Chapter 3: Broken things

Maleah

              I love sexual dreams. Even if they’re not real, they feel so good. I love dreaming about being in a man’s arms. Sometimes I never want to wake up.

              Moving closer, I keep my eyes closed and caress my hand up the hard ridges of a sculpted male stomach, then I stop. This is not a dream. And I’m pretty sure this is not Hunter.

              Frowning with confusion, I make another sweep across the velvety skin and bite my bottom lip, realizing that I’m not in Hunter’s arms.      Hunter was wiry and fit, but he wasn’t this muscular. The body beneath my fingers feels familiar, though. Coming fully awake, I blink my eyes and glance up, catching a glimpse of beautiful velvety muscles. It’s definitely a very honed, firm, male body, and the smooth skin and light brush of hair against the man’s broad golden chest feel familiar. The night’s events rush back to me at that moment.

              Swallowing hard, I slowly lift my head and look at the man confirming that I am indeed in Jaxon’s arms.

              The soft morning sunlight spreads across the room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, which also allows me to admire Jaxon’s six-pack abs and steely chest.

              His body is as perfectly muscled as I remember. However, I can see that there are flaws in the form of scars spread across his stomach and side. Rising up to my elbows, I inspect his chest, arms, and face with a frown.

              He has a long, faded scar on his stomach's left side and several round indentations near his bellybutton. There are several faded slash marks on his right peck and another scar beneath his ear. A sure sign of how dangerous his career is. His face, however, is unmarred. His full lips, long lashes, and Roman nose are breathtaking.

              His skin is a beautiful olive color, and his golden hair is thick and lustrous. I used to love running my fingers through it.

              Unable to resist the temptation, I lightly caress the lines of his toned abs and trace his scars. I hate comparing him to Hunter, but I can’t help it.

              Where Hunter had a young twenty-something-year-old frat boy body, Jaxon is honed and carved from his years in the military and his dangerous career.

              There is not an ounce of fat on his body. I remember all of the times I’d run my hands over his skin whenever he’d carry me around, or we’d make love. He’s an extraordinarily beautiful man, to say the least. I knew it from the first moment I saw him. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the first time I saw him. It’s ingrained in my memory.

              “Okay, one more picture, and we’re done.” My cousin Sasha squeals out as we pose in front of the Bellagio’s dancing fountain. My cousin, two of her friends and I, flew to Vegas this evening for her bachelorette party, slash Vegas wedding. Her fiance, Robbie, and his friends did the same thing.

              Right now, he's off with his friends putting dollar bills down a stripper’s g-string. They plan on getting married in one of the twenty-four-hour chapels tonight, and they’re spending their honeymoon in one of Vega’s finest hotels.

              Due to the limited time constraints, my cousin has had to pack every activity she could before the wedding. As soon as we arrived, she had us all change into pastel-colored dresses, took us to a club to get plastered, then made us walk over here to take pre-wedding pictures. Her idea was that all of her bride's maids wear pastel, which is fine with me because it gave me an opportunity to go shopping. Tonight, I’m wearing a short, coral blue-colored, wraparound dress with cami straps that I bought at a nearby boutique. The color compliments my dark brown hair and golden skin. It also emphasizes my long legs and arms.

              Posing beside my cousin, I give the camera a big smile and relax. A few of the bride’s maids stumble and right themselves. They’re seriously drunk. Rookies!

              I know better than to get drunk before the party, so I had two mojitos and left it at that. I want to enjoy my first Vegas experience.

              Ever since my best friend, Sage, and I opened our sweet shop, Sweet Perfect, I’ve been working like a dog. So, when a former teacher asked me if I would help her train a baker for one of her startup bakeshops, and my cousin asked me to be her maid of honor, I took the opportunity to get away. Sage was more than happy to take over the shop with the help of two intern bakers. I think she could tell that I was stressed and needed a change of venue.

