JAXON (The Caine Brothers Book 4) Read online

  Grabbing a letter opener from the pen holder on the desk, she stabbed the side of the bag and sliced all the way down, lacerating a giant hole in the plastic.

  Larry found his voice. “What are you doing?” It came out as a high-pitched, sputtered squeak of disbelief.

  Jaxon managed a much calmer, “Lily?”

  Upending the bag onto Larry’s desk, she explained as packages of meat and fruit, cartons of eggs, bags of bread, and even a couple of cakes poured into a heap on top of whatever Larry had been working on. “This is a small sample of food we dug out of your dumpsters last night,” she said, jiggling the bag in question one last time to be sure she’d emptied, before wadding it into a ball and dropping it on top of the pile. “If you look at the expiration dates, every single thing in this bag has yet to expire. Or, in the case of this bag of oranges, for instance—one orange has a bruised squishy spot, but the rest are still just fine. Your produce people threw away eleven good oranges because of one bad one.”

  Larry jumped out of his chair to avoid food falling into his lap. “Are you fucking crazy?”

  Lily expelled an exasperated sigh. “There are a lot of hungry people in Houston, Larry. In the world, for that matter. People who would be glad to have those eleven oranges.”

  Larry had recovered himself to the point where he’d gone from shocked and speechless, to purple in the face with rage. “Then they should have come into the store and bought them,” he said, leaning over the mountain of food to tower over Lily’s petite form. His nostrils flared, his lips thinned to an angry line. But Lily squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She refused to be intimidated.

  “What’s your food waste policy?” she asked.

  Larry drew a deep breath as he reached for the phone and poked some buttons. “I’ve seen some crazy shit, but this is too much.”

  “You’re throwing away perfectly good food. Why would you do that? Half of all food in America is wasted.” Lily worried Larry might blow an artery. “That’s like seventy billion pounds a year.” Somewhere in her imagination, Larry reminded her of a cartoon character. She expected those big train whistles to pop out of his ears at any moment, blaring his rage and clouds of steam. “And your store is contributing to that. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, Larry.”

  Larry didn’t seem to register anything she’d said.

  “Who are you calling?” Jaxon asked, as if only curious.

  “The cops. Who do you think? Your crazy girlfriend here needs to be arrested.”

  “I’m not his girlfriend,” Lily said. Larry ignored her.

  Jaxon produced one of those charming rock star smiles, complete with dimples, and stepped out from behind Lily. At the desk he pushed down on the phone lever, hanging up on Larry’s call. “That’s not necessary.”

  Larry scowled at Jaxon, reassessing him. “I think it is.”

  “Do you know who I am?”

  Larry looked suspicious, but studied Jaxon closer. Just like the checker, recognition floated just out of grasp, but he seemed to think he should know who Jaxon was. “No.”

  Jaxon offered his hand. “Jaxon Caine, of the band Raising Caine. We’re based right here in Houston, but we’ve been pretty busy recently touring the country with our Grammy-winning album.”

  Larry’s face lit up as he shook Jaxon’s hand, which made Lily livid. “Oh, yeah. My daughter loves you guys. It’s really cool to meet you.”

  Lily wanted to puke at Larry’s sudden sucking up.

  “Nice to meet you, too,” Jaxon said.

  Larry cleared his throat, remembering himself and the situation. “But, you know, this kind of behavior is unacceptable,” Larry said, gesturing at the mess. His tone had shifted to mild disapproval as he preened in the presence of celebrity.

  “You’re right, and I’m sorry about the mess. I’m doing research for some new music,” Jaxon said. “How about this? I’ll have my manager forward a couple of front row tickets to our next concert here in Houston as long as we can forget this happened. We’ll even clean it up.”

  Lily crossed her arms and stood her ground. “Absolutely not.” She may have pushed it a bit too far, but she was right. She’d be damned if she’d eat crow and clean up the mess. It would completely invalidate her point.

