This is the PG version of this chapter. If you want to receive the NC-17 version, send your year of birth in an e-mail to Jan at choregrfr@aol.com.

This is my J&C adaptation of Susan Sizemore’s novel, "His Last Best Hope"

"Jax………"

Chloe stood frozen in place, still holding the empty water bottle like an Indian club in her right hand. Jax could see her chest heaving as she took deep breaths to convince herself that this wasn’t a dream.

"Well……..if all you’re going to do is stand there and stare at me, I might as well go back where I came from……"

Jax never got a chance to finish his sarcastic crack. In the blink of an eye, Chloe launched herself at him, crossing the distance to the door of the cottage in time worthy of an Olympic sprinter.

Jax almost fell backwards onto the ground when Chloe leaped up to wrap her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She rained soft kisses all over his face while he managed to struggle inside the cottage and kick the door closed behind them. He walked the few steps to the wall and braced her back against it, grasping her wrists and pinning them on either side of her head with his hands.

"You came back!" She breathed the words half in disbelief as she stared into his sparkling blue eyes. "You really came back to me!"

Jax shrugged his shoulders once and then brought his lips to within millimeters of hers. "I had some time off coming, so I figured I’d see the islands – you know, take a cruise – soak up some sun……" He swallowed her laugh when he lowered his head and seized her lips in a wild kiss, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth with primitive urgency.

As the kiss went on, Chloe arched her back, rubbing her already-sensitive breasts against his chest. Jax pulled back to moan aloud at the feel of her aroused body against him. "You’re crazy, you know," she murmured, dropping her head lazily onto his shoulder. She nipped at his earlobe when Jax still refused to let go of her wrists, soothing the sting with her tongue afterwards. "Totally crazy, El Pantera."

Jax finally released her hands and brought his own to cup the sides of her face tenderly. "Completamente loco, mi amada," he whispered. "Para ti." He kissed her quickly and then drew back to repeat himself. "Only for you."

Jax kissed Chloe again and then lifted her into his arms to walk towards the bed. He set her down and then glanced down towards the red halter top she wore, one of the items he had selected during their shopping spree in the boutique. Tracing a finger slowly down from her chin to her waist through the valley between her breasts, he heard her sharp intake of breath. "Do you know what I liked most about this particular top when I saw it?"

Chloe’s eyelids fluttered shut as Jax brought his hands up to caress the tender flesh beneath the halter. She had gone bra-less for so long during this escapade that it had become second nature to her. "No……" She managed to gasp an answer as his touch became firmer and more purposeful. "What did you like about it?"

"I liked the idea of how good it would feel when I ripped it off you……." Chloe’s eyes popped open when Jax suddenly hooked his first fingers in the string that held the halter together in the back and pulled. The top floated away from her body like a feather as he tossed it aside. "……like that……."

Chloe’s breathing became more erratic as Jax stroked his hands lazily up her midriff to palm her bare breasts, her body immediately reacting to the erotic feel of skin against skin. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck as he gently stroked the back of his fingers around the outside edges, the tops, and ever closer and closer to the centers of her breasts. "Touch me, Jax," she whispered in a husky voice, rubbing her hips against his. "Please…….."

"Where?" Jax paused a millisecond and then lowered his lips to trace a circular path around her aching flesh with his tongue. "Here?" He drew back and ran his hands up and down the silken skin of her bare back. "But I would rather taste you, hermosa…….."

When he lowered his head again to make good on his words, Chloe moaned loudly. She tossed her head, arching her back to bring her breasts closer to his wonderful lips. "God, Jax……..I can’t………." Jax shifted the attentions of his lips to her left breast but brought his hand up to stroke and knead the other. "I can’t………." Chloe gasped for air. "If you don’t let me lie down on this bed pretty soon, I’m going to FALL down!!"

Jax lifted his head to stare into her eyes. "You’ll never fall, Chloe. I’ll catch you every time." He abruptly let go of her long enough to strip off the denim shirt he wore, scattering buttons as he did. Pulling her back against him again, the feel of her bare breasts against the hard planes of his hair-roughened chest prompted Chloe to grind her lower body against Jax’s.

