“This okay?” he asked roughly, running his hands over her sides.

In response Mollie swiveled her hips back against him, and he sucked in a harsh breath. His hands slid down to cup her hips, angling her as he pressed forward.

Mollie was expecting hard and fast—was craving it. But Jackson surprised her by moving slowly, easing inside her inch by inch.

She arched back again, urging him on, and he groaned. “You are so hot like this.”

He pulled back slightly, then thrust forward all the way, and Mollie turned her head, resting her cheek against the cool counter as he began to move with a firm rhythm.

“I’m going to come, babe. Touch yourself, come with me.”

Mollie slipped a hand between her legs as he moved faster, each thrust causing her torso to rub against the counter, her nipples hard against the cold granite.

Mollie quickened the pace of her circling fingers, her body coming closer and closer until she couldn’t hold out any longer. She let out a loud cry, and the second she spasmed, Jackson joined her, his sharp curses mingling with her soft cries as he emptied himself inside her.

Mollie turned her head, letting the counter cool her heated face as reality seeped in. She’d just been thoroughly screwed on a kitchen counter next to one of her beloved grilled cheese sandwiches. And it had been amazing.

Jackson pulled out, clearing his throat in a way that made her think he was as aware of the rawness of their lovemaking as she was.

Mollie straightened and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a coy grin.

He smiled back. “Well, if that isn’t the smile of a satisfied woman.”

She turned to face him and leaned forward to kiss his shoulder. “Are you not a satisfied man?”

He surprised her by cupping her chin with one hand, lifting her face to his. “I am. And I thank you.”

Mollie gave an incredulous laugh. “Did you just thank me for sex?”

“More like a thank-you for reminding me that I didn’t die in that car wreck.”

He released her face and gave her a playful swat on the butt that belied the importance of what he’d just said.

Jackson turned away and began picking up their clothes, and Mollie put a hand to her hammering chest.

Objectively she knew that this was just sex. He’d fucked her against a counter, for God’s sake.

But something about his face just then…

Thank you for reminding me that I didn’t die in that car wreck.

“I’m gonna shower,” he said, holding his clothes against his chest with one arm as he held out hers. “You wanna come?”

“Nah.” She shook her head. “I’ll make dinner.”

“Okay.” He leaned forward, kissing the top of her head before heading toward his bedroom, whistling along with the music she just now registered was still playing quietly in the background.

Mollie waited until his door closed before she wandered toward her own room for fresh clothes.

“It’s just sex, Mollie,” she muttered to herself minutes later as she walked back into the kitchen, tying the string of her sweatpants. “Just really, really good sex.”

But as she cleaned the counter and resumed making her grilled cheese sandwiches, she couldn’t escape the nagging thought that just sex wasn’t supposed to leave her feeling quite so happy.

Or so terrified.

Chapter 23

“Burke, you eaten?”

Jackson glanced up from his computer to see Jake Malone standing in the doorway. Of all the Oxford guys, Jackson knew Jake the least. As Oxford’s travel editor, he was away a fair amount, plus his cushy corner office was at the far end of the hall away from Jackson’s.

Still, he seemed like a good guy. Hell, they all seemed like good guys.

“You eat yet?” Jake repeated when Jackson didn’t reply right away.

When Jackson had first started at Oxford, he’d gotten this question a lot. Knowing that a lunch invitation inevitably followed, he’d started saying yes automatically, whether or not he’d actually eaten.

But today…

“Not yet,” he replied.

Jake jerked his head back. “Come on. Cassidy’s buying.”

“Cassidy is not buying,” came Alex Cassidy’s low voice just seconds before the editor in chief appeared in Jackson’s doorway.

Jake shrugged. “Always worth a shot.”

Cassidy glanced at Jackson. “Burke’s coming?”

“Wait!” came a female wail. “Jackson’s going? Why is he going on the one day that I can’t go?”

Penelope Pope came dashing over and looked at Jackson with big sad eyes. “I have a phone date with my mom. She’ll kill me if I cancel. But you have to promise to go to lunch with me tomorrow.”

“Um, okay,” Jackson said.

She pointed at him. “No. Promise.”

He smiled, because Penelope trying to look bossy was in fact adorable. “I promise.”

She gave him a happy smile before slapping Jake on the arm. “Hey, make sure Cole brings me leftovers. He always forgets.”

“I do not always forget,” Cole said from somewhere out of sight.

“It’s like you guys come out of the woodwork,” Jackson muttered.

As if on cue, a thump came from the shared wall between Lincoln’s and Jackson’s offices. “Wait for me!”

“So we’re all going, then,” Jackson said dryly.

Five minutes later, Jackson found himself part of the group going to lunch, rather than the one watching others go to lunch. Since Penelope couldn’t go, it was guys only: himself, Jake, Cole, Lincoln, and Cassidy.