As soon as the steward said it was okay, Brenda unbuckled her seatbelt. "Are you okay?" she asked nervously as she reached to unbuckle Jax's seatbelt.

Jax put his hand on hers. "I'm fine luv, stop worrying," he said softly with a reassuring smile. His smile faded away as he cupped the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "I need you to promise me something." He stroked his thumb across her cheek as he paused for a moment. "I need you to promise me that you are not going to fuss over me." When she started to protest, he put his finger on her lips. "You've been through hell the past couple of weeks. I want you to promise me that you will let Charles and the rest of the staff take care of both of us. I want your promise that you will relax and do nothing but enjoy yourself - and me!"

Brenda looked into his eyes for a moment before a smile spread across her face. She reached up to cover his hand with hers. "I think I can do that," she said softly as she gently squeezed his hand before taking it down and holding it between both of hers. She looked at their joined hands for a moment before looking up into his eyes. "But I want you to promise me the same thing. You will do nothing but relax and let your body heal."

"I can do that," Jax said with a big smile. He unbuckled his seatbelt and held his arms out to Brenda, who immediately snuggled next to him. "You better be careful," he said as he rested his cheek on top of her head. "I may never let you go."

Brenda sighed as she brushed her fingers across his chest. "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing," she said as she slipped her fingers inside the opening of his shirt. They sat silently holding each other for a long time. When she felt Jax try to stifle a yawn, Brenda pulled back to look at him. "Tired?" she asked as she cupped the side of his face.

"A little," he said with a slight nod.

Brenda slid over on the sofa and put a pillow in her lap. "Come on, lie down for a while. Lunch can wait," she said as she patted the pillow.

"Maybe for a little while," Jax said as he lay down on his right side and rested his head on the pillow. He closed his eyes and could feel himself drifting off almost immediately.

Brenda couldn't help smiling when she realized that Jax had fallen asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. She began to gently play with his hair as she watched him sleep. It was almost an hour before she felt him stir.

Jax winced slightly as he slowly rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He blinked a couple of times to focus his eyes and smiled when he saw Brenda's face. "Perfect," he said softly as he reached up to pull her face toward him as he leaned up to give her a passionate kiss.

As one kiss led to another and another, Brenda cupped the side of Jax's face. She finally ended the kisses when she felt him wince. "Are you okay?" she asked as she leaned back. "Are you in pain?"

When he looked into her eyes and saw her concern, he knew he had to tell her the truth. "A little," he said as he exhaled slowly.

"Why don't you sit up? Maybe that will help," Brenda said as she looked into his eyes to try to figure out how much pain he was really in. It only took a moment for her to decide he was not hiding anything. When Jax started to sit up she gently pushed against his shoulders to help him. Once he was sitting next to her, she tucked her leg under herself and turned to face him. She reached to stroke his cheek. "Is that better?"

"Actually, yes," Jax said with a reassuring smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Brenda said with a smile. "Ready for some lunch now?"

Before he could answer they both smiled when they heard Jax's stomach growl. "I guess that answers your question," he said with a chuckle. He reached his hand behind Brenda's neck and pulled her face to his for a passionate kiss. After several more passionate kisses, he leaned back just enough to look into Brenda's eyes.

Brenda stared back at him for several moments. Finally, she smiled. "Lunch," she said softly.

Without letting go of her, Jax slowly nodded his head. "Right," he said softly before leaning in to give her one more quick kiss.

When the kiss ended, Brenda reached over to press the intercom button. "Richard, we're ready for you to serve lunch now."

"Everything is set up in the dining area Mrs. Jacks," Richard answered.

"Thanks, we'll be right there." Brenda got up and held out her hand to Jax. "Lunch is served Mr. Jacks," she said with a smile.

Jax got up slowly, wincing slightly, before reaching for Brenda's hand. "After you Mrs. Jacks," he said as he held his arm out for her to walk ahead of him.

Once they were seated, the steward brought out their lunch and set the covered plates in front of them. Jax couldn’t help chuckling when he lifted the cover and saw two slices of pizza. When he looked over at Brenda he laughed out loud at the nervous little girl expression on her face.

“I know you probably should have a balanced meal but I figured you could use a little junk food about now after all of that hospital food you’ve been eating.” Brenda lifted the cover off her plate and picked up a slice of pizza. “Richard has plenty more in the galley.” She looked into his eyes as she took a bite and chewed the pizza seductively. “We’ll let Charles worry about balanced meals when we get to the house,” she said between mouthfuls, leaving Jax to wonder who was enjoying the pizza more - him or Brenda!

Jax, who had been watching Brenda as she chewed, smiled as he picked up a slice of his pizza and took a large bite, without ever looking away from her eyes. They continued to stare at each other as they ate, taking turns feeding each other until they were full.

When they finished eating, Jax leaned back in his chair. He inhaled quickly when a sharp pain shot through his side. “Ow,” he said softly as he shifted around in his seat to find a more comfortable position.

“Are you okay?” Brenda asked as she leaned forward.

“Yeah, I just leaned back the wrong way,” Jax said with a wince as he shifted in his seat again, obviously still in pain.

“No you’re not fine Jax. You’re in pain - a lot of pain!” Brenda said as she reached for the intercom button. “Richard, would you please bring Jax his pain medication?”

“Yes Mrs. Jacks,” Richard answered quickly.

“Come on, let’s get you back on the couch,” Brenda said as she got up and walked over to Jax. As he started to stand she stooped down and wrapped her arm around him trying to help him as much as she could. Once he was standing, she wrapped her other arm around his ribs. “Take it slow,” she said firmly, without looking up at him.

Instead of moving, Jax hooked his finger under Brenda’s chin and lifted her face. “I’m okay luv. Please stop worrying so much. You’re going to make yourself sick again. I don’t think Charles and the staff are prepared to take care of two patients.”

Brenda couldn’t help chuckling at the expression on Jax’s face. “Okay, okay, I’ll try - but I can’t promise,” she said with a sigh as she looked into his eyes. “For now though, let me take care of you - at least until we land.”

Jax looked at her for a moment. When he felt another twinge of pain he nodded his head in agreement. “Sounds fair to me,” he said with a smile as he let her lead him to the couch. He sat down just as Richard came out of the galley with a small tray. On the tray was a glass of water and a small cup with two pills. When he extended the tray, Jax picked up the glass and cup, swallowed the pills and took several sips of water. “Thanks Richard,” he said as he put the glass back on the tray.

“We don’t want to be disturbed until it’s time to land,” Brenda said as she sat down next to Jax.

“Of course, Mrs. Jacks,” Richard said with a slight nod. “I’ll make sure you are not disturbed.” He turned and quickly walked to the galley to give them their privacy.

As soon as Richard was gone, Brenda slid over to the end of the couch and put one of the throw pillows in her lap. “Come on,” she said as she patted the pillow. “Why don’t you stretch out and take a nap? We won’t be landing for a couple of hours yet.”

Jax looked at her for a moment before exhaling slowly and nodding his head. “That actually sounds like a good idea,” he said with a slight smile before leaning down to rest his head on the pillow and bringing his legs up on the couch. As soon as he was comfortable, Brenda began to gently stroke his hair. It was only a couple of minutes before Jax felt himself drifting off to sleep. The last thing he remembered was the feel of Brenda’s hand on his hair and the smell of her perfume.

The next thing he knew, he felt someone gently shaking his shoulder. He realized that it was Brenda when he felt her lean down and kiss his cheek. He smiled as he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. “Hey you,” he said softly.

“Hey yourself,” Brenda said with a smile as she leaned down to give him a quick kiss on the forehead. “Feel like sitting up? We’re about ready to land.”

Surprised that he had slept so long, Jax sat up slowly and ran his fingers through his hair, surprised that he didn’t feel any pain in his side as he did. “How long was I asleep?” he asked as he pushed a lock of hair behind Brenda’s ear.

Brenda glanced at her watch before answering. “Almost three hours,” she said as she linked her fingers with his and looked up at him. “I really hated to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully. But when Richard said we were on final approach to LAX, I knew I didn’t have a choice. So I tried to do it as gently as possible.”

“It was the perfect way to wake me. There is nothing better than looking into your beautiful face when I open my eyes,” Jax said softly with a smile as he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. Just then the pilot’s voice came on the intercom to tell them they were landing and remind them to buckle their seatbelts. Jax smiled at Brenda for a second before finally looking away to buckle his seatbelt. As soon as it was buckled he reached for Brenda’s hand and linked his fingers with hers. He continued to hold her hand as they landed and taxied to the corporate terminal.

When the plane came to a complete stop, Richard came out to open the door and lower the steps. He stuck his head out to look around before turning back to Jax and Brenda, who were just standing up. “The car is waiting at the foot of the steps as you ordered Mrs. Jacks. The crew is loading your luggage into the trunk. I think it’s clear for you to deplane now,” he said as he stepped aside to let them exit.

When Brenda came to the door she was surprised to see Charles holding the door of the Bentley sedan instead of the convertible she and Jax had used the last time they were here. Obviously, she decided, the change had been Ben’s doing. She quickly decided that the car didn’t matter as long as it got them to the house. She almost ran down the steps, stopping and turning to help Jax if he needed it, when she got to the bottom.

Jax came down the steps slowly, only wincing slightly as he got to the bottom step. As soon as he did, he reached out his hand to Brenda. When she linked her fingers with his, he smiled and nodded slightly. He looked into her eyes for a moment before looking over at Charles - never releasing his hold on her hand. “Hello Charles,” he said as he extended his free hand to him.

"Hello Mr. Jacks, welcome home," Charles said as he gave Jax's hand a quick shake. As he let go he turned and gave Brenda a big smile and a slight nod. "Welcome home Mrs. Jacks, it's good to see you again."