They kissed again – long, drugging kisses that made Chloe even more aware of her body’s reaction to his lovemaking. When Jax finally drew back, she felt the chuckle rumble deep in his chest. "I think you still have too many clothes on, don’t you, love?" He reached down to un-do the large button that held her sarong-style floral print skirt closed in the front. It fell back to reveal an inside button, and as his long, strong fingers traced a path up her leg to it, Chloe watched in aroused fascination. Releasing the second button, the skirt fell in a soft puddle of silk around her feet, leaving her standing in his arms wearing nothing but a pair of red silk thong panties – and her desire for him.

Give me just one night, una noche,

As Jax once more lifted her into his arms and set her gently on the bed, Chloe thought that she must have fallen into some time warp from Alice in Wonderland. At first, it seemed as though each minute moved with leaden feet. Jax couldn’t strip off his worn jeans, shoes and boxers fast enough to suit her; every kiss once he joined her on the bed seemed to last an eternity; they couldn’t come together, flesh to flesh, aroused body to aroused body, soon enough. And yet – she wanted it to last forever. She wanted time to move in slow motion once Jax stretched out over her and pressed her deeply into the mattress, giving her a kiss that took her breath away. Because through her passion-induced haze, Chloe knew that once they made love, the honeymoon would be over, and they would have to face Stefan – and Faison – and probable death.

Jax abruptly broke the kiss to stare deeply into her eyes. "Wait……" He rolled to the side and smiled at her. "Not yet……" Before Chloe could say a word, he pulled her up onto her knees on the bed and then assumed an identical position facing her.

They knelt on the bed facing each other in the flickering candlelight, wordlessly exploring each others’ bodies with hands and lips and tongues. He reached down and searched the juncture of her legs for the spot that seemed to be the ending for every nerve in her body. When he found and caressed it softly, Chloe’s eyelids fluttered and she buried her face against the crook of Jax’s neck.

"How about that?" Jax smiled wickedly. "First time’s the charm!"

Chloe managed to open her eyes but when she pulled back and saw the glint of machismo in Jax’s, her competitive spirit rose to the challenge. She slid her hands between their bodies towards the evidence of his desire for her. When her delicate fingers danced over it, Jax’s swiftly indrawn breath gave her even more incentive. "I see what you mean," she crooned, smiling inwardly when his eyes rolled back in his head. As her manipulations became more intense, she saw the wavering fire of the candles in the room reflected in his face. "Guess it’s the night for beginner’s luck, huh?"

Her high-pitched squeal of delight when Jax tackled her to the bed again made Chloe realize all that she had missed before she met him. Sex with Ned had never been like this. It had been satisfying. It had been fulfilling. Even pleasurable. But it was never just…….fun.

Love and passion make me crazy

Suddenly, all laughter stopped. Jax rotated his hips against Chloe’s once again, making her more aware than ever that he wanted her. "Chloe….." His voice was husky with desire. "I can’t wait much longer….."

"I don’t want you to……" Chloe smiled and reached up to pull Jax towards her but suddenly froze. "Oh, my God……"

"What?" The muscles in Jax’s arms trembled as he levered himself up off her. "Did I hurt you?"

"No…..it’s just that……" She blushed slightly. "I’m don’t…….I mean, I’m not taking anything………"

Jax smiled crookedly. "After I came all this way back for you, do you REALLY think I wouldn’t have thought of that?" He reached down next to the bed and took a small foil packet out of his jeans pocket. "I would normally let you do the honors," he added shakily, "but if you touch me again, I think I might embarrass us both……."

After protecting Chloe, Jax positioned his body between her thighs. She drew up her knees in anticipation, but once again, he surprised her. Sitting back on his haunches, he gently explored her every feminine secret. He favored her most special place with firmer and faster caresses until Chloe threw her head back on the pillow and clutched the satin sheets for dear life. Just as she was about to go over the edge into heaven, Jax made them one.

