I think I might be the luckiest guy in the whole damn world.

No. Scratch that.

I know I am.

And so far, I still can’t quite believe it.

After what happened at the gala, I was certain I’d never get a shot with Jackie again. I had been putting it out there all night, trying to read her signals, trying to tell her how much I wanted her without coming across as the creepy harassing boss.

She was playing along. She was volleying back whatever I served.

And then she had to ask me that question while we were dancing.

I actually was thinking about hockey.

But I don’t think she would have picked up on the analogy.

Then, when she told me she wanted me to think about her, I was so stunned.

Just to hear her say it was like a fucking adrenaline injection straight to my heart.

I honestly didn’t know what to do or say. I couldn’t process it.

My body just wanted to devour her whole, right there on the dance floor.

But she took my silence to mean something else.

Watching her walk off, upset, was hard.

But it gave me something. It meant that what she said was true.

That’s when I knew I had nothing left to lose.

We were finally on the same fucking page.

That kiss was unbelievable.

That kiss sealed my fate.

I knew at that moment I’d never be the same. That I was done for. That if I didn’t end up with her, I’d spend my whole life searching for another kiss like that and I’d never find it.

When she freaked out and wanted to go home, I knew that might be the case.

Needless to say, I spent that weekend trying not to dwell on what had happened, trying to calm myself down and tell myself that Jackie wouldn’t report me to her father or to anyone else. She’s not like that.

But she could quit. She could decide she didn’t want to work for me anymore and I wouldn’t blame her.

It would rip my heart to shreds.

So Sunday night I decided I had to blow off some steam. I went out with Emmett to the L’Abbatoir bar in Gastown and proceeded to get very, very drunk. The Australian bartender seemed hell-bent on feeding us some of his own concoctions, along with my usual old-fashioneds. Pretty sure he poisoned us, but it felt good to talk with someone about it—after all, Emmett has been there for a lot of shit—but more than that, it felt good to drink it all away.

Until the next morning, of course, when Ted called both me and Jackie into his office. It wasn’t really until then that I realized what I’d had with Jackie, even so briefly, could have cost the both of us everything.

The funny thing was, it didn’t matter.

Just that one kiss was worth it.

Of course Ted didn’t know a thing, so I retreated to my office to nurse my hangover in the dark and push the fact that Jackie was just outside out of my brain.

Then she emailed me.

I had to see her.

And whatever fears she had on Friday night, they had disappeared.

She put herself out there for me to see and I could only respond in return.

Damn. I never thought it could be that good. That someone could taste so addicting, feel so soft and sweet and pure. Being inside Jackie like that . . . it was a fucking religious experience, nirvana, anything fucking thing you want to call it, and now I’m left yearning for more.

A lot more.

I told her that I was falling for her.

She told me she just wanted sex.

I don’t necessarily feel like I’m settling for less, only because I hope I can get under her skin in the process.

It just makes work more difficult.

Case in point: it’s Tuesday. Tonight we have our date. In other words, she’s coming over after work where I plan to fuck her in as many places as possible.

Usually Tuesdays are slow. The bustle of Monday and the new week is over and people lose whatever enthusiasm they had, and the relief of Friday is too far away to even be considered.

I expect to spend the day on calls and in meetings, all while watching the clock tick past in excruciating slow motion.

But the Fox guys, Roger and Burt, are in town today.

I set up a meeting for them in the office, taking over the boardroom for a few hours. Jackie plays her role perfectly, ordering in lunch for them from the caterers, plus coffee and water and whatever else they need. Whatever materials I need to show them, Jackie is there on hand to present them with a smile.

In fact, by the time the guys are dragging me out the door to treat me to a drink, Roger wants to bring Jackie along.

“I could stare at her ass all day,” he says to me with a sleazy wink.

I keep the smile plastered on my face, but inside I’m trying not to punch him right in his red-nosed face.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt a bit of jealousy, and how I’m feeling over Jackie is white hot and potent. I need to keep myself in check.

