“I love it here, Jackson. I wish we never had to leave,” I confessed to him.

We were lying on a quilt on Jackson’s private beach overlooking the ocean. The warm sun shone down upon us and I never wanted to move again. I was okay with that. Jackson had taken me to his private villa just outside of Kissamos, Greece. We had been here for two days and I was having the time of my life.

Jackson took me through the streets of Kissamos to see the culture. We’d enjoyed boat tours, visited museums and shopped specialty stores. We had even traveled to the ancient city of Polyrinia. That was perhaps my favorite. Jackson had held my hand as we walked through the village and patiently told me about each place. You could literally feel the history in the air.

With everything we had experienced, the greatest thing about all of it was being with Jackson. He held my hand, kissed me, talked to me and made me feel… important… almost… loved. I’d never been so happy.

He also made love to me relentlessly. My body had achieved a golden tan—all over—because of the number of times he took me passionately on the beach, in the heated Grecian sun. Jackson refused to give me the option to be shy. One touch from him and I was gone. I lost myself in the things he did to my body and all I could think about was getting more of him.

“I have to go back to work tomorrow, little one. But I will bring you here again, I promise,” he assured me. “We will come back often.”

His fingers sifted through my hair as I curled deeper against him. I had my head on his chest and was lying on my side. Jackson was lying on his back and from my position the sound of his heart beating thrummed in my ear. It was steady—reassuring.

I hated the idea of leaving, but his answer brought up something we hadn’t really discussed—except during sex in the heat of the moment—something that weighed heavily on my mind.

“My father will be expecting me back home when we return to the States, Jackson.”

“It doesn’t matter what he expects. You’re not his concern anymore.”

“He’s already called several times and left messages on my phone.”

“Did you speak to him?” Jackson practically barked the question. I sat up, worried about where the conversation would go and looked out once again over the waves of the Mediterranean and contemplated my future. I was afraid to look at Jackson just then. I wasn’t sure if he would see the fear in my eyes. I was scared of even thinking about leaving Jackson. What would happen if I did? Would he replace me? The idea of Jackson with another woman was one of my biggest fears and it left a bitter feeling in its wake.

“No. I should have, but I didn’t know what to say to him, so I ignored it.”

“You should have told him the truth,” Jackson growled. He must have sat up behind me because he pulled my body back against his chest, cradled his chin against my neck, and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. The wind blew around us, leaving the smell of the salty air. It was almost as soothing as Jackson’s hold on me.

“What is the truth?” I questioned, driven to know.

“That you belong to me now. That I’m never giving you up,” he announced, while placing a kiss along the side of my neck.

“Is that practical? We don’t know much about each other.”

“I know everything I need to know about you, Meggie,” he whispered and in that moment I almost believed him. “I know you love exploring new things. I know that you’re comfortable in casual clothes and hate dressing up. You despise parties because they make you nervous, but you love spending time in crowded shops and talking to complete strangers. I know you love wildflowers more than bouquets from a flower shop.”

“Jackson—”

“I know the sound you make in the back of your throat right before you come all over my cock, and the hungry look you get in your eyes when I touch you.”

His words sent shivers of awareness down my spine. I should have known a man like Jackson King would pay attention to everything, but the fact that he knew so much about me was astounding. I didn’t know how to begin to process it. I just knew that it meant… something special.

“Wow,” I whispered, because I had no idea what else to say to that revelation.

“Ask me what else I know, little one.”

“What else do you know?” I asked, my breath lodged in my chest because it felt like this was important.

“I know that what we have begun isn’t over. That it will never be over, Meggie. And do you know why?”

“Why?” I asked, unable to stop myself.

“Because even now you could be pregnant with my child.” His words slowly filled me, the truth in them warming me so deeply it was almost as if they marked my soul. Involuntarily, my hands moved to my stomach.

“I could be pregnant.” I murmured the words. They were laced with disbelief, because until that moment it had never occurred to me that I could be carrying Jackson King’s child. Jackson’s hand came down to my stomach and overlapped mine.

“I’ll tell you something else. If you aren’t pregnant yet, I won’t stop until you are,” he vowed. His words were like a caress that slowly swept through me.

He moved to the side and slowly drew me down on the blanket.

“Jackson…”

“You like that idea too, don’t you, my sweet Meggie.” It wasn’t stated like a question. “You want my baby growing inside of you. You want us linked together forever,” he whispered right before his lips came down on mine.

I didn’t answer him with words. There was no need. My answer was in my kiss.

I wanted all that Jackson said—and more. I wanted him…

Forever.