Uncontrollable waves of satisfaction rolled over Chloe. He could feel that she had reached her peak and smiled as her body’s reaction proved him right. "You’re ahead of me, corazon," he crooned, slowly and provocatively pulling away from her. When she groaned at the loss of him, he stifled her complaint by once again pressing into her warmth.

As Jax moved in ways to maximize her pleasure, Chloe’s eyes flew open when the strong, lovely tingle once again began to build in her lower body. Her soft panting breath kept rhythm with the more rapid movements of his hips. She dug her nails into his shoulders as another blinding, pulsing wave of pleasure flooded her body. Jax’s entire body shuddered as most intense satisfaction of his life reached its culmination.

The gentle tropical breeze blew over the lovers as they dozed lightly, still joined in the most intimate of embraces. Jax finally startled and pulled back a little to gaze thoughtfully into Chloe’s face. "We probably…….." His whisper was so soft that she barely heard it. "That was……."

"If you say "a mistake," I’m going to have to hurt you, Pantera," Chloe growled. She opened one eye just in time to see Jax push the sweat-drenched hair back off her forehead. "And remember – I have my foot in a VERY delicate place right now……." she added, bending her right knee and sliding her foot up the back of his leg until it rested very near his buttocks.

Jax kissed her lightly. "I only meant that it was a mistake because I’m supposed to be getting you out of here……" He glanced down at where their bodies were joined and smiled wanly. "And yes, my mum *does* expect grandchildren, so please be careful with that foot…….."

Chloe pushed gently on Jax’s shoulders as he leaned down, aiming to kiss her again. "Your mum?" His head drooped and he grimaced in frustration. "You mean you actually have parents? A real family?" She felt his chuckle as he finally rolled off to the side of her on the bed, breaking their union. "You didn’t just emerge fully grown from some incubator somewhere?"

"You know, sarcasm isn’t always attractive, love," Jax sighed, reclining and pulling her against his side possessively. "And I think that was one of the female Greek gods you’re thinking of. But yes – I *do* have a family." He raised his head to frown at her. "I told you about my brother getting married – did you forget?"

"Ahhhh, yes – the mysterious older brother." Chloe fell silent for a few seconds and Jax felt a chill shiver through her body. "It must be nice to have a real family."

Jax wanted to tell Chloe that she’d meet them someday. He wanted to invite her to Jerry’s wedding. He wanted to tell her how he was sure his mother would love her, and his father would go on and on about being daughter-less for so many years and now having *two*. But he couldn’t. He knew that, as usual, he couldn’t afford to make those promises. First, because he wasn’t at all sure that they would live long enough to set foot on American soil again. And second, there was the alarming prospect of facing the consequences of disobeying Sean’s orders. All he could do was make the most of the little time they had – and he fully intended to.

"You know," Jax murmured, turning in bed to pull Chloe to face him, "when I came back down here, I kept telling myself that it was because I had to keep my promise to you." He began to lazily trace a finger back and forth across the first soft swell of her breasts. "I kept thinking that the minute I saw you, I would throw you over my shoulder and get you the h*ll out of harm’s way before anything bad could happen." When his finger drifted south, Chloe’s body began to respond to his tough once again. "But then……..when I actually was standing here, looking at you……." They looked up simultaneously and saw the fire in each other’s eyes re-kindling. "……all I could think of was how much I wanted to make love to you………"

Chloe rubbed her thumb over Jax’s lower lip. "You won’t get any complaints about that from me, mister," she purred with a sexy smile.

"Yes, but I went about it all wrong." When Chloe arched an eyebrow at him in question, Jax cupped the side of her face tenderly. "Instead of being considerate and gentle, I treated you like I was the big, bad, black-hearted pirate and you were the village virgin who chose sharing my bed over walking the plank."

"Ohhhhh, I wouldn’t say that," Chloe smiled naughtily. "But it sounds like an interesting idea for some other time!"

