Beloved (Toni Morrison Trilogy #1)(48)

Jackson’s face softens and he smiles tenderly. “I never said this was random or a one-night thing, did I?”

“No.” I shake my head and look away to hide the tears forming. I ruined everything with my dumb insecurities. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Jackson rolls onto his back and I try to get up. He grabs me, pulling me against his chest and wrapping his arms around me. He whispers in my hair, “Can I stay tonight?”

What? He wants to stay even though I’ve ruined it? “If you want. Of course you can stay.” I want him to so badly. I don’t know why, but I want nothing more than to lie in his arms and fall asleep.

Jackson doesn’t say another word. He just rubs his hand methodically on my back. I curl into him with my arm draped across his chest as I drift off to sleep.





“Mmmm.” I moan as I feel strong hands knead my breasts. I arch back and my eyes snap open as I process that someone is in bed behind me. Someone with his hands on my breasts.

His deep, raspy voice breaks through my fog as he croons in my ear, “Catherine …” Jackson pulls me against him as his hands roam my naked body. I guess this is a benefit to sleeping nude. He stayed. He didn’t run when I spooked. He held me all night and gave me comfort.

I’ve never wanted him more than I do right now. He begins kissing my neck and moves to my ear. “Jackson, now. Please.” I reach behind me and start stroking his cock.

“Soon enough, baby. I’m not sure you’re ready for me yet.” Jackson’s voice is hoarse as he makes his way down, spreading my sex and inserting two fingers. Slowly he pulls out and uses his thumb against my clit, drawing a long moan from me. I’m desperate for him. The need crushes me, making it difficult to breathe. Jackson continues to bring me higher and higher.

He flips me onto my back and gazes at me with an intensity so fierce my heart skips a beat. He rolls on a condom and I take a deep breath.

“You have no idea what you do to me, how you make me feel,” Jackson says as his jaw ticks, trying to control some unnamed emotion. “I’m going to take you now. Make you mine.”

My eyes widen and my mouth drops open as he slowly enters me. Bliss—complete and total bliss. I can die a happy woman from this moment on. Nothing has ever felt this good. Every inch of my body is alive as Jackson claims me. I will never recover from him no matter how hard I try. “Oh my God,” I say in a breathy moan.

“Not God, baby, but pretty damn close. Now open those sexy brown eyes and watch me.” His rough voice is strained as he sinks deeper.

“Jackson.” I sigh and try to keep my eyes open, but the pleasure coursing through my body is driving me insane. “More. Please,” I beg, desperate for all of him.

“Just feel me. I want you to feel this moment every time you close your eyes.” He pushes deeper, eliciting a strangled sob from my mouth. “Feel how deep I am inside your *. Feel how f*cking hard you make me.” He rears back and slams into me. “Feel it, baby.” There’s no way I couldn’t feel it if I tried. He’s everywhere—every sense, every breath, and every heartbeat right now. He owns me.

Jackson reaches between us and applies pressure to my clit, making me cry out and claw at his back. I grate my nails down and he pounds into me harder and faster. We’re both becoming frantic, desperate. Meeting him thrust for thrust, my eyes are locked on his as I cry out and shatter into a thousand pieces. I ride out my orgasm, unintelligibly yelling as Jackson follows with his head buried in my neck.

I rub my hand down his back languidly for a few minutes before he rolls over and heads into the bathroom. I look over at the clock and stretch. What a way to wake up. Jackson walks back over and I take a minute to appreciate the man before me. He oozes sex and confidence and for some reason, he’s attracted to me. Out of all the females he could choose, he wants me? I shake my head as he gets closer to the bed.

“What?” he says, smirking.

I smile and bite my lip, embarrassed for being caught staring at this glorious man yet again. There’s so much more to him than just looks, though. He makes me laugh and compliments me. He consoled me in the car after I got the news about my father. Unlike most men I’ve had in my life, he seems to care about others before himself. He climbs into bed and raises a brow. I sigh. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You. Me. Us. I don’t know. Everything.” My heart is pounding as I relay more than I wanted to. It’s like he forces the truth out of me without even doing anything.

“Don’t overthink this. We’ll take things as they come.” He pulls me against his chest and tucks my hair behind my ear. “I want us to spend time together and stop fighting what we feel. I want to kiss you and not feel like I’m doing something wrong. I know we have a lot going on, and the fact that I’m your client complicates things. But we keep it professional at work and when I have you alone”—he drops his voice so it’s low and seductive—“I make no promises.” He rolls us on our sides so we can look at each other.

“I don’t want this to affect my work. When we’re in the client-publicist role, I need you to let me do my job.” I smile and rub my hand across his stubble. “My career matters to me. I need to know you understand that.”