Beloved (The Belonging Series)

by Corinne Michaels

  “Thanks, Ash. I guess I’m just waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.”

  “Well that’s no way to live. Live for the moment.” The car stops as we arrive at the train station. Ashton turns to me with her lips pursed. “I know this is hard for you. Here’s the thing—nice guys like him don’t come around twice. From everything you’ve told me, he’s only been good to you. Yeah, he’s intense, but you guys have this insane chemistry. Stop fighting it!”

  I lean over and give her a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll try. Love you, Ashypoo!”

  I run to catch the train. Thankfully I get on just in time. Grabbing the first seat available, I sit and text Jackson.

  Me: On my way. Where am I going?

  Jackson: A car will be waiting with your name. See you soon.

  I smile at his gesture. He really is a good guy, and I’m going to try to relax and enjoy tonight. The train ride is only about ten minutes, so I don’t have time to do anything other than change my shoes and check myself over once. Exiting the train, I find a tall man in a suit holding a sign with my name on it.

  “Ms. Pope, I’m Xavier. I’ll be your driver for this evening.”

  “Nice to meet you.” I smile and follow him to a sleek black limo.

  Wow, he really went all out.

  “Do you know where we’re going?” he asks curiously.

  My eyes widen at his question. “No, do you?”

  He lets out a throaty laugh and opens the door for me. “Yes, ma’am.” I take a deep breath and scoot into the back. “It’ll only be about ten minutes to our destination. There’s champagne chilling in the bucket if you’d like a glass.”

  “Yes!” I say, almost too eagerly.

  Get a damn grip.

  I take a small sip and the bubbles tickle my nose. Jackson’s thoughtfulness warms my heart. Even though we saw each other a few hours ago, I’m excited to see him again. It appears he managed to plan quite a bit in a short amount of time.

  We arrive at what I’m assuming is a restaurant. Xavier comes around, opens my door, and sweeps his arm to the side where I see Jackson walking toward me. He looks breathtaking. I know that’s not the manliest way to describe him, but there is no other word. He takes my breath away.

  My eyes eat him up and I’m pretty sure I lick my lips at the sight of him. He’s dressed in a black pinstripe suit with a white shirt, the top button undone, and his eyes burn even in the darkness. I can see the blue shift to green and deepen as he approaches me. That may be a trick of light and shadow, but I like to think it’s lust making those eyes change like that. The same lust that has my heart racing a mile a minute right now. His smile is wide when he reaches me, but he doesn’t say anything.

  Finally, after an eternity—or what feels like it—his low, rough voice breaks the silence. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you for this. The limo, last night, everything. It’s too much. I never really thought of you as a limo guy.”

  “I’m not, but you deserve to feel special. So no, it’s not too much. It’s only the beginning.” He takes a step closer and extends his hand, giving me a single stargazer lily. Does he know they’re my favorite?

  Between his words and now this gesture, I’m liquefying. “I love lilies. How did you know?”

  “Ashton,” he says matter-of-factly. Of course she would know, but it surprises me that he thought to ask.

  “I think you’ll like these plans better than the last.” Jackson grins and grips my hand. Hell yeah. I won’t be climbing any walls in this dress.

  We begin to walk forward when suddenly he stops. He turns and tenderly grabs my face with both hands, pulling me gently until we’re an inch apart. “You really are beautiful, baby.” Before I can respond, his lips are on mine. My eyes flutter closed and I grip the lapels of his jacket. His strong arms wrap around my lower back, pulling me into him. What may have started as a tender kiss turns into a passionate exchange. Jackson pulls that out of me. He consumes me, making me forget where, sometimes who, I am.

  Dropping his hand, he squeezes my ass and I giggle. Well, that’s one way to stop it. And very Jackson-like. My hand slaps him playfully across the chest as I shake my head at his antics.

  “Come on, Muffin. Let’s go eat.”

  “Keep it up and I’ll show you how much you’ll pay for using that name.”

  “I don’t take lightly to threats, Muff.” I smile and walk forward. He growls and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest.