Jax leaned down to kiss her again, stealing the breath from her lungs and filling her with delirious desire. When he broke the kiss, his voice was husky with passion. "I’ve got a better idea," he whispered, moving away from her. He rolled her to her back and then knelt before her, worshiping her with mind-numbing kisses and caresses. When his ministrations threatened to rob Chloe of her tentative hold on sanity, she threaded her hands into his blonde hair.

"Chloe……." Jax hissed her name while continuing the caresses that nearly drove her mad. "Look at me……."

She barely managed to open her eyes but when Chloe looked down to see Jax give her the most intimate of kisses, her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. His continued attention to her most sensitive spot pulled Chloe closer to the edge of the precipice. And when the combined effects of his kisses and caresses sent her over, Chloe experienced the sweet death of total climax that she had only read about before.

Jax crawled up next to her in the bed and held her as aftershocks racked Chloe’s body. She nestled her head on his chest and dug her nails into his shoulder as wave after wave of pleasure crested. Finally, he crooked his finger to tip her face up to him. "Are you happy?"

"You know……." Her sentences came in short, choppy pants. "…..that’s a pretty stupid question for such a smart man." She took a shaky breath and then settled against his chest again. "How could I NOT be happy?" The sound of the water crashing on the beach below provided a background to their silence until she broke it again. "Of course, I don’t think that YOU’RE happy……."

Jax turned to lay Chloe flat in the bed and leaned over her, placing a soft kiss on her passion-bruised lips. "There’s nothing that would make me happier than making love to you……..all night long……..again and again……."

Chloe caught her breath at the combination of fire and caring in his eyes. Then she smiled naughtily. "Oh……..I don’t know about that……." She glanced downwards between their bodies. "I think there’s somebody down there who’s not too happy yet…….."

To her surprise, a slight blush colored Jax’s cheeks. "Oh…….you mean…….."

Chloe nodded sagely. "Um-hmm. Your friend in front." Jax dropped his head and laughed softly as she pointed towards the evidence of his arousal. "You know, that rather large thing that keeps poking me in the thigh……"

Jax reared back and his eyes widened in mock insult. "RATHER large?"

Chloe suddenly pushed him back onto the bed in a reclining position. "Well, I really can’t say……." She pulled herself to her knees and scooted down to straddle his lower body. "Maybe I should take some measurements, just to make sure……"

Before Jax could say another word, Chloe leaned down and began to love him with the same thoroughness he had her. The intensity of her actions wrung a groan from Jax’s soul.

"Hmmmmm……." Chloe’s throaty chuckle brought Jax’s eyes back open. "How is it there’s never a tape measure around when you need one?" She began to stroke him again, finding a rhythm that drew guttural Spanish endearments from his lips and boosted her self-confidence.

Finally, when Jax could take no more, Chloe straddled his hips and once again they were joined as lovers. When the sweet simultaneous miracle of climax was about to engulf them, Chloe collapsed onto Jax’s chest and gripped his shoulders as she kissed him. As pleasure rippled out from the spot where they were joined, she dug her nails once again into the tender flesh of his upper arms.

And then – they slept. Joined in the intimate way of lovers, until the blush of sunrise colored the clouds in the east.

Give me just one night, una noche,

#####

The loud screech of a bird of paradise drew Jax abruptly into wakefulness. He blinked twice and then swore beneath his breath as he gently jostled Chloe’s shoulder.

"Chloe!" He slipped out from beneath her and swung his legs over the side of the bed, swearing again when he saw the time on his wristwatch. "Come on! We need to get moving!!"

Chloe drowsily pushed the hair back off her face and gave him a satisfied smile. "I thought that’s what we WERE doing, Pantera," she purred, draping the sheet so that it barely covered her nipples. "In fact, if you’ll just *move* that gorgeous butt of yours back over here, I’d be happy to refresh your memory……."