Luckily, Roger doesn’t say anything else about my assistant. The meeting ends up going really well, no thanks to Ted, and I get back to the office just before the end of the work day.

Jackie, however, is starting to pack up when I stroll back inside.

“Where are you going?” I ask her.

She stares at me with big eyes. “Home?”

“Home?” I repeat. I look around. Patty acts like she’s not listening as she types away at her computer but I know she is. I lean in closer to Jackie. “I need to see you in my office.”

I head inside and she’s right behind me. Like a good girl, she closes the door, though she doesn’t lock it. Not that I would try anything with Patty just outside, having seen us both go in.

“Why are you going home?” I ask her, and before I know it I’m pulling her toward me, my mouth opening against hers in a long, wanting kiss.

My dick twitches in my pants, raring to go.

Okay, so maybe I would try something.

“Will,” she says breathlessly, placing her hand at my chest and pushing back slightly. “Patty saw us come in together.”

“I know,” I tell her. I clear the lust from my throat and straighten up. “I know. Sorry. Instinct. You have no idea how hard it was today to keep my hands off you.”

She looks down shyly and tucks a strand of hair behind her ears. “That makes two of us. How did the meeting go?”

“Fine. Thanks to you.” I grab her around the waist, pulling her closer again.

“Will.” She giggles and I kiss the top of her forehead since she’s playing hard to get.

“You did amazing,” I tell her, my hand sliding down over her ass and giving it a squeeze, relishing that I’m able to do this. This girl, my dream girl, is mine, no one else’s. “I think they were more impressed by you than they were by the studio.”

“Oh please,” she says. “I just brought them food.”

“You know how to win people over, that’s all.”

She frowns and I slide my finger over the line between her brows. “It’s funny,” she says. “I never really thought I’d turn out to be a people person.”

“How can you not be? Everyone wants to talk to you, be by you. Myself included.” I lean in and nibble on her earlobe, loving how delicate her skin feels between my teeth, her sweet, soapy smell. “You light up every room you’re in.”

“Stop,” she protests, shivering under my touch. “You’re trying to butter me up.”

“I’m just being honest,” I tell her, kissing a path down her neck, reveling in the taste of her warm skin. “You’ll know when I’m buttering you up. In fact, I might just start here if you don’t come home with me soon.”

“I thought our date was tonight?” she asks.

I pull back and peer at her. “I meant after work. Do you have to go home?”

“I should see my son.”

“Ty can wait.”

“I should let my mom know I won’t be there until later.”

“So let her know.” I watch her face as she mulls it over, worry lines appearing. “Jackie. Either you want to come over or you don’t.”

She blinks at me, surprised at my tone.

“I told you I’m all in,” I explain, massaging the back of her neck. “An all or nothing guy. I want to see you tonight. I want to see you every night. If you don’t want that, if you don’t feel the same way, you have to tell me now. I don’t have time for games.”

She jerks her head back. “I’m not playing games.”

“Not on purpose. But I need to know what you want.”

With a sigh, her chin drops and she looks down at her feet. “I’m nervous.”

“Nervous?” I place my fingers under her chin and lift it up until she’s looking at me. “Why are you nervous?”

She rubs her lips together for a moment, staring at me with soft eyes. “I don’t know. Because this is all so new and, well, yesterday was yesterday and today is a new day. I’m just . . . I don’t want to screw anything up between us.”

Damn. She looks so fragile, it causes a few more cracks along my heart. I cup her face in my hand and lean in close so my forehead is against hers. “It’s me. And it’s you. And this works, the two of us, we work. Literally and figuratively. You wanted just sex and that’s fine with me. I know how I feel about you, sex isn’t going to change that. Are you scared it might change you?”

“I don’t know,” she says quietly after a few beats. “Maybe. I’m just . . . I’m shy, too.”

I can’t help my smile. “You didn’t seem shy yesterday.”

“But that was yesterday.”

“And this is today. I get it. So what do you want to do, Dream Girl? You tell me.”

