Breathe(45)

I let out a happy sigh and leaned back against the seat and crossed my legs. Jax cleared his throat, and I looked up at him.

“Could you try to not flash me any leg while we’re alone. I’m having a hard time with it.” His smile was strained, and I bit back a smile.

“Sorry,” I said softly and tucked my crossed legs back toward the seat.

We pulled up to the establishment, and there were men waiting to open our door. Jax took my hand and walked us up to the hostess, who immediately noticed Jax.

“Mr. Stone, we have your table ready. Right this way.”

Jax was right. The other diners were not going to come ask for autographs, but they did notice him as we walked by. Several whispered, and their eyes followed him. We were seated at a table away from the main dining area, where there were no other people around us. Jax held my chair out for me, and I sat down, glad we weren’t going to be in the view of curious eyes.

Jax grinned. “Do you read French, or should I order for you?”

“The menu is in French?” I asked, surprised.

He nodded. “Yes, and I know to stay away from oysters and shrimp. Are you okay with veal or lobster?”

I wasn’t really sure what I was okay with. The nicest restaurant I’d ever been to had a menu in English and nothing cost more than fifteen dollars.

“Just order whatever you think I will like.”

He chuckled. “Okay.”

A server appeared, and Jax ordered in French, of course. I watched him, mesmerized by his voice and the way the foreign words flowed from his mouth with such ease.

He stopped. “What do you want to drink?”

I frowned and almost hated to ask. “Do they have Coke?”

He grinned and went back to speaking in French.

Once we were alone again, he leaned toward me and whispered, “I ordered you lobster because I know it is good here. It also tastes nothing like shrimp or oysters.”

Before I could reply, a Coke appeared in front of me, and in front of Jax.

He took a sip and reached out a hand toward me. I slipped my hand in his and sighed.

“It’s hard to be near you and not be touching you in some way.”

I knew exactly what he meant. The thought should have been a happy one, but the fact that July was half over reminded me how close I was to not being able to touch him any longer.

“That wasn’t supposed to make you sad,” he said softly.

I made myself smile. “It doesn’t. I was just thinking about how quickly summer will be over. How fast it has already gone.”

His eyes showed emotion I didn’t understand. “I know,” he said and tightened his hold on my hand. He looked at the drink in front of him, and then back up at me with a sadness in his eyes. “I can’t think about it right now. Leaving you will be the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I’m just not sure how I will be able to.” He broke off and turned his gaze away from me.

I wish I hadn’t brought up our very near future. I hated seeing the pain in his eyes. “We will figure it all out. Let’s not let it get us down now. We still have a month and a half to go.”

He forced a smile and nodded. “You’re right”.

Jax stood up and came around the table and held out his hand. I stared at him in his tuxedo, and my breath caught in my lungs. He really was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Would you dance with me?”

I slipped my hand into his and followed him into the main room, where the band played. I stepped into his arms and wished I could stay there forever. His hands rested on my lower back, and I slid my hands up his arms and rested them on his shoulders. With my extra height, thanks to my killer heels, I was much closer to his six foot two inches. He leaned down until the warmth of his breath tickled my ear and neck.

“You feel amazing in my arms.”