At my front door Jackson presses a kiss against my neck while I turn the key in the lock. “Can I come in?” Of course the answer is yes. Before I can even close the door behind us, I am kissing him and he’s kissing me. It’s one of those kisses that is its own living thing—not really mine or his, but ours. Something we’re making together. And it tastes like confectioner’s sugar and hope.

Jackson pulls back to grin at me. “Remember the day we agreed to partner up?” I nod. “That was a very good idea.”

I’ll give him that one. I smile against his mouth. “You’re full of good ideas.”

“I’m not going to argue with that.” Jackson buries his hands in my hair and tugs ever so slightly so my chin tilts up and I’m looking him square in the eye. “Did I tell you how hot it was watching you book that business?” He backs me up until I’m pressed against the door. My body flushes with pride and with the heat of him against me.

“Tell me again.”

Jackson’s hands land on my hips, reaching around to pull me close to him. “Very hot.” He reaches down farther, running his hands over my bare legs and lifting the hem of my dress higher and higher till I’m standing there, half-naked, waiting for him. “You should wear dresses more often,” he growls in my ear. All I can do is whimper because he’s sliding my underwear down my legs in the dark guesthouse, my body bowing toward his.

My breath hitches in my throat as Jackson traces his fingers up my thighs. Suddenly his fingers freeze.

“What’s wrong?” I look at him for an explanation.

“I want you to read that marketing text to me.”

He chooses now to get serious about working? There’s no way. “I haven’t written it yet,” I protest. I wiggle my body, hoping to entice him. Touch me again.

Jackson’s eyes lock on mine, scorching and sure. “Tell me anyway.”

Oh. My mind flashes to the lube that’s never been used, the package full of potential. Do I play the game?

I bite my bottom lip before grinning. “Challenge accepted, sir.”

“Good.” Jackson strides across the room and arranges his lean, toned body on the couch.

I steady myself with a deep breath before pushing away from the door. It’s one thing to write the words, to imagine them in my head. It’s another to say them out loud to him.

I walk to the kitchen and glance at Jackson. Then I clear my throat before I begin. “Imagine surprising your loved one,” I smile. “The discreet, tasteful box arrives for you in the mail and you leave it out on the counter for him to discover.” My hands tremble as I reach for the bottle sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter.

I turn to Jackson, tilting the bottle at him. “A knowing look across the room is all it takes. Tonight is going to be special. Hard and fast, or slow and sensual—however you like it, it’s going to be hot.”

He hums in appreciation and I glide toward him, my voice growing more confident as I approach the couch. “It’s easy to admire the beautifully designed bottle, but inside is where the magic is.” Jackson laughs at this line and I squinch up my nose. “What? It is beautifully designed.”

He chuckles. “Keep going.”

“Just wait until your partner feels the pleasure-packed, silky liquid caressing his skin. Penchant lube enhances every touch, making even the smallest motions radiate with pleasure.”

Jackson’s eyes darken and he shifts in his seat. There’s no hiding his physical reaction to my words, and my body tightens in anticipation.

“Only the finest, state-of-the-art ingredients go into our lubricant, and your partner can tell. Luxurious, silky, and full of back-arching goodness.”

Jackson catches me by the back of the knees, sliding a hand to my naked ass, and I moan in pleasure. He pulls me forward and I tip into his lap, my free hand falling onto his shoulder to brace myself.

Jackson runs his tongue over the side of my neck, and I can’t form a single thought that isn’t yes. I tilt my head, yielding, every nerve ending stretched tight as a wire. I just barely hold on to the bottle of lube in my hand.

“I’m trying to concentrate here,” I finally huff out. If I don’t pause for a moment I am going to lose my ever-loving mind.

Jackson pulls me down lower so I’m straddling him, locked firmly over the ridge in his pants. “Concentrate on this.”

It’s my turn to laugh but I grind against him, my body sparking, my breath coming in short bursts. Who needs to think, anyway?

He shimmies my dress over my head and all the way off, flicking the pad of his thumb over my bra. And then inside it, over my nipple, pulled hard and tight as a bud. I gasp against his mouth.

“You are so wet, aren’t you?” I blush and nod. “Then I guess tonight’s lube is just for fun.” Jackson shifts me off his lap, climbing to his feet to slip out of his clothes. Light catches in his eyes as he stands over me, his body carved like a statue, lean and strong. I want him. I want him, I want him. I do.

“Tell me more,” Jackson whispers, grasping his cock in his hands. It’s a sight so erotic I almost can’t breathe. His voice catches low in his throat, a moan like he’s losing his control. “Tell me a story.”

I open the bottle of lube, pouring a small amount into my palm. I stroke my hand over him, silk over steel, and his whole body shivers. “The liquid glides over your partner’s skin, every nerve ending coming to life. This is going to be a night to remember.”

A drop of lube spills onto the nearest throw pillow and I wince. I pull my hand away and look up at him. “We are going to ruin Gayle’s couch.”

Jackson tilts his head, his eyes hot and hungry. “Who cares about the couch?” It is a very, very good point.

“Not me,” I say, and I reach for him.