“I don’t want to go home. I want to be with you. I want to come over.”

“Okay,” I tell her. “We don’t even have to have sex. We can walk the dogs. Watch a movie. Hang out. I’m one hundred percent okay with that.”

“Really?”

“Ninety-seven percent okay with that. And I can jerk off that three percent later.”

“I never knew percentages could be so sexy.”

“You’re learning a lot on this job. Including how to drive a man positively mad. Now come on.” I smack her ass. “We should get out there before Patty suspects something.”

Fortunately, Patty is no longer at her desk by the time we exit my office. Jackie quickly texts Diane, telling her she’s working later and getting drinks with colleagues after, and we manage to leave the building together without raising suspicion. Not that Jackie and I don’t often go off together like this, it’s just I’m a bit paranoid now that we’re actually fucking each other.

Good lord. I’m as horny and fucking stoked as a goddamn teenager by the time we get to my building. I’ve never really felt old before, but being around Jackie definitely makes me feel young. Young enough to throw caution to the wind and lose all sense of self. The elevator doors have barely closed before I’m pressing her up against the wall, my hands sliding over her hips, her breasts, clawing at her in desperation.

The moment we’re in my apartment though, I know I have my work cut out for me. The dogs jump us when all I want to do is jump her. Without missing a beat, I grab some dog chew sticks from the pantry and throw them on the couch while grabbing Jackie by the arm and leading her straight to my bedroom, shutting the door.

“I thought this didn’t have to be about sex,” she says, stepping backward toward the bed and looking around the room.

“I changed my mind,” I tell her. “Take off your clothes.”

She raises her brows. “Back to being bossy.”

“Take them off,” I repeat, my tone firmer as I start taking off my shirt, pants, everything. “Take them off or I’ll tear them off with my teeth.”

Her eyes go so big I could die. “I’d rather you tear them off,” she says.

Dangerous. She doesn’t know what she’s asking of me.

“Fine,” I tell her, and once I’m completely naked, her eyes taking in my body with appreciation, I grab her dress shirt with both hands and rip it apart down the middle, the buttons flying across the room. A wine-colored lace bra is on display underneath.

“You owe me a new shirt,” she says, trying to sound annoyed. She’s blushing, turning pink right up to her hair. Too fucking cute.

“How much was it, twenty dollars?” I ask mildly, knowing her penchant for cheap clothes.

She tries to glare at me but I just grin. I push her backward onto the bed and start pulling down the zipper at the side of her skirt, yanking the skirt down over her hips as she kicks off her shoes. Then I lean over and grab the lacy trim of her panties between my teeth. With a growl and a twist of my head, like I’m a wild dog, I tear into it, ripping her underwear right off of her hips.

“Okay, now you owe me new underwear,” she says.

“I’ll start a tab for you,” I say gruffly, my eyes raking over her chest. “Now, you want to remove the bra yourself or let me do it?”

She quickly reaches behind her and undoes the clasp and I grab the front of it, pulling it and the rest of the dress shirt off of her, throwing it to the floor.

Fucking hell.

Fucking hell.

I’ve never seen her naked. I had a great look at her pussy the other day before I licked it inside out, but I hadn’t seen the rest of her.

She’s even more gorgeous than I imagined. Impossibly so. Lying beneath me with her large, round tits on display, she’s just this creamy smooth dessert. Tempting. Decadent. I need to eat her, taste her all over, savor her on my tongue.

Her nipples are perfectly pink, hardened into little peaks, and I gently run my hands over them, feeling them grow even stiffer against my palm. Her skin is so soft, so pale, dotted with freckles here and there. I want to kiss each one of them.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I whisper to her, and I know she doesn’t believe me but it’s true. “Every single inch of you is beyond perfection.”

I run my hands over her stomach where she squirms. I know she’s self-conscious about her weight, as if being a size ten and having ample tits and ass and hips is something to be ashamed of. She doesn’t realize just how perfect she is to me.