  “Don’t worry. Add in a back stage pass and you don’t need to bother yourself. I’ll have janitorial clean it up,” Larry said, grinning like an idiot.

  Jaxon didn’t look happy about the back stage pass, but the shadow of distaste flit across his face so fast Lily didn’t think Larry even noticed, basking as he did in the rock star glow. “No problem,” Jaxon said.

  Larry shook Jaxon’s hand again, pleased he’d negotiated a good deal, then turned his attention to Lily, as if suddenly remembering her existence. Her icy stare should have caused him to flinch, but he had his new pal Jaxon there to back him up. Lily couldn’t decide if she wanted to ream Jaxon a new one for betraying her, or stomp out and leave him there to find his own damn way home. Before she could decide, Larry said, “As far as you’re concerned, you are banned from this store. If you’re seen on this property, either inside, in the parking lot, or digging in the dumpsters, you’ll be arrested and prosecuted for trespassing.”

  “What. Ever,” she said. “I wouldn’t give this store my money if it was the only one in Houston.”

  With what had to be the lamest comeback ever, she turned and flounced out of the office without looking back.

  Out at the truck, she climbed in, slammed the door, started the engine, and put it in gear. Jaxon threw himself into the passenger seat.

  “What is your fucking problem?” Jaxon asked.

  She took off, heading back for the estate. She needed the space and alone time to cool down before she talked to him, otherwise she’d just yell rather than having a productive conversation.

  “Nothing,” she said through gritted teeth.

  “Really? Because it sure looked like something. That was a real shit-show back there.”

  She kept her mouth shut and drove—too fast and too reckless. The silent tension from Jaxon’s side of the car pushed back against hers, so the whole way home they both stewed in their anger.

  Lily barely had the car parked before she jumped out and marched for the house. She needed some sort of release for the built-up emotional pressure, but she’d be damned if she’d do it in front of Jaxon. She’d go scream into her pillow, shower, then maybe go work in the garden. Some hard physical labor would burn off the fury.

  She reached the foyer before the door slammed behind her. “Hey,” Jaxon said. “What the hell’s going on?”

  She’d been so close to escape. Instead, she spun to face him. He seemed bigger and buzzed with energy; on the precipice of—something.

  She stomped up to him and poked him in the chest, emphasizing her words. “What’s going on is, I went into FreshMart to make a point to the manager about their food waste problem, and the second things got a little confrontational you pulled out the celebrity card and played it with a flourish.”

  “I was helping. I didn’t want it to escalate.” He swatted her hand aside.

  “Did I ask you to intervene?”

  “You didn’t need to ask. I had your back.”

  She snorted and rolled her eyes. “I don’t need you to have my back. You had no idea if he was bluffing, and even if he wasn’t you had no way of knowing how that conversation would have gone with the police.” She turned and paced, gesturing as she talked. “I didn’t break any laws, so they could arrest me but Larry and whoever owns the store probably wouldn’t have wanted to put out the money to sue me.” The glared at him and said, “Some of us have figured out how to get by in the world without fame, or a ton of money.”

  “That’s not fair, Lily.” Despite the stormy darkness in his expression, she caught the hint of hurt. But what about how he’d hurt her?

  She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. “How is it not fair
when your default solution to the problem was to offer him concert tickets? And when he saw the opening and pushed for back stage passes, you caved without any fight.” She closed the distance between them and poked his chest again. “Stop relying on your celebrity to get you by, and do something because it’s right and means something.”

  At her comment, he transformed before her eyes. He stood up taller, his eyes flashed with indignation, his mouth became an angry slash.

  He grabbed the hand she’d poked him with and held it tight. “You’re one to talk. How’s the view from up there on your high horse, Lily? You get to look down on those of us not as good as you?” He pulled her closer, the heat of his disapproval mingling with the heat of their bodies to charge the air between them. “I may need to learn some humility after living in the fame bubble as long as I have, but you’re no better than I am.”

  She huffed a snort. “I’m nothing like you.”

