Page 130 of Light My Fire

I study her. “Actually, I think I can,” I say after thinking about it for a moment. “I think you really want to, and delayed satisfaction can be very, very fun.”

She swallows. “I do want to,” she confesses. “It’s like I just discovered strawberry shortcake and I want itall the time.”

I grin. “Strawberry shortcake is your weakness, huh?”

“For sure. I willneverget sick of it. Ever.”

I also make note of that.

“But I want to get to know you too,” she says.

“You already know me pretty well. I’m not that complicated.”

Something softens in her eyes. “I don’t know if that’s true. But either way, I want to spend time with you. Just us. This will be really nice.”

I agree. And I have something I’m excited to tell her about during dinner. “And of course,” I tell her. “There are ways of satisfying you that don’t involve sex.”

Her grin is wide. “I should have known it would be you, the playful, mischievous one, that would come up with a loophole.”

I reach up and cup the back of her head, bringing her lips to mine, just barely touching hers. “Yeah, I think we’re gonna discussloopholeslater.” I know she catches my emphasis on the wordloopholes, my lame attempt to make it innuendo, because she laughs lightly just before I press my lips to hers.

I keep the kiss sweet though because we’re pulling up at the hangar where we’re getting on the helicopter for our tour over the city.

She doesn’t even notice at first.

She lifts her hand, rubbing a thumb over my lip.

“You look good with my lipstick smudged on your mouth,” she says softly, and I don’t think anyone has ever said anything more seductive in my life.

“I can think of a few other places where I’d like to have that lipstick… and your lips,” I tell her.

She grins. “Me too.”

We get out of the car and her eyes are wide, taking in where we are.

“A helicopter ride?” she asks. “I thought we were going to dinner.”

I lift her hand and kiss it as we cross to where the pilot is waiting. “We are. After. But I want to show you my city.”

She puts a hand over her heart, as if she’s truly touched. “This is so amazing, Jackson. Thank you.”

“Any time, anything, sweetheart.”

The flight is perfect. The city lights are gorgeous from above and I enjoy every minute of pointing out landmarks and famous places to her. She asks questions and I promise to take her to the museums, the botanical garden, as well as a game at Wrigley.

When we land and are out of the helicopter, I shake the pilot’s hand and exchange a few pleasantries. The owner of the company comes out to greet me as well. I’m used to that since I came into my money.

But as soon as we’re on our way to the car, Brooke stops and throws her arms around my neck and kisses me. “That was awesome!”

I hold her against me, hugging her, grinning like an idiot.

I will give all my money to make her look and sound like that every day.

The thing is, I know I don’t need to. Brooke doesn’t need fancy helicopter flights or dresses to enjoy, and appreciate, a night out. I am going to spoil her and buy her expensive, lavishgifts, and get her anything she ever needs but because I want to. Not because I need to.

“You ready for dinner?”

Her cheeks are flushed. “Yes!”

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