              My long brown hair flairs around me, and my skin glistens with sweat due to the arid desert climate. Moving away from the group, I fan myself and softly and observe the crowd. That’s when I see the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. He’s confidently walking through the crowd with a purposeful stride, utterly unaware of my absorption.            He’s definitely a sight to behold at six feet, something of masculine perfection. Moving closer, I admire his trim body. He’s wearing a black suit that molds to his firm frame, a blue dress shirt, and a black-tie. His thick hair is brushed back into a stylish cut, and his short beard is trimmed. Biting my lip, I observe as he winds his way closer to where I am. He still hasn’t noticed me, though.

              My heart pounds in my chest, and my mouth goes dry with every step he takes. Pulling back, I lick my lips and slide my hands down my thighs. I want to step in front of him and introduce myself, but I’m too nervous. And from the way most of the women are watching him, I’m sure he probably gets accosted a lot.

              I’m about to step into his line of sight when my cousin drunkenly yells out. “Maleah, Get your ass over here; we’re not done taking pictures?”

              Flushing with embarrassment, I glance back at the man and almost faint when his eyes meet mine. It’s like one of those romantic moments you see on television, where everything happens in slow motion. I’m trapped beneath his intense gaze as he runs his beautiful cobalt eyes down my body. Besides his appraisal, his expression is closed off, but I can feel the heat of his fixed stare down to my very being.

              His gait falters, and for a moment, I think he’s going to walk up to me. Unfortunately, my cousin takes that moment to jump like a crazy person and falls inside the fountain. Her screech echoes through the sidewalk, followed by the crowd’s horrified gasp.

              Turning around, I rush to Sasha and help the others pull her out of the fountain. Her drenched appearance would have been funny if it hadn’t been for the fact that she just interrupted an epic moment between the beautiful stranger and me.

              Sasha’s face flushes as she clumsily stumbles out of the pool and nervously giggles. Taking a deep breath, I step back, trying not to get wet. Unfortunately, Sasha doesn’t have that kind of luck. Water is coursing down her hair, dress, and shoes, making her look like a drowned rat. Once she’s safely back on the ground, I turn to find the stranger, but he’s already gone.

              I spend the rest of the night thinking about that moment. Through Sasha’s vows, I stand distractedly and replay the moment my eyes met his. By the time her wedding party moves to the hotel’s restaurant for a post-wedding celebration, I’m resigned to never seeing him again. Fortunately, fate has other plans.

              The whole wedding party is at the hotel’s restaurant having some celebratory drinks when I see him. He’s sitting in an enclosed area of the restaurant, a solitary figure lost in thought, with a glass in front of him. I watch for a couple of minutes, but no one approaches him. I can’t help but observe him from beneath my lashes. He seems so aloof and intimidating with his brooding smolder.

              Turning back to the wedding party, I observe everyone giving the couple a toast before they disburse, leaving Sasha, Robbie, and me alone.

              Smiling sloppily, Sasha approaches me with a hazy smile and leans close.“Hey cuz…I love you. Thank you for being my maid of honor.” She slurs out as she wraps her arms around me and kisses my cheek.

              Her new husband, Robbie, rolls his eyes and straightens her up when she trips over the barstool. “Okay, babe. Time to go to bed.”

              Sasha gives him a sloppy smile and caresses his cheek. “Oh, baby. Don’t worry, I love you too.”

              Robbie chuckles in reply, then gives me an apologetic smile. “You’re welcome to come upstairs with us, Mal.”

              I shake my head at his half-hearted invite. Since I’m the only single one here, they feel like they have to keep me company. God forbid the single girl gets lost in the big bad city. I have to give an inner eye roll at that one because even if I didn’t want to be alone, I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as my cousin and her new husband on their honeymoon. Shaking my head, I lift my glass of wine and smile. “I’ll be fine, Robbie. Now, take Sasha upstairs and make a woman out of her.”

              Sasha giggles at my words and pulls Robbie to the restaurant’s exit. “She’ll be fine, babe. Mal is a tough chick. Now let’s go and get naked!” She yells out a little too loudly.

              Shaking my head, I watch as Robbie leads Sasha’s stumbling body out of the room and turn back to my drink.

              It’s not long before a husky male voice whispers near my ear. “Can I buy you a drink?”

              Heart thrumming, I lick my lips and turn to the voice. It’s him. He’s standing right beside me. Throat dry, I lift my glass and manage to croak out. “Another Cabernet would be nice.”

