“Something smells good,” I said, shoving my hands into my pockets.

Why was I nervous?

She put the clear, square vase on the dining room table, which was already set with nice dinner silverware and fancy plates, along with two long tapered candles in the center. They were lit and cast a warm glow on the white wall next to it.

“Thanks,” she said. “It’s my attempt at some breadcrumbled fishcakes I used to make back home. However,” she said, and there was that little crease between her brow again, “I couldn’t really find the right ingredients. For instance, we like to use cod or haddock, but I could only find something called ‘mullet’ here in Florida. Not sure how it’s going to taste. I was going to call my aunt and ask her what type of fish I should use, but I didn’t want to disturb her on her holiday at the lake…”

I was laughing a little now. I walked over to her and cut her off, snaking my hands around her. “Mina. I don’t care what we eat. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

She looked up at me. “Well, I just hope it’s good. I haven’t got to do much cooking since I moved here. My aunt is such a wonderful cook, I have just been spoiled.”

Since my arms were still wrapped around her small waist, I took advantage and leaned down and kissed her. She welcomed my kiss, giggling a little as my goatee tickled her lips and chin once again. I felt her tongue brush my lip and I slid my hand down to her perfect ass.

“As much as I’d love to continue this,” she said, slowly breaking away, “I need to get the meal out of the oven before I burn it and you either go hungry or have to take me out to eat once again.”

I smiled and said, “Where is your wine opener?”

She looked at me confused for a second. “Oh, the corkscrew. It’s in the drawer there,” she pointed.

I opened it and fumbled with the odd contraption, finally figuring out how to pop the cork without looking like a total dumbass. I unscrewed it, and thank God for the clear glass cabinets above the microwave, because I could see wine glasses neatly stowed in there and grabbed two.

I poured the warm red wine into both glasses and handed her one. She set a steaming dish on the stovetop and took a sip. “Very good,” she said.

I also took a sip and had to resist the urge to gag. “Gah.”

She threw back her head and laughed. “There are beers in the fridge. You don’t have to drink wine just for me.”

I set the glass down and said, “So when do we eat?”

“Now,” she replied, placing the last dish on the table. I looked at the spread of food and couldn’t believe she had cooked for me. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a home-cooked meal. Not since my mom was alive, probably.

As we sat down to eat, I looked over at Mina as she folded the cloth napkin on her lap and set her iPhone neatly on the table next to her shiny fork. She then spooned out some of the meal onto my plate for me. I didn’t even look it. All I wanted to do was stare at her.

I was so glad Mina’s uncle kept beer in the house. That wine was nasty and I needed to relax. I don’t get how anyone could drink that crap.

After dinner, she led me by the hand to the sofa, wineglass in her other hand, and we sat down. I put my now-empty beer bottle on the coffee table and she eyed it. “Would you like another?”

“No, I think I’m good. Did you like the wine?”

She nodded. “Oh, yes, I think I like it a bit too much. I better be careful or I may just drink the whole bottle.” She ended with a giggle.

I smiled at her. It was nice to see her happy, because it seemed like most of the time she was on edge. But there was something different about her tonight. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe she felt happy being alone in the house, or maybe she just liked to cook.

“Thanks for dinner. It’s been a while since I’ve had anything other than takeout,” I smiled at her.

Mina nodded and said nothing else. Instead she just stared at me, occasionally flicking her eyes behind me like before.

I looked around the living room and spotted a TV and stood up. Mina grabbed my hand a little harder than necessary and pulled me back towards the couch. She suddenly kissed me.

I was taken by surprise. It was a pleasant surprise and I was definitely going to roll with it.

I wrapped one hand around her waist and put the other on her leg and slid it up under her dress. I lightly stroked her soft thigh and ran my hand down her back to her waist and then around to the front.

Her soft kisses soon turned more frantic and she had a hand around the back of my head, trying to grip my hair, but I’d just cut it so there wasn’t much back there. I could feel her short fingernails raking lines onto my scalp. I pushed her down onto her back on the soft sofa cushions and placed my knee between her already open legs and continued to run my hand up her thigh. I licked her mouth and tongue and she ran her hands down the hard planes of my back. She groaned into my mouth when my hand found her breast and I stroked the hard tip with my thumb. My other hand was on her face, caressing her jawline with my fingers. I felt her hands go up under my shirt. Moving one around to my front, she ran light fingertips down my stomach, causing the muscles there to go hard. I moaned as her hand moved lower and lingered on my belt buckle.

I continued kissing her, inhaling her sweet, delicious scent that made me want to consume her. I broke the kiss and could hear her panting in my ear as I ran light kisses down her face to her neck. I had a sudden desire to lick her everywhere. My jeans were becoming uncomfortably tight now and I wished she would just undo my belt buckle like I knew she wanted to. But I wasn’t going to push this time. If she wanted to take this farther, she’d have to make the move.

