I almost expected to see a quirk of his dimple, a Jack-ism to lighten the moment. I fully expected him to step forward into my hand and force us to make contact.
He did neither. “Both,” he whispered. “But you have to make the choice, Keri Ann.” His eyes grew fierce. “You have to know there’s no going back. Don’t do this unless you can take all of me. You know who I am. What I do. I can’t hide it from you, and I’m not sure I can hide us. I’ll try. But you have to give me all of you. If you’re still with Colt, I need you to step back and leave. Don’t come here unless you’re free. I need you to be mine. Fully. All the damn way. Because I’m yours,” he finished harshly. “Do you understand?”
God. How could I do this? How should I go forward? I couldn’t agree to everything he was asking, could I?
My hesitation was reflected in the grim firming of Jack’s mouth. His eyes clouded over.
“Wait,” I managed before he took my hesitance as a negative. “I’m not with Colt. And nothing … nothing ever happened with him,” I added. Not that it should matter.
A rush of air escaped him.
“But …” I dropped my hand away from where I’d been about to touch him.
Jack’s jaw clamped down hard again, and he took a step back, before running a hand through his damp hair.
My palms itched to do the same. “You can’t ask me to go out there, and … and own this with no thought for myself. Please … God, I know there are a thousand, thousands,” I amended, “of girls who’d want to take my place, and wouldn’t care … would crave what you’re offering, but …”
“But I don’t want them. I want you,” he said, finally looking at me.
“I know,” I whispered.
“Do you?”
I nodded.
“I’m talking about you and me. That’s it. Just you. And me. There has never been a simpler,” he shook his head and sighed, “yet more … impossible concept in the universe.” He reached up and roughly grabbed two fistfuls of his hair before abandoning them in an unruly wet mess. “And you, Keri Ann? What do you want?”
You. “I want … I want to be more than I am now, on my own merit. I want not to be afraid that Joey and I will be the generation to lose the family home. I want to be respected and not pitied. I want to feel proud of myself and my abilities. I want to live a life where people are not watching and judging every action I take. And that’s your life in multiples.” I inhaled deeply. “I don’t want people looking at you and wondering why you’re with me. But, mostly, I don’t want to imagine my life without you in it.”
He blinked, seemingly processing each aspect of what I said, storing it away, but I knew what he heard was that I was saying yes. And I was. There was no way I was walking away from this. From him. I couldn’t if I tried.
Pursing my lips, I blew out a breath. I really hoped I knew what I was doing here. If we failed this time, it would break me irreparably.
I reached my hands out slowly, hesitating before my fingertips made contact with his chest. “Just … please … can we do this slowly? Can you give me time? Can we try and be together without the rest of your world knowing?”
“Yet?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “Please?”
I couldn’t wait anymore. We’d figure out the details later, and we’d do it together. I took a deep breath and pressed my palms against his damp skin.
Jack’s eyes closed as he exhaled and canted forward toward me.
Sliding my hands around his ribs and up around his muscled shoulder-blades, I stepped into him.
His arms curled around me, drawing me against him. One hand slid up into my hair and pressed my face against his damp chest. A barely controlled groan came out with his next breath, reverberating against my skin.
I reveled in the feeling of his hot wet skin, his heart pounding beneath my cheek, my body pressed flush against his. So strong was the feeling of relief of being in Jack’s arms, it seemed in that moment that nothing bad could ever happen to me ever again.
The scent of his raw masculinity slid into my every pore, and my face turned to press my lips to his salted skin before I could question it.
His body reacted beneath my touch.
Bringing both hands to cup my face, he tilted it to look at him.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he rasped, staring at my mouth.
I nodded and moistened my lower lip in anticipation as he lowered his head. My pulse picked up a frantic beat as he closed in on me. I willed myself to calm, but my breathing hitched as it gathered pace. I slid a hand up and around the back of his neck, tugging his mouth closer, because he was taking too damn long to get to me. The last thing I saw was his dimple flash before his mouth met mine.