Page 45 of Burn With Me

His jaw clenches, but he’s smirking at me as he watches me with heated eyes. A perfectly chiseled god in a four-figure suit. “You’re asking for it, Red.”

Waving my fingers at him, I turn around to follow Stacey.

Soon, I feel like I’ll be begging.

Central Park is bathed in vibrant green hues as spring gives way to early summer. Lilacs are starting to bloom, gracing our path with their sweet fragrance. The leaves on the trees are young and thin enough that the sunlight filters through them, shining down on us as we make our way through Sheep Meadow, heading in the direction of the skating rink.

“I feel bad the meeting didn’t end well. I shouldn’t have just shown up like that. I’m sorry,” I apologize for the umpteenth time.

Jackson laughs as he swings his arm around my shoulderscasually. Without hesitation, I lean into his side, relishing the comfortable nature of the gesture. “Ginny, stop apologizing. It’s not that big a deal. We have them backed into a corner anyway. If they say no to us, their company is gonna fold. I’m not worried about it.”

We pass an elderly couple who look at us with big smiles as they take in the scenery. It causes a thought to flutter through my mind, resulting in a giggle escaping my throat.

“What’s so funny?” he asks, voice lowering for only me to hear.

“I just realized this is probably as close to a normal date as we’ve ever had. And by we, I mean separately,” I tell him.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“Well,youdon’t date. So, I’m guessing you’ve never gone on a walk in the park with a woman who wasn’t Stacey or your aunt. AndI’venever gone on a walking date with a man. It’s always dinner—where they feed you sexual innuendos all night, a movie—where they try to grope you, or a party—where they try to get you drunk and then fumble around your body and pretend to know what they’re doing.”

Jackson pulls me to a stop. His arm falls from around my shoulders as his hands find my waist beneath my open peacoat. “Have a lot of guys pretended to know what they’re doing when it comes to your body, Ginny?”

A shiver runs through me, and it’s not because of the breeze. Just the way he says the words, low and husky, and his eyes darken, even though the sun highlights every streak of caramel and green in his irises. Nonchalantly, I cross a booted foot over the other to discreetly clench my thighs together.

“Not really. I’m particular about who I spend my time with. Which is more than I can say foryou.”

Letting out a laugh because it’s meant to be a joke, I’m not prepared for the way he lets go of me and steps back. His hands burrow into his pockets as he continues walking, leaving me behind to hurry after him.

“Aww, Jackson, you’re not upset, are you?” A bark sounds up ahead, followed by more that join in and draw my attention toward Wollman Rink.

“Is that an adoption fair?! Iloveanimals! Come on!” Looping my arm through his without waiting for an answer, I pull him toward the rink.

Pet adoption fairs pop up every now and then, and I’ve always loved coming to pet the animals. We never had a cat or dog growing up. Not even so much as a fish. I used to wonder why, but the older I got, the more I thought it was because Collin and Christine feared that Chris would harm them.

If only they would have been as considerate toward me.

“I don’t want to go see animals in cages. How depressing,” Jackson says, but he continues to let me pull him along.

From one of my sessions with Scott, I happen to know Jackson loves cats. Scott’s mother had no less than four at a time, so Jackson grew up with them. Scott also mentioned that regarding charities, Jackson threw a lot of money at animal shelters and programs around the city.

“They’re so cute, though! I like to pet them through the bars. Let them know they’re loved and will be okay.” We make it to the entrance, and I instantly drag him over to a litter of puppies in an open-wire kennel area.

People are perusing cage to cage as kids run around screaming at their parents about which animal they want to take home. Jackson hangs back as I pet the puppies, checking his phone while looking like he’d rather be elsewhere.

Squishing a pug puppy against my cheek, I ask him, “Isn’t this the most adorable face you’ve ever seen?”

He regards me for a moment before taking a step forward to say, “As a matter of fact, it is. The puppy isn’t so bad either.”

“Oh, so smooth,” I tell him playfully before setting the pug back down.

Jackson’s eyes stray down the walkway to where the catsare stacked in kennels four high. “A cat makes for a much better pet than a dog.”

Grabbing his hand, I pull him down to where there are multiple litters of kittens and adult cats. Some are rubbing their furry faces against the bars, and some look scared, which breaks my heart. A glance at Jackson’s face tells me it’s making him uncomfortable.

“You should get one. Caring for something other than yourself might do you some good.” Reaching up, I stroke the cheek of a beautiful, long-haired tabby.

Jackson answers with a laugh. “I don’t have time for a cat. They’re needy. I work too much.”

---