  “Well, wait until I show you how fucking good it feels when it’s no longer a threat,” he murmurs seductively, staring straight into my eyes.

  My stomach clenches and I tremble from the timbre of his voice before he releases his hold. Could he be any sexier?

  I’m grinning ear to ear as we enter the restaurant and are seated. It’s beautiful. Candles sit on all the tables and huge chandeliers hang in the center of the room, creating beautiful rainbow prisms everywhere. The walls are deep burgundy and almost look like fabric, which only adds to the ambiance. Everything seems so upscale. It doesn’t surprise me Jackson would choose a place like this. He’s rugged but sophisticated—a walking contradiction.

  “I’ve ordered for us already. The chef is a good friend. He’s making us something special.”

  Typically, I would be less than excited about someone deciding my meal for me—I’ve had enough of that shit to last a lifetime—but with Jackson it feels different. He’s not trying to take away my choices. He’s simply being kind. “Thank you for all of this, Jackson. It’s very sweet.”

  He leans forward. “You’re welcome. I’m just lucky you fell into my chair that day.”

  I laugh and turn my head to the side, hiding my embarrassment. Not one of my finest moments. When I finally recover, I look up to find him smiling warmly. “Thanks for reminding me.”

  “Hey, look where it got us.”

  “Where exactly is this?” Because of my constant self-doubt, I need him to spell it out for me. I don’t want to get too attached to him and have the rug pulled out from under me. Jackson is a man any woman could easily fall in love with, and he seems to have a direct line to my heart.

  “I don’t know where it is, but I know I want to be around you. I know I’ve thought about you every day and every night since we’ve met. There are a lot of things we need to learn about each other. But you fell into my life and I won’t let you fall out. So whatever this is … it’s ours.”

  My eyes swim with emotion. It takes everything inside of me not to cry. That was the best answer he could’ve given me—it’s honest and real. I sigh and look at him with a hopeful heart. “I want us to get to know each other. I never thought we’d be here.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I thought you were like all the other guys I’ve met—cocky and looking for one thing.” I shrug and smile. “Not to be a bitch, but you were so intense. I’d never felt anything like that before. Then you turned out to be my client. You keep breaking my rules.” It’s true. Each time I tell myself I’m not going to do this or that, he finds a loophole and I no longer care about my rules anymore.

  We fall into a comfortable silence as we let the words settle around us. There are a lot of truths yet to be told. I don’t know how to tell him about what Neil did, or that one of his trusted consultants is a part of my past. There’s no way to know for sure if he heard what she said that day in the conference room. I don’t even know if Piper’s still working with Raven. Regardless, it’s going to come to light at some point.

  Throughout dinner we talk and laugh. He tells me more about some of the antics he and his sister, Reagan, got into as kids. We talk about my mother a little and how I haven’t spoken to her since the phone call in Virginia. Jackson makes me nearly fall out of my chair laughing when he tells me the story about Mark and Aaron when they first became SEALs and some of the prank wars they had.

  “Okay. So you seriously glued ketchup packets to the toilet seat?” Insane. The
y’re all insane.

  “Fuck yeah, we did. And when Mark sat down, you would’ve thought a bomb went off in the head. There was ketchup everywhere.” His eyes are filled with humor.

  “And what did he do back? I can’t see him being like, ‘Good one,’ and letting it go.”

  “Oh hell no, there’s no backing down. Mark has one thing I don’t.”

  “Which is?” I ask.

  “Patience. So he waited until my guard was slightly down. My truck is my baby—you don’t fuck with my F150. Mark, being the prick he is, decided I needed to really suffer. So he took my license plates and flipped them upside down, but then he somehow got into the cab.” I smile and roll my eyes at the talk of his precious truck. As he remembers whatever his friend did to repay him for the bathroom casualty, his smile fades. “It was December and cold as shit. The motherfucker took pepper spray and soaked my floor mats and my air vents. Every time I turned the heat on I couldn’t see because my eyes watered so bad.”