Brenda looked at Charles for a moment before smiling at him. She couldn't help feeling that he had known that they would be back here as man and wife when they had left the last time. "Thank you Charles. It's really good to be here." She looked up at Jax for a moment and then back at Charles. "Is everything ready?"

"Everything is as you ordered, ma'am," Charles said with a slight nod. "Are you ready to leave? The luggage is all stowed in the boot," he said as he looked from Brenda to Jax.

"Definitely!" Jax said as he nodded his head. He held out his arm toward the open car door. "Mrs. Jacks?"

Brenda smiled broadly like she did every time he called her that, as she squeezed his hand. Without saying anything more, she let go of Jax's hand and got into the car. She slid over in the seat and waited for Jax to get in. Jax took a deep breath as he turned and held on to the doorframe and the edge of the window as he slowly sat down on the edge of the seat. He winced slightly as he brought his legs into the car. He exhaled as he leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he saw a very concerned look on Brenda's face. He smiled reassuringly at her as he patted her hand. "I'm okay luv. It only hurts when I move a certain way," he said as he moved slightly to get more comfortable. "I guess I'm not quite ready to run a marathon yet, huh?"

Brenda looked into his eyes as she cupped the side of his face. "I guess not," she said softly as she stroked his cheek. "I personally like the sound of that though. You'll be all mine for the entire time we're here." She smiles as she continues to stare into his eyes. "You have no idea how hard it was to compete with your training regimen the last time we were here."

"Oh really?" Jax said with a big smile of his own. "I seem to remember you doing a very good job of keeping me from my training." He continued to look into her eyes as he took her hand from his cheek and kissed the tips of her fingers. "In fact, I don't remember having a single training workout after that first morning when you brought me my robe after my kayak practice," he said as he nibbled on her fingertips.

"I never said I wasn't successful," Brenda said with a laugh. "I just said you had no idea how hard I had to work at it!" She laughed harder as Jax reached for her and pulled her closer. As she snuggled close to him and rested her head on his chest, she suddenly realized that this was the first time she had actually laughed since he had been shot. She sighed as she gently wrapped her arm around Jax's waist. When she looked up at his face she saw that he was staring out the window, enjoying the scenery, totally relaxed. She smiled to herself as she snuggled a little closer and looked out the same window. When she felt Jax wrap his arm tightly around her, she let out a sigh and rested her hand flat on his chest.

Neither Jax nor Brenda said anything the rest of the way to the beach house. After turning into the driveway, Charles pulled the car right up to the front door before stopping. By the time the car came to a stop the rest of the staff was waiting for them. Charles got out and walked quickly behind the car, stopping to open the trunk on the way around. When he got to the other side he opened the door and leaned in to offer Jax his arm to get out.

Jax gave Brenda a quick squeeze before lifting his arm from around her. He slid closer to the door before slowly swinging his legs out. He rested one hand on the doorframe, grabbed Charles arm with the other and slowly stood up, glad that Brenda could not see his face. He could feel the perspiration form on his forehead as he grimaced and stood up. He took a deep breath and exhaled quickly. He waited until the pain passed before turning around to extend his hand to help Brenda out. He hoped he had managed to clear any trace of the recent pain from his face.

Without accepting Jax's help Brenda got out of the car. As soon as she was out Brenda looked up at Jax. She could see in his eyes that he was in pain. She could also see that he was trying to hide it from her so she pretended not to notice. Instead, she gently wrapped her arm around Jax's waist, careful not to press on his wound.

A smile spread across Brenda’s face as she looked around. As memories of their last trip to this house flooded her mind, she became more convinced than ever that coming here now had been the right thing to do. This house would always be there special, private place - a place where they could go to rest and heal. She took a deep breath and let it out quickly before looking over at Charles. “Everything looks terrific, Charles,” Brenda said.

“Thank you Mrs. Jacks. It’s a pleasure to have you and Mr. Jacks back with us,” Charles said with a slight nod of respect to Brenda. “Everything has been prepared as you instructed.” He signaled a couple of the servants to unload the luggage as he stepped aside and extended his arm toward the open front door.

Brenda looked up at Jax and couldn’t help noticing that he looked uncomfortable standing this long. “Why don’t we go sit on the terrace for a while?” she suggested softly as she rested her hand flat on his chest. She knew if she suggested he go to bed he would refuse.

Jax looked down at her with a slight smile. “I like that idea,” he said as he tightened his hold on her. “Let’s go.”

Brenda looked over at Charles. “Will you let us know when dinner is ready Charles? We’ll be out on the terrace.”

“Of course Mrs. Jacks,” Charles said with a slight nod. “I’ll have your things put away in the master suite.”

“Thank you,” she said. “Oh wait - you’ll find the instructions and medications we discussed in my briefcase,” Brenda said seriously.

“I’ll take care of everything,” Charles said as he reached to pick up the briefcase from the step. “Why don’t you two go relax? I’ll let you know when dinner is served.”

“Thanks,” Brenda said before looking up at Jax. “Come on,” she said as she squeezed him slightly. “Oh God! I’m sorry honey!” she said when she saw him wince. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Jax smiled reassuringly as he tightened his hold on her. “I’m fine luv, will you please stop worrying about me?”

Brenda exhaled slowly. “I’ll try,” she said softly and she looked downward.

“You’ll do more than try Mrs. Jacks,” Jax said firmly. When he saw Brenda start to protest his face grew very serious. “I mean it Brenda. You are not going to spend all of your time fussing over me. Not only will you drive me bonkers, but you’ll wear yourself out.” He gently tapped the tip of her nose with his fingertip. “In case you forgot, you just got out of the hospital yourself. I distinctly remember Dr. Felton telling you to take it easy for a while - no stress!”

“I feel fine Jax,” Brenda said with a reassuring smile. “That 26 straight hours of sleep I got in the hospital really did the trick.”

“If you’ll permit me. I think I have a solution that you can BOTH live with,” Charles said. When Jax and Brenda looked over at him he smiled. “Why don’t you BOTH relax and let me and the rest of the staff worry about the two of you?”

Brenda and Jax looked at each other for a second before Brenda started to smile. Jax returned her smile before looking back at Charles. “Sounds like the perfect solution, thank you Charles,” he said with a smile and a nod. “What do you say we start this over again?” he asked as he looked down at Brenda.

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Brenda said as she smiled up at him and rested her hand flat on his chest.

As Jax and Brenda headed through the house to the terrace, Charles checked to make sure all of their luggage had been taken into the house. He walked down the hall to the master suite to make sure the maids were being careful about unpacking their clothes, especially Brenda’s. Once he was satisfied that things were being handled properly, he went to the kitchen to review the medication and exercise instructions he got from Brenda’s briefcase. He made a schedule of his own and arranged the medications in a drawer of his desk, making sure to lock it when he was finished.

He got up and looked out the kitchen window. He smiled when he saw Jax and Brenda cuddled together on the oversized lounge chair. He couldn’t help feeling a sense of satisfaction as he continued to watch them. He smiled as he remembered watching Jax and Brenda drive away at the end of their last visit. He had known then that they would be back - as husband and wife! Seeing them happily married this soon was even more than he had hoped for. He continued to watch them for several more minutes before shaking his head and returning his full attention to supervising the special dinner that Brenda had ordered.

Jax and Brenda spent the remainder of the afternoon snuggled together on the lounge chair. They didn’t talk much, preferring to just enjoy the feel of each other and the beauty of the ocean. After a while they both dozed off. Jax woke up when he felt Brenda shiver and pulled her closer to him. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.

Brenda slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. She blinked a couple of times as a smile slowly spread across her face. She shivered when she realized how cold she felt, even with Jax's arms wrapped around her. "Boy, it sure got cold out here fast," she said as she snuggled closer to him.

Jax smiled as he rubbed his hand on her arm. "Well it is the end of November you know. Even in Southern California, it gets cold when the sun sets."

"Sunset? Already?" Brenda asked as she lifted her head from Jax's chest and looked around. When she saw the beautiful colors of the sunset reflecting on the ocean she sat up a little straighter and just watched it. "Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" she asked softly.

"Definitely," Jax said, but he wasn't looking at the sunset. He was looking at Brenda's profile, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.

When Brenda realized that Jax was staring at her and not the sunset, she turned to look at him. "I meant the sunset," she said with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah," Jax said with a big smile as he saw her face turn bright pink in the fading light. "That looks pretty good too."

Brenda and Jax stared at each other for a moment before turning to look at the setting sun. Just as the sun was going below the horizon they were startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat. They both looked in the direction the sound had come from to see Charles standing in the doorway to the living room.

"Pardon me for intruding," he said politely. "Dinner is served."

Jax and Brenda looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Charles. "Thank you Charles," Jax said as he slowly unwrapped his arms from around Brenda to let her get up first. When it came time for him to get up, Jax swung his legs around and set his feet on the ground as he sat forward. But when he tried to stand a sharp pain shot up his side, forcing him to stop and take a deep breath, which he let out loudly.

Charles immediately crossed the terrace and stooped in front of Jax. "Are you alright sir?" he asked softly. When Jax looked at him, Charles could see the pain in his eyes. When he saw Jax glance up at Brenda for a second before looking back at him, he knew that Jax did not want Brenda to know he was in pain. He stood up in front of Jax to block Brenda's view. "Why don't you let me help you? You don't want to overdo it your first day here." When he saw Jax nod slightly with a grateful smile, he leaned forward and extended both of his arms. As soon as Jax took hold of his arms Charles tightened his hold on him and lifted him off the lounger.

Jax could feel the pain shoot through his side again as he stood up. He held on to Charles for a minute until it finally started to subside. When it did, he took another deep breath and let it out quickly. He gave Charles a grateful look before holding his hand out to Brenda. "Come on luv," he said in what he hoped was a normal tone of voice. "I'm starving."

