Chapter 11

Ava found herself lying in Jax's bed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to get comfortable. She couldn't believe she was actually here, in his apartment, spending the night. It was all so surreal.

She rolled over onto her side, trying to get comfortable in the unfamiliar bed. As she did, she caught a whiff of Jax's scent on the pillow. It was a combination of his cologne and the natural smell of his skin. Ava closed her eyes and breathed it in, feeling a warmth spread through her body. She wondered if he could smell her perfume too.

But as much as she enjoyed the scent, it made it hard for her to fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she could smell him and her mind would drift off to thoughts of him. She wondered if he felt the same way, if he was lying awake thinking about her too.

"Ava?" Jax's voice came from the living room.

She sat up, startled. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She paused for a moment before responding, unsure of what to say. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just having trouble sleeping."

"Do you want me to come in there?" he offered.

Ava's heart raced at the thought of Jax coming into the bedroom with her. "No, it's okay. I'll try to get some rest."

"Alright, let me know if you need anything,"Jax said.

Ava lay back down, feeling disappointed that he wasn't coming to join her. She wondered if he was avoiding being alone with her or if he just didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

She turned onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow, trying to push away her thoughts. But then she heard footsteps approaching the bedroom and her heart skipped a beat.

Jax poked his head into the room. "Hey, can I come in?"

Ava sat up, surprised. "Yeah, of course."

Jax walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. "I couldn't sleep either," he admitted.

Ava's heart raced as she realized they were both thinking about each other. "Really?"

"Yeah," Jax said, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, I'm glad you're here and all, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Ava shook her head. "You're not making me uncomfortable. I'm just...nervous, I guess."

Jax reached out and took her hand. "Don't be nervous. I'm here for you."

Ava felt a warmth spread through her body as she looked into his eyes. "Thank you."

They sat there in silence for a few moments, just holding hands. Ava could feel her heart racing, wondering what would happen next.

Jax leaned in closer to Ava, his gaze intense. She felt her heart racing as they inched closer together. She could feel his breath on her lips and she closed her eyes, ready for their lips to meet.

But just as their faces were about to touch, there was a loud knock on the door.

Jax groaned and leaned back, breaking the spell. "Who could that be at this hour?"

Ava sat up, feeling disappointed that the moment had been interrupted. "I don't know, but maybe you should go see."

Jax nodded and got up from the bed. He walked out of the room and Ava could hear him talking to someone at the door. She got up and walked over to the door, curious to see who it was.

Ava's heart sank as she recognized Fiona standing at the door. She looked even better than in the old picture. Ava took a step back, feeling a pang of jealousy as she watched Jax talking to her.

As she stood there, Ava noticed Fiona's eyes flicker towards her, and she quickly turned her head away. But Ava could tell that Fiona was sizing her up, and it made her feel uneasy.

Jax soon came back into the bedroom, looking a little tense. "That was Fiona. She needed to talk to me about pack business."

Ava forced a smile. "Oh, okay."

Jax nodded, understanding the mix of emotions swirling within Ava. "Yes, Fiona she's one of the top hunters in our pack. It's part of her role to handle important matters concerning our group."

Ava shrugged, her weariness evident in her voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."

Jax walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry our night got interrupted. Maybe we can make it up to each other tomorrow?"

Ava smiled, feeling grateful for Jax's affection. "That sounds good to me."

Jax pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling away. "Get some rest. I'll be in the living room if you need anything."

Ava lay back down, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She was happy to be with Jax, but the thought of Fiona being around made her feel uneasy. She closed her eyes and tried to push away her thoughts, hoping that she could get some rest.

End of Chapter