CHAPTER EIGHT

Waking up this Monday morning is a lot more peaceful than the previous ones have been. Jax's alarm still goes off unnaturally early, the obnoxiously loud beeping that startles us both awake at 645 has Jax out of bed by 650 and me shortly afterwards.

While Jax is in the shower I take the time to pile up dirty clothes and take them to the laundry, stopping by the kitchen on the way back to start the coffee machine. We have to deal with Gemma and Clay this morning, I'd prefer whiskey but Jax has to be able to ride so coffee will have to do.

Stepping back into the bedroom I'm momentarily stopped in my tracks by the sight of Jax standing there with nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips. I lean against the doorframe and watch as he gathers clean clothes before he turns at sees me following his movements with my eyes.

"See something you like?" He asks dropping his clothes on the bed and turning to look at me, the drips of water falling off his hair run in rivulets down his chest before disappearing into the towel.

I nod, stepping over to him, lifting a hand to rest my forearm on the back of his neck the other hand settling on the front of his towel. "I do see something I like. I'd like to see more of it."

Jax chuckles and slaps his hand over mine when I try and step backwards, taking the towel with me. "If you start that I'll never get to work."

Grinning slyly at him, "There would be a problem with that?"

Jax steps closer to me, his arms going under mine and he lifts me up, "Not with me, but Clay and Ma may have issues with me not showing up."

My legs wrap around his waist and I use them to pull myself closer to him, pressing my upper body against his damp skin. "I'm sure that Clay and Gemma wouldn't object to you being a little late."

Jax's arms wrap around me, the pressure of his arms against my back erasing whatever space there was between us. "You're going to be so dangerous, I can just tell." He says, lowering his mouth to mine and kissing me.

I'm internally smiling and cheering my victory when an annoying jingling comes from the dressing table, followed by another one from where my bag is sitting. Jax sets me back to my feet and shrugs one shoulder, "Rain check."

I nod with a pout, leaning up and kissing him quickly before dashing to my phone, flicking open the small silver device I hold it up to my ear "Hello?"

"Morning baby. You coming in to the garage this morning?" Gemma's voice sounds far too chirpy for barely 7am.

"Yes I am. Jax and I are just getting ready." I say, looking over at Jax where he's running his hand through his hair and talking in a low voice.

"Okay, we'll see you in an hour."

"Hey Gem." I call just before she can hang up.

"What baby?"

"Can you bring Doj with you? I'd like to remind him that I am still around."

Gemma laughs, "You want me to put him in my Caddy?"

"Yep I do, after all it's the least you can do for me for interrupting my good morning from Jax."

"Too much info there Sarah." Gemma says, "I can't bring Doj in this morning, the groomer is coming to give him a bath."

I laugh, "Good luck with that. I'll come with you after work then and spend some time with my hairball." I hang up the phone and go to my clothes, the boxes and suitcase they're in still sitting exactly where they were dropped those weeks ago.

I look up as Jax hangs his phone up, "Fuck!" He swears, running his hands through his hair and sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"What's up?" I ask straightening up, clothes in my hands.

"Clay. He wants me, Ope, Tig and Hap to go to Fresno on Friday; apparently they're having some issues with local law enforcement forgetting who lines their pockets."

Dropping my clothes to the bed I sit down beside him, tugging his hand from his hair. "So what's the problem?"

"Fresno will be coming back here Saturday, but I don't wanna leave you alone Friday night."

I shrug, "So I'll come." I suggest, a large pause before I realise he may not want me there. "If you want me to that is."

Jax's fingers tangle around mine, "I want you to come, but there is something you should know first."

I look at him, "Okay, what?"

"Fresno was my 'go to' charter." Jax trails off and I sit quietly trying to work out what he means when it suddenly hits me.

"When you were with Wendy?"

"And Tara." He finishes.

I nod, "Is there someone, or someone's, I'm going to have to face?"

Jax shakes his head, "No. I don't think so. But I just want you to know that there will be a few stunned faces that I'm not looking."

I smile at him, "Well the pussy there will have to deal with the fact that you're off the market."

Jax nods and says "I am indeed." Before he leans over and plants a kiss on my lips. Jumping to his feet he drops his towel and dresses quickly, ignoring the stunned look on my face until he's sliding his belt through the loops. Waving a hand in front of my face he chuckles, "Are you awake in there?"

I nod and look up at him. "Are you going to worry if I wear heels?"

Jax looks slightly confused, "Why would I?"

"I'd like to come in with you."

Jax nods, "Depends what sort of heels. Open toed ones. Hell fucken no way."

I grin and dangle one the shoes I planned on wearing from my fingertip "What about these ones?" The boots that are hanging from my finger are bright blue, thick soled and square heeled, the only real decoration on them coming from the gold spikes and studs that start at the back of my foot and cover the heel.

"They'd be okay." Jax stutters out, "Not so sure about that. What is it?"

I look at the pile of clothes he's pointing at and giggle, the skull barely showing under the jeans and shirt I'd picked out, "They're cute." I pull the offending item from the pile and show Jax, the black boy shorts have a skull and crossbones on one side and a twin line of roses from the top of one side to the bottom of the other.

Jax shakes his head and walks from the room. "If you say so."

I hear him a few seconds later clattering around the kitchen, getting dressed doesn't take me long sliding the black jeans and grey shirt decorated with the same style skull and crossbones only occupies a couple of minutes but unbraiding my hair and tying it into a low ponytail takes a bit longer.

Jax is leaning against the table when I finally make it to the kitchen, his coffee cup in his hands, steam drifting slowing over the rim. "Here, I poured you a cup." Jax says, handing me a cup full of coffee.

After taking a tentative sip I quietly thank him while gathering the croissants we'd brought the day before. "I'll have breakfast ready in 10. Is that okay?"

Jax nods glancing at the clock over the door. "As long as we're outta here by 750 we're fine."

It's only 710 but I hurry slightly while I cook breakfast. The plate that lands in front of Jax shortly after is loaded with scrambled eggs, a few slices of bacon and a croissant which I toasted under the grill. "Breakfast."

Jax blinks at the plate then up at me, "That was fast."

Shrugging I retrieve my plate and sit opposite him, "Lots of practice."

We eat in almost complete silence it's not awkward but very peaceful. By 745 I've rinsed off the dishes and loaded them into Jax's ancient dishwasher that still surprises me that it works, the clothes that we'd left on the living room floor and the ones I slept in have been added to the washing machine and it's been set going and I'm standing by the front door with my jacket in one hand and both new helmets in the other waiting while Jax retrieves his kutte from the living room.

Looking at my watch while Jax locks the door I chuckle, "750 exactly."