Brenda looked at Jax for a moment, trying to decide just how much pain he was in. It only took her a second to realize what he was trying to do. When she did, she took a deep breath and smiled at him as she took his hand. "Me too," she said as she gave his hand a quick squeeze. She gave Charles a knowing glance and a quick smile of appreciation for his help as they wrapped their arms around each other and headed inside.

When they got to the dining room, Jax stopped suddenly and stared at the table. He slowly turned and looked at Brenda. "What's all this?" he asked as he held his arm out toward the table.

"It's exactly what it looks like," Brenda said with a chuckle as she walked past him and stood next to the table. "It's Thanksgiving dinner!"

Still confused, Jax walked into the room and stood in front of her, staring at the table. "I still don't understand," he said as he looked from the table to Brenda.

Brenda put her hand on his arm. "It's not complicated really," she said as she looked up into his eyes. "With everything that has been going on the past few weeks, we seem to have forgotten to celebrate our first Thanksgiving together. When Dr. Felton agreed to let me bring you out here, I called Charles and told him I wanted an old fashion Thanksgiving dinner the first night we were here." She glanced at the table for a second before looking back at him. "And there it is," she said proudly. When Jax started laughing she looked at the table again, trying to figure out what he was laughing at. "What's wrong?" she asked, her confusion obvious in her voice.

"You asked Charles to put together an old fashioned Thanksgiving?" he asked as he finally stopped laughing. He waited until Brenda nodded. "Sweetheart, Charles is from London! What does he know about an old fashioned American Thanksgiving dinner?"

Brenda put her hands on her hips and looked up at Jax with a stern expression. “I know that Jax!” she said in an exasperated voice. “But Robert and the rest of the kitchen staff are Americans! All Charles did was tell them what I wanted and they did the rest!” She smiled proudly as she looked at the table. “I don’t know about you, but I’m really ready to get back to a normal life. I think the best way to start is to celebrate Thanksgiving and then just take each day as it comes. What do you say?” she asked as she looked up at him expectantly.

A smile slowly spread across Jax’s face. “I say let’s eat!” he said as he pulled her chair out for her.

Brenda did what Jax had started calling her ‘happy dance’ before sitting down as Jax pushed in her chair. As soon as Jax sat down, Brenda nodded to Charles. He stepped back into the kitchen and returned a moment later with the first course of their first Thanksgiving dinner together. As they worked their way through the courses of the dinner, Brenda couldn’t imagine a better way to spend the holiday - except for possibly having the rest of the Jacks family with them. She decided that whatever it took to arrange it, they would spend Christmas with John, Jane, AND Jerry - the only true family she had ever known. She looked over at Jax and made a mental note to talk to him about their Christmas plans sometime during their stay.

As Jax and Brenda were finishing their pumpkin pie, Charles came out of the kitchen carry yet another tray - this time a small silver one. “Hold it right there mate!” Jax said as he leaned back in his chair and threw his napkin on the table. “Whatever you’ve got on that tray you can take right back into the kitchen!” He looked over at Brenda for a second and smiled when he saw her leaning back in her chair, exhaling slowly as she rested her hands on her stomach. “Neither one of us has room for another bite!”

Charles couldn’t help smiling. “I’m glad you enjoyed your dinner sir,” he said before coming the rest of the way to the table and standing next to Jax’s chair. “But this is not another course. It’s your medications. The instructions your physician sent said they were to be taken with your morning and evening meals,” he said politely as he set the tray in front of Jax. When he didn’t move, Jax looked up at him. “You forget sir, I know you. I’m not going anywhere until I see you take those pills- ALL of them!” he said firmly as he crossed his arms and looked directly at Jax.

Jax turned to Brenda when he heard her start to laugh. He stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and starting to laugh softly himself. He looked up at Charles and held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, you win!” he said with a chuckle as he reached for the small cup with three pills in it and the glass of water. After swallowing the pills and taking a large sip of water, he put the cup and glass back on the tray and looked up at Charles. “Satisfied?”

“Very good sir,” Charles said politely as he nodded slightly. “Would you and Mrs. Jacks like your coffee in the living room? I’ve taken the liberty of laying a fire in there for you.”

“Sounds like the perfect way to end the perfect meal to me,” Brenda said softly as she smiled at Charles. “That was the most amazing Thanksgiving dinner I’ve ever had Charles. Please thank everyone for us.”

“I’ll do that Mrs. Jacks,” Charles said with a slight bow. When he saw Jax wince as he started to get up he stepped closer to the table. He reached to pick up the tray, also managing to prevent Brenda from seeing the pained expression on Jax’s face as he stood up. He glanced at Jax to make sure he was okay before stepping out of the way and heading back into the kitchen.

“He’s very loyal to you isn’t he?” Brenda asked quietly as she walked over and stood in front of Jax.

“What do you mean?” Jax asked innocently.

“He purposely stepped between us so I wouldn’t see you grimace as you stood up,” Brenda said as she looked up at Jax. She rested her hands flat on his chest. “I know you don’t want me to worry about you honey, but you cannot hide things from me. If you’re in pain I should know it. Okay?”

Jax gently rested his arms on Brenda’s shoulders. “Okay,” he said softly as he smiled at her. He leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. “Let’s go have our coffee,” he said without moving his head.

Brenda wrapped her arms gently around Jax’s ribs as she leaned back and looked up at him. “Okay,” she said as a slight smile crossed her face. She released her hold on his waist and extended her hand to him. Jax took it and let her lead him into the living room.

Brenda stopped when she got to the head of the stairs to the living room. She was surprised to see what Charles had set up for them. Not only had he laid a roaring fire, but he had also filled the room with dozens of lit candles instead of turning the lights on. The coffee service was set on the table in front of the couch, facing the terrace. She looked up at Jax. “Wow,” she said softly as she looked back at the room.

“I have to admit, Charles may not know a lot about Thanksgiving, but he DEFINITELY know about coffee!” Jax said with a slight chuckle as he led Brenda down the three steps to the living room and over to the couch.

As soon as she was close enough, Brenda sat down and tucked her legs up under her. Jax slowly sat down next to her ad poured them each a cup of coffee. He turned slightly to hand Brenda her cup before picking up his own cup and leaning back. He winced and drew in a quick breath when a sharp pain shot through his side. When he looked over at Brenda he saw the concern on her face so he reached over to gently squeeze her knee. “It’s okay luv. Like I told you before, it only hurts when I move certain ways.”

Brenda looked into his eyes for several moments until she was sure he was okay before a slight smile spread across her lips and she put her hand on his on her knee. “Got it,” she said softly. “This had been a perfect evening so far. Why don’t we just enjoy the rest of it and forget about everything else?”

Jax smiled back at her. “Sounds good to me,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her back with him. They didn’t say another word as they sipped their coffee and watched the trees on the terrace sway in the increasing breeze. Eventually, as the candles started to burn down, Jax tapped Brenda lightly on the tip of her nose. When she looked up at him he couldn’t help smiling. She looked just like a sleepy little girl. “What do you say we call it a night?” he asked softly.

Brenda tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. She couldn’t keep from chuckling as she did. “I say yes,” she said with a nod. She stood up and stretched before extending her hands to Jax. “Want a hand?” she asked softly.

Jax looked up at her for a moment. “Not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but I don’t think you would be much help. Why don’t I just take it slow getting up by myself? That way you can save your strength to help me to the bedroom.”

Brenda put her hands on her hips and tried to look upset. It only took a few seconds for her to start laughing. “Okay, okay, you’ve got a point,” she said with a chuckle. She stepped back a little to give him room to stand up. It took him two tries, but he finally stood up - wincing as he straightened himself up. Brenda looked into his eyes for a moment before extending her hand to him. “Okay?” she asked softly.

Jax took a quick breath and exhaled slowly as he reached for her hand. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just a little stiff,” he said as he gently squeezed her hand. “I think it’s a good idea to call it a night though. I am pretty tired.”

After staring into Jax’s eyes for a moment to be sure he was okay, Brenda squeezed his hand and started toward the stairs. When they got to what had been Jax’s bedroom the last time they had come to Malibu, they found the door partially closed. Brenda pushed the door open and stepped inside without letting go of Jax’s hand. She walked over to the side of the bed with Jax before looking around the room. The bed had been turned down and their nightclothes laid out for them. The only light in the room came from the two bedside table lamps.

Brenda let go of Jax’s hand and began to unbutton his shirt. “You don’t have to do that,” he said as he put his hand on her wrist to stop her.

“I know I don’t have to,” Brenda said with a slight smile. “I want to.”

“When you put it that way, how can I say no?” Jax said with a smile as he squeezed her hand.

Brenda finished unbuttoning his shirt and slid it down his arms, tossing it onto the nearby chair. She slowly brushed her hands across his chest as she looked up lovingly into his eyes. She leaned forward to place a soft kiss above his heart and moaned softly as Jax rubbed his hands around her back. “I’ve missed this,” she said softly as she rested her cheek against his chest. When she wrapped her arms around his waist she stopped suddenly when she felt Jax tense up. She leaned back and looked up at him. As soon as she did she saw the pain on his face. It only took her a second to realize that her hand was pressing on the bandage on Jax’s back. She immediately pulled her hand away and covered her mouth with it.

“Oh my God Jax, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” she asked as she cupped the side of his face.

“I’m fine luv,” Jax said reassuringly as he lifted her hand from his cheek and kissed the palm. “Why don’t you go get changed? I’ll meet you in bed when you’re finished.”

Brenda looked deeply into Jax eyes for several moments until she was satisfied that he was really okay. Slowly a smile spread across her face. She stood up on her toes to kiss his chin as she rested her hands flat on his chest. “I’ll be back in a minute. If you need any help just holler.”