  Laughter erupts from my chest and there’s no chance of stopping it. My hands fly over my mouth, trying to contain it as I imagine Jackson crying every time he got into his truck. Tears are running down my cheeks, and the look on his face only makes me laugh harder. “I can’t breathe.”

  “No, baby, I couldn’t breathe. I had to ride around in the freezing fucking cold with my windows down so I could see. It was hell. But payback’s a bitch and Twilight learned that shit quick.” He smiles again, laughing at the memories as I swipe the tears from my face.

  “Oh God! What did you do?”

  He steeples his fingers and his devilish grin grows. “It was a multilayered attack. Phase one was all about making him think it was coming. So there were small, subtle hints. I had the gate guards search his car every time he arrived on base, which takes about twenty minutes out of your day. Not a big deal, but he was late a few times and he got his ass chewed.” I’m starting to see how much he must have enjoyed this. His eyes glimmer and he’s lost to the memory. “Phase two was a little more … difficult.”

  “Difficult how?”

  “I had to make sure it would work perfectly. I needed other people’s help, but they didn’t want to be the next casualty of our war. After watching some of the shit we did, no one wanted to play. We didn’t fight fair. I plotted very carefully and also had to be ready in case I was on the other end of his attack. Plus, if he fucked with my truck again, he’d be on the missing persons list.”

  “I’m seeing that this truck is worth more than friendship.” I laugh and sit back in my chair, wondering how their war finally ended.

  “You don’t mess with a man’s truck.”

  “Okay, I get it. Please continue.”

  His eyes are excited as he gets back to his story. “Mark had done a few small things, but nothing really epic. We all had lockers that we kept our gear in, so I had the supply guys open his for me.” He lets out a small laugh. “I rigged it so when he opened it, a glitter bomb exploded. It went everywhere! Him, all his gear—everything covered with glitter!”

  “Holy shit!” I gasp. Glitter gets everywhere. I can’t even imagine the mess that made.

  “But wait!” He leans in and smiles ear to ear. “I didn’t stop there. Fuck with me and there is no limit to the lengths I’ll go for payback.”

  “Seriously, I’m a little worried.”

  “We were leaving for a training mission the next day, so Twilight literally had to scrub his shit before he could go. Hours it took him and it still didn’t come out. But while some would think that was enough retribution, I didn’t agree. When we were out on the mission, I put glitter in his shampoo and body wash.”

  “Oh Jesus.” My eyes widen as he sits back, arms crossed over his chest. I make a mental note never to get into a war with him because I’ll lose—epically. “I would say you won, huh?”

  I’m so engrossed in the story I don’t notice the waitress standing at our table.

  “Can I get you anything else? Dessert?” she asks.

  “No way, I couldn’t eat another thing,” I smile and Jackson shakes his head and grabs the check. “Everything was delicious, Jackson. Thank you for tonight.”

  “Tonight’s not over.” Standing before me, he extends his hand tentatively. Without any hesitation I place mine in his. Was he afraid I’d say no? There isn’t a damn thing that would stop me. The feel of his hand surrounding mine makes my heart skip a beat. Almost like the world has righted itself. I’m in trouble. I’m falling fast.

  We exit into the cool night air and I shiver. “Hey.” He stops and encircles my waist. “Thank you for letting me break your rules.”

  “Of course.” Leaning in, I place a brief kiss on his lips. Passion erupts the moment our lips meet and the kiss becomes more frantic. His hands grip my sides as his fingers dig into my hips. I welcome the feeling. His need pushes my own. I feel his arousal against my stomach and suddenly couldn’t care less about the rest of our evening. Jackson pushes me back against the car as his mouth devours mine. Time is irrelevant. Everything else fades away. Once again, he overtakes me and I’m lost to him. All I hear is the sound of his breathing, his moans. All I feel is him around me—touching me, wanting me, making me fall faster. He pulls away and turns, rubbing his hand roughly down his face.

  “Fucking Christ,” he mumbles. “I can’t control myself when I touch you.”

