The Last Second Chance: A Small Town Love Story (Blue Moon Book 3) (17 page)

“You’re very creative with your choice of punishments.”

“I started a list for the twins so I don’t have to think of anything on the fly when they steal Summer’s car or set the drapes on fire.”

Jax grimaced. “I forgot about that. Mom wouldn’t let us watch TV for a month after that bit of arson.”

“Yeah, and she made us reenact all of her favorite episodes of
The Golden Girls
.”

“You made a really great Blanche,” Jax recalled. “Mom was insane.”

“I hope I’m half as insane as she and Dad were raising us. Then at least one kid will turn out okay.”

Jax thumped Carter on the shoulder. “Don’t forget. You’ve got Summer and she’s way more organized and diabolical than Mom and Dad ever were.”

Carter smiled. “Remember all of those bologna sandwich dinners because no one could ever remember who was supposed to cook?”

“Your kids will have memories just as good,” Jax predicted. “Except it will be like disgusting soy tofu sandwiches on organic bread with vegan cheese.”

“Are
Golden Girls
reruns are still on?” Carter wondered wistfully.

“I don’t know, but did I tell you I walked in on Mom pulling a Blanche this week?”

W
hile Jax
and Carter finished stacking the straw bales, Joey placed a call to a friend of a friend who happened to be director of a racing stable in New Jersey to see about scheduling a facility visit. Waffles snoozed under her desk.

She was just wrapping up when Gia and Summer’s excited faces plastered against the glass of her office door.

“That works for me, Sheri. I’ll put it on the calendar and email you closer to the date,” she said before ending the call.

Joey debated sitting there and pretending she was still on the phone until the girls got bored and went away. But no one would believe that she would willingly stay on the phone for longer than five minutes at a time.

With a sigh, she hung up.

They burst through the door in a bubble of energy.

Summer flopped down in a chair while Gia made a beeline for the coffee.

“Okay, tell us everything,” Summer demanded.

“Well, the feed price went up ten percent, but I was able to talk Chuck down to five—”

“Look who has a sense of humor when she gets laid,” Gia teased.

“Don’t you two have a magazine to run or something?”

“All business is officially on hold until you spill,” Summer said, tilting her head.

“Yeah, we could keep you in here for days so you might as well start talking,” Gia said airily.

“Jax and I had sex. What more is there to say about it?”

“It must have been really disappointing otherwise she’d want to share at least an orgasm count,” Gia speculated.

“I think you’re right. It was probably awful and they’re never going to do it again,” Summer agreed.

“So did his genitalia shrink since high school or did you just forget how Tab A fits into Slot B?” Gia asked.

“There’s something incredibly wrong with you two,” Joey said, shaking her head. “It wasn’t awful. It was great. Really great. So great it hurts to sit on a horse today.”

Gia squealed.

“I’m just going to start holding up fingers and you tell me when to stop when I hit the correct number of orgasms,” Summer told Joey.

“Okay, so what does this all mean? Are you together? Was it just a one-time thing?” Gia demanded.

Joey was momentarily grateful that Jax had forced her to put a label on it. “It means we are casually seeing each other. Keyword
casually
so don’t either of you get any bridal magazine ideas.”

Gia clapped her hands together. “I’m so happy for you two! It’s like Christmas all over again.”

“Yeah, if Santa doled out orgasms,” Summer cracked. “Which, by the way, did you forget we’re playing how many O faces?” She wiggled her fingers.

Joey kicked back in her chair. “I didn’t forget. You just didn’t hit the magic number yet.”

They whistled their approval.

“Those Pierces know how to deliver,” Summer said proudly. “So how do you feel?”

Sore. Happy. Satisfied. Scared shitless. Guilty.
The list went on and on. “Fine.”

Gia rolled her eyes. “Fine? That’s the answer Evan gives me when I ask him about his day at school and he got detention for a food fight and an incomplete because Diesel ate his Civil War diorama.”

“Oddly specific,” Joey commented. She looked through the dusty glass to make sure Jax wasn’t lurking. “Is it normal to feel a little conflicted? Maybe a lot conflicted?” She let her breath out in a whoosh.

Gia and Summer exchanged a glance and remained eerily quiet.

“I’m just…confused? I guess?” Joey frowned. “I told him in no uncertain terms that I’m not looking for a relationship. I even made sure to tell him before we had sex.”

