Page 102 of Failure to Match

He was going to take such good care of me now.

I deserved it.

25

“Jamie.”

I kept my eyes shut, kept my breathing even, my body limp.

Jackson brushed a piece of my hair away from my face, his fingers caressing my temple as he pressed a soft kiss to my shoulder. Our legs were tangled under the sheets, my back locked against his chest thanks to the possessive arm he had wrapped around me.

I hadn’t gotten dressed after the bath he’d given me last night so, unlike him, I was fully naked. It was heaven, and as soon as I opened my eyes, it would have to end.

“I know you’re awake.” Another sweet, gentle press of his mouth. This one on my neck, right over my fluttering pulse.

“You know no such thing. S’just a theory.”

The warmth of his laugh dripped down to places it shouldn’t have been able to reach. With a deep, satisfied sigh, I pressed my ass to the raging erection he was sporting under his sweats.

He hissed; I smiled. He nipped at my earlobe; I pushed harder and wiggled?—

I was flat on my back in an instant, giggling as Jackson pinned my wrists, shoved my thighs open with his knee, and attacked my neck.

“Open your eyes,” he demanded gruffly. “We need to talk.”

“Five more minutes,” I pleaded quietly.

My wish was granted. I kept my eyes shut as he spoiled my skin with tender kisses, tracing them over my neck, across my collarbones, down my breasts, stomach, thighs…

“Jamie.” Right on the five-minute mark. I was sure of it. “You’re splayed out naked in front of me and I only have so much self-control. We need to talk before I dive tongue-first into your sweet pussy again.”

My fingers curled around fistfuls of buttery Egyptian cotton as his tongue traced a teasing line across my hip bone, making me shiver.

“I don’t see the problem,” I breathed.

“We don’t have time. Minerva’s expecting us soon.”

My eyes snapped open.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. “What time is it?”

I’d set an alarm. Why hadn’t it gone off? Where was my phone?!

I bolted upright so fast it made my vision sparkle and darken. I blinked and blinked, trying to clear it. “What time is it?” I asked again. And why was he being so slow to answer?

My first progress meeting with Minerva was at nine and there was a lot of sunshine spilling through those windows. It was alarmingly bright.

“Half past eight,” Jackson said just as my vision cleared. I barely even heard him over his ridiculously handsome face. How was hemorebeautiful this morning than he had been last night? Stupid oxytocin.

The air was sucked out of the room when I met his gaze. He was fully clothed and crowding me on the bed, I was fully naked and vulnerable…

Again with the power imbalance thing. My libido really loved that shit.

No, that was a lie. My libido loved that shitwith Jackson. There was a difference.

“Tonight.” His voice was a dark, promising gravel. “I’ll fuck you right after we come to an agreement.”

“About?” I sounded weirdly out of breath.

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