I’m so engrossed in the story I don’t notice the waitress standing at our table.

“Can I get you anything else? Dessert?” she asks.

“No way, I couldn’t eat another thing,” I smile and Jackson shakes his head and grabs the check. “Everything was delicious, Jackson. Thank you for tonight.”

“Tonight’s not over.” Standing before me, he extends his hand tentatively. Without any hesitation I place mine in his. Was he afraid I’d say no? There isn’t a damn thing that would stop me. The feel of his hand surrounding mine makes my heart skip a beat. Almost like the world has righted itself. I’m in trouble. I’m falling fast.

We exit into the cool night air and I shiver. “Hey.” He stops and encircles my waist. “Thank you for letting me break your rules.”

“Of course.” Leaning in, I place a brief kiss on his lips. Passion erupts the moment our lips meet and the kiss becomes more frantic. His hands grip my sides as his fingers dig into my hips. I welcome the feeling. His need pushes my own. I feel his arousal against my stomach and suddenly couldn’t care less about the rest of our evening. Jackson pushes me back against the car as his mouth devours mine. Time is irrelevant. Everything else fades away. Once again, he overtakes me and I’m lost to him. All I hear is the sound of his breathing, his moans. All I feel is him around me—touching me, wanting me, making me fall faster. He pulls away and turns, rubbing his hand roughly down his face.

“Fucking Christ,” he mumbles. “I can’t control myself when I touch you.”

His words stun me. They’re exactly how I feel. As soon as his skin meets mine, I lose all self-control. I need to get a freaking grip. The constant battling of emotions when I’m around him is draining. One minute I can’t get close enough, and the next I’m fighting to keep my heart safe. Why does this have to be so damn difficult?

Once he’s composed himself he walks back up to me and opens the car door. “In.” My body obeys him without hesitation.

Jackson takes a minute outside the limo and tells Xavier where to go. I roll the window down and look at him. The air between us is charged, and though he’s listening to something Xavier is saying, his unblinking eyes are locked on mine. The depth of his stare is almost too much. My yearning grows and I lick my lips, gripping the bottom one between my teeth as he opens the door. Before it even clicks shut behind him, his mouth is on mine again. I can’t get close enough. I’ve never been this girl. I’ve never desired a man as much as I do at this moment. It’s primal, raw.

Our lips are fused and the need to be closer is unbearable. It’s clear Jackson is fighting the same urges. He pushes me flat on the seat, and hovers above me. My heart is pounding, my lips are tingling, and all I want is to ease the aching between my legs.

His eyes shift from lustful to resolute and he pulls me back up. We’re both breathing heavy as we recover from the rush of the moment. I would have let him fuck me in this car. With the window open for all to see! What the hell is wrong with me? I turn and look out the window, thankful for the cool air as I try to reel in my libido.

Jackson grasps my hand and I look over. “If you think I don’t want you, you’re wrong. I promise I’m going to do that and so much more, but we need a lot more time than a ten-minute drive.” His brow lifts as his dimple appears.

I bite my lip at the hunger evident on his face and the promise of things to come. The longing to kiss him is too great to fight. I lean in and brush my lips against his.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” He smiles.

“For everything.” I shrug and return to watching the city pass by.

Not even a minute later, the car stops. We’re on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, right by Central Park. I love this area of the city. It’s gorgeous—and extremely expensive. Jackson’s hand extends as he exits the limo. He pulls me forward as Xavier retrieves my bag. I look at the huge apartment building and it hits me—we aren’t going to the park. He lives here. Ashton and I looked at a few apartments on this side of the city, but even with both our incomes it was out of our price range. I shouldn’t be surprised. He does own two companies, but he never seems to flaunt his money.

“Catherine?” he says softly, causing me to jump. “Ready?” I swear one day he won’t be able to sneak up and scare the crap out of me.

We enter the building and I’m surprised by its contemporary design. Everything is clean lines, reminding me of his office in Virginia.

“How long have you lived here?” I ask.

Jackson rolls his neck and drops my hand before answering. “About a year.”

“It’s beautiful. I love this part of the city.”

