grinned.
Jax shook his head, leaned back against the Jeep, and looked at Maddie. “I’ll work up a bid and email it to you.”
“Thanks.”
He looked behind her to the inn. “Phoebe left you the property because it meant something to her. If you really don’t want
to sell it, stand your ground.” He flashed her a smile. “Be Louise.”
The smile was devastating and contagious, damn him. “I’m trying. But there are problems.”
“Yeah. It’s called life.”
“The mortgage is in arrears. I think the property is actually upside down on its loan. Which is a mystery to me, because like
you said, I believe this place meant something to Phoebe, sentimentally anyway. But if she wanted us to keep it, why did she
leave every last penny in a trust for someone else?”
He paused, as if carefully picking his words. “There are things you can do. Talk to your original lender, for one. Get an
appraisal and refinance. And have you actually verified that there are no funds other than the trust? You’ve talked to the
probate attorney and have a list of Phoebe’s assets and accounts? Because that might lead you to… other avenues.”
“There you go,” she murmured, a little surprised to find that even more attractive than his butt were his brains. “Sounding
like more than a pretty tool belt again. Maybe even like a… lawyer.”
“And that’s bad?”
She didn’t answer, didn’t know how. It wasn’t exactly a rational fear she was carrying around.
“Let me guess,” he said. “It’s one of those things you don’t want to talk about.”
“Definitely.”
Their gazes collided.
Held.
Time seemed to stand still, which was not only odd, but silly. Time never stood still, not even for sexy superheroes. When
he pushed off the Jeep and stepped close, her pulse immediately kicked into high gear. “Thanks for coming,” she whispered.
“I—”
Slowly, purposefully, eyes still locked on hers, he invaded her personal space bubble.
She sucked in a breath as heat spiraled within her.
“You…” he said, trying to help her along.
“I can’t remember a single thought in my head.”
Gentle but firm hands settled on her hips, and he backed her into the Jeep.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.
“Giving you a new thought.” Leaning in, he covered her mouth with his and kissed her, his tongue teasing lightly, keeping
it soft until she moaned. Then he deepened the kiss into a hot, intense connection that had her head spinning and her blood
pumping as their bodies molded together. Unlike last night’s tender kisses, this was a little demanding, and a whole lot wild,
and when he slid a thigh between hers, she lost her ability to think.
Last night, he’d been seeking permission. Not this time. This time, he buried his fingers into her hair and claimed her mouth,
pulling her in even closer, a hand caressing down her back as if to soothe as well as incite, claiming another little piece
of her heart in the process.
Sneaky bastard.
She’d tell him so, but her tongue was a little busy. So were her fingers, first enjoying the play of the muscleson his back, then holding on tight just in case he had any ideas about trying to get away. Because she wasn’t done, not even
when Izzy gave a little whine of unhappiness at sharing her man.
Maddie slid her hands over Jax’s shoulders, reminding herself that enough was enough, but she tugged a thrillingly rough groan
from deep in his chest so she tightened her grip instead. By the time they broke apart, she was completely out of breath.
If it wasn’t for the Jeep at her back and the thigh he still had wedged between hers, she’d have dropped to the ground in
a puddle of lust.
“Maddie.”
His voice was low and gravely and sexy as hell. “Yes?”
“I’m going to touch your face now.”
Remembering last night and her mortifying reaction, she should have been grateful for the heads-up, but she was still dizzy
Jax shook his head, leaned back against the Jeep, and looked at Maddie. “I’ll work up a bid and email it to you.”
“Thanks.”
He looked behind her to the inn. “Phoebe left you the property because it meant something to her. If you really don’t want
to sell it, stand your ground.” He flashed her a smile. “Be Louise.”
The smile was devastating and contagious, damn him. “I’m trying. But there are problems.”
“Yeah. It’s called life.”
“The mortgage is in arrears. I think the property is actually upside down on its loan. Which is a mystery to me, because like
you said, I believe this place meant something to Phoebe, sentimentally anyway. But if she wanted us to keep it, why did she
leave every last penny in a trust for someone else?”
He paused, as if carefully picking his words. “There are things you can do. Talk to your original lender, for one. Get an
appraisal and refinance. And have you actually verified that there are no funds other than the trust? You’ve talked to the
probate attorney and have a list of Phoebe’s assets and accounts? Because that might lead you to… other avenues.”
“There you go,” she murmured, a little surprised to find that even more attractive than his butt were his brains. “Sounding
like more than a pretty tool belt again. Maybe even like a… lawyer.”
“And that’s bad?”
She didn’t answer, didn’t know how. It wasn’t exactly a rational fear she was carrying around.
“Let me guess,” he said. “It’s one of those things you don’t want to talk about.”
“Definitely.”
Their gazes collided.
Held.
Time seemed to stand still, which was not only odd, but silly. Time never stood still, not even for sexy superheroes. When
he pushed off the Jeep and stepped close, her pulse immediately kicked into high gear. “Thanks for coming,” she whispered.
“I—”
Slowly, purposefully, eyes still locked on hers, he invaded her personal space bubble.
She sucked in a breath as heat spiraled within her.
“You…” he said, trying to help her along.
“I can’t remember a single thought in my head.”
Gentle but firm hands settled on her hips, and he backed her into the Jeep.
“What are you doing?” she asked breathlessly.
“Giving you a new thought.” Leaning in, he covered her mouth with his and kissed her, his tongue teasing lightly, keeping
it soft until she moaned. Then he deepened the kiss into a hot, intense connection that had her head spinning and her blood
pumping as their bodies molded together. Unlike last night’s tender kisses, this was a little demanding, and a whole lot wild,
and when he slid a thigh between hers, she lost her ability to think.
Last night, he’d been seeking permission. Not this time. This time, he buried his fingers into her hair and claimed her mouth,
pulling her in even closer, a hand caressing down her back as if to soothe as well as incite, claiming another little piece
of her heart in the process.
Sneaky bastard.
She’d tell him so, but her tongue was a little busy. So were her fingers, first enjoying the play of the muscleson his back, then holding on tight just in case he had any ideas about trying to get away. Because she wasn’t done, not even
when Izzy gave a little whine of unhappiness at sharing her man.
Maddie slid her hands over Jax’s shoulders, reminding herself that enough was enough, but she tugged a thrillingly rough groan
from deep in his chest so she tightened her grip instead. By the time they broke apart, she was completely out of breath.
If it wasn’t for the Jeep at her back and the thigh he still had wedged between hers, she’d have dropped to the ground in
a puddle of lust.
“Maddie.”
His voice was low and gravely and sexy as hell. “Yes?”
“I’m going to touch your face now.”
Remembering last night and her mortifying reaction, she should have been grateful for the heads-up, but she was still dizzy
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