If she hadn’t soared so high, Meghan might not have fallen so low.

But up until that man—Lex—had dragged her into the corner, she’d been having one of the best nights of her life.

The stylist had made her feel beautiful, and Jackson’s expression on seeing her had sent a thrill through her body. He’d used the word ‘stunning,’ and suddenly she’d been floating a few inches off the ground.

Then she’d managed to make friends with the woman Jackson had wanted her to entertain. When the woman had laughed at her jokes, Meghan’s nervousness had eased. After that, she didn’t worry so much about the fact she didn’t fit in.

And the more she’d watched Jackson work his way around the room, so at ease and in control, the more she’d burned for him to put his hands on her. It was clear how much respect he commanded. How could she not be turned on? So when they’d danced and she’d felt his hardness jut into her, when she knew he wanted her, she could hardly wait for him to take her home.

But when Lex had cornered her, with just a few words he’d ruined everything.

“Tell me what happened.” Jackson ground out the question, his jaw clenched. He looked like he wanted to chew someone up and spit them out.

“You’re angry with me?” she asked.

“I’m angry, but not with you. Tell me what Lex said.”

How could she explain? She’d thought Lex was just another guest to charm, so she’d willingly been pulled into a conversation. When he’d suggested paying her to sing for him, she’d thought he was offering her a gig at a bar or club he must own. She’d smiled and said she’d love to. Then he’d tugged her into that dark corner. Before she knew what was happening, one of his hands was gripping her arm, while the other groped her butt. His voice had been cruel in her ear. “So we have an agreement, sweetheart? Come with me now and I’ll give you twice whatever Jackson’s paying you. And believe me, I’ll make you sing a lot louder than he could.”

She swallowed, staring out of the limo’s window so she didn’t have to look at Jackson. “Who is he, anyway?” she asked, stalling.

“A competitor. We first butted heads years ago, when I was selling my own brand of amplifiers. He sold recording equipment at the time, and I started chipping away at his market. Since then, our trajectory has followed a similar line, and he’s also been working on a hologram product. When he found out we were releasing one too, he rushed his version to market. But his product is more of a toy than a serious communications tool. Ours is light years ahead, and he’s not happy about it.” Jackson’s voice was tightly controlled. “You need to tell me what he said to you.”

“He hit on me. And not in a nice way.”

He took hold of her upper arms, swiveling her to face him. In the semi-darkness of the car’s back seat, the strong angles of his face were even more striking than usual. The street lights they were driving past reflected inside the car and traced the line of his jaw.

“What exactly did he say?” His tone was unexpectedly gentle. “I need to know whether to kill Lex next time I see him, or just break both of his legs.”

She eased herself free from his grip. However good his intentions, she’d been manhandled enough for one night. “I’ve spent years singing in bars, so I’m used to sleazy businessmen hitting on me. I think they assume ‘singer’ is a euphemism for ‘easy,’ and I’ll be grateful for their attention. The worst guys are always the ones wearing suits.” She kept her gaze on his face, resisting the urge to glance down at his suit.

“You can’t put me in that category.”

“I don’t.” She let out her breath. “Of course I don’t.” He wasn’t to blame for what Lex had said, even if it felt like she’d been an innocent victim of a fight she’d had no part in. “I shouldn’t have let my guard down, but it was a shock for it to happen when I wasn’t expecting it.”

His jaw clenched. “It shouldn’t happen at all.”

“You’re right about that. And if we’d been in a bar, I’d have had the bouncer teach him some manners.” She cocked her head. “But what I want to know is, how did he know you were paying me to be there?”

Jackson frowned. “He couldn’t know about our deal. What did he say?”

“That he’d pay double whatever you were giving me. Have you paid women to go out with you before?”

“Not exactly. But the women I date know where the boundaries are.”

“What does that mean?”

“Having a fixed arrangement makes things simpler for me. I have some female friends I can call on when I want company, and it makes it easier if I give them some kind of gift.”

Her stomach felt hollow. Maybe she’d been wrong about him after all. “They’re prostitutes.”

“No, they’re friends. But I like to keep things simple, and make it clear I’m not inviting them into a relationship. Giving them a piece of jewelry shows my appreciation when they respect that. That way there are no misunderstandings.”

She frowned, trying to understand why he’d make such a point of keeping the women he dated at such an arm’s length. “That’s cold.”