“I will, I promise. I’m fine luv, stop worrying,” Jax said as he gently ran his hands up and down her arms. He nodded toward the open bathroom door. “Go on, get changed. I’ll be waiting for you,” he said softly.

“Okay, I’ll be right back,” Brenda said softly as she gave his forearms a quick squeeze. She picked up her satin pajamas from the bed and walked quickly into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door closed Jax sat down on the bed for a second without moving. He groaned softly as he bent over to remove his shoes and socks. He exhaled loudly as he straightened up after standing up to remove the rest of his clothes and put on his pajama pants. When he was finished he sat down again and slowly slid his legs under the covers. He gently leaned back against the pillows and tried to get comfortable before Brenda came back. He didn’t want her to see how much pain he was really in.

It only took Brenda a couple of minutes to get ready for bed. When she was finished she opened the door and turned off the bathroom light. As she stepped into the bedroom she saw Jax wince several times as he moved around to get comfortable in bed. She could tell that he didn’t know she was watching him so she took a quick breath before walking the rest of the way into the room. She walked over to the bed and pulled the covers up around Jax. When he looked up at her she ran her fingers through his hair. “You look tired,” she said softly.

“I am,” he said as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Without even realizing it he winced when he moved. When he opened his eyes he saw Brenda holding the glass of water and small cup that had been on the tray on the bedside table.

“You better take these,” she said as she extended the cup and glass to him.

Without argument Jax took the cup and glass. He poured the pills into his mouth and took a large sip of water to wash them down. “Thank you,” he said as he handed the glass back to Brenda. “Come to bed now,” he said softly as he folded the covers back on her side of the bed. “You look pretty tired yourself.”

Brenda set the glass back on the table and walked around to her side of the bed. She got in and snuggled close to Jax as he pulled the covers up around her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder and began to gently run her fingers across his bare chest. “I’ve really missed being in your arms like this, listening to your heartbeat,” she said softly as she leaned down to softly kiss his chest.

Jax hooked his finger under Brenda’s chin and lifted her face up to look at him. “Holding you isn’t the only thing I’ve missed,” he said as he leaned forward to kiss her.

When she saw the quick flash of pain in Jax’s eyes as he leaned forward, Brenda put her hand flat on his chest and pushed him back against the pillows. “Oh no you don’t! I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait a little while longer for that! You just got out of the hospital this morning. Then we flew 3,000 miles to get here. I think you’ve had more than enough excitement for one day! Besides,” she said as she smiled up at him. “We’re in no hurry. We can stay here as long as we want. Your dad and Jerry are taking care of everything at the office for you. I don’t have another photo shoot until February and Lucy has rescheduled the last couple of public appearances that I was contracted to do so I have no reason to go back to Port Charles either.”

Jax looked at her for a second before saying anything. “I guess you’re right. I’m too tired right now to do anything but hold you.” He reached up and gently pushed Brenda’s head back on his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head before settling back into the pillows and closing his eyes. The last thing he remembered before drifting off to sleep was the feel of Brenda’s breath on his chest as she fell asleep in his arms.

Brenda woke with a start. She immediately looked at Jax to make sure he was okay. Once she was satisfied that he was sleeping peacefully, she sat up and looked around the room, trying to figure out what had suddenly pulled her out of a deep sleep. She jumped when she saw a bright flash of lightening, followed by a loud roll of thunder. She wrapped her arms around her knees and shuddered as she heard the rain pound against the terrace doors. She tightened her arms around her knees, burying her face between them as she saw another flash of lightening, tensing as she waited for the roll of thunder she knew would come. When it did, she couldn’t keep from jumping nearly off the bed.

Jax woke up when he realized that Brenda was no longer in his arms. When he opened his eyes he saw her sitting next to him, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees and her face buried between them. He sat up and gently placed his hand flat on her back. “Brenda? What wrong?” he asked softly. When he felt her trembling he began to gently stroke her hair.

Another flash of lightening caused Brenda to turn and wrap her arms tightly around Jax, burying her face in his chest as the thunder crashed. Feeling Jax’s arms wrapped tightly around her and hearing his voice as he tried to soothe her, she slowly felt her trembling stop. Even another flash of lightening did not cause her to tense up again. Eventually, she raised her head from his chest but did not look up at him.

“Are you okay?” Jax asked softly as he turned her face to his and cupped the side of it. He gently stroked his thumb across her cheek. When Brenda finally looked up at him he couldn’t help thinking that she looked like a frightened little girl. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he leaned forward to gently kiss her forehead.

Brenda glanced toward the doors and then back at him. “The storm scared me. Are they always this bad?” she asked as she put her hand on top of his on her cheek.

Jax smiled reassuringly at her. “Not always, but this time of year they are more likely to be this bad,” he said. When he saw her tense up at another flash of lightening, he wrapped his arms around her and lay back against the pillows, taking her with him. When he felt her shudder at the sound of the thunder, he kissed the top of her head. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you’re afraid of thunder storms?”

“Usually I’m not,” Brenda said quietly as she wrapped her arm around his ribs and rested her ear on his chest just above his heart. “It’s just storms like this one - loud thunder, driving rain, howling winds,” she said with a shudder.

"Can you tell me why?" Jax asked as he gently ran his fingertips around her back, trying to reassure her.

Brenda took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling. "When I was about eight years old a storm like this woke me up. I jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to Julia's room. She screamed when I mumped into her bed, which made my father come rushing into the room." Brenda stopped and shuddered again as the memories came flooding back to her.

"It's okay luv, I'm here," Jax said softly.

After taking another deep breath Brenda picked up the story. "When he found me in Julia's bed he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the bed, demanding to know what the hell I thought I was doing scaring Julia." She shuddered again and closed her eyes to try to keep the tears from spilling out. "When I told him that the storm had scared me he dragged me down the hall to my room and opened the terrace doors. He pushed me out on the terrace, screaming that no daughter of his was going to be a coward. When I tried to get back inside he pushed me back out, locked the door and left me out there." Brenda's voice had trailed off as she finished her story.

When he felt her trembling again, Jax gently stroked Brenda's hair to try to calm her. He had always known Harlan Barrett's reputation as a ruthless businessman. At times he had even admired some of the things Harlan had done to make a deal. After having met and done business with his daughter Julia, Jax remembered actually admiring him for having been able to keep his ruthless business life separate from his personal life. He had to admit that he respected the business skills that Harlan had taught Julia. Now, hearing what he had done to Brenda, he realized that he had been wrong - Harlan Barrett was a cold, cruel, child abusing poor excuse for a man!

"How long were you out there?" Jax asked in a slightly shaky voice as he tried to control his raging anger.

"A little over an hour," Brenda said as she tightened her hold on him. "My nanny came for me when she heard me crying and pounding on the door." She couldn't stop the tears that had been building behind her closed eyelids any longer and they flowed freely down her cheeks and onto his chest.

When he felt her tears on his chest, Jax stopped stroking Brenda's hair and his body tensed. He looked up at the ceiling, his mind suddenly spinning a plan into place. "What about Julia? Didn't she try to help you? After all, you were only a little girl. Aren’t big sisters supposed to protect their little sisters or does that just hold true for big brothers?" he asked without looking back down at her.

Brenda sniffled and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Julia? She looked out the window at me for a second right after daddy locked the door then went back to bed. The next morning at breakfast she and daddy acted like nothing had happened."

His mind now made up Jax quickly relaxed his body. He wrapped his arms protectively around Brenda again and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, luv. I'm here now and I won't let anything happen to you - and neither will Jerry. After all, that's what 'big brothers are for you know," he said softly as he pulled the covers higher around her. "Listen, the storm's pretty much over. That's how they are around here. They come in off the ocean full of sound and fury then blow themselves out just as fast as they blew in. By the sound of this one though, we'll probably have rain all day tomorrow." He leaned down to kiss the top of Brenda's head again before resting his cheek on her hair. "I hope you weren't planning any beach activities for tomorrow."

For the first time since the storm woke her, Brenda chuckled and gently slapped Jax's chest. "Hardly," she said as she lifted her head and looked up at him. "Actually, I was trying figure out a way to keep you in bed for the entire day," she said with a smile. "I think this just may be it."

Jax couldn't help smiling back at her, especially when he realized that she had finally started to relax again. He pushed her hair behind her ear and brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. "I think you may have something there - as long as you plan on staying in bed with me," he said with a familiar glint in his eye.

Brenda knew exactly what he meant. "Ah, why don't we wait and see about that. I kind of doubt that you're ready for THAT kind of a day in bed yet!"

"We'll never know if we don't try," Jax said as he threaded his fingers into the hair on the back of her head and pulled her to him for a passionate kiss. When he finally pulled back from the kiss he smiled at her for a second before gently pressing her head back to his chest. "Go back to sleep, now. You've got a 'busy' day tomorrow," he said with a slight chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her again.

"Why don't we wait until tomorrow to decide just how busy the day is going to be?" Brenda said softly as she tried to stifle a yawn and snuggled closed to Jax. It only took a few minutes for her to drift off into a peaceful sleep again, knowing she was safe in her husband's arms.

Jax didn't allow himself to fall asleep until he felt Brenda's slow, steady breathing on his chest. His mind raced to finalize his plans as he waited for her to fall asleep. He glanced over at the clock and set what Brenda had started to call his 'internal alarm clock'. There was a very important call that he had to make before Brenda woke up in the morning. When he was sure that she was sleeping soundly, he kissed her hair again before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.

