Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

but firmly took my other arm.
    “Let her arm go and pray she hasn’t got a bruise,” a familiar voice said in a low, angry tone.
    I shuddered from relief at the sound of Jax’s voice.
    Trey released my arm and shrugged, grinning. “I just wanted an oyster, and she wouldn’t serve me.”
    I opened my mouth to protest, when the warm fingers holding my arm softly squeezed me in reassurance. So I stayed quiet.
    “Jason, please escort your friend to the door. I have no other reason to speak with him—unless Sadie has a bruise, or any lasting mark from his hand, and then he will see me again.”
    Jax took the tray from me and handed it to Marcus. I hadn’t realized he was standing there. Marcus took it with a concerned frown on his face. I gave him a small smile, hoping to ease his worry.
    “Come with me,” Jax said in a voice only loud enough for me to hear.
    I let him lead me down the hall and into the library. He closed the door, then turned me around to face him.
    “Are you all right?” he asked in a concerned voice. Chill bumps covered my arms.
    I nodded. “I’m fine, really. Marcus warned me something like this might happen. I was mentally prepared.”
    Jax muttered what seemed to be a curse and pulled me over to a large leather chair. “You shouldn’t have been serving tonight. I don’t know what Mary was thinking.”
    His words stung. I immediately felt the need to defend Ms. Mary as well as myself. “I am a very hard worker, and I believe she entrusted me to serve and follow instructions well. I don’t see how it’s her fault some jerk thought I was on the menu.”
    Jax gazed down at me, confused, and then grinned. He stepped over and sat down beside me. “I didn’t mean I thought you’re not capable of serving. I meant you’re too young and too beautiful to be flaunted in front of guys who think they have enough money and power to take what they want.”
    My throat went dry at his words.
    He smiled, leaned over, and asked in a soft voice, “Do you know you’re beautiful?”
    I swallowed, hoping my dry throat would allow the words through without making me sound all choked up. “I wouldn’t say ‘beautiful.’ I realize I have nice hair and eyes. I got those from my mother. But I don’t have a good personality. So it really takes away from the others.” My words sounded stupid said aloud, but I realized I had managed to bare my soul to this boy yet again. The power Jax held over me disturbed me.
    Jax smiled. He took one of my loose curls and played with it absently. “So your personality is bad, is it?” He laughed then, and I stiffened. He traced my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose. “I hate to be the first to break the news to you, but your personality happens to be your most charming quality.”
    I searched for any sign in his perfect face telling me he didn’t mean what he said. “I can’t believe you said that,” I finally heard myself say.
    He touched his finger to my lips. “I think these rank right up there with your personality.”
    A warm, tingly sensation worked its way through my veins, and I shivered.
    “Ah, and you go and do something as enchanting as shivering and almost break my resolve.”
    He dropped his hands from my face and stopped doing those incredibly wonderful things to me. He stood, walked over to a bookshelf, and leaned up against it as if he were posing for a camera. “I can be good over here. This is safer territory.” I frowned, and he gave me a guilty smile. “You tempt me. You’re sweet, honest, caring, and perfectly unique, and because of all those reasons, I’m keeping my distance from you.”
    I frowned, unsure why all those things meant he needed to keep me at a distance.
    “Sadie, I have always gotten what I wanted. Even before I became rich and famous, I had a gift for getting what I want. Now I have the fame and fortune to get what I want when I want it, and for the first time in my life, I want something I can’t have.” He gave me a sad smile. “For the first time, the well-being of the person I want is more important than fulfilling my desires.” Before I could form words to reply, he opened a drawer and pulled out several magazines, then laid them in front of me. “These are from my mother’s collection,” he explained.
    They were pictures of him with movie stars, rock legends, and even the president. His name was linked with several famous females, and his personal life was laid bare for everyone to see. I had