“Maybe. But I’m honest from the start. At least I don’t lie, or pretend there’s a chance of something more.”

“It’s still weird.” Then she bit her lip. Wasn’t it the same deal as the one she’d accepted? Who was she to look down her nose?

“Having a lot of money means I have to be careful. If I’m too trusting, people think they can scam me.” His face grew darker, as though the street lights didn’t dare to play over it. “Even family. I don’t know about water, but it turns out blood isn’t thicker than cashflow.”

Her heart contracted. His messed-up family must have hurt him more than she’d guessed, and now she felt bad for blaming him, even a little, for Lex’s attack. Without thinking how he might react, she reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Sounds lonely.”

His forehead creased when he looked down at her hand, as though he hadn’t expected the gesture. He’d just told her how he pushed people away, so maybe reaching out hadn’t been the smartest move. But at least he didn’t try to shake her off.

“What about you?” He leaned forward and her pulse spiked as she breathed in his expensive cologne. “Have you been honest with me?”

His dark eyes were fixed on hers, and the power of his gaze held her so she couldn’t have looked away if she tried. “Honest about what?” Her voice came out a little breathless. “I told you about leaving Melbourne and sleeping in my car.” Then it clicked. “You don’t really think I’m some kind of corporate spy, do you?”

“No, I think Derrick’s paranoid. But I wanted to see your face when I asked you, to remove any last doubts.”

“And?”

Instead of answering, he slid his hand up her bare arm. It moved up slowly, then stroked over her shoulder. It paused under her chin, lifting it a little as though to better examine her. Her heart thudded hard, and her breath quickened. She couldn’t help but stare at his lips, chiseled in the semi-darkness, and close enough to kiss.

Her entire body reacted to his touch. Her braless breasts pressed hard against the silky dress, her nipples achingly sensitive. The stylist had suggested she remove her underwear so she didn’t ruin the smooth line of the silk. Now she wished she’d insisted on panties. How embarrassing if she left a damp mark on the back of her dress.

“I wanted you,” he murmured. “All those years ago.”

“Then you should have asked me out.” Her voice came out barely louder than a whisper. She was surprised the thudding of her heart didn’t drown it out completely.

His lips came down on hers, and all thought stopped. The only thing left was sensation. Soft lips. The roughness of stubble. The sweet rhythm of his kiss, their mouths in perfect tune. One hand was on the back of her neck, and the other on her waist, pulling her into him. It felt so good, her entire body shuddered with need.

He broke their kiss and drew back.

She blinked. He wasn’t really going to stop, was he? Surely he couldn’t leave her like this. Wait a minute, had the car stopped? How long had they been kissing? And how long had Marvin Gaye’s song Let’s Get It On been playing in her head?

“Where are we?” she asked.

“At home.”

The windows were tinted, making the darkness outside even more intense. But now she recognized his driveway, with spotlights highlighting the flower bushes. They’d stopped in front of his garage, but the enormous rolling door was still shut. Was the driver waiting for permission to park the limo?

Jackson touched a button on the door. “Leave it here,” he said. “You can go.”

“Yes, sir.” The response came through the speaker, and a moment later, she heard the car’s front door open and then close.

Then Jackson turned back to her, and she felt a rush of relief as he drew her into him again. She hadn’t been with a man since forever, and her entire body was dialed up to full volume. She needed him. She ached for him so badly that the merest brush of his mouth set her skin on fire. Closing her eyes, she leaned back as he kissed her neck. His lips were hot and demanding, tracing down the line of her throat.

When he reached the neckline of her dress, he cupped her sensitive, needy breasts through the silk fabric. His thumbs grazed her nipples, and she made a sound in the back of her throat. Reaching for his head, she ran her fingers through his hair. She wanted his tongue on her bare skin. Her dress had a single ribbon connecting its sleeves across the back of her shoulders. All he had to do was tug on the bow and it would come undone.

As if he’d read her thoughts, he reached behind her. “Bend forward.” His voice was tight with need.

When he tugged the bow, the silk slipped off her shoulders, leaving her instantly naked from the waist up. He drew back a little, looking down at her small breasts. Her jerk of an ex-boyfriend had made not-so-subtle remarks about their size, but Jackson’s expression told her he wasn’t disappointed.

“I used to fantasize about your breasts all the time.” He ran his fingers around them, circling her nipples, then bending to lick them. “They’re even better than I imagined,” he said when he straightened.

