“Anyway. They’re my favorite.” I smile.

“I seriously can’t believe this is what you wanted to see. I mean, how ’bout a lion? Monkey? Something cool,” he says with humor and a trace of incredulity.

I shake my head at his indifference toward this beautiful creature.

“They’re cool. They even have a song about them.” I raise my brows.

“What song?” he asks, laughing and clearly confused.

“You know, ‘Sally the Camel has Five Humps,’” I say in a singsong way. Back in college I babysat a child whose favorite show played that counting song all the time. It was annoying and repetitious and would inevitably get stuck in your head and drive you crazy. If he thinks I’m going to sing it to him, he’s lost his damn mind.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, but by all means feel free to sing it.” Jackson’s smile lights up his face.

“No, I don’t think that would be enjoyable for either of us.” I laugh, returning my gaze to the animals. “If I lived on a farm, I’d own one.”

“They’re gross and they smell. Plus, I’ve ridden them plenty during deployments. I promise there is nothing special about a camel. Now, you want to talk about a tiger, I’m all for it.” He grins, enjoying his teasing.

The camel walks over to the fence and a young boy lifts his hand up, feeding it from his palm. I giggle, but Jackson looks like he’s disgusted.

“See. You couldn’t feed a lion from your hand.” I tilt my head, toying with him. The machine to get food for the camel is a few feet away. I dig through my purse for the quarter I need as Jackson scoffs.

“No, but—” Before he can finish his sentence, the camel spits and it lands not even an inch in front of him.

I bust out laughing. Tears stream from my eyes as he stands there looking like he wants to climb the fence and teach it a lesson, which only makes me laugh harder. Jackson stares at me before his own grin and chuckle break free. “Oh my … She showed you!” I barely get out.

“So not funny.” He rushes toward me and grips my hand, pulling me away from the animal, which clearly does not like him. “Fucking thing almost got me.”

“If only my beautiful Jessica had better aim.” I giggle and wrap my arms around his torso, trying to control myself.

“You named the camel that tried to spit on me?” Jackson asks, sounding wounded.

“Jessica the camel. She only spit because you were being an ass and talking shit about her.” I wink.

“Glad to see where your loyalties lie.”

“Jessica and I have a strong bond. Sorry, babe, Jessica and I are like this.” I say and hold my crossed fingers up.

We stop in front of the next animal and he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. I gaze at him, breathing in this moment in time. I love the way he makes me laugh, smile, and enjoy a normal day. Jackson brings out parts of me that I’d buried after Neil. But I don’t have to pretend with him. I can just be. Knowing that he doesn’t want to change me, that he wants to be with me as I am—it’s liberating. I snake my arms up his taut back as my mind drifts to all the ways Jackson’s infiltrated my heart and soul. I think of him as soon as I wake up and before I go to bed. He’s in my dreams too. He’s wrapped up with every aspect of my work life, but even when I’m not looking at the launch, someone will say something that brings me back to him.

Jackson’s eyes bore into mine. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this chance with you.” His fingers tenderly brush a loose strand of hair back behind my ear. “You’re beautiful, smart, funny … I can’t get enough of you. What’s going on in that gorgeous head of yours?”

I’m taken aback by his intensity and what he’s saying. He thinks he’s undeserving? It’s me who doesn’t know how I somehow have him.

I place my hand on his cheek. “I think you have it mixed-up. It’s me who’s lucky. I keep waiting to wake up and realize you’re a dream.” I rub my thumb against his stubble. He’s real. We’re real. No pretending, no dreams—only us.

“Believe it, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” he says softly before his lips meet mine.

We continue our day walking through the zoo. He refuses to let me say good-bye to the camels, no matter how hard I try. We walk through the park hand in hand, stopping to grab a dirty water dog and pretzel from the hot dog truck. It’s your typical day in New York City. No fanfare or crazy planning. It’s perfect. Every single solitary second is all I could ever want.

“How about we head back to my place and watch a movie?” Jackson asks.

“Sure. Only if I can pick it.” I smile, happy that he wants to spend the rest of the day together.

I note that he didn’t answer, but he’s crazy if he thinks I’m going to let him win—again. We head to his apartment and memories of the last time I was here flood back. The way he seduced me, touched me, brought me to the brink, and then opened up about the mission. How in the morning there was no awkwardness. We had breakfast and I headed back to my apartment, floating on cloud nine.

“Pick something good,” Jackson warns as we head into the living room.

“You didn’t give any contingencies, so you get no say.” I smirk and head over to the wall of DVDs. I could be a total pain in the ass and pick something I know he’d hate, but then again his selection doesn’t exactly give me many options. Scanning the endless rows, I find one and gasp.

“Oh my God! You have Empire Records?” I grab the DVD and rush over to put it in the player.

“You know this movie is cinema gold,” Jackson says as he brings over popcorn and settles into the couch.

“This is the best movie ever!” I exclaim and snuggle into his side. “Okay. Before we start watching, if you could be anyone, who would you pick? I’d be Lucas. He’s hysterical.” I smile and grab the bowl, putting it on my lap.

“I guess Joe. He’s the boss.”

I laugh at his choice. Of course he’d pick the one who’s in charge. Joe is pretty badass, though.

“I think you’d be a great Rex. Oh Rexy, you’re so sexy.” I smirk and push play as he scoffs.

We spend the next hour laughing and reciting lines. Just as Rex Manning and Gina are getting it on in the copy room, Jackson runs his fingers up and down my arm. Suddenly I’m not so interested in the movie anymore. I shift, trying to stifle the lust bubbling up, but he moves his hand to the back of my neck and starts making small circles on my skin with his fingertips. My breathing becomes heavier as the pad of his finger rubs the spot right below my ear. Every caress increases my yearning. Heat pools as he makes his way back down my neck, lingering there.

I move my hand higher up his leg and hear him swallow loudly. The urge to touch him, to feel him, to make him come apart in my hands grows with each beat of my heart. Slowly I turn to look at him. His eyes drink me in before his mouth crushes against my lips with savage intensity. He shifts us and swings me on top of him. Feeling his erection against my core causes my arousal to rage like a storm.

His lips lower and his tongue traces my neck and shoulders. “Jackson, I want you,” I say in a breathy whisper.