“Trust me,” I tell her, my hands now skirting over her hips, down to her full thighs and back up again over the dip of her waist. “The perfect hourglass.”

“I don’t know, my stomach and my arms are—”

“Jackie,” I warn, my voice firm again. “Don’t argue with me. That’s rule number one.”

She frowns but is still unable to hide her smile. “You have rules?”

“In this apartment, there are many rules. Number one is that you can’t argue with me, especially when I know what I’m talking about.”

“What’s number two?” she asks.

I slip my hand between her legs, finding her already wet. “You have to do everything I say.”

She closes her eyes, relaxing into the bed. “What’s rule number three?”

I bring my fingers up softly over her clit, her legs spreading wider for me. “You can’t come until I say so.”

She opens her eyes in disbelief and lets out a laugh. “That’s the worst rule I’ve ever heard.”

“Hey, I don’t make them up.”

“Yes you do,” she says, and then moans as I start rubbing my fingertip into her in hard circles.

“When you have me over at your place, you can make the rules.”

“Yeah, like that will happen.”

“As I said.”

“And what happens if I break the rules?”

“You get punished.”

“You’ll spank me?”

“That I will.”

“What if I want you to spank me?” she asks.

I decide to give her a taste of her own medicine. I pull my hand back and then lightly spank her, right on her pussy.

She jumps, staring at me. “What was that?”

I grin at her. “Did you like it?”

“I don’t even know, I—”

I do it again with a quick flick of my wrist and then lick my fingers, gently soothing over the spot.

“Oh god,” she moans, her eyes pinching shut, her mouth opening.

“As you can see, you might like the punishment more than the rules,” I tell her, leaning down to squeeze her breast. I gently rub my lips over her nipple. “We’ll have to play it by ear.”

I take an obscene amount of pleasure in watching her writhe, listening to her breathy little moans as I suck her breast into my mouth, teasing, flicking. I have half a mind to just stroke myself off right here, I’m that ready for her.

But as much as coming all over her creamy skin would be a wish come true, there’s something I want much more. To push deep inside her, her naked flesh pressed against mine. I was only inside her once and it wasn’t nearly enough.

I hold her arms over her head, keeping her wrists together with one hand while I position my cock against her with the other. The anticipation is killing me but I want, need, to take this slow.

She stares up at me, cheeks pink, flushed, her eyes glowing. She’s sex come to life lying beneath me.

Slowly, I rub the head of my cock against her pussy, my eyes closing as she gasps. “Look how wet you are,” I murmur to her. “Have you been like this all day?”

She lets out a huff of air, something between a moan and a cry of desperation and starts moving her hips into me, wanting more. I don’t think I’ve ever been harder, and the more I rub myself along her, the slicker she gets.

Finally, when I can’t handle it anymore and her sounds are getting greedy, I ease myself inside.

She’s tight. Jesus, she’s tight, even tighter than she was the other day.

“You look so good, Dream Girl,” I tell her, my voice hoarse and dry. “Feel so good.” I take a moment to admire my hand, tanned and large against her pale skin as it works its way down to her hips, the smooth curves and hidden skin, places that no one else sees but me.

I rub my fingers along her clit in a V-shape and watch as I slowly disappear inside of her.

There’s never been a more erotic sight than this, just seeing her take me in, inch by inch, until I’m completely feeling her from the inside.

“Fuck,” I say, my words coming out in a burst of air as I start thrusting. “So fucking good.”

She’s looking now too, raising her head to watch as I press deeper and deeper, my cock thick and shiny with her as it goes in and out. My rhythm slowly picks up, making her tits jostle.

I reach down and slap one breast, enough to make her skin red.

“What was that for?” she asks, blinking in surprise.

“You were thinking about coming,” I tell her. “Not yet.”

I’m not really sure how long I can stretch out this game and that particular rule, but I’m going to have a fun time trying.

She doesn’t even look annoyed. “You better stop with your fingers then.”

I remove my hand.

Now she looks annoyed.

