I grab the subway and head to his apartment, where he has another day of surprises in store for me. He’s standing outside waiting, and the sight of him causes my pulse to spike. His dark brown hair is in sexy disarray and his white T-shirt is tight, which lets me see his defined muscles perfectly. Butterflies stir in my stomach. It astounds me that we’re dating—he’s magnificent, commanding, sweet, and so many other things. I can’t keep my eyes off him when he’s around. The chemistry between us crackles like flames on a log. My body comes to life when he touches me—it’s a heady feeling.
As I approach he gives me a lopsided grin. “Hello, gorgeous.”
“Hello yourself.” I smile and he immediately reaches out, pulling me flush against him. “Do you always have to manhandle me?”
“Well, baby, I’m all man and I sure as hell love to handle you.” His eyes glimmer with humor.
Hell yeah he’s all man—every single fantastic inch of him.
“You’re ridiculous.” I shake my head.
“Yet you keep coming back, so I must not be that bad.” He smirks and gives me a long, panty-melting kiss.
Right here on 5th Avenue in New York City, he has once again rendered me helpless. Shoppers, families, cabs, and bikers all fade away as his lips move with mine. Jackson pulls back and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
I love how physical he is, almost as if he can’t keep his hands off me. It’s such a contrast to anything I’m used to. Whether it’s holding hands or something as simple as touching legs when we watch television, those small moments say so much. They’re unspoken words that show the true depth of what we’re both feeling.
“So what’s on our agenda today?” I ask with a light heart.
There’s happiness dancing in his eyes when he responds, “The park.”
My face falls at his answer. Jackson told me to make sure I was comfortable today. No heels, no dresses. He said to be sure I wore sneakers. I made him promise no military training exercises, no entering me for some kind of race or marathon, and no other strenuous physical activity that would have me aching for days after completion. After my ribbing about his love of running and exercise in general, I was a little hesitant, but he swore I would love today. I trusted him—first mistake.
“Why do I think I should’ve stayed home in bed?” I groan.
He laughs and pulls me tighter. “I wasn’t in bed with you, so that’s reason enough to get up,” Jackson jokes in my ear as we walk. “One day I’ll get you to agree to a mud run or something, but you’ll be happy to know I kept my end of the bargain today. They don’t have an obstacle course in Central Park—yet. And there’s no marathon.”
“Yet somehow that doesn’t comfort me.” I smile and nudge him.
We keep walking until we stop in front of the Central Park Zoo. My smile is so wide I can’t contain it. I leap into his arms, wrapping my legs around his torso and pressing my lips to his. His eyes are bright and full of happiness.
“Jackson!” I squeal, hugging him tight.
“Happy?” he asks with an irresistibly devilish grin.
I’ve thought it before and I’m thinking it now—Jackson can read my mind. Or we’re just that in sync. The zoo. This is one of the few places that holds any kind of happy memories for me and my dad. I love that he brought me here.
I let him see it all in my eyes, allowing him to see how very much this means to me. My whole heart is open to him as we stand wrapped around each other. After a few seconds or minutes—I don’t know which—I give him another kiss and untangle myself.
“Come on, babe. Let’s go inside.” His husky voice wraps around my heart, warming me from the inside out.
Our fingers lace together as we enter through the brick archway. I pull him around the zoo, looking at all the animals and laughing with him throughout our miniature safari in the city. We walk and catch each other up on the days we were both swamped and couldn’t talk. Jackson informs me about his upcoming trip to Virginia in the next few weeks. I tell him about Ashton’s newest fling. When we approach my favorite animals, I’m practically bouncing up and down.
“I love the camels!” I shout, pulling him to the fence. “They’re the most underrated animals.”
Jackson’s laughter peals through my cooing at the camel in the back. “You’re kidding. This is your favorite animal?”
“Whatever! I think they’re cute. They have the humps and they’re strong.” I stare through as the one I’m wooing comes closer.
“I like to hump and I’m strong. I’m sensing a pattern.” His brow lifts.
My brain blanks out as I envision Jackson doing a variety of things in the bedroom. I need to move off this topic quickly before my thoughts go further in the wrong direction.
“Anyway. They’re my favorite.” I smile.
“I seriously can’t believe this is what you wanted to see. I mean, how ’bout a lion? Monkey? Something cool,” he says with humor and a trace of incredulity.
I shake my head at his indifference toward this beautiful creature.
“They’re cool. They even have a song about them.” I raise my brows.
“What song?” he asks, laughing and clearly confused.
“You know, ‘Sally the Camel has Five Humps,’” I say in a singsong way. Back in college I babysat a child whose favorite show played that counting song all the time. It was annoying and repetitious and would inevitably get stuck in your head and drive you crazy. If he thinks I’m going to sing it to him, he’s lost his damn mind.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about, but by all means feel free to sing it.” Jackson’s smile lights up his face.
“No, I don’t think that would be enjoyable for either of us.” I laugh, returning my gaze to the animals. “If I lived on a farm, I’d own one.”
“They’re gross and they smell. Plus, I’ve ridden them plenty during deployments. I promise there is nothing special about a camel. Now, you want to talk about a tiger, I’m all for it.” He grins, enjoying his teasing.
The camel walks over to the fence and a young boy lifts his hand up, feeding it from his palm. I giggle, but Jackson looks like he’s disgusted.
“See. You couldn’t feed a lion from your hand.” I tilt my head, toying with him. The machine to get food for the camel is a few feet away. I dig through my purse for the quarter I need as Jackson scoffs.
“No, but—” Before he can finish his sentence, the camel spits and it lands not even an inch in front of him.
I bust out laughing. Tears stream from my eyes as he stands there looking like he wants to climb the fence and teach it a lesson, which only makes me laugh harder. Jackson stares at me before his own grin and chuckle break free. “Oh my … She showed you!” I barely get out.
“So not funny.” He rushes toward me and grips my hand, pulling me away from the animal, which clearly does not like him. “Fucking thing almost got me.”
“If only my beautiful Jessica had better aim.” I giggle and wrap my arms around his torso, trying to control myself.
“You named the camel that tried to spit on me?” Jackson asks, sounding wounded.
“Jessica the camel. She only spit because you were being an ass and talking shit about her.” I wink.
“Glad to see where your loyalties lie.”
“Jessica and I have a strong bond. Sorry, babe, Jessica and I are like this.” I say and hold my crossed fingers up.
We stop in front of the next animal and he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. I gaze at him, breathing in this moment in time. I love the way he makes me laugh, smile, and enjoy a normal day. Jackson brings out parts of me that I’d buried after Neil. But I don’t have to pretend with him. I can just be. Knowing that he doesn’t want to change me, that he wants to be with me as I am—it’s liberating. I snake my arms up his taut back as my mind drifts to all the ways Jackson’s infiltrated my heart and soul. I think of him as soon as I wake up and before I go to bed. He’s in my dreams too. He’s wrapped up with every aspect of my work life, but even when I’m not looking at the launch, someone will say something that brings me back to him.