“Uh-huh,” Summer said.

“And so then we have sex, with the knowledge that I have no intention of pursuing a future with him.”

“And then?” Gia asked.

“And then after—and maybe a little bit during—sex he tells me he loves me.”

“Oh, boy. That’s sneaky,” Gia said with approval.

Summer grinned, and shifted in her seat. “Okay, I seriously have to pee so I’m going to make this quick. It sounds like you both were clear with your intentions and now it’s just a battle of the wills to see who wins.”

“You make it sound like we’re going to war.”

Gia snickered. “You’re going to the mattresses!”

“Oh, because now we’re in the mafia, obviously.” Joey rolled her eyes.

“On that note, pee break.” Summer pushed herself out of the chair.

Joey waited until Summer left the office. “She looks tired.”

“She’s working too much,” Gia agreed. “Did Carter say anything to you?”

“About convincing her to take a honeybaby?”

“I think you mean a babymoon,” Gia corrected.

“Yeah, that.”

“What’s the likelihood of her letting us pry her away from her computer, shove her in a car, and send her away from work for a long weekend?”

“A hundred million to one. Lucky for her, I’ve got the one,” Joey said smugly.

“Really? I’m intrigued.” Gia leaned forward.

“Care to make a wager?”

Gia pursed her lips. “I’m game. What do you have in mind?”

“If I win, you make sure to tell everyone who listens that Jax and I are just casually seeing each other.”

“And if I win?”

“I’ll watch the kids for a night while you and Beckett do whatever married Pierces do, which, from what I hear about Summer and Carter, is have sex on the kitchen island.”

“Beckett shared that little tidbit with me. Did you hear about Jax walking in on Phoebe and my dad?”

They were still laughing when Summer shuffled back into the room. “Kids better be worth it. I’m starting to worry that my bladder will never recover and my feet won’t unswell to a pre-pregnancy shoe size.”

“They are,” Gia said over the rim of her coffee mug. “Mostly. Like sixty percent of the time.”

“Oh goodie. A majority.”

“I’m actually glad you stopped by, even if it was to stick your nose in my business,” Joey began, shooting Gia a look. “What’s going on with Carter?”

“What do you mean?” Summer looked immediately concerned.

“I noticed he’s looking a little…I don’t know, run down lately?” Joey said.

“I thought so, too, the last time he stopped by the house,” Gia said, catching the drift. “Is he under the weather?” she asked Summer.

Summer frowned and shook her head. “No. He’s as healthy as a California vegan.”

“Maybe he’s just working too much,” Joey said.

“He’s probably just got a lot on his mind what with the farm and the brewery and the twins,” Gia mused.

“I’ve been getting work emails from him in the middle of the night,” Joey improvised.

“The other week he mentioned something about going away for the weekend,” Summer confessed. “But I told him it wasn’t a good time with the magazine and everything.” She chewed on her lip.

“You’re probably right,” Gia said. “You’ve got a lot on your plate and you probably wouldn’t even be able to relax.”

“Well, I do need to vet a substitute editor for when I’m on maternity leave,” Summer sighed.

“Like a short-term dry run. That’s not a horrible idea.” Joey tried to keep the gloat out of her voice. “And maybe you could use the vacation to confess to Carter that you already know the sex of the babies.”

Summer stuck her tongue out at Joey. “Funny. It’s very important to Carter that we’re surprised. So we are going to be surprised. This is my way of proving how much I love him.”

“By doing something completely against your nature?” Joey asked.

“Exactly,” Summer nodded.

Joey rolled her eyes. Love made normally smart people do very stupid things. At least by casually seeing Jax, she’d be able to keep her wits about her.

Summer was busy rolling with the idea of a weekend away. “I suppose it could work. I could afford to take a few days off. If we work ahead with the editorial calendar and have the content scheduled out.”

“I don’t think it would be a problem,” Gia nodded.

Joey slapped her palm on the top of her desk. “You should surprise him!”

“What?”

“Yeah! Plan the trip, book it, and then tell him about it. Jax and I can cover the farm. He won’t have an excuse not to go.”

“Yeah,” Summer nodded. “Yeah! I can do this. I can surprise my husband with a getaway and use the time to work out the kinks with a new editor. I’m gonna do it!” She pulled out her phone and started swiping furiously through screens. “Now, where should we go?”

