Page 20

Thea

The next morning, I woke up tangled in Jackson’s sheets, completely bare, my skin still tingling from last night. My mind reeled with everything that had happened, and I sank deeper into the mattress, biting back a smile.

Then the door opened.

“Hey. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

Jackson’s voice slid over me like silk, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the sight that followed. Fresh from the shower, his rock-hard body was on full display, save for the fluffy white towel slung low on his hips. Droplets of water clung to his skin, tracing lazy paths down his sculpted chest, and when he flicked his damp hair out of his eyes, I swear I felt the motion ripple through me.

I’d always known Jackson was attractive. But like this? Without a hat—or clothes—he was devastating. His hair was the perfect length, just long enough for me to slide my fingers through, to tug, to take control. A wicked thought flashed through my mind, and heat pooled low in my belly.

“You didn’t,” I groaned out, my voice a little rough and breathless.

His lips curled in that easy, knowing smirk, but he didn’t call me out on it.

Guilt crept in as I remembered the call I’d ignored last night. Tanner. My brother. His best friend. I hadn’t been able to pick up, not while I was naked, pressed against Jackson, his hands and mouth branding me in ways I’d never forget.

But then Jackson’s words echoed in my mind.

“People will let you down, and they inherently suck. You don’t, though. You’re awesome.”

I must’ve been starved for compliments if I was repeating that comment in my head constantly. Coming from him, it felt real. It felt like he wanted nothing else from me. He just wanted me. Not my brother’s friendship; he already had that. If anything, he risked losing it if Tanner found out in the wrong way.

When Jackson dropped the towel, revealing his painfully hard erection, my breath hitched. Did I wet hump that last night?

Heat flushed through me at the thought. We’d pretty much crashed afterward, but now, in the soft glow of the morning, I realized just how much I wanted more. Jackson was addictive. His touch, his taste, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

“You like what you see, Pyro?” His voice was thick with amusement and want. He wrapped his hand around his shaft, stroking slowly and deliberately.

My thighs clenched at the sight.

When he crawled onto the bed, I squealed and scrambled back until my spine met the headboard.

“I do,” I admitted, my voice betraying just how much. “But we can’t do anything now.”

“Why not?” He towered over me, his brows furrowed.

The scent of his body wash—clean, masculine, devastatingly him—wrapped around me, making it harder to think straight. He leaned in, lips parting for a kiss, and I barely managed to slap my hand over his face, pushing him away.

“We need to talk.”

I hated saying it, and I hated the way the words felt like a bucket of cold water over the warmth still pooling between my legs. I wanted to be the kind of person who could let go, give in, but I wasn’t. Not with Jackson, at least.

“What do you want to talk about?” he teased, but there was an edge of curiosity beneath it.

I tilted my head, fixing him with an exasperated glare. “I think we both know.”

His smirk softened. “Us?”

“Yes.”

Jackson’s fingers traced a slow, teasing path up the sheet, each movement deliberate as if he was savoring the anticipation. When he reached the edge, covering my breasts, he hesitated, just long enough for my breath to catch, before tugging the fabric away.

His gaze dropped to my bare skin, darkening with something that made my stomach twist and making me reconsider my stance.

“Well, I don’t want this to end between us,” he said.

I swallowed. “You mean the sex?”

His lips twitched. “No. All of it. The sex is good—great, actually. The best I’ve ever had. There’s more to you, though, and I love unraveling every little piece of you.”

My heart pounded against my ribs. “You do?”

Instead of answering, he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. The kiss was soft, sweet, and chaste in a way that felt almost cruel, considering we were both naked.

His forehead rested against mine as he said, “Have I ever lied to you?”

“Yes.”

He lifted one brow. “Name one.”

I opened my mouth, fully prepared to list something off, but … I came up blank.

Jackson grinned, pointing at me. “See! You talk this big game by calling me a jackass, but I’m not that.”

“No. You’re not.”

His expression softened. “What I’m trying to ask you, Thea … will you be my girlfriend?”

I blinked. “Whoa, I just wanted to know if you were serious about me. I didn’t realize we were already in the girlfriend territory.”

“You’d be the first one I’d deemed worthy enough for that title.”

“Really?” Something about that made my chest ache.