I let go of her hands above her head, telling her to keep them there, then I pick up her hips and start angling myself deeper, my pelvis rubbing against her clit as I fuck her.

She moans, her head rolling to the side, eyes pinched, mouth open.

“You like this, don’t you?” I whisper to her. “You like that I’m in control. That you have my cock. That it’s making you so fucking wet.”

She nods, raring, lost to it all.

I’m close to losing it too.

But I have a reputation to think of.

I dig my fingers deeper into her hips as her own fingers curl around the sheets and I keep thrusting, adjusting the speed and depth to the expression on her face. I want her near the edge but not over it. Not without me.

By the time I’m sweating, working her again and again, and she’s arching her head back, I lean down and suck at her neck.

“You want to come now?” I whisper in her ear.

She makes this moaning, pleading whimper that makes my balls tighten.

I fuck her harder, the bed inching across the floor, the walls shaking.

Then she’s shaking.

Then I’m shaking, my neck corded as I shoot inside of her, nearly breaking her in half during those final moments.

Stars appear behind my eyes, ebbing and flowing like the tide, and I collapse on top of her, breathing hard, my heart trying to pound straight out of my chest.

I can feel her heart beneath me, trying to do the same.

Maybe they can meet in the middle.

* * *

A loud howl jerks me awake. It takes me a few seconds to realize I’m naked and lying beside Jackie, my arm draped over her chest.

“What is that?” Jackie asks groggily, blinking hard. “I think I fell asleep.”

I glance at the alarm clock. It’s already seven, and outside the windows the city is glowing in dusky gold, sunset approaching.

“Oh shit,” I say, quickly getting up and grabbing my robe. “We did fall asleep.”

I open the door expecting to see the worst, piles of shit and piss everywhere, but instead it’s just Joanie and Sprocket, wagging their tails in a desperate way.

“I need to take them outside before they explode,” I tell her, slipping my pants on and tying the robe around my waist.

“In your bathrobe?” she asks and I glance at her, momentarily dumbstruck.

There she is, lying across the white covers of my bed, the dying sunset coming in through the windows and lighting her up in swathes of gold.

“Jesus,” I swear. “I need to remember this.”

“What?” she asks, glancing down at her body on display. She reaches for the duvet to cover herself up.

“No,” I say quickly. “Just let me look at you.” I’d take a picture with my phone if she didn’t think it was weird. Instead I hope it gets burned into the back of my head.

Sprocket barks again, followed by some whimpers that tell me I don’t have much time.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell her. “Don’t you dare get dressed.”

I grab the leashes and the dogs and head down to the courtyard, taking them around a few times. Times like this I wish I smoked, I could use a clear head.

Then again, why would I want the clarity? Right now my whole world is whittled down to just one thing, and that’s Jackie. The days can turn to night and back into day and it can keep doing that for a long time, but the only focus I have, the only thing I really care about and want, is her. Just her. Just Jackie.

Joan makes a pig-like noise, bringing my attention to her, as if she knows what I’m thinking.

“But of course I love you too,” I reassure her and Sprocket.

The words coming out of my own mouth catch me by surprise. The dogs take no notice.

Love.

I knew I was falling for Jackie, that I’ve been falling for her hard and fast all this time. I knew that I was falling into love.

I just didn’t think I’d already hit it.

But I have.

I’ve smashed into it, like falling from a building twenty-five stories up. They call it falling in love because eventually you hit the ground and that’s where I am. On the pavement, blasted to smithereens.

I crane my neck back, staring past the balconies and carved statues that protrude from the building like the bow of a ship, and I look straight up to my apartment, where Jackie is now.

I’m dizzy from the realization.

Reverse vertigo.

To see how far I’ve fallen.

I’m in love with her.

I’m. In. Love. With. Her.

Shit.

I sigh, giving a slight nod to someone in the building as they walk past. It’s not unusual to see the dog-owners outside in their pajamas or half-naked sometimes.

