Jackson laid in his dark bedroom, replaying his night out with Truth.

He had enjoyed himself more than he realized and hadn’t wanted it to end. For the first time in a long time, he had managed to forget the void that seemed to be so much a part of him lately. But being with Truth had changed that.

Jackson smiled, remembering how excited she’d been to win at ring toss. He’d been so enchanted by her delight that he hadn’t minded losing to her at balloon darts. Everything about her enthralled him and he couldn’t remember when he’d last had so much fun.

Suddenly, his bedroom door came open and Jackson turned to find Truth pulling it closed behind her. He propped himself on his elbow and turned on the bedside lamp. He squinted against the sudden brightness.

“Truth?”

She didn’t say anything as she slowly made her way to his bedside. She had her hands clasped in front of her, though it didn’t shield the dark thatch that was very visible through her light nightgown. The flimsy material was thin enough for him to make out the outline of her nude body underneath. His gaze lingered at the juncture between her thighs, and his heart thudded in his chest as incredible need flooded his cock.

Jackson clenched his teeth and brought his gaze back up to meet hers. It was late, and she should have already been in bed. He’d been unable to relax enough to let himself fall asleep, and having her in his bedroom with such a thin material didn’t help his current mood.

“Truth, what is it?” He ignored the heaviness that had settled in his shaft and was pleased by the evenness in his tone.

She fidgeted with the hem of her nightgown as she stopped by his side and stared down at him. She appeared a bit anxious, and he frowned in concern.

To his utter surprise, she hiked up her nightgown and climbed over him. She straddled him, and he fell back on the bed, too stunned to speak. His hands instinctively fell to her legs and he gripped her bare thighs. The feel of her warm crotch near his shaft left him unbearably hard.

Jackson tried to think through his lust, but couldn’t form any coherent words that would make sense of what was happening.

“I finally know what it is I want,” she muttered huskily. She leaned down, her palms planted on his chest, and pressed her lips gently against his.

The feel of her soft lips was both soothing and electric. For a moment, Jackson lay frozen then let instinct take over. He slid his hand behind her hair, deepening the kiss. He brushed his tongue across her lips until she opened for him.

The taste of her was just as he remembered. Sweet and sultry.

His fingers tightened around her tousled strands as he held her to him. If he was dreaming, he didn’t want to wake up. He’d spent so long wanting her right where she was, his body nearly begged for release.

She drew back up, her breath coming out in soft pants as she stared down at him with a look he instantly recognized.

She wanted him.

Without hesitation, she pulled her nightgown over her head and let it drop to the ground. His eyes instantly fell to her perfectly round breasts and dusky brown nipples. They were as lovely as he remembered them.

He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and cupping a plump mound. His hand covered her breast completely and he gave it a gentle squeeze. She was soft everywhere. Except her nipples. It stabbed against his palm and he ran his thumb across it. She moaned softly, and he did it again before letting his hand slid down her narrow waist to cup her hips.

He couldn’t get enough of her delicate beauty and wanted to explore every inch of her. He brought his hand under her crotch and slid a finger between her folds until he captured her small nub between his fingers.

“Is this what you want?”

Truth dug her fingers into his abdomen as a harsh moan escaped. He gritted his teeth against the pleasure that the sound brought him. She was already wet for him and he couldn’t resist sliding his fingers between them again. Another sharp gasp was wrenched from her and she began to rock against his fingers.

“That’s it, baby.” This time, his voice was guttural as he continued to stroke and encourage her. “Take what you need.”

He didn’t know where this sudden desire for him had come from, but they both needed this and he had no intentions of turning her away. He’d waited long enough to have her and tonight he planned to touch and taste every inch of her.

He pulled his fingers away and she let out a soft whimper. His grin was strained as he rubbed his hands up her thighs and hips.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take care of you.”

Gripping her hips with both hands, Jackson yanked her forward until she was straddling his face. She let out a sharp cry before steadying herself on the headboard behind him. She tried to pull away, but he held her firmly to him. Her soft thighs tensed and trembled around his head, but Jackson couldn’t concentrate on anything else except tasting her.

He ran his tongue along her soft, slick flesh and delicate nub. She bucked and moaned above him, but he didn’t relent. He looped his arms around her thighs and sucked strongly at her clit. He couldn’t get enough of her sweet taste, even as her liquid heat trickled down his chin.