His gaze searched mine, a flicker of something unreadable passing through it. “Why are you so surprised?”

I shrugged, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat. “I don’t know. I guess no one has ever really asked me to be their girlfriend before.”

“Why do you keep acting like you aren’t the best thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, Pyro?”

I scoffed. “Because the way you laid your eyes on me before a couple of days ago would have told me otherwise.”

He sucked in a breath and dropped his head. “Well, damn. You sure know how to hit a guy where it hurts.”

When he looked up again, his usual smirk had gone. His eyes, dark and unreadable, burned into mine with something darker.

“You want to know why I never looked at you like that?”

I nodded.

“Because the first day I met you, I put you off-limits. I tried to pretend you were just one of the guys and if I berated you enough, you’d do something that would completely turn me off. Then maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to ignore the way I felt.”

I rolled my eyes, pushing him back. “You’re revising history.”

His lips quirked, but there was no humor behind it. “No, I’m not. Ask Matty. I distinctly remember the first time I saw you.”

“Oh yeah?”

Jackson leaned in, his voice dropping lower. “You walked into Aiden’s house with a ridiculous purple dinosaur suitcase and plushie keychains dangling off the handle. Your hair was down, and you were wearing this blue rhinestone sweater with a cat on it.”

I snorted. “Big deal. You remembered what I wore.”

His jaw tightened. “No. You don’t get it. I don’t even remember what I wore yesterday.” His gaze flickered down, trailing over the sheet covering my body. “And yet, I remember that. In fact, I remember everything. Every insult. Every sarcastic barb. Every scowl you’ve ever thrown my way.” He let out a small chuckle. “You know, your brother had a talk with me about you?”

“He did?”

“Yeah. I think it was around the second week you were here. Said you’d been through a lot and he just wanted to see you settled.”

I frowned. “So he warned you off me?”

Jackson exhaled, shaking his head. “Not exactly. He was worried about you, and after hearing everything that happened, I can see why.”

I clenched my teeth, annoyance taking over. “That sounds a lot like him warning you off me.”

“It’s probably something you’ll need to speak to him about, but it wasn’t mean-spirited. He was trying to protect you.”

“And doing the wrong thing.”

“Maybe. I mean, let’s be real—I’m an asshole. I get why he wouldn’t want me anywhere near you. I don’t exactly have a good track record.” His voice dropped, his fingers brushing over my knuckles. “Or a record at all. Which is why I want to start and finish with you.”

My brows raised. “Finish. That’s a little premature, isn’t it?”

“Not when you play for keeps.” He took my hand and brought it to his chest. “I’m offering you the biggest part of me.”

“Your dick?”

“I was trying to be romantic.”

“And I’m just trying to be a realist. Look, I don’t need all these large random declarations of love. I like you, a lot, and I think you’re right. We should date.”

Silence stretched between us as his thumb traced lazy circles over my palm.

“Did you hear me?” I asked.

He shook his head, laughing. “Sorry, I stopped listening after you said you liked me. Didn’t realize crushing on someone so hard could make you act like a damn fool.” His grin widened. “So … did you actually say yes? To being my girlfriend?”

I bit my bottom lip, feeling a flicker of hesitation. I shouldn’t, though.

“Come on,” he whispered as though we weren’t the only two people in the room. “You know you want to.”

I didn’t hesitate. I sealed my lips over his, kissing him harder than I thought he expected. He let out a surprised groan, his fingers tightening around my waist as he leaned into me, deepening it.

When I finally pulled back, his pupils were blown wide, lips parted in something close to awe.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, his voice husky.

“Yes,” I whispered, my fingers tracing over his bare shoulder. “What are you doing tonight? I thought maybe we could go out to dinner … make this official.”

His smile was immediate, but then he groaned, tilting his head back toward the ceiling. “Damn it. I’m supposed to do a live with Liam tonight.”

I arched a brow. “And you can’t rearrange?”

“Nope. We have to work around his schedule during his season.” His thumb stroked over my hip absently. “I also got Aiden to agree to come on the channel. We’re trying to gain more subscribers, and as much as I hate to admit it, Aiden’s got some piercing blue eyes which drive people wild.”

I smirked. “Surprised he agreed to it.”

“I’ll let you in on a secret, he doesn’t know what he agreed to.”

