Page 75 of Don't Think

“Jax!” Ana calls, cupping her hands around her mouth to carry the sound.

He stops mid-conversation with James, glancing up the second he hears his name.

She waves him over, and he excuses himself quickly, then makes his way over to us.

My stomach dips watching him come closer, like everything is moving in slow motion. Maybe that bartender actually was giving me alcohol…

“What’s up?” he asks, eyes lingering on mine for just a beat before shifting to Ana.

“You feel like babysitting?” she asks, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

“Babysitting?” he echoes with a raised brow.

“Yep. This one here decided it’d be cute to have a few more shots while I wasn’t looking.” She squeezes my shoulder.“Would you mind taking her home?”

He nods. “Sure thing.”

She pats my shoulder twice before running off toward James, sliding onto the stool beside him as she bursts out laughing.

At least I’m not ruining anyone’s night.

Nora’s with Gareth, and Ana’s with James. It’s basically worked out for everyone. Except for Casey being alone in their hotel. But Jax said Casey’s pretty much the loner type, so…

I guess, in the end, it works out for him too.

Breathless. Naked. Sprawled out on a king-size bed with a gorgeous man lying beside me.

This isn’t exactly how I pictured this vacation going when we first planned it, but you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It feels like all my dreams are coming true, and I’m terrified to wake up and have it all be gone. To have this vacation end, and the only things I’m left with are the memories of actually feeling wanted by someone, and wanting them just as much.

It’s nothingbutterrifying.

My eyes land on the chair across the room with our clothes lazily draped across it. The moonlight spilling in through the window behind us serves as the only light in the room.

Jax snakes his arm around my waist, pulling me from my thoughts, our bodies barely covered by a thin sheet. He kisses the top of my head, his fingers softly brushing against my cheek as my eyes flutter closed.

This is a perfect example ofwhythis is my favorite part.

Heneverforgets to take care of me before, during, and after we have sex. His hands are constantly on me like he can’t get enough, and it absolutely drives me wild.

His fingers travel down my back, not stopping until they rest gently against my bare thigh.

“What’s yourwildestdream?” he asks quietly, his voice cutting through the silence around us.

Whatismy wildest dream? I don’t think I’ve ever really sat and thought about it. I never bothered dreaming because I thought what I hadwasthe dream.

That was until it became my worst nightmare.

“Honestly?” I look up at him, repositioning my head against his shoulder. “Just to have a big family with norealstress. Nothing too big.”

“Woah, slow down there killer,” he chuckles before placing another soft kiss to my shoulder.

The room falls back into silence; the only sound I can hear is the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the soft hum of the air conditioner across the room.

Dreams.

I’ve always been the type to see the glass as half-full, to stay optimistic no matter what situation life threw my way. I did the best with what I had, and that was just always enough.