As he had planned, Jax woke up at exactly 6:15. He looked down at Brenda, relieved that she was still sleeping soundly. He gently kissed the top of her head before slowly easing out of her arms and getting out of bed with a surprisingly small amount of discomfort. When she stirred slightly he pulled the covers up around her and gently stroked her hair until she settled down again. When he was sure she was sleeping soundly, he picked up the cordless phone from the bedside table and walked into the bathroom, silently closing the door behind him. After turning on the light he quickly dialed and waited for an answer.

“Jacks here,” Jerry said in a slightly distracted voice.

“Jerry, where are you right now?” Jax asked quietly as he started to pace around the bathroom.

“Hello to you too little brother,” Jerry said with a chuckle. “What are you doing calling me, especially at this hour?” he asked as he glanced at his watch. “I must be what, six in the morning there?”

“Forget about that,” Jax said quickly. “I’ve got a deal I need you to start for me and I want it done exactly as I tell you!”

Jerry didn’t think he had ever heard that tone in Jax’s voice. Whoever he was going after had DEFINITELY done something to cross him and they were going to pay for it - big time! “Okay, okay, little brother. Tell me who we’re going after and what you want me to do.”

“We’re going after Barrett Industries. I want you to take that company over one piece at a time. I don’t want Julia Barrett to even see it coming until it’s too late!” When Jerry didn’t say anything, Jax stopped pacing. “Jerry? Did you get all of that?”

“Yeah, I got it,” Jerry said in disbelief. “I just don’t understand why you want to do this. Barrett Industries is Brenda’s family’s company. Her sister Julia is Chairman and CEO.”

“That’s exactly why I want you to do it,” Jax said coldly. “Look, I’ll explain why later. I just need you and dad to do this for me.”

“You got it Jax,” Jerry said sincerely. “Anything in particular you want me to do with the pieces? Any special buyers you want me to offer them to?”

“That’s the other part Jerry. I don’t want you to sell them - at least not yet. I want you to set up a blind holding company to buy them and run them - all of them. Then, when we’ve got the whole lot and Julia’s out in the cold with nothing, I’m going to turn the holding company over to Brenda.”

Jerry was stunned. “Why are you doing this Jax? Barrett Industries has never crossed us on a deal. In fact, you and I have both worked very profitably with Julia Barrett. Why do you want to take Barrett Industries away from her? You do realize that if we do this Julia will be left with nothing, don’t you? All of her capital is invested in the company. You take that and she’s broke.”

“That’s exactly why I want to do it,” Jax said coldly. “Let’s just say that I have recently come into possession of some information about Julia Barrett that has convinced me that she has no right to be running that company. It was handed to her on a silver platter and I plan to take it away from her!” Jax said coldly as he began to pace the bathroom again.

“Does Brenda know you’re doing this?” Jerry asked.

“No! And I don’t want her to know either - at least not until the company is ours and Julia’s gone!” Jax said firmly. “That company belongs to her Jerry. She earned it!”

Jerry had no idea what Jax meant but he could tell that this was important to him. “Do you think Brenda will want to run the company?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I want the holding company in place. We put qualified people, loyal to us, in charge so Brenda doesn’t have to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the company unless she wants to be. The management team will answer to her once the takeover is complete. Until then they will answer to me. Understood?” Jax was getting anxious to get off the phone. He had been out of bed too long. “Jerry?”

“I got it Jax. I’ll talk to dad as soon as we get off the phone and we’ll get things started.” Jerry paused for a moment. “Do you want me to call you with progress reports?”

Jax thought for a second. “No, better not. I’ll check in with you.” Jax took a deep breath and let it out quickly. “Thanks for doing this without asking any questions Jerry. I promise, I’ll explain my reasons to you and dad soon.”

“Don’t worry about it Jax. No explanation is necessary. Besides you know how much I love a challenge. I can’t think of a bigger challenge than taking apart a stable company!” Jerry said with a chuckle. “Kiss that beautiful wife of yours for me when you go back to bed.”

“I will Jerry, thanks - to you and dad,” Jax said as he ended the call.

Jerry didn’t hang up immediately. He looked at the phone for a second before putting it down. He shook his head slowly as he looked at the notes he had made while talking to Jax. Hopefully his father would have some idea about what Julia Barrett could have done that would have provoked Jax to declare war on her. Obviously, it had something to do with Brenda. He knew that only something extremely personal caused that tone he had heard in Jax’s voice. A smile slowly spread across his face as he thought about how much fun this was going to be. The smile quickly faded though as he realized that he didn’t need to know what Julia had done to provoke Jax. All that mattered at this point was that she had hurt Brenda, a member of his family.

Taking apart Barrett Industries was going to be one of the biggest takeovers they had ever attempted. If he was going to get things started he was going to need his father’s help. He reached for the phone and quickly dialed. “Dad?” Jerry said as he leaned forward. “I need your help with a project for Jax.”

“What’s your brother doing thinking about business so soon after getting out of the hospital? He’s supposed to be relaxing with that amazing wife of his!” John said with a trace of anger in his voice.

“I don’t think this is a business deal to him, dad,” Jerry said as he glanced over his notes. “You won’t either when I tell you what he wants us to do.”

His interest piqued, John reached for a nearby notepad. “What do you mean son? Who does he want us to go after?”

“He wants us to take apart Barrett Industries,” Jerry said calmly. “The thing is though, he doesn’t want us to destroy it.”

“What do you mean? What does he want us to do with it?” John asked.

Jerry took a deep breath and let it out loudly. “He wants us to take it apart piece by piece and put it into a holding company.”

“WHAT? WHY?” John demanded.

“He wouldn’t say exactly why, but once Barrett Industries is ours he’s going to turn it over to Brenda.” Jerry ran his fingers through his hair before continuing. “This is personal dad. He wants to destroy Julia Barrett - literally. The only thing I can figure is that he found out that Julia did something to Brenda and this is his way of making her pay for it. He promised he would explain his reasons soon.”

“That’s a good enough reason for me. Why don’t you meet me at the penthouse and we’ll get started,” John said as he looked at his schedule. “I’ll meet you there at noon,’ he said as he crossed out everything on the page.

“I’ll be there,” Jerry said as he stood up. “Oh, I almost forgot. Jax doesn’t want Brenda to know about this until it’s finished.”

“I understand,” John said. “I’ll see you at noon, son,” he said before hanging up the phone. He stared at his schedule for a moment before picking up the phone again. “Addie? Cancel all of my appointments for today. I have a meeting with Jerry at the penthouse and I’ll be tied up the rest of the day.” He didn’t wait for a response before hanging up the phone. He immediately got up and walked over to a cabinet by the window. He unlocked the top drawer and pulled out several files. He put the files in his briefcase before locking the cabinet again. Whatever his reasons, Jax had asked for his help and he was going to provide it - whatever was needed.

After ending the call, Jax set the phone down on the vanity. He looked at his reflection for a moment before exhaling loudly and running his fingers through his hair. He looked at his reflection again for a second before picking up the phone, turning off the light and quietly opening the door. He stopped at the side of the bed and looked down at Brenda. He smiled as he thought how peaceful she looked, how content. When he heard the rain on the terrace door again he walked over and opened the drapes a crack with his fingers to look out. He watched the tree branches blowing in the wind as the rain came down in heavy sheets. He was quickly lost in watching the rain as he struggled to get his mind to relax.

Brenda woke up with a start when she realized that she was alone in the bed. She sat up and looked around the darkened room. When she saw Jax standing staring out the window she got the feeling that something was wrong. “Jax?” she asked softly. “Are you okay?”

Jax jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. He let the drapes fall closed again and turned to look at her. He walked back to the bed before saying anything. “I’m fine luv,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I was just watching the rain.”

“Come back to bed,” Brenda said softly as she held up the covers. You need your rest.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jax said as he got into bed, wincing noticeably as he did.

“Are you in pain?” Brenda asked as she gently ran her hand across the backs of his shoulders. “Do you want me to get you something?”

Jax leaned back against the pillows and pulled Brenda with him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “This is all I need,” he said as he rested his cheek on her hair. He shifted a little to get more comfortable. “I have an idea,” he said softly as he ran his fingertips up and down Brenda’s arm. “Why don’t we just spend the whole day right here?”

“Brenda lifted her head to look at Jax’s face. “Here? In bed? All day?”

“Why not? By the looks of the sky out there it’s going to rain all day. Why don’t we take advantage of the weather and just do nothing?” Jax asked as he looked into Brenda’s face. “We can ask Charles to bring us our meals and that way we can do whatever we want. We can sleep if we want. We can watch a movie or listen to music.” When he saw Brenda was ready to protest, he put his finger on her lips. “After everything we’ve been through in the past few weeks I think we deserve some time for just the two of us. What do you say?”

Without waiting to think, Brenda smiled and leaned forward to place a kiss on Jax’s chest before looking up at him. “When you put it that way, how can I say no?” she said softly as she looked lovingly into his eyes.

“Good,” Jax said as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. He gently pushed her head back to his chest. “What do you say we try to go back to sleep? Unless you’d consider…” he said as he gently stroked Brenda’s hair.

Brenda lifted her head to look at him. “I don’t think so,” she said with a slight shake of her head. “I don’t think you’re quite ready for that yet.”

“I don’t know about that. We can find out really easily you know,” Jax said with a chuckle.

“Why don’t we just go back to sleep for now. We can talk about ‘that’ later,” Brenda said as she snuggled comfortably around him and let out a sigh.

Jax couldn’t help chuckling as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on top of her head. It didn’t take long for them both to drift off to sleep again, secure in each other’s arms.

It was almost 10:30 before Jax woke up again. He glanced down when he felt Brenda stirring in his arms. He gently brushed her hair back from her face as she slowly opened her eyes, smiling as she looked up at him. “Good morning luv,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. He was surprised when she suddenly leaned up and kissed him passionately on the lips.