After a few more minutes of kissing, I decided to test the waters. When my mouth was right by her ear, I whispered, “Let’s take this to your room.”

She froze and looked up at me and blinked a few times. I couldn’t decipher the look on her face, but it made me have to suppress a laugh. I couldn’t tell if she was surprised or trying to make a decision. It was almost like the look she gave me the first night I asked if she wanted to come into my house. I just stared at her, waiting for an answer.

She glanced over toward the TV then back up at me and said, “I like it here.”

That was definitely an odd response, but who was I to argue?

I shrugged and continued kissing her, pushing her dress up farther and letting my fingers roam between her thighs and over her panties. I heard her gasp and I smiled into her mouth, running fingers along the very top of them and gently stroking her bikini line. I twisted my fingers around the thin strip of material near her hipbone and teased like I was going to pull them down. Her hand was still on my stomach, resting on my belt buckle, stroking the skin softly but not doing anything else.

She definitely was not aggressive, and that was okay, sometimes that can actually be a turnoff, but taking a little initiative never hurt anyone. Mina seemed strong-willed and stubborn in other areas of her life, but in situations like this, she seemed reserved; distracted maybe?

I also knew she was keeping a secret, and the thought of finding out what it was had been sitting in the back of my mind. I just had to figure out a way to get to the bottom of it without pushing her too hard, because I had a feeling she would push back.

I suddenly had a thought and froze. My fingers, my lips, my hands all stopped what they were doing and I felt Mina stiffen under me.

“What’s wrong, Jax?” She looked worried.

I pushed myself up off her and sat on the sofa. She also sat up and pushed her dress back down over her beautiful legs.

I ran a hand through my hair and looked right into her piercing blue eyes. “Mina, how many guys have you been with?”

She gasped. “That’s none of your business…”

“Are you a virgin, Mina?”

She stared at me again, like a deer caught in the headlights as I waited for her answer.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mina

He asked me if I was a virgin. I wasn’t and sometimes I wished I still was. But I couldn’t change what had happened before, but I could change what happened next. I wanted Jax – that, I couldn’t deny. I had always felt that way. When I first started to follow Jax – to watch him – I had no idea that I would ever come close to feeling anything for the guy. But my feelings for him had changed. I no longer thought he was a macho shithead. As I got to see more of him – got to know him – I had come to understand that there was another layer to Jax hidden beneath his tattoos and piercings. They were nothing more than a mere mask for him to hide behind, and I knew all about hiding. I knew Jax wanted to go further with me, and I wanted to, too – but it was the camera I had set up. I wanted to film something that was emotionally charged – the results were better that way – but I didn’t want to film me and Jax giving ourselves to each other completely. I didn’t want to get caught, should anyone other than me see it – that’s what had got me into trouble before. But I didn’t want tonight to end between me and Jax like it had before. He had understood when I had withdrawn from him. He had been patient and understanding – and the fact that he had come back tonight suggested that he liked me. For weeks I had seen Jax parade a nightly stream of girls into his house. If sex was all he wanted, then he could be escorting another girl up his front garden path tonight, certain that he wasn’t going to be left feeling horny and frustrated. With my eyes closed, I thought of Heather and wished she had called or texted to let me know if Jax had taken her number. Had Heather even set the honey trap before she had fallen ill? I had no way of knowing. If I wanted Jax tonight, then I would have to put my trust in him. I would have to not only trust his feelings, but my own too. If I didn’t, then what happened before would ruin any future relationship – but more importantly, my relationship with Jax.

So sliding out from beneath Jax, I took him by the hand and led him up to my bedroom – where I hadn’t had time to fix up my camera in. If I was going to give myself to Jax, I wanted that to be private, just between the two of us. I didn’t want anyone else watching. Jax took my hand, curling his fingers around mine. Without saying a word, I led him into my room, closing the door behind us. No sooner had it closed, Jax pushed me back against it. With his eyes half-closed, he lowered his head towards mine, and with greed and something close to starvation, he devoured my mouth. I ran my tongue over his, coaxing him deeper into my mouth. I dug my fingernails into his jeans, digging at his perfectly formed arse. Jax ran his hands up my thighs and beneath the hem of my dress. I felt his fingers prise my legs apart and it made me feel delirious with lust. I could feel his hard, warm body as he pressed me against the door. As he ran his fingers up and down the inside of my thighs, I pulled at the front of his shirt. There was a popping sound as some of his buttons broke free. Jax’s shirt flapped open, and in the dim light of the bedside lamp, I saw the curve of his muscular chest and stomach. The stud in his nipple glinted as if winking at me. I dropped my head forward and covered it with my mouth, letting my tongue glide wetly over him. He shuddered before me, making a deep groan in the back of his throat. To hear this heightened my own desire, and I inched my thighs further apart for him. I could feel a growing warmth that radiated from my core and spread out between my legs as he began to stroke me there.