I laughed. “Do you think you’ll get more followers?”

“At least three thousand tonight.” His confidence was infectious.

“You’re really into this, aren’t you?”

“What can I say? I love gaming, and if I can somehow make a living out of it, then I want to.”

“That’s a dream.” I shunted the bedding off me and rolled to the side to get out of the bed, but Jackson was blocking my way.

He slapped my ass, and I felt his eyes on me as my body jiggled. “Fuck. You are so hot. Have I told you that before, Pyro?”

“It seems to be a habit of yours, just like your fascination with gaming,” I teased, and I could tell he knew as much from the smile he threw my way.

“I probably have better odds with that than making the NFL. Granted, your view on things might be a little skewed with your brother, but most of us need other plans.”

“Mm-hm.”

“What are your plans after college?”

“I, uh, don’t know.” I waved my hand dismissively, as if that would somehow make my uncertainty less embarrassing. “I haven’t really thought about what I’m doing.”

My stomach bottomed out, and I cringed. “I’m studying theology, but I’m starting to think I might need to switch majors. There aren’t many practical jobs I can do with that, and I’m assuming becoming an NFL wife is out of the picture now.”

Jackson smirked. “Sorry to tell you, that went out the window the minute you came on my lap.”

“Will you stop with that lie! I didn’t come on your lap.”

He clutched his chest dramatically. “There you go, dashing my dreams one orgasm at a time.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to take a shower. I’ve got class and lunch with Britt today.”

Jackson propped himself up on his elbows, watching me with blatant amusement. “Are you going to tell her all about me?”

“I was thinking of it.”

His grin turned wicked. “Do, and let her know I’m game for the foursome if you and they are too.”

“Foursome?” With my brows pinched, I took in my boyfriend’s sheepish smile.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guess I forgot to tell you about that little dream I had.” He raised his hands. “No problem if you’re not up for it. I get it.”

I rolled my eyes, grabbed one of Jackson’s shirts, and walked back to my room. When I checked my phone, I realized I had even more missed calls from Tanner.

“Shit,” I murmured, immediately calling him back.

No response.

I was sure he was fine. If there was something wrong, Aster would have called. It was just, there was something about him not answering that concerned me, so I decided to send him a text.

Thea: Tan Tan! Sorry I missed your calls. I hope things are going as amazingly as I told you they would. I’m around today if you want to call. Love you!

Before I could overthink it, Jackson’s voice rang down the hall. “You nearly ready?”

“For?” I yelled back.

“I’m walking you to your class.”

“Oh, that’s exciting. I’ve never had a guy walk me to class before. Guess that means we’re going to be showing off our relationship status to the rest of campus.

“Get used to it, Pyro. You’re going to be by my side from now on.”

“Oh, possessive.”

“Damn straight, and after your class, wait outside for me.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to be one of those kinds of possessive boyfriends? One where I’m not allowed to walk around without you?”

“No. I want you to have your own independence. However, I also want to take you on our first date. Will you let me do that?”

“Yes.”

“Great. Then put some clothes on and let’s go.”

“You know, I really thought there’d be more people watching us.”

Jackson looked up from his club sandwich, scanning the bar. The place was quiet for a Tuesday afternoon. Only a handful of people were playing pool, and a few others were lazily picking at their meals.

Finishing his bite, he raised a brow, smirking. “You sound upset about that.” He leaned forward over the table, licking his lips. “Shall we put on a show? Make sure everyone is watching?”

I rolled my eyes, placing my palm on his lips and pushing him back into the booth opposite. “No. I just thought people would find it weird to see us together like this.”

“Eating lunch?”

“No … Not fighting.”

He huffed out a quiet laugh and reached for my hand, his fingers curling around mine. His thumb traced softly across my skin.

“They can’t hear us, Thea, and I think you’re forgetting that we’re always seen together, so this is no different.”

He was right. We were in the same group of friends. Even if we were bickering, we’d always ended up stuck sitting next to each other.

Funny. Looking back on it now, sitting next to Jackson always brought me a sense of comfort. I knew where I stood with him, which meant I could be honest with him.

I just hadn’t seen what was standing right in front of me.

“It’s nice to not be fighting,” I admitted.

“You’re telling me.” His eyes widened as he blew out a breath. “I wasn’t expecting this, Pyro, but I’m so happy I realized.”

