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.

I turn and he’s standing there staring at me with fire in his eyes. My dress was too tight to require a bra and I chose not to wear panties since I didn’t want lines. It seems to have worked in my favor. Now it’s time to turn the tables on him. I shimmy out of my dress completely and approach him as his eyes drink me in. It’s unnerving, yet I’m empowered by his silence.

“You know…” I pause, letting the statement hang out there while I reach for the top button of his shirt. “You aren’t the only one who’s turned on.” My hand drops to the next button. I make sure to take my time with my words and my hands. His eyes are locked on mine as I start to seduce him. “I think about you all the time. I have to fight the urge to beg you to take me.” After undoing the final button, I slide my hands back up his chiseled chest and his head drops back. I glide them under his shirt and push it down his toned arms, feeling every muscle tense beneath my touch. His reaction makes me stronger. It’s exhilarating to know I elicit the same reaction he pulls from me. “You’re impossible to resist.” I tug on his belt and pull him closer to me, unbuttoning his pants and sliding them and his boxers down, trailing my fingertips on his legs as they descend. We’re both bared completely to each other now, and I stand back up before speaking my last words to him. “But when you touch me, I’m lost to you.”