Chapter 265: Nudist
After Mari and Jax had laid there for a while in each other’s arms, Mari’s breath finally steadied, though her skin was still warm and flushed from their lovemaking. Her body, however, told another story. She winced when she shifted slightly against the blanket and felt the tenderness between her thighs.
Jax noticed her discomfort at once and his hand smoothed gently over her arm. "You’re sore, aren’t you?" His voice was soft, almost guilty.
Mari bit her lip, not wanting to ruin the sweetness of the moment. "A little," she admitted, her cheeks turning pink. "But I’m okay."
He pressed a kiss to her temple, then sat up. "Come on, love. Let’s go to the bathroom to freshen up. You can soak in the tub. It’ll help you feel better."
She pouted for a moment, wanting to stay curled against him, but his gentle insistence made her smile. "Fine," she murmured as she rose.
Before she could walk away to the bedroom stark naked, Jax picked up the blanket and wrapped it around her.
She raised a brow. "What are you covering me for? We are the only ones here and I don’t exactly feel shy."
Jax chuckled. "I’m not sure my bedroom door is locked. For all you know Chad or Venita could walk in. You can take it off after I lock the door," he said, and she rolled her eyes but smiled, pleased that he was looking out for her that way.
Jax walked into the bedroom first and then after he locked the door he turned to her, "You can take it off now, Miss Nudist."
Mari laughed as she flung the blanket at him playfully.
They both walked into the bathroom and Jax filled the tub with warm water for her, and she stepped into the tub.
"Are you not joining me?" She asked when she saw him heading for the shower cubicle.
"No. The bath is meant to ease your discomfort and help you relax. You won’t relax if I’m in there with you," He said as he turned on the shower.
Mari scowled at his back but said didn’t argue. Instead she closed her eyes as she settled into the tub and the warm water covered her body, soothing some of the soreness.
Jax was the first to finish and when he was done he asked her not to hurry out and to take her time since he wanted to go downstairs to check on something.
By the time Mari stepped out a while later, she felt renewed, though her body still throbbed faintly from their joining.
Mari slipped on one of his shirts, a black one, soft and oversized. It hung low, brushing the tops of her thighs, and she deliberately chose not to wear anything underneath. The thought of him noticing made her grin mischievously.
Just as she began to head out of the room to find him, Jax returned to the room. His hair was still damp and his chest bare but he wore a trouser that hung low on his waist without a belt. His gaze swept over her the instant he stepped in.
"No undies?" he asked, his brows rising, though his lips curved.
Mari lifted her chin proudly as she was sat on the edge of the bed. "Wanna check?" She asked, spreading her thighs.
He chuckled, shaking his head as if defeated by her boldness. "You’re trouble." He leaned in and kissed her lips softly. "You left this downstairs," he said, handing her the sketchbook.
"Thank you," she smiled sweetly at him.
"Wait here. I’ll be right back, and then we can watch a movie."
"Why are you going down again when you just came..."
"You’ll see." His grin held a secret as he left the room.
"Don’t be long," she called after him as she curled up on the bed and settled back against the pillows as she looked through the sketch book again.
She half-expected him to return quickly, but instead, minutes passed. Just when she began to wonder what was keeping him, the door creaked open.
Jax stepped inside carrying a cake. A round, frosted cake, with little strawberries on top and a single candle unlit.
Mari’s jaw dropped. "What—?"
"Happy birthday, my enchanting witch," he said warmly, his deep voice rolling through the room as he began to sing softly, carrying the cake toward her.
Mari laughed, her hands clapping together like a child’s, her eyes bright with surprise. "You got me a cake!"
"Made you a cake," he said as he set the cake on the nightstand and picked a lighter from his drawer. He lit the candle. The tiny flame flickered gently.
Mari looked from the cake to Jax, her heart filled with happiness. He was indeed the best birthday gift her mother could have given her.
As much as she would have loved to spend her birthday with Emily and Jamal, this was just so different and special and her heart felt like it was going to burst from joy.
"Make a wish, my love," Jax told her, his gaze tender.
Mari closed her eyes, holding the moment close. She whispered her wish: "I wish that my parents would be safe, that everything would be taken care of and everyone including Jamal and Emily will be fine so we can all return to our homes and live happily ever after."
When she opened her eyes, her lashes were damp with unshed emotion as she blew the candle off.
"May your wish come true," Jax said, kissing her forehead.
Mari smiled as she dipped her finger right into the frosting, scooping some onto her fingertip. Without ceremony, she popped it into her mouth.
Jax laughed. "That’s how you cut a cake where you come from?"