“Me too.”

His fingers tightened around mine, a smile teasing the corners of his lips. But before I could lean into the moment, a voice cut through the warmth.

“Jackson.”

Grace.

The hairs on my arms prickled, a chill skittering down my spine the second I heard her voice. Before I could pull away, Jackson’s fingers tightened, his grip firm. When I met his eyes, his expression shifted instantly. With tense shoulders and a locked jaw, he slowly turned to her.

“What do you want?” Well, if the snarl didn’t hint that he’d had enough of this girl, nothing would.

She glanced between us, her smile tight and forced. “Well, I haven’t seen you in a while, and I’m surprised to find you here. You said you’d had enough of this place.”

“I think you’ll find it was more that I’d had enough of you.”

I took in a sharp breath. Damn. That burn was so hot I could’ve sworn it singed her hair. When she turned to me with a tight, angry glare, I closed my lips, trying to preserve any innocence I might have.

“Rude, much?”

Jackson didn’t blink. “You don’t want to see my rude side, Grace,” he warned.

She tsked, shaking her head. “Oh, did I hurt your feelings last time, Jacks? Are you sad I didn’t beg you to keep me around?”

Jackson didn’t respond. He just arched a brow before flicking his gaze to me, emphasizing the point.

I kicked her out. Told you.

As if I didn’t already believe him.

Grace looked between the two of us and pointed. “Wait. Are you two dating?”

Jackson smirked. Instead of answering, he lifted my hand and brushed a slow, lingering kiss against my knuckles.

Dating.

I really liked the sound of that.

Grace Scoffed. “Good luck with that, Thea.”

I smiled sweetly. “Thanks.” My tone was chipper like she hadn’t just baited me. I knew this game. Knew exactly what she was doing. She wanted me to bite. To ask what the hell she means. Just like she had when I was rushing for the sorority. She likes to push my buttons to see how far she can go.

Not happening anymore.

“Is there something else you wanted, Grace?” His voice was light. “My girlfriend and I are a little busy enjoying our lunch, and we’d appreciate some privacy.”

The word girlfriend rang between us loud and clear.

A claim. A statement. A fuck off.

Then just to drive the point home, Jackson leaned across the table and kissed me. Not a soft, chaste kiss. No, this was intentional. Possessive, even. His fingers tangled in my hair, anchoring me to him as he deepened the kiss, while his other hand held us steady, keeping us from knocking over the fries and ketchup between us.

My head spun.

Scratch feeling good. I felt great.

I was flying on cloud nine because he wasn’t just kissing me. He was owning this. Owning me. And I liked it.

When he pulled away, I was dazed, breathless, and fully aware of all the eyes on us.

Grace rolled her eyes and flicked her hand dismissively in my direction. “Enjoy riding on the desperate coattails of her brother.”

With that, she turned on her heel, muttering something under her breath, but I wasn’t done playing yet.

“Hey, Grace,” I called after her, my voice light, teasing. “You’re right about one thing.”

She paused, glancing over her shoulder, eyes bored and disinterested. “What?”

“Jackson chose me,” I said, letting the words settle. “So I guess that makes me a pick-me.”

She scoffed, her lips twisting in disgust. “Ugh, whatever. Enjoy your lameness together.”

“Gladly,” Jackson said, squeezing my hand.

When I turned back to him, his grin softened, his expression shifting as he took me in. My chest tightened, my throat thickened, and my eyes burned.

“What’s wrong?” His brows furrowed slightly. “I agree the takedown was a little corny, but I don’t think it’s worth crying over. We’ll work on it.”

I shook my head. “It’s not that.” I swallowed, exhaling shakily. “It’s just …” I hesitated, biting my lip. “I’ve never felt like this with someone before.”

His grip on my hand tightened. “Like what?”

“Desirable.” I felt mildly embarrassed admitting it.

Jackson’s chin dipped, his gaze darkening. Without a word, he slid out of his seat and moved into my side, closing the space between us. Slowly, he tilted my chin up, his fingers grazing my jaw, his eyes locked onto mine like I was something sacred. Something to be worshipped.

“You’re kidding, right?”

His lips pressed to the soft spot of my neck, slow and reverent, his breath warm against my skin, and I shivered.

