Page 42 of Dangerous Pursuit

“Hey, beautiful.” I greet Mia by bringing her hand to my lips for a kiss.

Technically, this is our second date, but the first that I’m picking her up for, so I’m going to do it right. Although, with everything we’ve experienced together already, it feels like we’ve been dating for weeks at this point. It’s unsettling how much I missed her during the less than twenty-four-hour span we’ve been apart for and that every minute of it was spent with her occupying all corners of my mind.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” She tried hard to get it out of me on the phone, but I’m not giving in.

“No. I told you, it’s a surprise.”

“And I told you, I don’t like surprises.”

“That’s too bad because I like giving them. So much so that I’m keeping you in the dark until we get there. Do you trust me?”

She laughs. “That’s a loaded question. Do I trust you? For now, yes.”

“Then close your eyes, sweetheart.” She complies, and I reach into the console to grab the scarf I stashed there earlier. “I’m blindfolding you to keep the suspense,” I say, as I bring it to her eyes and tie it around her head while she protests.

“You’re literally keeping me in the dark? People will see, and they’ll think you’re kidnapping me or something. This is embarrassing. You can’t—”

She stops talking when I turn her face toward mine and put my thumb over her mouth to quiet her. I move it back and forth slowly, relishing the feel of her plump lips. As I caress down her neck, her lips part, and it takes everything in me not to lean forward and taste them.

“Don’t worry, Mia. The windows are tinted, so no one can see inside, I promise. It’s only you and me. Are you good?”

She nods in response.

“That’s my girl. Now buckle up, buttercup.”

She fumbles for her seat belt, which, in hindsight, I should have had her do before I blindfolded her, but it gives me a great excuse to get close and breathe her in as I lean over to help.

She was surprised when I called her this morning, forgetting that I had her number from when she’d entered it all those weeks ago. She didn’t hesitate when I asked her out today, but she did protest to the surprise part of it. She tried telling me she needed to know what to wear, but I didn’t take the bait and instead gave her some options. The idea was spontaneous and hit me out of nowhere yesterday.

“So, why wouldn’t you let me come to the door to get you? Are you hiding me?” I ask as I pull away from the curb. It was her one condition for picking her up—she made me promise to stay in the car and text when I got there.

“No, I’m just not ready to tell my mom and have that conversation. I don’t know how she’ll react to hearing that I’m dating my much older boss. Plus, this is new. It might not even go anywhere.” Hearing her say that creates an uncomfortable sensation in my chest.

“Do you really think this isn’t going anywhere? Because I feel like this is going somewhere pretty fucking good. Actually, how about this—don’t answer until I ask you again, okay?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just… I’m not ready to face questions about us.”

“Fair enough. For now, let’s have some fun. How was the rest of your day after I dropped you off?” She blushes as soon as I ask the question, making me wonder if she thought of me as much as I did her.

“Um… not much. Did some laundry, had dinner with my mom, and chatted with Walker before I went to bed. That’s all.” She croaks the last part, as if the words were bitter on her tongue.

“That’s all, huh? Are you sure, Mia? It looks like you’re hiding something.” A deep red creeps up now, compelling me to reach over and caress her cheek.

Her breathing immediately goes shallow. Her response to me is out of this world. I’ve never been with someone so sensitive to a simple touch, and I can’t wait to see her reaction when my hands can finally reach the places I’ve been fantasizing about. With the tightening of my pants, it’s safe to say we’re equal in our hunger for each other. I feel like she’s prompted more erections out of me in the last couple months than I’ve had my entire life.

“No. I mean, yes. I mean, I’m not hiding anything.” I can see her thighs clench, confessing what she won’t.

“Tell me, Mia, did my little girl do something last night that only big girls do?” Shit, I feel like I just opened Pandora’s box, and I’m too weak to shut it.

She bites her lip in response and squeezes her thighs even tighter. “Jackson, don’t.”

“Don’t what? Don’t ask if you touched yourself last night? Don’t ask if you made yourself come? Don’t ask what you were thinking about while you brought yourself to orgasm?” I pause, enjoying the sounds of her desire. “Whatwereyou thinking about while you stroked yourself last night, Mia?” I want to hear it out loud.

She’s squirming in her seat now, gripping the armrest tight in one hand and squeezing my fingers with the other.

“Tell me what you were thinking, Mia,” I say more firmly, demanding the answer. Apparently, I’m into self-torture by going down this path.

“You, all right? I was thinking of you… what you looked like that day in your office. And…” Fuck, she does want me just as badly.

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