We sat in silence as Jackson just stared at me. The darkness was creeping in and I could barely see him with my human eyes even with the moonlight. I shifted and Jackson sat straighter. "Don't leave yet." He whispered as I settled back down. "I want to have a relationship with you too Paise. I want to have my mate back, my partner. I want to live with you, marry you, mark you. I want us to go back and start over." His words warmed my chest, and I was ready to bolt. I didn't want to hear this, didn't want to fall into old routines. Didn't want to hurt again.
Jackson's voice came out again slicing off my train of thought. "You will be in control. You can control the pace, where and when we meet. I just want us to work on us together." I was still frozen and Jackson moved closer and took a deep breath. "You are so beautiful Paisley, more beautiful then I remember." He picked up a piece of my dark hair and played with the end of it. "Let me back in. Let me be the mate you deserve." I shook my head. "Just be there for Gavin. That's all I need." His eyes flashed and he sat back. "I will be there for Gavin, but I want to be there for you too Paisley. I failed you." He shook and I stood up. "You did, and I can not go through that again Jackson. You are asking me to forgive you. Fine, I do. I forgave you a long time ago. But to fall back into that dependence... that love." I shook my head and took a deep breath.
"I am not going to change. I am very comfortable with who I am. I don't need added complications right now. I just want to enjoy my family, be there for Gavin and be free." Jackson stood up quickly and rushed foward. "I can let you have all that and more." I shook my head. "You where ashamed of me. Tried to change me. Made me dress in ridiculous clothes, take feathers out of my hair. I can never be the pampered princess you want me to be. Maybe I could have, but not now. I know who I am, and Gavin taught me that. Our son taught me so much, but he was never afraid to be himself. I won't make you happy and I refuse to go down a road when I know the out come of ruin and heartbreak."
Jackson groweled and grabbed my arms. "I was never ashamed of you!" He roared and I jumped. "I was young and stupid. I did try to change your clothes because I knew that was what my parents wanted. Not because I was trying to change you. I loved you, I still love you, and I miss you damn it." He loosened his grip on my shoulders and slid his hands down my arms creating sparks. "I was an idiot to let you out of my sight. I won't do it again and I swear to you I will sit outside your house all damn night. I'll take you on dates. I'll buy you whatever you want, the house is still the same waiting for you to turn it into what you want." I shook my head. "I don't want all that. I don't need things and a huge house Jackson. All I wanted was for you to be my mate, my partner, and..." He finished the sentence for me. " I wasn't. I get that, but give me another shot.
I groaned and Jackson ran his nose over my cheek. "Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night. You and Gavin, he can tell you about what we did. Let me have something." His scent overwhelmed me and I pulled away. "Fine we can try dinner." I breathed out and he kissed my cheek. "Tomorrow I'm going to show you this can work. Come on, Gavin is probably running in circles waiting for you."
He shifted and turned back looking at me with golden eyes. I shifted and ran back to see everyone still at Jacob's restaurant, but not Gavin. I followed his scent to the house where he sat on the back porch with a robe. Jackson changed first and Gavin tossed him a towel. I changed and Gavin slipped the green robe over my shoulders. "Thank you Gavin." He nodded and headed inside.
I went to follow, but Jackson grabbed my hand. "Tomorrow?" I glanced to see Gavin looking through the glass door. "I think Gavin wants me to invite you in now." Jackson followed my view and let out a laugh. "He is definitely protective of his mother, as he should be." He glanced back over to the window before finding me staring. "Sorry." I said as I went to step away. "Don't be sorry Paisley. I love when you look at me." His eyes flashed and I nodded. "Do you want to come eat with us tonight?" Jackson nodded as I opened the gate.
When we walked inside Gavin pulled out burgers and fries. "Uncle Jacob said we might need extra." Gavin smiled and tore into a burger. I slid a box to Jackson and opened another. "Oh yes he gave us cheese fries!" Gavin snatched the box as I shoved two into my mouth. Jackson shook his head. "You two are so much alike." We smiled and Gavin loaded it up with Ranch. "Yeah, well Mom says I do a lot of things like you too." Jackson smiled. "Like what?"
They both looked to me so I chewed slower. "Gavin has your eye flash color, when he gets upset he gets that small vein that pops out of your neck. Gavin also has very little patience. He is loyal like you, protective, and he has your chin and build. Among other things." Jackson smiled and Gavin grinned. "Like that. He looks just like you." I dove back into my burger and Gavin followed suit. "I guess he does look like me." Jackson smirked. "Did you ever find anyone else?" I froze and Gavin choked. I glanced over st him amd shook my head. "I went on a few dates, but it didn't seem right. And Gavin hated it so I stopped." Jackson nodded. "How about you?" I asked as Gavin leaned in. "No. Yes. Maybe... I messed around with a girl in Ireland for a few months, but it wasn't the same. She was delicate..." He turned his head to the side avoiding eye contact. "She was honestly just a distraction I never intended for it to go on for a month." I got up and grabbed water and filled glasses. "I'm sorry, if that hurt you." Jackson said as I handed him a glass.