Joey shot Gia her cockiest grin. Behind Summer’s chair, Gia bowed in unworthiness.

I
t was
early afternoon before Jax was able to catch back up with Joey. She had a self-satisfied smile on her face as she loosened the girth on Tucker’s saddle.

“I like seeing you smile,” he told her, stepping in with the dual purpose to help and to be closer to her.

Joey snorted. “You like seeing a lot more than my smile.”

“You speak the truth.” Jax pulled the saddle and blanket off of the big bay and placed it on the bench that Waffles was wriggling under to investigate one of the barn cats. He sent the dog into a spiral of delight with a good belly scratch.

“What could possibly put you in such a good mood today?” he asked with a devilish grin.

“Keep your happy wand in your pants, Ace. I just orchestrated some high level mental espionage that I’m feeling really good about.”

“Care to elaborate?”

Joey unclipped Tucker’s lead from the eyehook on the wall. “I may have convinced Summer to take a long weekend trip with Carter. I also may have made it her idea.”

Jax took the lead rope from her. “You’re so sexy when you’re manipulative.”

Joey tossed her braid over her shoulder and followed along as Jax led Tucker back to his stall, her hands shoved into the pockets of her down vest. “I am, aren’t I?”

“How did it go with your parents?” he asked.

Joey shrugged. “Mom wasn’t surprised. And she’s going to be the one to break it to Dad. So it was better than I expected.”

With Tucker happily munching on a scoop of grain in his stall, Jax hung the lead on a hook outside the stall and secured the door. “Did you have lunch yet?”

“Not yet.” Her voice was suddenly husky and it went straight to his groin. “Where are Carter and Colby?”

“Over at the barn.”

“So we have the place to ourselves? Interesting.” Joey said, sidling a little closer. She ran a finger down his flannel-covered chest.

It was one finger touching shirt, and it was enough to have Jax grabbing her and attacking her mouth. He walked them backwards until the wood of the wall bit into her back.

“Let’s go to your house,” he muttered, his mouth continuing its assault.

“Too far,” Joey breathed. Her fingers threaded through his hair and fisted.

“Tack room?”

“Tack room.”

Joey shoved the door closed behind them and Jax immediately pounced, shoving her against the wall. A tangle of bridles came crashing down on her. She fought her way away from the wall and backed Jax up against the sink cabinet. He shoved her winter vest off of her shoulders and sent his long, nimble fingers dancing under her sweater.

“God, you are so sexy when you’re dressed for work.”

“You have the weirdest fetishes,” Joey teased, sliding her hand lower to cup him through his jeans. She felt him hard and throbbing against her palm. “Wow, you really do like breeches and boots.”

“I like anything you’re wearing, anything that I can take off.” He pulled her against him and shifted his hips to grind into her.

Their tongues and breath tangled and Joey hooked one leg over his hip. The friction was magic and she wanted more of it. Jax picked her up and spun her around so she sat on the edge of the counter.

He pulled her legs high on his waist, grinding his hard-on against the exact spot that Joey needed the pressure. She unbuttoned his flannel and dipped her hands inside, stroking hard muscle, hot flesh.

She felt dizzy with need. Arousal pooled between her thighs, begging him for more. He slid her sweater up revealing a serviceable sports bra. And when he flicked his thumbs over the nipples straining beneath the fabric, Joey thought she was going to come right then and there.

Until she heard her name being called from the other side of the door.

“Chuck,” she gasped.

“My name’s Jax.”

“No, Chuck!” she hissed, pushing against Jax’s chest.

“Fine. You can call me Chuck.”

This time when Chuck called her name, Jax heard it too. “Oh, that Chuck.”

“Damnit!” Joey jumped off the counter and tried to straighten her sweater. “Do I look like I was just about to have sex?”

“Oh, yeah,” Jax said with an appreciative grin.

“Stop it!”

“Stop what?”

“Stop looking at me that way or I’m sending you out there.”

Jax looked down pointedly at his raging erection. “Yeah, cause that would be good business.”

Joey made herself as presentable as she could before reaching for the doorknob. She paused and glanced back at Jax. His hair was messed up, his shirt was unbuttoned, and he had a cocky grin fixed on his face.

“Rain check?”

Joey grinned despite herself. “Yeah.”