First Love (13 page)

I
AM
sitting at the bar watching Amber. God, I love that woman. All of my friends absolutely love her, and she loves them. Plus, we seemed to pick up like six years wasn't lost between us, and it feels better, like we are stronger together for it. Earlier today, in my office, holy shit! I was just playing around, I wasn't planning on taking her on my desk like that, but she was all for it. It's nice to know that she wants me as badly and as often as I do her.

She told me about her plans to open the youth center, which I think is fantastic. It's nice to see her excited about something she enjoys. She has always been such a loving, caring, and giving person, so it does not surprise me at all that this is something she wants to do. Of course I told her I will be here to help with anything she may need.

She looks over her shoulder, notices I am watching her, and gives me that sexy ass smile of hers. My dick twitches. I must be grinning like an idiot because Holly is smirking at me. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

"No reason, you just look really happy for the first time since I met you. It’s nice to see."

"I am very happy, actually." I smile at her as Amber saunters over. I pull her to my lap and kiss her forehead.

"You two are so sugary sweet, you are going to give me a fucking cavity," Holly joked and went to the other side of the bar.

"How's your night going, Princess?"

"Pretty good. I texted a friend I worked with at the youth center in Atlanta to see if they were interested in coming to work for me." She looked a little nervous. I wonder if it's just bringing up Atlanta, or if there is something about this friend I need to worry about.

"What did she say?"

"Well, first, it's not a she. His name is Jackson Cobb and he will be here in a month. We went to school together in Atlanta, he was in charge of the youth center I volunteered at. He is very good at what he does and would be an asset to my center. He has also been a very good friend." She turns to look me in the eye. "And, before you ask, no, we never dated. He asked when we were in college, but I turned him down and told him I would rather be friends. That’s what we’ve been for six years." I trust Amber completely, but I know how beautiful she is in and out. While she may have looked at him as just a friend, he was probably waiting for his chance for it to be something more. I could be wrong, but Jackson Cobb is on my radar. I smile at her and kiss her forehead.

"I’m glad you were able to get him to take the job. I look forward to meeting him. If you like him, I’m sure I will, too."

"Kyle Connor, don't you think you are fooling me with that bullshit for one second. I know what is going through that macho, male brain of yours." My girl knows me all too well.

"And what would that be?" I ask with a chuckle.

"You think that just because he is a man and I am a woman there is no way he is only interested in me as just a friend. And, since he asked me out once six years ago, that he is only hanging around as my friend waiting for his chance to get in my pants." She looks at me and cocks her eyebrow. Well, hell what can I say? She had me.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up." I give her an apologetic smile even though I know I’m probably right about this guy.

"You do know that I love you, right? More than I have ever or could ever love any man?" She places a soft kiss on my lips, her voice soft. "You are the man that makes my heart beat faster when you walk in the room. That makes my stomach fill with a thousand butterflies with just a look." Another soft kiss. "So, no matter what Jackson may or may not feel for me, it doesn't matter. You own my heart, my body, and my soul. When I look at him, I see a friend. Anything more than that, on my part, is absolutely impossible." She crashes her lips against mine and kisses me so intensely, I forget we are in the middle of a crowded bar.

"Princess, I never doubted your feelings about me. I trust you. I am just not sure I trust any man who has feelings for you. If I didn't have you, I would do anything and everything I could to make you mine. There is not another woman on this earth like you. I can't blame a man for falling for you. But, the minute he steps out of line, I will put him back over it."

“Promise you will be nice to him unless he gives you a legitimate reason, and I promise to let you throw his ass back over the line if he crosses it. Deal?"

"Deal." God I love this woman. Though, I still have a feeling I am going to be kicking this guy’s ass.

T
HIS LAST
month has been so busy. I finalized the purchase of the warehouse for the youth center, which I am really excited about. I really want this to be a place where the kids love to come to and parents feel safe sending their children. I was putting up some of the money myself, but also received quite a few donations from people and businesses throughout our community. I set up a program with the high school and the community college for internships. A few trainers from the hospital volunteered time to teach a couple CPR classes a month to the kids. We are set to accept children from infants to seventeen. Even though there will be fees for daycare or after school care services, they will be a lot cheaper than traditional places. We also have a fund in place for families who cannot afford to pay for the services but need them.

Kyle has a few friends in construction, so he was able to get a lot of the improvements and changes we need either donated or extremely discounted. We had the entire back of the property fenced in, a playground area with swings, a jungle gym, a couple slides, and the section for toddlers with smaller equipment. Which is one of my favorite parts. A grill and picnic tables are arranged around the grassy area, as well. On the other side, we built a basketball court. There is a volleyball court complete with beach sand and enough field area set up to play soccer, football, or kickball.

Since the inside was completely open aside from the kitchen and dining areas, we had to create different rooms. A nursery room, a toddler room, and a pre-school room were designed so that the smaller children could have everything they needed all in one room away from older kids. There are also several rooms for different activities such as music, art, and classroom-type rooms for tutoring. We also added a common room with a pool table, ping pong table, chess, checkers, and other board games.

Currently, I’m in the art room putting away stacks of paper. I bend over, loading reams of paper in the bottom of the cabinet when I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. I slowly stand up.

"That is one sexy ass you have there, Princess." He ground himself against my ass. "Can you feel what it did to me?" he growled in my ear. I was seriously thinking about taking him up to my office and having my way with him. He was kissing and licking down my neck.

“Mmmm ... how about you take that hard co―” All of a sudden we hear someone clear their voice. We both spin around and there stands Jackson Cobb. Now, I may not have romantic feelings for him, but I'm still a woman and can appreciate a good looking man. Jax is the opposite of Kyle when it comes to looks. He’s a little over six-foot with a broad, lean body. You can tell he works out, but he doesn't have the definition like Kyle does. He has short, honey-blond hair, pine green eyes, and a smile that would make any woman swoon.

"I'm sorry … I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I yelled for ya, but you must not have heard me." He walks over and holds his hand out to Kyle first. "You must be Kyle. I'm Jax. It's nice to finally meet you." Kyle smiles and shakes his hand.

"Jax, good to meet you." Okay … so far, so good. For a month, I’ve been wondering how this meeting was going to go. Kyle's never really been the jealous type. But, for some reason, the idea of Jax being here brings out his jealousy. Jax comes over to me and pulls me into a hug. I swear, I can hear Kyle growling.

"It is so good to see you, Amber. Atlanta wasn't the same after you left." He still had that dazzling smile on his face.

"I'm glad you were willing to take this job. I am so relieved to have someone as good as you here to help me run this place."

"Anything for you. How about showing me where my office is?" We all walk out of the art room toward the stairs just as Paul comes in the front doors. After I introduce him and Jax to each other, he says he needs me outside to show him where to put the new sign. Kyle says he would show Jax to his office for me. I gave him a look, begging him to be nice, but I have a feeling he is going to make sure Jax knows exactly who I belong to. And, by the looks that were exchanged between Paul and Kyle, I think Paul knows it, too. Normally, that behavior would piss me off. Coming from Kyle, though, it tends to turn me on. I watch Kyle lead Jax up the stairs and pray everyone will act like the adults they are and behave.