Page 39 of Dangerous Pursuit

Oh shit.My walls clench even harder. I think I might climax from this alone.

“Mmm, Jackson, please.” It comes out unbidden, not sure what I’m asking for, but the pleas won’t stop while my body writhes in desire.

“Jesus, Mia, I’m sorry. I need to get up before I do something stupid.” He scrambles from the bed. “Fuck, I didn’t mean to get carried away.” He’s facing away from me, running his hand through his hair, panting.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t all your fault.I’msorry. I don’t know what got into me.” I’m not exactly sure what I’m apologizing for, but I certainly didn’t help the situation.

He turns back toward me with a sly grin. “Well, thankfully,nothinggot into you—no thanks to your begging. I get an A-plus in willpower.”

“You didnotjust say that.” I groan and sink back into the bed.

I’m toast.

Jackson

She turns beet red, and it’s fucking adorable. Does she have any idea of the effect she has on me? I was way too close to giving us what we both wanted. One more plea out of her mouth or push of her hand and I might have caved. Thankfully, I came to my senses before that happened.

“Seriously, though, I’ll behave. Are you okay if I get back in bed?” The urge to be close to her is overwhelming.

“You’re the one who got up. Why are you asking me?”

“I don’t know, maybe because I just about took advantage of you a minute ago?” Even though I have myself under control now, she doesn’t know that, and if the boner I’m sporting is any indication, she has no reason to. Unfortunately, it’s not going anywhere for a while after that nice wake-up.

“You were not taking advantage of me. Like you said, I was the one begging. I’m not a damsel in distress.”

“Actually, you are, remember? You’re here to be protected and feel safe, not to be mauled. I shouldn’t be trying to seduce you. You’re just too goddamn tempting.”

“There was no trying involved—I was thoroughly seduced. It looks like you get an A-plus in seduction, but I think you should retake the test to be sure.”

And that’s when I know I am well and truly fucked.

“You’re going to be the literal death of me.” I climb back in, propping myself on my elbow, and look her straight in the eyes. “When you’re not off-limits anymore, and you find yourself back in my bed, I can assure you—I won’t be stopping.”

“Okay…” Damn… That response alone… What I wouldn’t do to fast-forward time by a few days. This is ridiculous. Why am I waiting again?

I groan and fall back, staring up at the ceiling. “Fuck, Mia, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right, and that means waiting not only for your birthday but making sure you know what you’re getting into and that you want to go down this road with me.” I put my arm up in an invitation for her to get closer.

“Come here, let’s start over.” She does, and I can’t help but notice how perfectly she fits against me. My arm drops down around her, and we both settle in, taking a deep breath of contentment. “How about you tell me what was on your mind this morning? I could tell it was going a million miles a minute.”

“Just… everything. The whole situation last night. You show up as my knight in shining armor, and instead of being angry, you throw me a curveball. One minute, I’m your nemesis, and the next, you’re trying to date me, I think. See, I don’t even know. Is that what you’re doing?” I love her frankness. I wish she could be this honest about everything.

“Yes, Mia, I’m trying to date you. Can you take my behavior over the last couple of months and wipe it from your memory? I’m not usually like that. Just give me a chance to win you over, and I’ll prove I’m the type of guy you deserve.” Her head rests on my chest while she casually grazes her hand over myabs. Thankfully, it’s through my shirt, or we might be right back where we were minutes ago.

“I’ll try. We’ll just have to take it one day at a time.”

“How about we start today, and I take you to breakfast?”

“Are you asking me on our first date?” She lifts her head and looks at me.

The fact that she used the words “first date” tells me she’s already invested in this more than she’ll admit—she knows we’re happening. And that knowledge is all I need for now.

I gently caress her cheek. “Yeah, I am. Mia, will you go out to breakfast with me this morning?”

“I would love to, Jackson,” she says, rewarding me with a massive smile.

My chest swells, and I feel something I’m not sure I’m prepared for.

Breakfast with Mia was more than I could’ve hoped for. She truly saw me from a new perspective, and it felt like we made a year’s worth of progress in two hours. She shared details about her life, allowing me to experience a more personal side of her, and with each new facet, I’m more and more enamored. In turn, I talked about my family, friends, and work, explaining the dynamics of my parents’ retirement and how it affected my role at the office, giving her an even better understanding of my previous behavior.

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