When she finally ended the kiss she leaned back from him, resting her chin on her stacked hands. “Good morning to you too,” she said softly as she smiled at him. “How are you feeling this morning? Did you sleep well?”

Jax began to gently rub his fingertips around her back as he stared into her eyes. “Are you kidding? How could I not sleep well? I’m out of the hospital, which means I slept in my own bed. More importantly, I got to sleep with you not only in my arms but wrapped around me where you belong.”

“Even when I got hysterical about a silly thunderstorm?” Brenda asked as she put her face down on Jax’s chest to hide the blush on her face.

“Look at me,” Jax said softly as he hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face to him. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. What your father and sister did to you that night was unforgivable.” He leaned forward to gently kiss her forehead. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you were able to tell me about that.” His voice cracked as he spoke.

Brenda smiled up at him with tears in her eyes. “You’re my husband, Jax. We don’t have any secrets from each other. You trusted me enough to tell me about what happened to you in Australia - what happened with Miranda.” She stopped to take a deep breath and let it out quickly. “I wasn’t trying to keep anything about myself from you - honest! Until that storm last night I hadn’t thought about - about that night - for I can’t remember how long. I guess it was just that storm that brought it back.” She shuddered slightly at the memories she had stirred up. She settled back to her favorite spot, wrapped snugly around the man she loved with her ear pressed against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

Jax wrapped his arms around her and silently held her close to him. After several minutes he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “What do you say I call Charles and have him bring us some breakfast? I don’t know about you but I’m actually hungry this morning.”

“Sounds good to me,” Brenda said as she looked up at him.

After giving Brenda another quick kiss, Jax reached for the phone on the bedside table. He pressed the intercom button and waited for Charles to answer. “Good morning Charles. Brenda and I are ready for breakfast.” He listened for a moment. “That sounds perfect. Would you bring it up when it’s ready?” He listened again as a smile spread across his face. “Ah… never mind! Just bring the food when it’s ready. Thanks.” Jax hung up the phone and wrapped his arms around Brenda again.

“What did Charles say that made you smile like that?” Brenda asked as she put her head back on his chest. She began to slowly draw circles on his chest with her fingertip. She was surprised when she felt Jax suddenly tense up. She lifted her head to look up at him, surprised to see a look of embarrassment on his face.

Jax cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked away from her for a second before gently pushing her head back to his chest. “Never mind,” he said as he cleared his throat again. He could feel Brenda smile as she snuggled close again.

Brenda sighed contentedly as they lay wrapped around each other. “I’ve missed mornings like this so much,” she said softly. “I don’t want to miss anymore.”

“We won’t, I promise,” Jax said before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. They wrapped their arms around each other, not saying a word, until there was a soft knock at the door. “Come in Charles,” Jax said as he and Brenda both sat up.

“Good morning sir, ma’am,” Charles said as he came into the room carrying a large tray. He set the tray on the table by the terrace doors. “Would you like me to serve you in bed?”

“That won’t be necessary Charles,” Brenda said as she crawled out of bed. She started for the bathroom but stopped and leaned over to give Jax a quick kiss. “I’ll be right back.”

Jax smiled up at her. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said as he reached up to pull her back for another kiss. Once he was sure Brenda was gone he threw back the covers and slowly swung his legs around so his feet were on the floor. He looked over at Charles when he saw him start toward him. “I can do this myself Charles,” Jax said as he rested both hands on the mattress and pushed himself up. He was pleasantly surprised when he was able to stand on the first attempt. It wasn’t until he straightened up and a sharp pain shot through his side that he realized that he might not be quite as healed as he wanted to believe he was. He drew in a quick breath and exhaled loudly before realizing that Brenda was standing in the bathroom door. When he saw the expression on her face, he cocked his head slightly to one side and pointed his finger at her. “Don’t say it!” he said sternly.

Brenda had to put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. She finally cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. She held out her hand to Jax. “Come on, let’s eat before our breakfast gets cold.” When Jax took her hand, she smiled and led him to the table. She stopped for a moment when Jax pulled out her chair, unsure if she should let him try to sit down on his own. She glanced up at him before sitting down, deciding that she had to stop being so scared every time he did something on his own. “Thank you,” she said softly as she sat down and looked up at him with a smile. She watched as he walked around and slowly sat down in the chair opposite her.

When he was settled in his chair, Jax was surprised at how comfortable he felt. He only flinched slightly when he leaned forward to rest his forearms on the edge of the table. “Charles don’t!” he said sternly when he saw Charles start to pull the drapes open.

Brenda looked over at Jax in surprise. “Why not? It’s dark in here. I’d rather have the natural light than turn another light on,” Brenda said as she stared at Jax’s face to try to figure out what he was thinking.

“It’s still storming out there,” Jax said as he reached for Brenda’s hand. “I didn’t think you’d want to watch the rain while we ate breakfast. We can just turn another lamp on.”

“It’s just rain, sweetheart,” Brenda said with a loving smile. Actually, I like the rain. I have some pretty wonderful memories of the last rain we got caught in,” she said with a slight twinkle in her eyes. “It’s just thunderstorms that I can’t stand,” she said with a slight shudder. “You can go ahead and open the drapes Charles,” she said with a nod toward the terrace doors.

Charles gave Brenda a slight nod before reaching over to pull the drapes open about half way. “I’ll be back with your medications later, sir,” he said with a slight nod before turning to walk out, closing the door behind him.

Jax couldn’t stop smiling as he looked at Brenda. “You really are something, do you know that?” he said as he gently stroked his thumb across the top of her hand.

Brenda looked down at the table for a moment in embarrassment before looking back at him. “Come on, let’s eat,” she said as she pulled her hand from his and lifted the lid from her breakfast. Jax looked at her for a moment longer before lifting the lid off his own breakfast and starting to eat.

Jax and Brenda slowly started to relax and enjoy their breakfast. They didn’t say anything as they ate. They just enjoyed being together in private - no nurses or doctors coming in, no guards standing outside the door screening visitors.

As he had promised, Charles came back about an hour later with the tray with Jax’s medications. Also on the tray were the things necessary to change the bandage on Jax’s back. Charles set the tray on the coffee table and brought the glass of water and cup of pills over to Jax. “Your medication sir,” he said as he handed them to Jax. He waited until Jax took all of the pills and drank most of the water. “I also brought a dressing change for your injury. I’ll be glad to change it for you if you would like.”

“Thank you for offering Charles, but I can take care of that,” Brenda said calmly as she looked directly at him.

“Of course, Mrs. Jacks,” Charles said with a slight nod. “I’ll just get these out of your way,” he said as he picked up the tray with the breakfast dishes and turned to leave.

“Oh, one more thing, Charles.” Brenda waited for Charles to turn back to her. “Would you mind not calling me Mrs. Jacks? It sounds so stuffy. I want this house to be comfortable and warm, a place we can come to relax. I want it to be our home away from home.”

Charles didn’t say anything at first as he thought about what she had said. Slowly a smile spread across his face. “I think we can handle that,” he said with a big smile before turning to walk out, closing the door behind him.

“That was nice of you,” Jax said as he reached for Brenda’s hand.

Brenda smiled lovingly at him. “I meant what I said to Charles, Jax. I want this place to be someplace you and I can feel comfortable. I was raised with all that formality and deference and I hated it. I always felt like I had to be on my best behavior so I wouldn’t embarrass my father or Julia. I want this house to be casual and relaxed.” She suddenly pulled her hand out of his grasp and looked up at him. “You don’t mind do you? I mean Charles and everyone worked for you long before I got here.” She looked at Jax with a slightly frightened expression. “I’m so sorry! I never gave your feelings a thought. Would you rather keep the formal atmosphere? I can go tell Charles to forget what I just said!” she said as she started to get up.

Jax reached for her hand again and pulled her back down. “Don’t you dare!” he said as he looked directly into her eyes. “I’m glad that you told Charles you wanted things relaxed and comfortable around here. You know me well enough to know that I hate that formal stuff. I just never bothered to change things because I’m not here very much.” He continued to stare into her eyes and he gently rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. “I have a feeling, though, that we’re going to be spending a lot of time here in the future.”

Brenda smiled at him for a moment as her mind started to stray to thoughts of how much she loved this man and how much she wanted to make love to him for the rest of the day. “Why don’t you go take your shower so I can change that bandage for you?” she said with a trace of nervousness in her voice as she looked away from him.

Jax couldn’t help smiling when he heard her voice. As soon as he turned her face back to him and looked into her eyes he knew exactly what she was thinking - because he was thinking the same thing! All he needed to do was convince Brenda that it was okay for them to make both of their dreams come true. “Sounds like a good idea,” he said as he stood up. Without taking his eyes off of her, he slowly took off his robe and tossed it on the sofa. “Would you mind taking this one off?” he asked as he turned his back to her.

“Sure,” Brenda said as she stood up and walked up behind him. She slowly pulled off the tape holding the bandage in place on his back. “Sorry,” she said softly when she saw him flinch as she pulled the last of the tape away. Once she had the bandage off, she folded it several times and dropped it on the tray Charles had left with the new dressing. “Does it hurt much?” she asked softly as she gently brushed her fingertips around the closed wound.

“Not as much as it did a few days ago,” Jax said with a slight smile. “Especially when you run your fingers across it like that.” He slowly turned around and rested his forearms on Brenda’s shoulders. “Care to join me in the shower?” he whispered as he lightly brushed the tip of his nose across hers.

“Now THAT is something I KNOW you aren’t’ ready for!” Brenda said with a chuckle as she braced her hands flat against Jax’s chest and pushed him back slightly. “Go take your shower!”

