Jax slowly turned to look at the speaker. It was some fool he didn't recognize wearing a Samtaz kutte. It figured. He never liked the Arizona charter much.

When he moved to dismount and she felt the deadly violence emanating from him, Tara locked her arms around his waist. "Jackson! Take me home."

It was all she had to say.

The engine roared to life and the guttural hum vibrated through her. Jax stared at her in the side mirror, his expression hidden again, and then turned his head slightly towards her. His cheek touched her face and she brushed her lips across it. He kept himself still. She didn't know what even a chaste kiss like that did to him. Her kiss.

"You okay?" His voice cracked.

"Yes."

"Hold on tight."

He revved the engine and to dwindling cheers and catcalls, they flew away from the Teller-Morrow lot into the street. Tara looked over his shoulder at the neighborhood she knew so well, which now seemed brand new. Everything seemed brand new. She obeyed him, enjoying the wind whipping her hair, and his rock solid form, and his confidence – the way he rode a bike like he was born on it. She had missed a hundred and one things about Jax and being his 'back warmer' was honestly near the top of the list. She felt seventeen again, taking her first ride with him all those years ago. Young Jax had been so puffed up with pride when he got his first Dyna. And he tried not to appear too excited when, after five freaking months of him asking her, the elusive Tara Knowles had finally agreed to go for a ride with him.

When they arrived home, Tara slowly dismounted and handed him the helmet. She unlocked the door and he followed her in. This was it. Tara dropped the keys and purse on the dining room table and turned to face her fate. Jax took off the sunglasses and his kutte, carelessly tossing them towards the couch. The kutte balanced on the edge for a moment then fell to the floor.

Tara backed up as he stalked towards her. His white tee was taut like a second skin. Too small. It must have been the same one he was arrested in. She moved until her back touched the wall. Jax braced both hands on either side of her, leaning forward. Entranced, he bit his lower lip, studying her. He could finally touch her, as much as he wanted - his woman, his mate…

After several moments of enduring his penetrating stare a whimper escaped her lips.

"Tara," he rasped and pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he picked her up, carrying her into the bedroom. When he put her down they quickly began to strip, laughing as they tried not to break the kiss. When they were naked at last, Jax wasted no time falling backward onto the bed and pulling Tara on top of him.

Tara was touching him all over. "You're home, baby," She whispered joyfully. "You came home to me….

Their intense lovemaking finally gave way to gasping sighs and soft shaky laughter. They slid into serenity, weak and smiling. Lying on their sides they spent endless moments looking into each other's eyes and constantly touching until sleep stealthily covered them like a blanket.