  Jaxon’s other hand went around her low back and settled where it curved into her ass. “You are.” He’d modulated his voice from loud and determined to low and firm. The thought darted through her mind that he treated her like a spooked horse, calming her with his voice and demeanor. “You’re self-important and proud and superior.”

  “At least what I do is important.”

  His nostrils flared and something flinty and hurt flashed in his eyes. His hold on her tightened, pulling her tight against him. She gasped when his erection nudged her belly. What in God’s name was going on?

  “You’re behaving like a spoiled little princess,” Jaxon said. On the surface his voice sounded warm and velvety, but the warning underneath caught her attention. “You may need a spanking for that.”

  She froze, her heart stuttering in her chest. When had this gone from a fight to sex? Did arguing turn him on? It threw her for a loop. She’d always been cool and intellectual, even when fighting with someone. The argument was always about the issue.

  Yet, heat pooled low in her belly like a spark taking hold and smoldering. Her body woke up and took notice.

  “I don’t think so,” she said, trying to pull away.

  Instead, he leaned down and kissed her. This was nothing like the gentle good-night kiss. This was a hungry, bruising, angry kiss. She kissed back as if the fight had extended from words to action. Lips bumped and pushed, tongues demanded, teeth bit. It didn’t take long before that smoldering spark had burst into flame.

  Jaxon twisted his fingers into the hair at her nape and tugged just enough to sting, pulling her head back and exposing her neck. He moved his lips to explore the skin below her ear, trailing his tongue and teeth down to her collar bone.

  “This is in my way,” he growled as he gathered her shirt from the hem and hauled it over her head, tossing it behind him.

  She agreed, taking hold of his shirt and pulling on it until he wriggled free of it.

  A quiet little groan escaped her lips at the sight of him. So much skin and man-ness. God, she wanted to consume him. She couldn’t get enough of him. The wolfish look in his eyes suggested he agreed.

  He took her in his arms again, drawing a wet line with his tongue down her neck and chest as she bent back to open herself up for him.

  He pushed her bra aside and tasted her, first sucking a nipple hard then nipping with just enough pressure to sting, before moving to the other and doing the same. Another groan slipped from her lips. Her mind began to let go and savor the sensations of her body—until she remembered he’d called her self-important and superior.

  She snapped back to herself and gave him a shove. She’d show him superior. Crowding him, she urged him back a few steps, but he recovered and loomed over her like a sexy monolith.

  A sense of power bubbled up from somewhere deep inside as she remembered the orgasm he’d already given her. Her greedy body wanted another.

  She reached down to unbutton his shorts. They already hung low on his hips. It only took a flick of the button and a little push and they fell to the floor. His boxers didn’t take much more effort.

  His cock stood at attention, ready to play. It throbbed, the bulging veins and eager tip damp with a pearl of wetness, begging to be touched.

  She wrapped her fingers around it, eliciting a bone-deep groan—she couldn’t be sure if it came from him or her. Slowly, she squeezed a little tighter then slid her hand down the length of him to where his cock met his body, then back out to the end.

  Glancing up into his face, she noticed his eyes closed, his mouth open, and his head tilted back in the picture of a man in the throes of pleasure.

  Men had ignored her, spoken for her, acted on her behalf all day, without considering her thoughts, feelings, or intentions. The produce guy, Larry, even Jaxon.

  She’d had enough of that nonsense. Here and now, she had power over him, and he gave it to her willingly. Sure, it was sex and not anything like she’d been treated today, but it gave her a piece of her confidence back.

  In the next moment, though, his cock throbbed in her hand and found an answering spasm deep in her core.

  Jaxon came to life. He pushed her hand away and grabbed at her shorts, fumbling with the closure, but not quite getting it to work.

  “Get those off, now,” he growled.

  She did, and in one swift move that took her breath away, he swept her up off the floor and slid her down the length of him like a warm, wet sheath.

  “Oh my God,” she groaned.

  “Mm-hmm,” he agreed.