Jax stood, jerked the zipper up on his jeans, turned back to her and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Normally, I would take you up on your offer, wapa, but not now." He thrust his fingers through his hair and then looked around for his discarded shirt. "We need to get out of the estate and up to the main road to meet someone by 8:30."

As he spied his shirt and scooted across the room to retrieve it, Chloe frowned. "What time is it now?" she groused, pulling her panties back on.

"A little past 7:30." Jax buttoned a few of the buttons on his shirt and then looked over towards the small dresser.

"Are you sure your watch isn’t broken?" Chloe gazed sleepily towards the doors leading to their private patio. "It looks like it’s still dark out there."

Jax walked to the doors to appease her and gazed out towards the ocean. "It’s morning, alright. Looks like we’re in for another round of storms." The low rumble of thunder in the distance to punctuate his statement made him turn and give her a triumphant smile. Then, he went back to the dresser and rummaged through a drawer until he found a pair of denim shorts and a tank top. "These ought to be more comfortable for traveling than a skirt."

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh, my God! I didn’t tell you!" Chloe sprang out of bed wearing nothing but her thong and sprinted to where Jax stood. "Stefan is expecting you back tonight sometime! He’s planning some kind of big welcome back party for you!!" She looked around suspiciously and lowered her voice. "He……..he doesn’t know about you and ……..well, ……..everything……"

"It’s OK, Chloe – you can talk." Jax smiled appreciatively at her bare breasts but then motioned for her to get dressed. "When the power went out after the storm, Stefan’s little bugs in this room miraculously got exterminated."

"And……and……" Chloe hopped on one foot excitedly as she slipped into the shorts. "And Faison’s here too, Jax!"

"Faison’s here?" Jax froze and arched one eyebrow. "At the estate?"

"Mm-hmm…." Chloe buttoned the shorts and reached for the tank top. "He got here last night and Stefan invited him to the big shindig he’s throwing tonight in your honor." She grimaced. "It seems that the last of the red hot mamas from town is bringing in some of her most talented floozies for the occasion."

Jax whistled softly and shook his head. "He’s got some cojones, that Faison." He propped his hands on his hips. "I didn’t think he would have the guts to show his face here again after our last little encounter. But I suppose it will make things a lot easier for our side……..to have everyone in one place……"

"So…….it sounds like you’ve got some kind of plan for getting us out of here." Chloe’s head popped out of the tank top as she pulled it firmly into place. "I’ve gotta tell you, it can’t be soon enough for my taste……"

Jax went to the side of the room and rummaged through a stack of Chloe’s shoes until he found what he was looking for. "You’d better wear these today," he said grimly, tossing her a pair of tennis shoes. "We’ve got a lot of walking to do, and it looks like we may get pretty wet before we get to our destination."

Chloe grabbed a pair of white athletic socks out of the dresser. "Are you trying to tell me that we have to *walk* all the way back to town??!!" She pulled them on and then stood with a long sigh. "’Cause as plans go, that one stinks to high heaven, Jax!!"

He smiled jauntily and extended one hand to her. "On the contrary, love. There’s a small grotto and natural waterfall about a half-mile down the road from the main gates to the estate." Jax glanced down at his watch again. "That’s where Tomas dropped me off last night and where he’ll be picking us up this morning at 8:30."

"Tomas?" Chloe’s eyes suddenly widened with understanding. "The priest!! Your friend!!" Her face drooped. "Why didn’t *I* think of him?"

"Probably because you’ve never met him." Jax took her by the hand and drew her towards the door of the cottage. "Let’s get going. Tomas is having breakfast with Stefan even as we speak, and we’ll blow his cover if we keep him waiting too long on the road." Lightning crackled in the distance as he opened the door and gathering storm clouds turned day into night.

Chloe cast one last glance over her shoulder as they left the cottage. Jax felt her hesitation and realized the cause, but knew they didn’t have time for any fond reminiscing. He also knew that if he touched her again, it wouldn’t be enough, and they would never make it to the main road by 8:30.

