We part, and Jackson looks guilty. “Katrina, I shouldn't be taking advantage of you.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “I... liked it. It's a great first real kiss.”
“What?” Jackson says, surprised. He shifts back, and I feel heat on my neck and face. “What do you mean, real kiss?”
“I mean... I'd never had a real kiss before,” I answer, getting to my knees in front of him. “I’ve had one purpose in my life, and everything I’ve done was to help achieve that goal.”
“You mean you've never... well, you know, had sex?” Jackson asks, and I blush, but laugh at the same time.
“I'm not a virgin, Jackson. But it never had meaning. There was no emotion.”
I lean in, putting my hands on his shoulders and kiss him again, our lips melting around each other. “Can I tell you a secret, Jackson?”
He nods, and I smile. “You were the first boy I was ever interested in. Actually, I guess you're the only boy I've ever been interested in.”
Jackson smiles and pulls me closer. We raise up, our bodies pressing closer, and I feel a tingle in my body as my breasts press against his chest, my nipples tingling at the pressure. His fingers trace around my ear, and I shiver with desire.
“Katrina,” he says softly, like I used to dream a lover would when I allowed myself such dreams. “So beautiful, so strong. Amazing.”
I bite my lip. “Jackson... it's always been you. You make me feel pretty... you make me feel like...”
“Like what?” he asks when I don't answer. He smiles, and kisses my cheek, trailing his lips toward my ear as I tremble in want. “It's okay. Tell me.”
“You make me feel like... like there's a chance for a future,” I whisper as his lips find the curve of my jaw and kiss, nibbling on the skin and finding the lobe of my ear, where his tongue traces the sensitive curve. I feel every caress of his tongue on my skin, and I'm hot, more aroused than I've ever been. “Oh God...”
Jackson smiles as he sits back, getting to his feet and helping me up. “Come on, Katrina. Let me show you what a future can really be.”
I reach up, taking his hand, and he pulls me up, confident but gentle at the same time. Standing, he pulls me into an embrace, kissing me with that same confidence, with more passion than before, turning me slowly so that I'm backed against the bed, and I tumble down, laughing as my legs fly up and I literally floomph onto the bedspread.
Jackson chuckles and kneels down, taking my right boot in his hand and untying it slowly, his hand cupping my calf as he eases it off my foot. My breath catches as he pulls my sock off, and with careful, almost meticulous attention, he kisses my toe before setting it down, his fingers still lingering on my calf. “I wanted to touch these since that first visit to your place,” he says as he unties my other boot, pulling it off before cupping both calves and massaging them with his fingers. “You have no idea how sexy you really are.”
Jackson kisses my knees through my pants as I scoot back, and he joins me on the bed, lying on top of me as we kiss. I'm running my hands through his hair, moaning softly as he finds the pulse of my neck and licks, tasting my skin. Oh, it feels so good...
I feel his hand come up to cup my breast, and suddenly I'm filled with fear, my desire wilting inside me. No, this is too fast, this is going to complicate my mission…
“Wait... wait, Jackson, please, get off,” I beg, pushing him away. “Wait... it's too fast, too fast.”
Jackson rolls, giving me space, getting off the bed and stepping back. “What's wrong?”
“Too... too fast,” I gasp, my heart racing in my chest. I'm not able to make any other words, I'm so confused. My body's tingling, and I want him so badly, but I'm afraid, my body and my heart and my head warring with each other. “Jackson... I can't. Not yet.”
He looks like he wants to protest, and my body wants him to. My body wants him to disregard my words and shove me back into the mattress and get back on top of me. But my heart is afraid. I've never let anyone in this close before, and my head is against it, knowing that if I do, my mission becomes that much harder.
He must see the confusion in my eyes, because he nods. “When you’re ready.”
Chapter 22
Jackson
It's not the ocean, but the lake is beautiful, and according to the guy I asked at the supermarket where I bought the supplies, there's no problems with snakes or alligators. The blanket we snatched from our hotel room, and Katrina carries it folded over her arm as we walk toward the shore, holding hands. “A picnic, huh?”
I shrug. “I know that I come off as a rich boy,” I say, thinking about the skirt that Katrina's put on again. She looks so fucking sexy in it. “I know that I like to make it rain sometimes, but I can enjoy the simpler things in life too, you know.”