  He’d buried himself deep inside her, filling her completely. She didn’t want that moment to end.

  But then he lifted her and slid her back down again. That was pretty damn good, too. She took hold of his shoulders and following his lead, she lifted herself and lowered. He made an approving grunt and between them they set a pace that started at quick and moved into heated in no time. The sound of their breathy groans filled the air as they chased climaxes. The heat of their bodies and the scent of their sweat pushed back on the air conditioning, surrounding them in a hot, pheromone-filled bubble.

  The tingling burn of Lily’s orgasm sparked deep inside her core and the next thrust triggered it, sending that wave of pure pleasure sizzling through her nervous system. Her climax tripped his and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in as far as he’d go while he held her in place and growled her name.

  CHAPTER 9

  After sex in the foyer, Jaxon shifted Lily in his arms and flung her over his shoulder again. She wiggled and laughed, and even though he’d just come, it turned him on. He reached up and slapped her ass. The smack rang in the acoustic foyer and sizzled in his blood.

  He headed up the stairs to the west wing.

  “What are you doing?” Lily asked.

  “Taking you to your room.”

  “Why?”

  His plan included snuggling into her bed and spending the rest of the day and all night exploring each other—getting to know each other better inside and out. He justified the plan—despite his vow to stay away from women—because at this point he didn’t want to keep his hands off her. Aside from that, he liked being with her. He hadn’t had a real relationship in his entire adult life, much less had sex with the same woman more than a couple of times. Not that he and Lily had a relationship, per se, but the idea of getting to know a woman, especially Lily, excited him—a completely new and foreign experience—probably a lot like Lily having good sex for once. Well, twice now.

  He hauled her into her room and flopped her onto the bed. She laughed as she bounced on the mattress, and he crawled onto the bed to lay next to her, propping his head on his hand.

  “Lily, I’m sorry if I overstepped today. I really was just trying to help.”

  She rolled over to face him, folding one arm under her head. With the other hand, she caressed his cheek and jaw. “I’m sorry I overreacted. I’d spent all day watching you charm everyone at every stop we made, and then when we went to the store that produce guy and Larry both deferred to you as if I w
as of no consequence and it just pissed me the hell off. Plus, you know, on top of that you decided to ‘handle’ the situation. So. Yeah. I lost it.”

  He took her hand in his and brought to his lips to kiss the back of it and then each knuckle, one by one. “Well, at least you didn’t pepper-spray him. I don’t think either of us could have saved that situation.”

  “Ha ha. Very funny.”

  “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. You’re committed and passionate and determined to make a difference.”

  “And self-important, proud, and superior?” She said it with a smirk and cocked brow, insinuating humor.

  He tucked a strand of copper hair behind her ear. “Sorry about that, but you’d just implied I was shallow and worthless. My feelings were hurt.”

  “I don’t think you’re shallow and worthless. You’ve actually impressed me the last few days with how willing you are to jump in and work hard and you don’t care if anyone recognizes you or you get anything out of it. I know it’s asking a lot for you to care about the causes of a crazy stranger you just met. You’ve been a good sport.”

  He traced the shell of her ear and smiled as her body shivered when he did. “I know I’ve been shallow. That’s part of why I’m here. The stardom part of my job was taking over the artist part.” He swallowed back the urge to tell her about his traitorous muse. He’d forgotten about the fucker for the last few days and it had been freeing like he’d never imagined. “But being here has opened my eyes. You said I charmed everyone today, but really they charmed me. I haven’t been treated like a ‘normal’ person for ages. It’s amazing. You did that for me.”

  She huffed a half-laugh. “Glad I could help.”

  “You know, I could do something for you, too.”

  An adorable blush crept from her chest, up her neck, to her face. “You already did,” she said.

  He laughed. “Well, besides the sex. That was for both of us. You showed me what it means to have some depth. I should show you how to lighten up and enjoy life a little.”

  Her brows scrunched together. “I enjoy life just fine.”