A. Jackson - When We Met

I looked up and met his gaze and saw desire blazing in his indigo eyes. And it had been placed there by me, which was so hot. If I only had that one thing to take away at the end of this experience—that I’d turned this amazingly sexy guy on—that would be cool by me.

“Tonight I can help hang those curtains in the front windows, if you want.”

“That would be great.” I smoothed out the silky material that I’d just begun pressing. Thankfully Jaclyn had an extra steam machine in the back. It saved us time and a trip to the other store. “If you can start screwing in the brackets, I can hand you these when you’re ready.”

He carried a stepladder to the front of the store, where all of the windows were covered with thick butcher paper, and got to work. After drilling holes in the wall, and screwing in the brackets, I passed him the rods that were draped with freshly hung curtains.

Now all that was left was fixing them to my liking.

Stepping down the ladder, he said, “I’ll trade places with you.”

He held the ladder steady for me while I climbed halfway up the rungs. I gathered the material in my hands, trying to tie the one end while he watched from below.

“Shoot, this side is stuck,” I said, trying to jiggle it loose from the strut.

“Here, let me help.” He took a couple of steps up the ladder and placed his arms on either side of me to help pull the curtain off the nail. His chest was right up against my back, his lips near my ear, and I couldn’t help it; I let out a throaty sigh.

“Chloe,” he said in a rough voice.

I lowered my head in defeat and I could feel his jagged breaths against my hairline.

“I know the other night was . . . fun,” he said. “But getting you out of my head during the day hasn’t been so easy.”

My skin pebbled from his revelation.

“Truth is—you turn me on so much. It’s hard not to think about . . . touching you again. For whatever that’s worth.”

“Blake.” His lips skimmed across my neckline and I shivered from the contact. “I’ve . . . never been kissed like that before. For whatever that’s worth.”

“Ah hell.” His voice was thick and husky, as if he were struggling with his last measure of control. The area between my legs prickled like it had short-circuited. “Chloe, what are we—”

His sentence was effectively cut off by his phone ringing. He stepped down the ladder in a jerky motion. “It’s my brother. I need to take this.”

After he answered, he listened attentively and then said through clenched teeth, “What about Mom picking you up?”

He listened some more. “Don’t worry, I’m on my way. Tell your coach I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

We made eye contact, his eyes dark and stormy, before he turned and sprinted out the door. I just nodded; there was no need for further explanation. I knew he had other pressing responsibilities, no matter how much he tried ignoring them when he was here with me.

My heart ached for what he was going through. But my body continued responding to what he’d admitted to me on the ladder.

It took the next hour for my skin to stop prickling. And even longer for me to fall asleep that night.

Chloe

“Truth or dare?” Blake asked casually as he sawed wood for the new runway structure. As if the response to that one question hadn’t already placed us in compromising positions.

I took what had become the easier route tonight. “Truth.”

Besides, it looked like there was something he had been working through in his mind. Maybe we finally needed to talk this crazy attraction thing through.

“What you said last night, about never being kissed like that before . . . what did you mean?” he asked. “When was . . . the last time you had a boyfriend?”

“In high school. He raked my name through the mud right after he wore me down to have sex with him.” I sighed. “I was a virgin and we did everything else for months. And then when I finally gave in, he dumped me and spread a bunch of rumors about me being an uptight prude.”

“Damn,” he said. “What a bastard.”

And then his eyes widened as realization seemed to sink in about what he’d said to me weeks earlier about having a stick up my ass. “Oh man, Chloe.”

“It’s okay. Because it’s mostly been true,” I said, admitting to my own faults.

“No. I’m sorry I had the wrong impression,” he said. “And I’m glad we got to know each other and became . . . friends.”

“Me, too,” I said, relief spreading through my chest.

“I know after our time here is done . . . we won’t see very much of each other.” He paused and swallowed. My heart strained painfully. I was desperate to ask him why not, but then I remembered my rule about focusing on college and my career. I was the one who pretended not to be associated with him whenever I saw the women from my mother’s circle, after all.