They kept to the side of the road as they slowly made their way back to the main gates of the estate. The nearer they got to the main villa, the more people they encountered, which wasn’t at all to Jax’s liking. "So……..is Tomas some kind of spy, too?" Chloe whispered when they had to wait for a passing golf cart of tourists to clear.

"No, he’s just a very practical person," Jax murmured. "He’s meeting with Stefan this morning since he was promised a rather large donation for the church’s new roof." He grimaced sarcastically. "Stefan’s already figuring he’s got a fat check coming from that deal I was supposed to close. He doesn’t know the only paycheck he’ll be getting will have a fat jail sentence attached."

"I never asked you before……." Chloe struggled to keep up with Jax as they pushed aside thick growth of bushes. "Did you get the bad guys?"

"Yep." Jax’s face was somber as he stared at the front door of the villa. "Wait a minute……."

"What’s wrong?" Chloe felt the first splash of rain as the color left her face.

"I don’t see Tomas’s car." Jax scanned the length of the driveway and then looked down at his watch again. "He can’t have left already – it’s too early for that……"

"Jax……" A loud clap of thunder made Chloe cling to Jax even tighter. "I think it’s getting worse. Let’s get going."

Jax pulled his shirt collar up around his neck. "Come on – let’s cut through Stefan’s garden. It’ll bring us out closer to the road to the main gates."

Chloe kept a tight hold on Jax’s hand as he led her through a maze of undergrowth. Lightning flashed in the sky occasionally, lending a sense of urgency to their flight. They were almost to the far end of the garden when Jax pulled up short and spun around to face Chloe. "Kiss me," he growled, pulling her into his arms.

Chloe gladly complied with Jax’s request, even though she wasn’t quite sure of his sudden change of mood. She threw her arms around his neck and didn’t hear the low chuckle behind them until Jax finally broke the kiss. "Wellllll……..it appears that the morning has brought us something BESIDES the stormy weather!!" Stefan ambled towards the two of them brandishing a flashlight and a large umbrella. "Pantera! We did not expect you back until this evening!"

Jax slid Chloe behind him protectively as he turned to Stefan with a broad smile. "Stefan!" He walked forward to grasp Stefan’s hand and shake it firmly. "Let’s just say my business concluded earlier than anticipated so I thought my woman and I would enjoy the beautiful flowers and privacy in your garden."

Stefan stared pointedly at Chloe’s lips, which were still bruised from Jax’s ardent kisses of the night before. "I can appreciate your desire for privacy, Pantera……" He glanced upwards at the sky when another rumble of thunder shook the ground. "But considering the weather this morning, I think that perhaps your reunion should be continued in the shelter of my villa."

Stefan extended an arm towards the house and Jax turned with a grim smile, pointing Chloe in the same direction. "I’m surprised you’re out and about so early, Stefan," Jax said as they briskly made their way back to the house. "I thought you’d still be in bed at this hour."

"Actually, I had planned to have breakfast with an old friend this morning – I believe you know him," Stefan replied. "Padre Tomas?"

"Ahhhh, Tomas!" Jax pasted a pleasant grin on his face. "I haven’t seen him in ages!! It’ll be good to shake his hand again!!"

Stefan pushed aside a thick growth of hibiscus bushes to lead them to the main road. "Yes, I know – I was looking forward to it myself." Lightning split the heavens as a light mist began to fall on the three. "But I decided to go out and make sure all of our guests were prepared for another round of storms when he had to call me and re-schedule our breakfast."

"Re-schedule?" Years of training kept the panic from creeping into Jax’s voice. "He’s been delayed?"

Stefan herded Jax and Chloe under the front porch of the main house as the rain began in earnest. "Not delayed. He had to cancel. It seems he got a call to the other side of the island to administer the last rites to a seriously ill man." He smiled broadly as he led the two lovers into the main foyer of his house. "So…….it looks as though it will be just the three of us for breakfast this morning, yes?"

To be continued……..

Music credit: "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)," by 98 Degrees, performed on their new CD, "Revelation"