  His words stun me. They’re exactly how I feel. As soon as his skin meets mine, I lose all self-control. I need to get a freaking grip. The constant battling of emotions when I’m around him is draining. One minute I can’t get close enough, and the next I’m fighting to keep my heart safe. Why does this have to be so damn difficult?

  Once he’s composed himself he walks back up to me and opens the car door. “In.” My body obeys him without hesitation.

  Jackson takes a minute outside the limo and tells Xavier where to go. I roll the window down and look at him. The air between us is charged, and though he’s listening to something Xavier is saying, his unblinking eyes are locked on mine. The depth of his stare is almost too much. My yearning grows and I lick my lips, gripping the bottom one between my teeth as he opens the door. Before it even clicks shut behind him, his mouth is on mine again. I can’t get close enough. I’ve never been this girl. I’ve never desired a man as much as I do at this moment. It’s primal, raw.

  Our lips are fused and the need to be closer is unbearable. It’s clear Jackson is fighting the same urges. He pushes me flat on the seat, and hovers above me. My heart is pounding, my lips are tingling, and all I want is to ease the aching between my legs.

  His eyes shift from lustful to resolute and he pulls me back up. We’re both breathing heavy as we recover from the rush of the moment. I would have let him fuck me in this car. With the window open for all to see! What the hell is wrong with me? I turn and look out the window, thankful for the cool air as I try to reel in my libido.

  Jackson grasps my hand and I look over. “If you think I don’t want you, you’re wrong. I promise I’m going to do that and so much more, but we need a lot more time than a ten-minute drive.” His brow lifts as his dimple appears.

  I bite my lip at the hunger evident on his face and the promise of things to come. The longing to kiss him is too great to fight. I lean in and brush my lips against his.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” He smiles.

  “For everything.” I shrug and return to watching the city pass by.

  Not even a minute later, the car stops. We’re on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, right by Central Park. I love this area of the city. It’s gorgeous—and extremely expensive. Jackson’s hand extends as he exits the limo. He pulls me forward as Xavier retrieves my bag. I look at the huge apartment building and it hits me—we aren’t going to the park. He lives here. Ashton and I looked at a few apartments on this side of the city, but even with both our incomes it was out of our price range. I shouldn’t be surprised. He does own two companies, but he ne
ver seems to flaunt his money.

  “Catherine?” he says softly, causing me to jump. “Ready?” I swear one day he won’t be able to sneak up and scare the crap out of me.

  We enter the building and I’m surprised by its contemporary design. Everything is clean lines, reminding me of his office in Virginia.

  “How long have you lived here?” I ask.

  Jackson rolls his neck and drops my hand before answering. “About a year.”

  “It’s beautiful. I love this part of the city.”

  We enter the elevator and head to the twentieth floor. Jackson’s hand snakes around my back. “I do too.”

  “I wish our office were closer to the park. I’ve always wanted to go there for lunch and just people watch.” Central Park is spectacular. Sometimes it’s a little scary, but for the most part it’s wonderful. My father took me to the zoo there a few times. I always thought it was amazing that this little piece of the wild was placed in the perfectly manicured park in the perfectly chaotic city.

  “Every morning I go for a five-mile run in the park.”

  “I’m not surprised you run every day.” There will be none of that for me.

  “We can wake up tomorrow and go.” He smiles, knowing damn well that isn’t happening.

  “You’re funny. The only way I’m running is if someone or something is chasing me. And even then, I might say screw it. I’d much rather eat a bag of Doritos, thanks.”

  “I bet you’d do it if I made you.” His brow lifts as he leans in close.

  I scoff and throw my head back. “Never gonna happen, babe. Besides, you owe me my time, Muff. Until I get that, there will be no more obstacle courses or stair climbing happening here.”

  “Who said anything about stairs?”

  Before I can retort the elevator dings. My stomach is in knots. You’d think this was our first time being alone or intimate. This is the last barrier we have. He already knows where I live and work. Now both of us will have stayed at each other’s homes. I’m excited to put together another piece of the puzzle that is Jackson Cole.