Besides, if he affected my brain this much only from a kiss, what kind of mess would I be if we tried dating? Not that he was saying he wanted to.

“But if you ever need anything . . . ,” he said, his voice trailing off. “I mean, the way you transformed this space is amazing and I know you have a great career ahead of you.”

“Well, you certainly helped,” I said. “I couldn’t have done it without you. But . . . thank you.”

We were silent for a bit and then I said, “Your turn. Truth or dare?”

His cheeks lifted into a small smile. “Truth.”

“Girlfriends?” I asked.

“Not really. My first love from high school pretty much stomped on my heart, and since then, I’ve just been dating here and there,” he said. “But I also have a lot of responsibility on me right now. So I guess I don’t really have the time or energy to dedicate to it.”

And there it was. He had his reasons laid out as well. “Well, I definitely understand that.”

“Have you dated anyone . . . since . . . ?” He stared into my eyes. “I mean, when was the last time you . . . you know, a guy made you feel good?”

“Um . . . not sure.” My breaths sputtered out. “I’ve been with a few guys. But it’s . . . been a while.”

“Fuck.” He squeezed his eyes closed as if painfully trying to restrain himself.

“What . . . what about you?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer. But also to keep him talking, because I was about to become a puddle on the floor from watching him alone. “When’s the last time a girl . . .”

His gaze blazed into mine and then he took a step closer—so close he could’ve reached out and pulled me into his arms, if he’d wanted.

“Made me feel good?” he muttered. “The other night . . . with you.”

“God, Blake . . .” My head rolled back and my breath became fluttery. “What are you saying? We didn’t do anything besides kiss.”

“But I went home knowing how your skin and your lips felt against mine and that . . . almost satisfied my fantasies for the night.”

A whimper burst from my lips. “You’re not the only one.”

His eyes widened and he moved even nearer.

His fingers slipped up my arms, making the hairs stand on end. “Truth or dare, Chloe?”

As we stared each other down, I couldn’t have answered any other way even if I tried.

“Dare,” I whispered. My heart was pounding against my rib cage.

“I . . . dare . . . you . . . to close your eyes.” He paused and waited for me to slide them shut. Then I felt his warm air against my lips. “And just feel.”

I gasped and my lids fluttered open.

“Keep them shut.” His voice was like a command and I responded by slamming my eyes closed.

My body began trembling. I was craving him—craving his touch. My heart was in my throat as I waited to see—to feel—what he was about to do.

Also because it was very difficult for me to give up this amount of control.

“You’re so pretty,” he said as his hands wrapped around the back of my neck and his lips grazed my throat. “Let me make you feel good.”

It was a foreign feeling to have my eyes closed to the surrounding world and just experience someone’s touch. His lips closed around my ear and I felt emboldened and alive, much like that night at the club. As his fingers slinked down my arms to my waist, I pressed my chest against his. My nipples were erect and my breasts felt dense and full.

As if he’d taken the hint, his thumbs brushed across my buds and I sighed in relief.

His fingers traveled beneath my shirt to my bare skin. “Do you like when I touch you here?”

“Yes,” I said. “Please.”

He groaned, and just as his hands fully cupped my breasts, his mouth captured mine in a bruising kiss. His tongue slashed past my lips as his finger moved across my back to unhook my bra.

“So sexy.” In one swift motion he lifted off my shirt and then tugged off my bra. I stood before him naked from the waist up. “God, Chloe . . . you look amazing.”

I kept my eyes clenched tight. It was easier that way. If I opened them, I might’ve chickened out.

His mouth kissed and licked down my throat to my collarbone. “Can I keep touching you?”

I nodded and then suddenly had a moment of unnerving uncertainty. The last measure of my control crumbling. “Can anybody see us?”

“The windows are covered, remember?” His mouth swiftly moved down and captured one of my nipples—maybe in order to keep my mind off the previous subject. “You’re safe with me.”

My knees nearly buckled from the sensation of his hot mouth on my skin. When he moved to the other side, I moaned and grasped at his hair. I didn’t remember ever being this turned on in my entire life. I ground my hips against him, needing to get closer.