              He doesn’t smile as he gestures for the bartender to serve me another drink. Once the glass is in front of me, he takes it, offers me his arm, and nudges his chin towards the private area he was sitting in. “Join me.”

              I don’t hesitate to slide my hand around his forearm and follow him to the comfortable couch.

              “What’s your name?” He mutters with a rough growl. Taking the glass from his hand, I cross my legs suggestively in front of me and silkily reply. “I’m Maleah.”

              His eyes darken as he gazes down at my bare thigh, and his lips quirks, but he doesn’t smile. “Maleah.” He whispers as if savoring my name. “I’m Jaxon.”

              Taking a sip of my wine, I lean my face close to his and tartly retort. “It’s nice to meet you too, Jaxon.”

              We spend the rest of the night talking. Nothing too deep, though. We mostly talk about me, which makes me shy. He’s attentive as he listens to me tell him about my business and the reason I’m in Vegas. When I question him about why he’s in Vegas, he tells me that he’s here on business. Eventually, we kiss, and it’s mindblowing.         Clinging tightly to his forearm, I slide onto his lap and taste his luscious lips. His scent of Aqua de Gio overwhelms my senses, arousing me to a nearly unbearable pitch. As his hands slide down my back, his tongue twines with mine, making me squirm on his lap. My clit swells, and my folds moisten as I grind my ass across his covered groin. Biting his bottom lip, I lick it and slide my tongue back into between his lips before I heatedly whisper through lust-hazed eyes. “Take me to bed.”     

              Jaxon doesn’t argue as he sets me down, takes my hand, and leads me to his suite. We spend the rest of the night having the most mind-blowing sex I’ve ever had. To my surprise, he asks me to stay with him the next morning and the morning after that. Every time I think about leaving, he gives me a brooding expression and takes me to bed.

              Those three months we spent together were the most incredible moments of my life. I had fallen in love with Jaxon and had stupidly thought we’d be together forever. That is, until the day he told me he had to fly to his office and never came back. Like a fool, I waited for him. And when he didn’t show up that night, I called, but he never answered. I was so worried that something had happened to him that I called the concierge to see if he had left any messages. Imagine my shock when the concierge told me Jaxon had paid the hotel suite up to the next morning and told him that he wasn’t going to return. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that I was used and abandoned.

              Devastated by his deceit, I packed up my things, wished my friend good luck with her business, and flew back to New York. None of my friends knew what happened during that time. I guess I wanted to keep Jaxon to myself until we were ready to share ourselves with the world, which is a good thing considering how disastrous things ended between us? My friends just assumed that I had taken three months of reprieve from the stress of the shop’s demands─ and I let them continue believing it. No one knew that I cried into my pillow every night until I ran out of tears. Not even my best friends, Sophia and Sage.

              My thoughts are disrupted when Jaxon’s hand settles over mine. I was so distracted that I forgot I was touching him. A flush spreads across my neck and face. Thankfully, my skin is dark enough that he cannot see the heat of my embarrassment. Swallowing hard, I remove my hand from his grip and settle it against the scar on his side.

              “What happened here?” I ask softly. Jaxon’s breath hitches at my touch before he replies. “I had to have kidney surgery.” He says with a note of finality.

              Gazing into his eyes, I notice that his expression is neutral. This is the Jaxon I knew. He was always so distant and enigmatic. It was the most frustrating thing about him because I was never sure what he was thinking. Perhaps it’s better this way.

              Moving away, I rise from the bed and stretch my arms over my head. “Is it okay if I take a shower?” I ask, needing a reason to cut the awkward silence.

              Jaxon rises to stand beside me and gestures to a pile of clothing resting on a nearby chair. “Scotty brought some of Abby’s clothes for you to wear. The shower’s through those doors. You should be able to find everything you need in the bathroom cabinet. But if you don’t, you can sift through my dresser and use whatever you want.

              I nod my head and take the clothes while Jaxon picks up his own discarded shirt and walks toward the door. Tears gather in my eyes as I gaze at his retreating back. Before he steps through the door, I blurt out the questions that have been haunting me for two years. “Was it something I did? Is that why you left me?”