“I used to think about you too.” She reached for his jacket to push it off his shoulders. “Serious question, why do you still have so many clothes on?”

In response, he stripped off his jacket and shirt. All she could do was stare. However good-looking he’d been as a teenager, it was nothing compared to the man in front of her. His arms and chest were hard with muscle, and it was no exaggeration to say that his stomach rippled like the sun across water.

“That’s not fair.” She ran her hands over his chest. “How can you be this gorgeous and so successful?”

He pulled her dress down, and she raised herself up enough to let it slide right off. Now she was naked except for her piercings, and a very high pair of heels. Maybe she should be worried about someone seeing into the limo’s windows, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. The leather felt cool against her bare ass, and she was so turned on it was a miracle she didn’t slide right off the seat.

“Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” He stroked one hand over the gem glinting in her belly button. “You’re a work of art.”

Jackson made her feel so good. Why couldn’t she have bumped into him again years ago? Between her ex-boyfriend making her doubt herself and her agent betraying her, she’d spent the last few years feeling like she was getting nowhere. But after a couple of days with Jackson, she felt exactly like the person she used to be. The invincible rock goddess who could take on the world.

She reached for his pants, popping the top button. He was hard, straining against the front of them so they practically burst open at her touch.

“Come here.” He pulled her on top of him so she was straddling him, her knees splayed out on the long leather seat. Thank goodness for the limo’s roomy interior. The top of her head only just touched the car’s roof.

He ran his hands up her thighs. One hand kept going up to fondle her breasts. The other stayed between her legs. She was dripping wet and crying out for his touch, but she still gasped when he buried his fingers inside her.

God, that felt good. She ground down against his hand, wanting more. Needing it harder.

“Fuck, Meghan.” His voice was hoarse. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

“Why don’t you show me?” She fumbled with his half-undone pants so he wouldn’t have any doubt what she was asking for.

“You know what I want to do? Taste you. Lick you. Feel you come in my mouth at least once before I take you.” He shifted her down his thighs so he could fumble in his pocket. “But I’ve waited a lot of years for this, and now I can’t wait a minute longer to be inside you.”

Everything he said made her want him more. While he pulled out a condom and rolled it on, she was practically writhing with impatience. Then he squeezed her ass and moved her into position. His thickness pushed into her, and with both hands on his chest, she plunged down. His hands went around her waist, drawing her down harder. She gasped and dropped her head back, lifting her hands up to push against the car’s roof.

He wrapped both arms around her when she rose, and pulled her close against him and down again in a single movement. Their mouths connected. But as she rose again, she had to break their kiss.

“So beautiful.” He leaned forward so he could lick and suck her nipples while she rode him. Then, as her pleasure was building, he moved one hand between her legs to finger her. The sensation was so powerful, she couldn’t keep from crying out.

“Jackson, I’m going to come.”

“You’d better.” His teeth were clenched. “I’m having a flashback to my teenaged years, when I didn’t know how to keep control.”

When she next slid down on him, he pushed his hips up at the same time, thrusting so deep inside her, she cried out again. The pleasure soared, taking her up and up. Jackson let out a long, low sound. He leaned forward to claim her mouth. Their bodies shuddered together, and his hands gripped her back, holding her down on him.

His kisses were hot and demanding, but as the pleasure finally ebbed, they turned gentle. His lips became soft, and when their mouths parted, he leaned his forehead against hers.

This close, it felt like he could gaze right inside her soul. And she could see into him, through that hard-edged exterior, behind the soft darkness of his eyes.

Their breathing was synchronized; long, deep breaths as though they were connected. And she could hear music playing in her head. Guitar chords she didn’t recognize. A song she’d never heard before, slow and intense, and incredibly beautiful. Something her subconscious had just come up with? If so, she couldn’t lose those notes. She’d better write them down so she didn’t forget them. Not yet, though. Incredible new song or not, right now this was the only place in the world she wanted to be.

At least, until the next couple of days are over and he pays me to leave.

The thought wasn’t welcome, so she tried to push it away. Only it was true, wasn’t it? However amazing he was or how great this felt, it wasn’t real and Jackson would never let it last. She couldn’t afford to kid herself otherwise. Being hurt by her ex-boyfriend had been bad enough. There was no way she’d let it happen to her again.