Eight Years

Eight years ago

I kiss his jaw, his arms tightening around my waist as we lay tangled in each other on his bed. I kiss my way down to his neck, my hands wandering down his shirt.

Jax lets out a breathless sound, but pulls me back up, away from his neck and stomach and perfect abs. "We can't, dad's here," he tells me, planting a kiss onto my temple.

Sighing, I put my head onto his shoulder as his hand moves up and down my leg. I look at the wall on the opposite side of the room, where my painting is. "I can't believe you actually hung it up," I laugh.

"Why shouldn't I?" A kiss to my forehead. "It's beautiful. And you made it for me. And I love it." Another kiss. "Of course I hung it up on my wall."

Jax took me to a picnic in the town's beautiful, big park last week, and there was a big fountain that I thought was absolutely gorgeous, so I wanted to paint it. Then, I thought it was a cute idea to paint the fountain for him as a reminder of our first proper date, but now I just think it's dumb and way too cheesy.

I even added some flowers and birds to the painting to make it more romantic.

"You want anything to eat?" Jax asks me, his hand moving up my arm and rising goosebumps on my skin. "Thirsty?"

I plant a kiss onto his shoulder as he starts to get up. "I could use some water," I tell him with a smile, stretching my body across his double bed and yawning.

He nods and leans down, his hand on the back of my head, and presses his lips to mine for a quick peck. "I'll be right back."

I watch as he leaves the room, checking that all his clothes are in place, and threads his fingers through his hair a couple times. Then I roll onto my back and smile at the ceiling.

I don't think I could be happier if I tried.

Rolling back onto my stomach, I reach onto the nightstand to check the time on my phone. But instead of grabbing my phone, it's Jax's that my hand gets. Jax's unlocked phone.

He really must have trust in me if he left it unlocked.

Getting an idea, I check the door to make sure he's not back yet. I sit up, and run my hands through my hair to give it some volume and make it look nicer.

Then, I open the camera app on his phone and aim the front camera at my face, his t-shirt on me showing at the bottom of the screen. I take one picture with my lips puckered. One with my tongue out. One with a sweet smile. And one where I'm blowing a kiss at the camera with my hand.

I open his settings, and put the second one on his lock screen.

Footsteps sound from the stairs, so I quickly put the phone back onto the nightstand and lay on the bed with my hands tucked between my cheek and the bedspread. Jaxon appears at the door, holding two glasses of water, and a plate with two slices of the pizza he made earlier.

Best. Damn. Pizza. Ever.

—

I've started to shower at school after practice instead of home, because I no longer always go straight home afterward. This morning, I woke up in Jax's bed. He took me to school, and said that he'd take me to Jack's after practice.

So, he's waiting for me by his car at the parking lot when I leave the school building. He opens the door for me to get in, and closes it once I've buckled my seatbelt.

"How was practice?" I ask him when he gets behind the wheel.

He starts the car, and I can already see from his half-lidded gaze that he's exhausted. "Coach made us all work out twice as hard as normal at the gym, all because of some stupid shit Hunter said to him this morning."

I lay my hand on his as he begins to drive. "You know, we don't have to do anything today. You can just take me home, and go to yours to get some rest."

I'm not the only one who's been stressing about the last weeks of school. Jaxon has lost a few hours of sleep every night because of it. And then at school, he's too tired to concentrate on studying and listening to the teachers.

But he shakes his head, his eyes on the road. "No, I'm fine. I think I just need something to eat, too."

My stomach growls at that. Jax knows I'm always starving after practice, so he usually either takes me to Jack's, or to his dad's house to cook for me.

Twenty minutes later I'm picking a french fry off my plate, and biting off half of it. "I got my dress for prom yesterday." It's pink, and long, and beautiful, just what I wanted.

But I can't seem to be much excited about prom, considering graduation is only a week from it. Three weeks, and the deadline of our relationship is here.

"Do you have a picture?" Jax asks. "I want to see it."

Rolling my eyes, I throw a fry at his face. "You can't see it yet, dummy. I want to do a big reveal on the day, see your reaction and all that."

"Like a wedding dress type thing?" Amusement flickers in his eyes. "Bad luck for the boyfriend to see the dress before the big reveal?"

"Don't mock me," I say, laughing as I throw more fries at his pretty face.

It's a serious waste not to be blasting that face on every single magazine and ad and screen all over the world. Jaxon Maverick Darling has the face of an angel, body of a Greek God.

His hand takes mine and brings it up to his mouth. "Do you think you could spend the night in my bed?" He kisses the back of my hand. "I always sleep better with you in my arms."

I lean over the table to kiss his cheek, then bring my mouth to his ear. "Would it be better if I left my PJs at home?" I whisper. When I get back on my chair, he's licking his lips, his eyes dark and hungry.

I love seeing him want me.

Three more weeks.