Her soft cries of pleasure grew louder, and he used that moment to send her over the edge. With a vigorous stroke of his tongue, he pressed his thumb into her wet channel and applied just enough pressure. With a sharp gasp, she locked her thighs around his head and shuddered over him before dissolving into a limp puddle beside him.

With a fluid motion, Jackson jerked off his boxers and came over her. Beneath him, she felt soft and fragile and his body begged to be inside her. He propped his weigh on his arms and stared down at her. She peered up at him through hooded eyes and her gentle smile filled him with incredible lust.

His cock strained against her, but he drew in a deep breath and forced himself to regain some control. He wanted tonight to last a while.

Jackson dipped his head and captured her lips for a deep kiss. He swept his tongue into her warm mouth and she shyly glided hers along his before sucking at him gently.

A low, harsh groan tore from his throat and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. He wanted to plunge into her hard and deep, but he knew the moment he did he would be lost. And there was so much more of her he still had to explore.

Jackson tore his lips away from hers and brought his head down to her breasts. He pulled a taut nipple into his mouth and savored its texture and sweetness. Truth released a soft gasp and laced her fingers through his hair.

“Jackson…”

His name came out in a breathy moan and he couldn’t remember hearing anything so erotic. He licked his way over to her other nipple, giving it the same careful attention. Her fingers tightened around his hair before she brought her hands down to his bare shoulders and scraped her fingernails across his damp skin.

“Jackson…” she murmured, her hips rising eagerly against him. “I need you inside me.”

That whispered plea was his undoing.

With a harsh sound, Jackson gripped her thigh and lifted it high. He grasped his rigid shaft and guided it into her, savoring every inch of her tight, wet passage. Jackson shut his eyes against the incredible pleasure. Coming into her was indescribable and as much as he tried, he could no longer hold on to his restraint.

With one swift thrust, he plunged into her deeply. She cried out and he held himself still, though the effort took everything he had.

“Did I hurt you?” The question came out strained as he tried to regulate his breathing.

She relaxed her grip on his arms and ran her palms down his back and shoulders. “No.”

He rested his forehead against hers and chuckled low. “Liar.”

Her lips pulled into a soft smile as she continued to caress him. “Okay, just a little.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Jackson softly pressed his lips against hers before trailing light kisses along her throat.

She trembled and tightened her arms around him. “Don’t be sorry,” she whispered close to his ear. “Just make love to me.”

Jackson didn’t hesitate. He thrust slowly into her again, each measured stroke bringing him closer to sweet release. But he fought against it. He wanted to savor every second he was inside her. He wanted to stay in her beautifully generous body a little longer…

With one swift motion, Jackson rolled onto his back and pulled her over him until she straddled his hips. He gritted his teeth on a harsh groaned as the new position brought him deeper inside her.

Truth flattened her palms against his abdomen and didn’t hesitate in finding her own rhythm. She arched her back as she slowly lifted and came down on his rigid cock. On the last down stroke, she rotated her hips and Jackson groaned at the pleasure the small action pierced through him.

When the need for release grew between them, she began to ride him hard, rising and falling on his shaft with lusty abandon. With a harsh grunt, his control snapped. He clasped his hands around her hips and held her steady as he pumped his cock into her.

The sight of his thick cock disappearing into her tight pussy pushed him over the edge and with one last thrust, he came with an intensity that bordered on pain. Truth soon followed him, her petite body trembling violently above him.

She eventually fell over him, and he couldn’t be certain which of their hearts was beating the loudest. Though, he realized it didn’t matter. If he died in her arms tonight, it would have been worth it.

Jackson ran his palm along her slender back and over the curve of her lush ass, unable to stop touching her. Truth lifted her head from his shoulders and smiled down at him. He had little time to return her sluggish grin before she fitted her soft lips against his. She kissed him tenderly and sweetly, and something warm and strange began to settle inside him. When he recognized the joy that was settling inside him, it scared him to death.

But he held on to it desperately.

For tonight, he would focus on the soft, sweet body above him and embrace this fleeting moment of happiness.

* * *

Truth rolled onto her back, and stretched along the smooth sheets. She was naked and sore all over. For a moment, she didn’t understand why.

Until everything from last night came rushing to her.

I’m in Jackson’s bed.