Mari grinned sheepishly, licking the cream. "Exactly! As you already know I was raised on an island and we were not taught..." she trailed off laughing when Jax rolled his eyes at that.
"You know... this just made me remember my first birthday celebration. Andy was the first person who ever really celebrated my birthday. My father never celebrated my birthdays until she came into the picture. It reminded him of my biological mother’s death. You know she was shot to death and it was a surprise that I survived in her stomach. But that’s the reason for sight defect. Anyway, he never wanted to mark the day, but when Andy came into the picture... everything changed. She made sure my birthdays were special."
Jax’s eyes softened with sympathy. He reached out, cupping her cheek. "I’m glad Andy made it special for you. But I’m even more glad I got to be part of it today. Because a beautiful witch like you deserves to be celebrated."
Her chest warmed, and she laughed, "This is a very memorable birthday for me. I’ll never forget it."
His lips curved into a slow grin. "Good. Because I won’t let you forget it either."
He reached for the hidden switch above the bed. With a soft mechanical sound, the smart TV suspended from the ceiling lowered down. Jax grabbed the remote, flicked it on, and settled beside her.
Mari wasted no time curling against him, her head tucked under his chin as the opening credits of a movie began to play. For a while, she let herself simply enjoy the warmth of him, the soft glow of the screen in the dark room, and the sweetness of the moment.
But soon, Jax’s fingers slid along her arm, and her lips found his jawline. The movie became background noise as their mouths met again, kisses growing deeper.
Breathless, Mari whispered between kisses, "I want to spend the whole day in bed with you this way."
Jax chuckled, "Well, that won’t happen because when Chad returns we will have a party for you. I wish your friends weren’t unreachable right now. They would have participated in the party remotely."
Mari pouted. "Too bad. By the way let’s take a selfie. I have to show Jamal and Emily my very hot boyfriend," she said, but he shook his head.
"No. You’re not sending any pictures for your safety. They will see me after now. But until your safety is guaranteed, you can’t do that," he said gently.
She pouted. "I hope I get to hear from my parents today," she murmured.
"Me too."
They focused on the movie again and after five minutes Mari pulled back just enough to flash Jax a smile. "I just thought about something. Why don’t I pose for you? I want to see you make a drawing of me."
Jax chuckled low in his chest. "Pose, huh?"
"Yes. But nude."
He raised a brow at her, amused but cautious. "Nude?"
Mari nodded eagerly. "You already have so many pictures of me clothed. Don’t you think it’s time you had one that would make you think of me—and get turned on—whenever you looked at it?"
He shook his head, laughing. "You’re crazy. Someone might see it."
"Not if you hang it in your bedroom," she countered quickly.
"Chad or Venita could walk in here and see it."
"Fine. Hang it in your bathroom. I’m sure no one has a reason to go there. And when I’m not here and you feel horny, you can just you know..." she trailed off with a wink.
He threw his head back, laughing. "How did I ever end up falling for someone as crazy as you?"
"You should be grateful you have such a thoughtful girlfriend," Mari said with a grin, "So? Are you in?"
Jax chuckled. "You’re really set on this, aren’t you?"
"Yes," she said with a playful grin. "But you don’t have to worry. If it worries you so much, I’ll pose in a way that doesn’t show everything. Just enough to tease."
"You’re insane," Jax muttered, but his eyes gleamed with intrigue.
She giggled. "I know. So maybe... we should do it right now. On the same spot we just made love. I want to always remember it."
His brow arched. "Now?"
"Yes. Now."
So back to the studio they went. Mari tugged his shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the side. She stretched out on the blanket they’d just used, her body bare and glowing under the lights.
She lay on her side, one hand covering her nipples, the other shielding her most intimate place. Her long dark hair spilled like silk down her shoulders as she smiled at him, mischievous and breathtaking.
Jax’s throat worked as he lifted his phone. The camera clicked, capturing her.
"Alright. That’s enough," he said quickly, his voice husky. "Get dressed."
Mari pouted. "Why? I was just getting comfortable."
"Because I don’t want you to hold that pose for long. I already captured you. I’ll use the projector instead."
Mari slipped back into his shirt and padded barefoot across the floor to sit beside him.
He connected his phone, and soon the captured image glowed large against the studio wall.
She watched in awe as his hand swept across the canvas, his pencil bringing her to life on paper.
"Wow..." she whispered, her chest swelling with admiration.
Halfway through, she couldn’t hold it in anymore. She leaned over, catching his mouth in a deep and passionate kiss.
When she pulled back, breathless, her voice trembled with raw truth. "I think I’ve fallen in love with you already."