I need to tuck this feeling away. Ignore it, no matter how hard it is. This is the last thing I need, and the last thing Jackie wants.

But, fuck if it isn’t the best feeling in the world.

Like the sun rising in your chest.

And suddenly, just like that, everything is million times more complicated.

I take the dogs back upstairs and step into the apartment, heading straight to the fridge to get out a bottle of pinot gris. I pour us both a glass. I gulp mine down like it’s water, then fill it up again.

There. That oughta help for now.

Taking both glasses, I head to the bedroom, hoping to find her where I left her.

But she’s already dressed.

Well, she’s standing in her bra and skirt, hands on her hips and looking at me, unamused.

“Why do you have clothes on?” I ask her, trying to hand her a glass of wine.

She waves it away. “I have to go home. Ty, my son, remember?”

“I remember, I just . . . stay for a drink.”

“I really shouldn’t. Look, I need a shirt to wear.”

I raise my brows, slowly nodding, hiding the disappointment that’s tumbling around my chest. Maybe it’s my heart in there, trying to find a way out.

“Right,” I say. “I might have something.”

I put the glasses on the dresser and start rummaging around.

“Unless you have a store of women’s clothes in here, I doubt you have anything that fits.”

I pull a black dress shirt out of my closet and hand it to her. “It’s too small. It will still be too big on you, maybe not at the chest, but everywhere else. But maybe you can knot it at the waist or something. Pretend it’s the latest style.”

“My mother will know it’s your shirt.”

“Then tell your mother I gave you my shirt.”

“Will.”

“Jackie.”

“You know she’ll be suspicious.”

I have to fight to not roll my eyes. “Tell her you spilled something on your shirt and I had an extra one at work and I lent it to you.”

“Fine,” she says, slipping it on.

It does look oversized, even when she knots it, but damn if it’s not the sexiest fucking sight to see her in my clothes.

“Are you sure you have to leave?” I ask her. “We were just getting started. I promised you hours of sex, and that was barely anything.”

She grins at me. “Look at you, Mr. Cocky. That was enough for me. For now.”

“How about lunch tomorrow? Instead of going to a café, why don’t you come here and I’ll eat you?”

She licks her lips, pink coming into her cheeks. God, she’s beautiful. Why is she doing this to me? She’s not even doing anything, she’s just existing.

“Sounds good,” she eventually says, like I had to twist her arm. She wants it just as badly as I do, why pretend otherwise?

She brushes past me as she heads into the living room, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Is there a bus that comes along Richards?”

“You are not taking the fucking bus,” I tell her, going into the kitchen and grabbing my keys off the ring. “I’m driving you.”

“Will, it’s fine. I take the bus all the time. I don’t need—”

“You say you don’t need, and I believe you Jackie,” I interrupt her. “But can you just let me take care of you for once? Don’t you understand that this is what I want?”

She opens her mouth to say something then thinks better of it. Grows silent. Nods.

I grab her hand, kissing the back of it. “Sorry. I want to do things for you. I want to take care of you.” I pause, staring at a freckle above her lip, the dimple on her chin, the streaks of green in her eyes. “I could be good for you. Let me be good for you.”

My words fall around us like the dying light. I can’t read her. I want to, but I can’t. I don’t know what she’s thinking and I’m not even sure I want to know.

Finally she says, “I really need to go home.”

“Okay,” I tell her. “Come on.”

Traffic is a pain at all hours of the day here, but even so it seems especially bad tonight leaving the city. On the plus side, it gives me extra time with her. On the negative side, she’s not very talkative and locked inside her own head.

I don’t push her to talk. I don’t push her at all. If she needs space, I’ll give her space. I can only hope that eventually she finds her way back to me.

I drop her off a block from her house since she wants to pretend she took the bus. It takes everything in me to not make a disparaging remark about it but I don’t, because I can see just how serious she’s taking it. It might be just sex to her, but the last thing she wants is for either of our lives to be turned upside down.

Although it looks like it’s already too late for me.