Blinking away the fog, Truth slowly sat up in bed and pulled the sheet over her breasts. Last night, they had been nothing but pure passion and stamina, and she had the delicious aches along her body to prove it.

She swept her hair from her eyes and glanced over at the foot of the bed where Jackson sat, his broad back to her. He was naked except for his boxers and she admired the muscular planes of his back and shoulders.

Before last night, she would have been forced to admire him from afar. But after last night, she had no doubt as to how much he desired her and could touch and kiss him whenever she pleased. He had been insatiable, and nothing could have prepared her for the mind-numbing pleasure he had given her.

With a small smile, Truth dropped the sheet and slowly crawled over to him. She pressed her nude breasts against his back as she snaked her arm over his shoulder and slid her palm down his chest. He tensed against her as she pressed a light kiss against his neck.

“Good morning.”

Truth pressed another kiss on the side of his neck then his scruffy jaw. He remained rigid against her, though one quick glance down at his lap proved he wasn’t completely unaffected by her touch. Relieved, she slowly trailed her palm down over his abdomen.

Neither one of them should have any energy left after last night, but Truth wanted him again. She wanted to feel his hard length deep inside her again.

Just before she could slip her hand inside his boxers, he seized her hand.

“Stop.”

She froze. He let go of her hand and she stared at his tense profile, concerned.

“Jackson?”

She threaded her fingers along the back of his hair and he jerked away from her.

“I said stop.”

Truth was so stunned by the abrupt action and harsh command, she let her hand drop to her lap.

“Jackson, what’s wrong?”

For a heart-wrenching moment, she wondered if he was having regrets. But that didn’t make sense. They cared for each other, and last night proved he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. After everything they’ve been through together, it only made sense that their feelings for each other would blossom into something more. She just had expected it to carry this much intensity.

“Jackson? Please talk to me.”

Instead, he scooped up her nightgown and tossed it to her. “You should go back to your room.”

Truth stared down at the rumpled material in front of her, dazed and beyond words at his cold demand. “You’re kicking me out of your bed?”

“Don’t sound so dramatic,” he snapped, not looking at her. “Don’t make anything more of this than it is. It was just sex. We were both horny and did something about it. That’s all.”

“I’m not buying this tough guy act, Jackson.” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “Last night was more than just sex and we both felt it. Why are you trying to ruin that?”

He blew out a frustrated breath and ran his fingers through his hair, but still didn’t look at her. “Look, let’s not make this awkward, all right? We both got what we needed, when we needed it. There’s no reason why things can’t return to the way they were.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means last night was a mistake, and I’m not about to screw my brother’s wife a second time.”

Truth sucked in a sharp breath and held on to her outrage. “If you’re trying to make me feel guilty, Jackson, it’s not working. I loved Danny, and I miss him. But falling in love again and being happy isn’t going to bring him back or change how I feel about him.”

Jackson released a harsh laugh and whipped around to face her then. His dark eyes were cold and expressionless. For a moment, she wondered if she had been wrong about them…about him.

“Whatever you think you feel for me, Truth, it’s not real. It’s what you feel after really great sex. You’re not falling in love with me and I’m definitely not the type of guy that will give you the life you want.”

“Don’t assume to know how I feel or what I want, Jackson. It’s your conscience that’s muddled. Not mine.”

“You’re right. And now that I got you out of my system, I can finally think straight. Now get out.”

She stared at him searchingly, not recognizing the man in front of her. Whatever she felt for him, she knew it was special and she knew he felt it too. She just didn’t understand why he was trying so hard to fight it. Why he was trying to convince himself he wasn’t worthy of love.

“What are you so afraid of, Jackson?” she finally whispered. “Why don’t you think you deserve to be happy?”

Something akin to regret flared in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by anger and annoyance. “The only thing I’m afraid of is being saddled with another burden.” His gaze dropped down to her belly. “I hope you thought about that before you came in here last night.”

Something sharp twisted in her chest, and for a moment she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. She tore her gaze away from his and blinked away the tears that threatened to cloud her vision.

Except, her vision was already clouded.

He wasn’t the man she thought he was. He was cruel and heartless and every bit the lowlife he made himself out to be.

“Okay, Jackson. You win. You are a bastard.” Unable to stand the scrutiny of her nude body, Truth scrambled into her nightgown and hop out of his bed. “And I’m on the pill so you have nothing to worry about.”

With that, she fled his room.