We enter the elevator and head to the twentieth floor. Jackson’s hand snakes around my back. “I do too.”

“I wish our office were closer to the park. I’ve always wanted to go there for lunch and just people watch.” Central Park is spectacular. Sometimes it’s a little scary, but for the most part it’s wonderful. My father took me to the zoo there a few times. I always thought it was amazing that this little piece of the wild was placed in the perfectly manicured park in the perfectly chaotic city.

“Every morning I go for a five-mile run in the park.”

“I’m not surprised you run every day.” There will be none of that for me.

“We can wake up tomorrow and go.” He smiles, knowing damn well that isn’t happening.

“You’re funny. The only way I’m running is if someone or something is chasing me. And even then, I might say screw it. I’d much rather eat a bag of Doritos, thanks.”

“I bet you’d do it if I made you.” His brow lifts as he leans in close.

I scoff and throw my head back. “Never gonna happen, babe. Besides, you owe me my time, Muff. Until I get that, there will be no more obstacle courses or stair climbing happening here.”

“Who said anything about stairs?”

Before I can retort the elevator dings. My stomach is in knots. You’d think this was our first time being alone or intimate. This is the last barrier we have. He already knows where I live and work. Now both of us will have stayed at each other’s homes. I’m excited to put together another piece of the puzzle that is Jackson Cole.

We reach his unit on the twentieth floor. He smiles and opens the door, allowing me through. “Welcome to my home.”

While my apartment is modern, it has nothing on his. Jackson’s place is masculine, but a woman could easily fit in.

“This is it,” he says with a shrug and places my bag in the middle of the living room.

I take my shoes off and walk into the middle of the room. “It’s amazing. I love the architecture and the color choices.”

He slowly walks toward me. I stand rooted, unable to move an inch. Once he reaches me, his rough hands graze down my bare arms and I briefly close my eyes. “Let me show you around.”

It takes a second to process that he said something. “Sure.” As long as the tour ends in the bedroom I’m completely fine with it. My body is still humming with lust from our hot and heavy make out session outside the restaurant and in the limo.

Jackson shows me around the rest of the apartment. Every room has the same feel, like fire and ice—cold blues against warm reds. However, it’s all somehow in perfect harmony. We enter his bedroom and the view … The view is magnificent. The bedroom is warm and romantic, its ambiance completely different from the rest of the house. The massive king size bed faces windows that overlook the park. Jackson turns on the wall-mounted fireplace and the tension from the car returns full force. Desire courses through my body. Fire, heat, and lust are all I feel.

“I had other plans for the night,” he says smoothly as he walks toward me.

“What happened?”

“You did.” Jackson stops. He stands still, illuminated by the flames. I take a step toward him.

“Me?” I whisper, and he takes the final step so we’re within reach.

“Yes. You, Catherine.” His hand cups my face as his thumb rubs across my bottom lip. My head naturally tilts into him palm.

Please don’t hurt me, I silently beg.

His eyes are warm and even though I’m fully dressed I feel completely naked. “I told you before, you do something to me. I need you and I haven’t allowed myself to need anyone for a long time.” He leans down, pressing his lips against my cheek. His voice is low and gruff. “When I’m around you all I can think about is being buried deep inside you.” Jackson’s lips graze the corner of my mouth as he continues his seduction. “I see you and all I see is every beautiful inch of the skin I know is underneath your clothes. I watch you talk and I think of what your mouth looks like wrapped around my cock.”

I moan as his hands slip around my back and unzips my dress. No man’s ever talked to me like this. I’m so aroused I could come from his words alone. He’s speaking to every part of me—my heart and my core. I try to reach for him but he steps back.

“Stay still.” His voice is strained as he makes the demand.

My body is begging for him, needing to touch him, yet I stand still as he circles me. His right hand stays in contact with me as he approaches my back and slowly pulls my hair to the side, opening my unzipped dress and pushing it off my shoulders. I stand facing the fire, so I can’t see when he steps away from me, but I know just the same. The loss of his body close to mine is unmistakable, even in the heat. It feels like forever since he’s moved or done anything and I can’t take it anymore. I have to move. I need to see him, touch him. It’s too much to fight.