“As far as the blackmail goes, we wait to hear from Dylan. As for us...” His eyes roam over me slowly, taking me in. “I’m thinking we should test out our new rule. Tomorrow night—strictly as friends, of course—we watch a movie at my place. No sex.”
“You sure you can handle that?” I challenge.
“Sure can. Can you?” His grin is pure wickedness.
“I guess we’ll find out,” I say, stepping inside. “Oh. I need my phone for work. Can I turn it back on?”
“Yeah. Dylan should have the monitoring set up for it by now.”
“Cool, thanks. See ya, Jax.”
“See ya, beautiful.”
I close the door and lean against it, letting out a long breath. What am I getting myself into? This whole friends-with-benefits deal seemed simple enough when we first agreed to it, but after this weekend, things feel… different.
If I’m not careful, this shit could get real complicated.
Pushing off the door, I head to the kitchen to make some tea, sorting through my jumbled thoughts.
The ranch, the hot tub, the sex—it was all incredible. But it’s the quiet moments that keep replaying in my mind: Jax telling me about his dad, the vulnerable look in his eyes when he talked about his recovery, the way he held my pinky while we watched the meteor shower.
Those aren’t just friend moments. Those aren’t even friends-with-benefits moments.
And then there’s the blackmail. What if Dylan can’t find the source? What if whoever it is still leaks the video?
I’ve worked too damn hard building Summit into something I’m proud of. Into what it is today. And the thought of it all crashing down because of what Ryan did without my knowledge, not only makes me sick to my stomach, it pisses me the fuck off.
After wakingup from a two-hour nap, I stretch and check the time. Shit, it’s almost noon.
I grab my phone and call Noia.
“Hey! There she is,” she teases. “How was yourfriend’sweekend with Jax?”
“It was...” I pause, trying to find the right words. “Complicated. And amazing. And now there’s this whole other thing?—”
“Whoa. Back up. What whole other thing?”
I sigh, rubbing my forehead. “I’d rather tell you about it in person. Can you meet me at Summit in thirty? I want to check the progress.”
“Sure thing. I just finished editing a chapter. I’ll head over now.”
“Perfect. See you soon.”
After hanging up, I quickly change my clothes and pull my hair up into a messy bun.
When I arrive, I’m surprised to see Noia already waiting outside holding two cups of coffee.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I say, accepting a cup.
“Figured you might need it.” She gives me a quick once-over. “You definitely look like you had a good weekend.” Her face splits into a snarky grin. “A little sore, maybe?”
“Shut up,” I mutter, cheeks flushing as I unlock the door.
This time the door opens easily, and as soon as we step inside, I gasp.
The last time I was here, it was just an empty shell with taped markings on a concrete floor. Now, hardwood floors gleam under the lights, and partial walls on this side of the building divide the space exactly as I’d envisioned.
“Holy shit,” I breathe as I take a few more steps in. “It’s actually happening.”