But she answered with a sigh, her fingers curling into the flannel of his shirt.
That was all it took. Jackson deepened the kiss, his mouth parting hers, hunger slipping past caution. It was like they’d picked up right where he’d left her on the dining table last week.
Her body pressed closer, and he welcomed it, his other hand finding her waist, drawing her flush against him.
The sound he made was low and guttural, a mixture of desire and surrender, as her hands slid higher, exploring the width of his shoulders. She kissed him back with the kind of reckless heat that made him forget the walls he’d tried to rebuild.
Jackson groaned against her mouth as her fingers dropped lower, dancing over his stomach and over his chest. His hands found her hips, then slid under the edge of her sweater, palms dragging upward in slow passes over bare skin. She gasped as his thumbs grazed the sides of her ribs, then up again, catching just beneath her bra.
“You’re driving me insane,” he murmured against her throat, mouth brushing the soft spot just below her ear.
He heard her breath hitch. “You started it.”
He backed her gently until she met the wall, never breaking the kiss, hands exploring now with more urgency. He focused on the press of his thigh between hers, the way his hips aligned perfectly with hers. His fingers slipped beneath the band of her jeans, pausing there, a silent question.
Zoe’s hands slid up over his chest, over his shoulders, clutching at the back of his neck, holding him in place. His mouth was on her collarbone now, then lower, teeth grazing through the neckline of her shirt.
She was unraveling him, one kiss, one touch at a time.
“Jackson…” she whispered, her voice tight, breathless. “Wait.”
He froze instantly. His forehead dropped to her shoulder, chest rising and falling against hers.
“What are we doing?” she asked, her voice cracking around the question. Her fingers stayed curled at the back of his neck, but her body tensed beneath his. “Is this just—?” She swallowed. “Is this going somewhere or are we still just pretending it’s not real?”
The silence stretched.
She didn’t pull away. Not fully.
“I need to know,” she whispered. “Because I can’t keep getting my heart broken.”
He swallowed hard. “I know. You’re right. I need to be clearer.”
“About what?”
“That there’s no future here, any time soon.” His voice cracked. “I want you. God, I do. I can’t resist you, Zoe. But I’m not… ready. I thought I could fake it, that I could be what everyone wants me to be, but?—”
“Jackson.” Her voice trembled, but she didn’t step back. “I said you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to let me in.”
He shook his head, jaw tight. “You deserve someone who’s whole. I’m still so far away from there. I can’t drag you through that. I won’t.”
She swallowed hard, nodding, even as her voice came out small. “Then what are we supposed to do?”
He forced the words out. “We stick to the plan. We finish the Spring Fling, win Couple of the Year.”
Zoe stared at him, her chin trembling. “And after that?”
He hesitated. “After that, I take the time I need. Figure myself out.”
Her eyes shimmered, but she managed a sad little smile. “Then I’ll be right here. Whenever you’re ready.”
The words hit him square in the chest, and for a moment he couldn’t breathe.
He reached for her hand, squeezed it once, hard, and then let go. “No more time alone,” he said quietly. “We can’t risk this getting even harder to bear.”
“Too late,” she whispered.
Jackson looked at her, really looked, and knew she was one hundred percent telling the truth. He hadn’t known what hard was until this.