Jax couldn’t help chuckling before leaning down to give her a quick kiss. “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that, luv.” He leaned back slightly and gave her a wink. When he saw the indecision in Brenda’s eyes, he suddenly took his arms off of her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be out in a few minutes and we can continue this discussion,” he said with a smile before turning away from her and walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He stood close to the door listening, waiting for what he knew was coming. He reached up and gently pressed his hand against the door when he heard a soft thud. He knew that was the sound of Brenda’s forehead hitting the door. A smile spread across his face as he heard her exhale loudly. It wasn’t until he heard her gently tap her fingers against the door a couple of times and then exhale again, that he finally reached for a towel and walked over to turn on the water in the shower. As the water warmed he took off his pajama bottoms and walked over to the shower.

Before opening the door to get in, he turned to look over his shoulder, trying to get a look at the wound on his back. He was relieved to see that the wound was completely closed and there didn’t appear to be any sign of infection. He reached back and pressed around the wound. When he didn’t feel any pain except when he touched close to the wound he finally let out the breath that he hadn’t even realized that he’d been holding. He turned around and opened the shower door wide enough to step in. He just stood there letting the warm water flow over him, letting his mind drift to thoughts of nothing but relaxing with Brenda.

As soon as she heard the water turn on, Brenda walked over and threw herself down on the bed in frustration. In her mind she knew it was too soon to even think about making love to Jax. After all, he’d only been out of the hospital for about 24 hours! She rolled over and covered her face with both of her hands for a moment. When she took her hands away, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. When he looked at her the way he just did though, she felt her own desire for him start to take over. Maybe it wasn’t too soon - as long as they were careful.

Brenda sat up when she heard the bathroom door open. When she saw Jax come through the door trying to dry his hair with one hand, she quickly got up and walked over to him. “Here, let me do that for you,” she said as she reached for the towel.

Jax looked up at her without raising his head as he handed her the towel. “Thanks,” he said as he bent over a little further so Brenda could reach his hair.

When she finished with his hair, Brenda stepped behind Jax and began to gently dry his back. When she got to the wound on his side, she gently patted around it to make sure it was completely dry. She gently brushed her fingertips across the wound. “Does it hurt?” she asked softly.

Surprised himself that it didn’t, Jax turned to look over his should at her. “Not really,” he said honestly.

“Come over by the light so I can put your bandage on,” Brenda said as she tossed the towel on the chair and walked over to the table. When he came up in front of her, he turned around. It only took her a couple of minutes to finish taping the new bandage in place. “How’s that?” she asked as she ran her fingers across the tape one more time.

“Feels pretty good,” Jax said as he twisted slightly before turning to look at Brenda. “Thanks.”

“Glad to do it,” Brenda said, surprised at how nervous she suddenly felt in front of her own husband. She couldn’t resist the urge to run her fingers up his arms as she looked into his eyes. When she felt him reach forward and rest his hands on her hips she quickly looked away.

“Don’t do that, luv,” Jax said softly as he hooked his finger under her chin and turned her face back to him. When she looked up at him he could see the nervousness and even a trace of fear in her eyes. “What is it? Why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not…” Brenda stopped when she looked into his eyes. “Because I want you so much that I ache inside,” she said softly as tears started to form in her eyes.

Jax couldn’t help smiling. “Why is that a bad thing? Last time I looked we are two people very much in love who just happen to be married to each other.”

“Jax, you just got out of the hospital yesterday! It’s way to soon for either one of us to be thinking about this!”

Seeing how concerned she was, Jax cupped the side of Brenda’s face with his hand. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you are so concerned about me,” Jax said as he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss. “You don’t have to worry about me - honest!” When he saw Brenda start to protest he put his finger on her lips. “Would you feel better if I told you I talked to Dr. Felton about this before I left the hospital?”

Brenda pulled his finger away from her lips and looked up at him. “Did you really talk to him?” she asked as she looked deeply into Jax’s eyes.

Jax couldn’t help smiling again. “Yes, I really talked to him. I have to tell you though, it was THE most uncomfortable conversation I have EVER had with anyone in my entire life!”

Brenda could see how uncomfortable Jax was and smiled for a moment. The smile quickly faded. “So what did he say? Did he tell you we have to wait?”

“Actually, no he didn’t say we had to wait,” Jax said with a wink. “He said my body would let me know when it was safe - regardless of what my mind wanted,” he said with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. “Why don’t we just not worry about this? Let’s just do or not do whatever comes naturally and let things happen as they will.”

Brenda looked into his eyes for several moments before reaching up to cup the side of Jax’s face. “Sounds good to me,” she said as a smile returned to her face. She leaned up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. “I’m going to go take a shower. We can figure out what we want to do with the rest of the day when I get back.”

Jax smiled as he leaned down to give her another quick kiss on the lips. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly as he rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll be right here when you come out.” He gave her another quick kiss before leaning back from her.

“Okay,” Brenda said as she gently squeezed Jax’s forearms. “Why don’t you give dad or Jerry a call? Maybe there’s some news about who was behind my kidnapping and your shooting.”

“Maybe I will call Jerry,” Jax said as he rested his hands on Brenda’s hips. “Maybe the FBI has been able to find some kind of a link between Sonny and Miranda and we can get rid of both of them at once!”

Brenda rested her forehead against Jax’s chest for a moment before looking back up at him. “Do you really think we could get that lucky? Do you think one of them could have been careless enough to leave a clue - even a small one - that can bring them down?”

Jax cupped Brenda’s face with both of his hands. “Brenda, listen to me. Sonny is only a man and men make mistakes. In Sonny’s case he’s even more likely to slip up since he’s running on emotion right now, and we both know he never let’s his emotions interfere with his business. Unfortunately for him, this partnership with Miranda has nothing to do with business. This is all about emotion - which means that he’s got no idea what he’s doing! When he’s in strange territory he makes mistakes - lots of them! His first was partnering up with someone like Miranda. It’s only a matter of time before he messes up something else and then we’ve got him! We’ve got the Justice Department Organized Crime Agents, the FBI, the New York State Police and the Port Charles Police working on this case. One of them is going to find something!” He gave Brenda another quick kiss. “Go take your shower and relax. I’ll be out here when you’re finished.”

“I love you Jasper Jacks,” Brenda said softly as she looked up at him for a moment before letting go of his arms and heading into the bathroom. She never looked back or gave him a chance to say anything.

Jax smiled as he watched Brenda walk away. He continued to watch her until she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Once he heard the latch click, Jax walked over to the couch and picked up his robe. After putting it on, he picked up the cordless phone and walked back to the terrace doors. He dialed Jerry’s number and waited for him to answer as he watched the rain pouring down on the terrace stones.

“Jerry Jacks here,” Jerry said rather distractedly.

“Jerry, it’s me,” Jax said as he glanced quickly at the bathroom door. “Have you had a chance to talk to dad yet?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m sitting in the penthouse with him right now,” Jerry said as he looked over at his father, pointed at the phone and silently mouthed Jax’s name to him.

“Great! Did you explain everything to him? Can he help us?” Jax asked as he turned to stare out the doors again.

“I told him everything you told me as soon as I got off the phone with you this morning. By the time I got here he had already started things moving. He’s got the holding company in place and has already put out feelers to loyal people to run it for us.” Jerry got up and walked over to the window. “Can you tell me now why we’re doing this? What did Julia do that makes you want to not only take Barrett Industries away from her but also destroy her financially as well?”

Jax looked over at the bathroom door and waited until he heard the water turn on in the shower. “She let her father physically abuse Brenda when she was only a little girl,” Jax said coldly as he tried to control his anger by staring out the window.

Jerry was stunned by what Jax had said. He could tell by the tone in Jax’s voice that he was struggling to control his anger. “Oh my God,” Jerry said softly as he rubbed his hand across his eyes.

“She was so busy being ‘daddy’s perfect daughter’ that instead of protecting her little sister she let her father abuse her!” Jax took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he leaned against the wall and stared at the rain. “Damn it Jerry! Brenda was only eight years old!” Jax hissed.

Jerry closed his eyes and leaned against the edge of the window. “Damn,” he said so softly that Jax barely heard him.

“I swear to you Jerry, if Harlan Barrett was still alive I’d kill him myself for this,” Jax said in a voice trembling with rage. “Since he’s already in hell, I’ll have to settle for taking over his company and destroying his precious Julia!”

“We will little brother - I promise you that.” Jerry looked over at his father and slowly shook his head. “By the time we’re finished with her, Julia Barrett won’t have a penny to her name and no company in the world will hire her for their mailroom! You have my word on that!”

“Thanks big brother,” Jax said as he smiled for the first time. “Keep me posted on your progress, will you?”

“Count on it,” Jerry said with a nod. “Anything else?”

Jax glanced at the bathroom door, realizing that the shower was no longer running. “Actually, there is. Can I talk to dad for a minute?”

“Sure, he’s right here, hang on,” Jerry said as he walked back to his father, who was just finishing a call of his own. “Jax wants to talk to you,” he said as he held the phone out to his father.

John reached for the phone. He immediately got worried when he saw Jerry’s face. The only word he could think of to describe what he saw was sick. Whatever Jax had said to Jerry had actually made him physically ill. He was surprised when Jerry handed him the phone and walked back to stare out the window. John looked at him for a moment longer before putting the phone to his ear. “Jax? Is everything okay there boy?”

“Sure dad, we’re fine. In fact, we’re great,” Jax said with a smile as he glanced over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door for a moment before looking back out the window. “Why do you ask?”

John looked over at Jerry again before answering. He could see that Jerry was still very upset by whatever Jax had told him. “Whatever it was you told your brother has him really upset so I was worried that there might be something wrong out there.”

Jax exhaled loudly. “I don’t want to go into it again dad. Tell Jerry I said it was okay for him to fill you in. When he does, I think you’ll understand why I HAVE to do this! I’d appreciate it, though, if you and Jerry didn’t mention anything to Brenda - or anyone else - about what we’re doing or why.”