“I hate the way you talk about the person I like most in this world.”

My heart clenched. “Jackson—”

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, pressing me flush against him. “Thea. You’re the best thing about this place.”

“That’s a bold statement.”

I felt his grin against my neck. “Not as bold as you. You’re a firecracker, and that’s the best thing about you.”

Heat curled low in my stomach, but before I could respond, Jackson’s phone buzzed on the table. His lips lingered against my skin as he reached for it, fumbling slightly before pressing it to his ear.

“Yes?”

His entire body tensed, and his face paled as his eyes flicked to mine. “Oh, hey, T. How’s it going?”

Tanner.

I hadn’t spoken to him since my night in the closet when he mentioned everything that happened with Aster. I assumed he was okay.

“No. No. I’m not busy.” I edged a little closer to Jackson in a vain attempt to hear their conversation. It was pointless in this bar with Bailey Hill’s latest track drowning it out.

“Come on. What’s up?” Jackson’s brows pulled together in a deep frown, his grip tightening. “Okay. Call me if you need me. Bye.”

The moment he placed his phone down, I pounced. “What was that about?”

“I don’t know. He said he wanted to talk but realized I was busy.”

“Oh.”

I jumped when my phone went off, and Tanner’s smiling face flashed across it. Needing to know what was going on, I answered, and Jackson moved out of my way as I shuffled to the exit.

“Hey, Tan Tan. How are you?” I asked, forcing a pep into my voice to mask the fact I’d just had his best friend’s hands all over me.

“Thea,” he said, and something about his tone made my spine straighten. “Oh, are you also at the bar?”

I froze.

The song.

I turned to Jackson, eyes wide.

“I’m sorry for bothering you,” Tanner continued. “Call me later when you get home.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No. Nothing. I just wanted to run something by you, but I think I’ve just figured it out.”

A nervous knot twisted in my stomach. “Figured what out?”

Silence. Then the line went dead.

“Tanner?” I pulled the phone from my ear, staring at it. “Did you just hang up on me?”

“Are you talking to yourself again, Pyro?”

Jackson’s arms wrapped around me, turning me in his hold, but I was still distracted and trying to process all the weirdness of that call. “Tanner just hung up on me after telling me he figured something out.”

“Interesting.” The tone in Jackson’s voice made it clear he didn’t find that interesting at all.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “He knew we were in the same bar. What if he figured out we were together?”

Jackson pulled back, pressing his fingers into my hips. “Is that what you’re worried about?” His lips twitched. “Thea, we’re always together. He wouldn’t think anything of it. And if he has figured us out, so what?” His voice softened, his eyes never leaving mine. “I want everyone to know I’m dating the incredible Thea Joyce.”

He kissed my cheek, and I smiled. No, that wasn’t the right word—I beamed. “Can I have you walking around with me as my own personal hype man from now on?”

“Did you forget? Woof. Woof. I’ll do whatever you want.”

I chuckled, my mind still racing. “We should tell him. If he hasn’t figured it out on his own when he gets back, we should let him know we’re dating.”

Jackson studied me. “You sure you’re okay with that?”

I nodded. “Yes. He wants me to be happy. I just doubt he ever expected for me to be happy with you.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of my head as he led me back to the table. “When’s he back?”

“In a few days.”

Jackson’s grip on my waist tightened, his breath brushing my ear. “Guess I’ll have to make the most of our time alone in the apartment.”

Before I could respond, his hand slid down, and he squeezed my ass, making me squeal. I swatted him away as we reached the table, but he just grinned, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

I shuffled into the booth, surprised when Jackson joined me. “I thought you said you were busy gaming tonight.”

“I am,” he said, “but it’s not going to take all night, and you’ll be sleeping in my bed, so who knows what’s going to happen.”

“Sleeping in your bed? That’s very presumptuous of you, Mr. James.”

He shrugged, his mouth descending to the same spot on my neck as earlier. “Yeah, well, I figured since we’re together, we might as well save on heat and warm each other up.”

“It’s April, Jackson. We don’t need the heat.”

“Don’t burn my dreams down, Pyro.”

I closed my eyes, tilting my head back, letting myself get lost in the way he touched me and made me feel.

This was it.

I could feel it.

And I hoped he could too.