              Jaxon freezes in place, his fingers tightening against the doorjamb as he slowly turns around to face me. His jaw ticks and his brow furrows. He looks so cold at that moment that I don’t think he’s going to answer me until he huskily rumbles out. “No, it wasn’t anything you did. You were perfect.”

              Vision blurring, I swallow my pride and mutter shakily. “Then why, Jaxon? Was it because I told you I loved you?”

              Jaxon moves closer and stops in front of me with a shake of his head. “No, that’s not why.” He looks sad as he gazes into my eyes.

              “Then, why?” I ask stubbornly. “Tell me!”

              He licks his lips and gazes at his hands with an indecisive scowl. As if all the passion and anger inside of me swells up, I explode. All of the rage I’ve been holding for the past two years bursts through me. Thumping my palm against his chest, I blurt out my anger. “Say something! Don’t you feel anything, you cold bastard? Weren't you surprised to see me with Hunter that day? Did you feel relief when we signed the disclosure? Did you fucking feel satisfaction when you gave us your blessing? Huh? Did you like knowing that I was fucking Hutner.”

              It’s as if a switch was triggered because suddenly, Jaxon’s face loses its coldness, and his nostrils flare. Without another word, he grips my forearms, pushes me onto the bed, and straddles my waist. “Of course, I felt something, Maleah! You will never know how much it fucking killed me to see you with him! It’s been eating at me for nearly two fucking years!”

              Tears rain down my face as I gaze into Jaxon’s intense eyes. But instead of raging further, my anger cools. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I rest my hands on his chest and whisper solemnly. “Then why did you leave?”              

              His blue eyes glow as he heatedly gazes into my eyes. I don’t know what the intent was, but suddenly we were kissing. His lips passionately slam down on mine, and his body coils with desire. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I tilt my head and suck his bottom lip. My body instantly heats, and my breasts begin to ache. The only sounds you can hear are the sounds of our heavy breathing and the rustle of our clothing as our bodies shift closer together.

              Jaxon’s firm fingers wander up and down my back, then move to my chest and envelope my firm breasts. An ecstatic cry escapes my lips as I grind my center against his hard shaft. His lips are firm and assured.

              A cry escapes my lips when he slides his warm tongue into my mouth and bites my lip. Arching my back, I mewl softly when his fingers caress my beaded nipples to rigid peaks. My clit throbs, and my heart beats wildly against my chest. Moving down his chest, I wrap them around his curved back and claw at his bare skin. After a moment, Jaxon raises his swollen lips from mine and breathlessly whispers, “Maleah, I─”

              “Knock, knock! Are ye up, lad? The cavalry has arrived, and ye have less than an hour afore ye have to leave.” Scotty’s voice echoes from the other side of the door, interrupting Jaxon’s words.

              To my disappointment, Jaxon instantly shuts down. All expression fades from his face as he rises from the bed and faces me. His chest is heaving, his hair is tousled, and his slacks are tented with his arousal, but somehow he has managed to get ahold of his emotions. “Give us a minute, Scotty!” He calls out huskily, then licks his lips and turns to me. “Go take a shower and meet us downstairs in ten minutes so we can discuss what’s going to happen next.”

              Feeling drained, I rise from the bed, grab the clothes, and rush to the bathroom. I don’t look back or say a word. I can’t. It’s too much. I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself. It’s only been a day, and I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer. I know I should let it go, but a small part of me is adamant that there’s something he’s not telling me.

              Slipping out of my clothes, I slide into the shower and let the sharp sting of the water slice across my skin. A cloud of condensation forms around me, encasing me in its foggy blanket comfortingly. Leaning my elbows against the wall, I lower my head beneath the pouring drops and close my eyes, letting it wash my tears away.

              Once I’ve gained some semblance of control, I slide into a fresh black tank-top and black ripped jeans. Abby is a little skinnier than I am, so the clothing fits snug. Unfortunately, I have to forgo underwear and am bare beneath the clothes. Good thing that my boobs are firm. Because even though they’re a good size, they hold up well without a bra. Sliding into some sandals, I make my way to the living room and nearly faint at the sight that greets me. Jaxon has another woman in his arms. A loud crash echoes across the room at that moment. It must be the remains of my broken heart.