“Whatever you want son,” John said. He glanced over at Jerry one more time before continuing. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Brenda and I were wondering if you’ve heard anything from the authorities about who kidnapped her?” Jax asked.

“You must have read my mind,” John said with a slight chuckle. “I had a call about an hour ago from Agent Caldwell of the FBI. He wanted to let us know that they now have all four of the men who kidnapped her in custody. He also said that they have moved them to an FBI facility in Virginia for interrogation. They wanted them out of Port Charles to make sure no ‘undo influence’ is exerted on them while they are in custody.”

“Sounds like a smart move to me,” Jax said. “We both know Corinthos has someone on the PCPD.” Jax was surprised when he felt Brenda wrap her arms around him from behind. He hadn’t heard the bathroom door open. He lifted his arm so she could wrap herself around him. He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head when she did.

“That’s what Agent Caldwell said. They figure they’re more likely to get one of them to make a deal if they aren’t being threatened,” John said calmly. “Any idea how long you two are going to be staying out there? Your mum is making Christmas plans that include the both of you.”

Jax looked down at Brenda with a loving smile. “You’ll have to talk to Brenda about that, dad. She’s in charge of our schedule.” Jax handed the phone to Brenda and gave her another quick kiss as he tightened his arm around her.

“Hi dad,” Brenda said brightly as she snuggled closer to Jax.

“Hello daughter,” John said with a slight chuckle. “How’s the ocean? Enjoying the sunshine?”

“Not quite, it’s been raining since last night,” Brenda said with a chuckle. “What I did get to see of the ocean though was beautiful - especially at sunset. Jax said this storm should pass by tomorrow so I’m hoping we’ll be able to enjoy the rest of our stay.”

“Speaking of that, how long are you planning on keeping my son out there?” John asked with another chuckle. “Will we be seeing the two of you for the holiday?”

“Of course we’ll be back for the holidays!” Brenda said with a laugh. “Do you think I’d miss the chance to spend my first Christmas with my family?”

“Good! Lady Jane is going all out for Christmas this year!” John said as he shook his head as he remembered his last conversation with his wife.

The smile suddenly faded from Brenda’s face. “Dad? Will it be safe for us to come back for the holiday? Have you heard anything from the authorities yet? I don’t want Jax to be in any danger if we come home.”

John couldn’t help smiling with pride at how protective Brenda was of Jax. “Like I told Jax, I spoke with the agent in charge just this morning dear. They’ve got all four of the men who kidnapped you in custody now. I’m sure it won’t be long before they have all the evidence they need to put Corinthos and Miranda away for a long time.”

“I hope you’re right dad,” Brenda said with a sigh. When she felt Jax tighten his arm around her she looked up at him and smiled at the love she saw in his eyes. “Well, I better let you get back to work. Tell mom that I send my love.”

“I will dear,” John said in his most paternal voice. “I’m sure she’ll be calling you soon to make plans for the holidays. Take care of that son of mine.”

“I will dad, thanks,” Brenda said before hanging up the phone.

Jax took the phone out of Brenda’s hand and set it on the table. He turned her to face him and wrapped his arms loosely around her. “So what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?”

Brenda looked up at him and smiled. “Absolutely nothing,” she said as she rested her hands flat on Jax’s chest. “I think we should just lay on the couch and just hold each other. We had such a long day yesterday and then I woke you from a sound sleep because of that stupid storm.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jax said as he rested his hands on her hips. “Stop that! That was not stupid Brenda. It was a very real memory that should NEVER have happened!” He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I want you to know that it means a lot to me that you were able to tell me about it. I know it wasn’t easy for you.”

Brenda couldn’t resist smiling up at him proudly. “You would think so wouldn’t you,” she said as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But you know what, it wasn’t. It was really easy. I wonder if maybe I was supposed to tell you.” She looked into his eyes. “I want you to know everything about me - good and bad.”

Jax cupped the side of her face in his hand. “I want to know everything about you, just like I want you to know everything about me.” He leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “So now what do you want to do with the rest of our ‘day in bed’?” her asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

Brenda tilted her head a little and looked up at him. “Down tiger,” she said with a chuckle.

Jax smiled back at her. “Okay, okay,” he said with a sigh. “Why don’t we just stop talking - and thinking - about that and just see what happens?”

Brenda looked into his eyes for a long time as she tried to decide if he was setting her up. When she decided that he meant what he had said, she smiled up at him and nodded her head slightly. “I can do that,” she said softly as she reached for his hand and led him over to the couch. She waited for Jax to lie down before lying down in front of him, her back to his chest.

As soon as she was in front of him, Jax wrapped his arms around Brenda and rested his cheek on top of her head. They spent most of the afternoon on the couch, only getting up to have lunch when Charles brought it in to them. After lunch, they both dozed off, holding each other and listening to the rain on the windows.

Later, after finishing a beautiful candlelit dinner and taking the medication that Charles had brought in, Jax turned on the stereo and held out his hand to Brenda. “Care to dance?” he asked softly.

Without saying a word, Brenda smiled, took his hand and walked close to him. She reached up to rest her free hand on the back of his neck and gently wove her fingers in his hair. She released her hold on his hand so that she could push the front of his robe open further. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his chest just above his heart before resting her ear against his chest. She slid her hand inside his robe and rested it flat on his bare skin, brushing her fingertips across his nipple.

Jax couldn’t help smiling as he linked his fingers together at the small of Brenda‘s back and rested his cheek on top of her head. He loved the feel of her hand on his chest as he held her close and swayed to the soft music. He had really missed this. He tightened his arms around her as he kissed the top of her head. When she lifted her head and looked up at him, he brought his hands up to cup her face and leaned down to kiss her passionately.

Brenda immediately responded to the kiss and brought her hand up to weave her fingers in the hair at the back of his head to pull him closer. She moaned softly as she opened her mouth when she felt him stroke his tongue across her lips. As their kisses intensified, she could feel him pressing closer to her. She pulled back to break the kiss and looked up at him. “Jax?”

Jax leaned down to give her a quick but passionate kiss. “It’s okay luv, I promise,” he said in a whisper before leaning down to kiss her again. After ending the kiss, he held her face in his hands and stared into her eyes for several moments before letting go and taking her hand in his. He led her over to the bed, stopping at the side and turning to look at her. When he saw the uncertainty and a trace of fear in her eyes, he reached up to cup the side of her face and gently brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. “Don’t be afraid luv, it’s okay. Just let it happen,” he said softly.

Seeing the sincerity in Jax’s eyes when she looked into them, Brenda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She put her hand on top of his on her cheek for a moment before reaching down to untie the belt of his robe. The robe fell open as soon as it was untied. She gently placed her hands flat on his bare chest and slowly slid them up to his shoulders. As she did she lifted the robe and finally slid it slowly off his shoulders and down his arms, letting it fall to the floor.

Without looking away from her, Jax took her face in both of his hands and leaned down to kiss her passionately. As he intensified the kiss, he slowly sat down on the bed, wincing slightly as he reached the bed. Brenda ended their kiss when she felt him wince and leaned back to look down at him. Jax smiled reassuringly at her as he pulled her down next to him. Still holding her face in his hands, he leaned in to kiss her again.

Brenda closed her eyes and held his face in her hands, spreading her fingers as she quickly became the aggressor in the kiss. When she finally pulled back to end the kiss, she looked into Jax’s eyes without letting go of his face. “I love you Jax,” she said softly as she leaned in to kiss him again. She moaned as she felt Jax wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him. As they leaned back against the pillows, she felt him tense up and grimace again. She immediately ended the kiss and looked at him. “Are you okay? Maybe we should stop…”

“Not a chance,” Jax said softly as he ran his fingers through Brenda’s hair. “We’ve waited long enough to be together. I, for one, do not want to wait any longer,” he said as he looked at her expectantly.

Brenda looked at him for several moments before a smile slowly spread across her face. “Neither do I,” she said softly as she gently ran her fingers up and down his chest. When she felt him try to pull her down to him she braced her hands on his chest to stop him. “But,” she said firmly as she pointed her finger at him. “You are NOT going to move. You are going to let me do everything!”

Jax tilted his head and arched his eyebrow. “Oh, I like the sound of that,” he said in a slightly husky voice as he arched his eyebrow at her again. He couldn’t help chuckling when she stuck her tongue out at him and softly slapped his chest. “Come here you,” he said as he pulled her face to his and kissed her passionately, slowly wrapping his arms around her as he intensified the kiss.

As their kisses continued, Brenda slowly slid her hands across Jax’s shoulders and linked them together behind his neck. Reluctantly ending the kiss to breathe, she leaned back and looked into his eyes as she wove her fingers into the hair on the back of his head. She couldn’t help smiling as she watched his eyes cloud over with passion. She knew he was seeing the same thing in her eyes. Deciding that she didn’t want to wait any longer, Brenda sat up and moved over Jax, straddling his hips with her knees. She rested her hands on her thighs as she leaned back to sit on his upper thighs.

Jax rested his hands on Brenda’s thighs below hers as he stared into her eyes. When she moved her hands away, he started to slowly slide his hands up and down her thighs without looking away from her face.

Brenda smiled down at Jax as she slowly leaned forward until her lips were just above his. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said softly as she leaned the rest of the way down and kissed him passionately.

Jax slid his hands up Brenda’s thighs, hips and then to her back as the kisses intensified. He pulled her closer as he wrapped his arms around her. When she finally ended the kiss to take a breath, he looked deeply into her eyes. When he saw the love and desire there he smiled slightly and moved his hands up to cup her face. As he gently pulled her back to him he knew in his heart that this was going to be a night that neither one of them would ever forget!