"It's fine. We aren't together Jackson." He groweled and I grabbed my burger again to finish it off. "Fine we weren't together, but I want to be together." I huffed and tossed my trash turning towards Gavin. "You finish up eating, I'm going to shower." Gavin nodded and I climbed the stairs. "She is still as stubborn as ever." Jackson's voice rang out as I reached the top of the stairs. I didn't hear Gavin's reply, but I assumed he would agree.
I grabbed clothes and entered my bathroom and turned on the shower. I stripped and let the hot water run down my body. It felt the grime and sand slip from my body. I scrubbed myself and shaved taking my time. When I went to check on Gavin he was asleep in his bed, but the television was on upstairs. I climbed the stairs to see a showered Jackson sprawled on my couch asleep. I tossed a soft blanket over him and turned the television off. "Paisley." Inturned expecting to see Jackson awake, but he wasn't. He was tossing around on the couch. "Jackson?" He grumbled and tossed back over. I slowly kneeled by the couch. "Jackson wake up." I whispered as I ran my hand through his hair. his eyes shot open. "Are you okay?" He nodded and I stood up. "You are welcome to the bed in there or the couch." He nodded and held his head. "Sorry I have trouble sleeping, I'll just head home." I walked down the stairs and watched as he played with the locks. "Lock up behind me?" I nodded as he opened them up and left. The house seemed empty without him, but I was not about to chase him down. I clicked the locks into place and then there was a knock on the door.
I opened it back up to see Jackson leaning on the door frame. "Can I just stay the night. I'll stay upstairs. I promise and I'll be gone before Gavin wakes up." I nodded and let him back inside as I locked up he waited by the stairs. "You smell so good Paise." I smirked and crinkled my brows. I was so unsure of what to say or think. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. "Can I sleep with that blanket you gave me?" I nodded and he started up the stairs stopping by Gavin's room.
"I missed so much..." I nodded and glanced in at Gavin. "I missed his first steps, his first change, first loose tooth. Everything." He shut the door again and ran his fingers through his hair. "Will you tell me about it?" Jackson asked as he turned towards me. "He walked at nine months. For weeks he kept trying to walk and everytime he fell he'd pick himself back up. He wouldn't even take my hand for help." I smiled thinking back. "His first change happened when he was sixteen, and he tore up the house. I had to grab him and take him out back into the trees to run and play. He was into everything."
"Gavin lost his first tooth at five years old, and he cried. He thought he didn't brush it good enough." I giggled remembering how upset he was. "He is super smart and skipped a few grades. Loves challenges. His first soccer game he kicked the ball and broke a kids nose. They ended up being good friends after that. His first crush was on his girlfriend Leah... They dated for about four years, before he broke up with her. He still won't tell me what happened."
Jackson pulled me in closer to him and lead me to the couch. "His first dance he was so nervous he made me dance with him every night for a week. His first job was at a greenhouse downtown, he was fourteen and just getting used to his werewolf strength." I got up and walked to a wooden hope chest. I opened it and handed Jackson a photo album. "There's a bunch in here you can look through." He immediately flipped through asking questions.
"Who is this?" He asked flipping the book and pointing to a man standing by Gavin. "That is Ron. I dated him for a few months when Gavin was around nine. He was a little to handsy and Gavin disliked him. So I broke up with him, bit he stayed close for a while and showed up to events. Gavin got a soccer trophy for V.I.P. Player that day." Jackson closed the book and huffed. "What do you mean handsy?" Jackson groweled and his eyes flashed. "Not like that, no one ever touched me like that. He just needed to constantly touch my arms, my hair, he'd randomly grab my hand and try to kiss me." I shrugged and took the book sliding it into the hope chest.
"I guess I was just needing comfort, and when it got to much I panicked. I didn't want to get hurt again." I stood up and handed him another book. "Look through what you'd like. I am going to head to bed. Gavin will be up early to start his senior year." Jackson stood up and placed the book on the coffee table. He crossed the room to the stairs and turned me to face him. "Kiss me Paisley."
I shook my head and my brows furrowed. "If I do I might loose it, and I can not afford to do that." He pushed me against his chest and his fingers curled into my hair at the base of my neck. He kissed my cheek and down my neck. Finding the spot his mark once was. "Just one kiss Paisley. I'll stop when you pull away." He released my hair and rubbed his hardened cock against my stomach. He didn't wait for my reply as his lips crashed into mine.