She couldn’t help it. She brushed the hair off his forehead. “Kind of like Lori did for you?”
“No.” He grabbed her wrist. “You did that. I would never have gone out with Lori if you hadn’t knocked me on my ass so hard.” He kissed her hand, the look in his eyes saying, It’s you. It’s always been you.
“I’m so glad I could help you date other women.” Oh, shit. She’d meant it as a joke, but when his eyebrows shot up, she heard how bitter she’d sounded. And, in that moment, she knew it was time to let the past go. If she wanted anything to develop between her and Jinx, she had to let go of the hurt and fear. “I was so jealous when I saw you and Lori together. I knew I had no right to be. I just…I’d gotten used to you wanting me, I hadn’t expected it to go away and…when it did, it hurt.”
“It never went away. Never will.” He cupped her chin. “This afternoon, when my mom was in the dressing room, you said ‘it’s big this thing, us.’ You were going to say something else. What was it?”
This is my chance. Take it. “That what we have…it’s so much more than simple attraction. And that’s what scares me. I…” She reached for a sugar packet and tapped it on the white tablecloth. “Ugh. I’m going to sound like a mess.”
“You’re the least messy person I know.”
“In most ways, you’re right. But in this one—relationships? I’m a big, complicated mess. The biggest problem for me is, if we don’t work out…if we break up or you leave town…Rocco couldn’t handle that.”
The truth hit her like a wall of ocean water, knocking her back so hard she lost her breath. “Oh, my God.” She tossed the sugar packet, shook her head. “It’s not Rocco I’m protecting. It’s me. I’m the one who couldn’t handle falling for you the way I know I would—because this connection we have? It’s just so strong. And if I open my heart again…you don’t know. I love so hard, Jinx. So hard.”
“I sure as fuck do know. You think I don’t see how much you love your son? Your brother…your family? I want that, Sky. And you can bet, if you trust me with that kind of love, I will never take it for granted. Not for a second. Because I’m going to treat you like a queen. I’m going to make sure you know every single minute of every day that you’re the most beautiful person on this earth.” He grabbed her other hand. “I’m crazy about you, Skylar James. The only time—” He closed his mouth, the muscle in his jawing flexing.
She moved closer to him. “The only time what?”
The intensity in his eyes burned right through to her heart, giving her a punch of adrenaline. “The only time I’m at peace is when I’m with you. Every day, I go through the motions. My life’s separated into all these little pieces, work, home, my mom. But when I’m with you and Rocco, everything falls into place, and I feel whole.”
“Rocco?” Did he even know what he just said?
“Yes, when I’m with the two of you…why are you looking at me like that?”
“You feel whole with us…not just with me?”
“Rocco is you. I want the whole package.”
Dead. Skylar James was dead. This man…holy mother of God. Her lower lip trembled, and there was nothing she could do to keep the tears from spilling hot onto her cheeks. “You’re…God, Jinx.”
“Yeah. I feel the same way. Come on.” He slid out of the booth. “Let’s dance.”
“You want to dance right now?”
He drew her into his arms, snugged her right up against him. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. “It’s either that or make out with you at the table. You don’t know how hard it is not to touch you.”
“Oh, yes, I do.”
He rested his forehead on hers. “Yeah? You want to touch me? Because there’s nothing stopping you. You can touch me all you want.”
“I’m pretty sure we’d be kicked out if I touched you where I want.”
He exhaled a hot, drawn-out fuck right at her ear. Wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands splayed on the top swells of her ass, he pressed his hips to hers. “You’re killing me.”
The feel of his hard cock against her stomach sent a sharp spike of arousal through her. She clung to him, forcing herself not to move her hips to get the friction she desperately needed.
“I like everything about you. The way you smell.” He held her tighter, and she could feel the tremble in his arms. “Your hair. It’s feisty, just like you. I like the way your eyes light up when you see my mom happy.” He pressed her closer to him. “I want you, Skylar Bennington James.”
She tipped her head back to see him better. “You know my middle name?”
“’Skylar Bennington James, you put that down right this minute.’”
She laughed at the way he mimicked her mom’s tone whenever she was angry at her children. Dropping her forehead to his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I want you, too, Jackson Matthew Costello.” A shiver tripped down her spine, creating a wave throughout her entire body. “I like you too much.”
He tipped her chin. “How much?”
He’d opened his heart to her, and it was time she did the same. “I’m ready.”
He looked confused. “For?”
“I’m done fighting my feelings for you. It was easy to push you away when it was nothing more than physical attraction. You’re gorgeous, and you’ve got a body to die for. Those things I could resist. But you’re the kindest, sweetest, most generous man I’ve ever known. And…” Tears burned.
“No, no more tears. I can’t take it.”
She shook her head. She needed to say this. “But you’re so good with my son.” She held his gaze, and emotion swelled so big and hard she couldn’t contain it. “I like you so much, Jinx, and I…” She got up on her toes, clasped a hand around his neck and drew his mouth down to hers. “I really want to kiss you.”
The first brush of lips sent sparks shooting through her. This big, hard muscled man was so gentle, his lips soft. He kissed her like she was a precious thing, like he wanted to savor this moment he’d waited so long for.
But she was too needy, too desperate for him. Licking the seam of his mouth, she felt a shudder run through his body. When their tongues collided, the world burst into a shower of stars, and—Oh, my God—she’d never wanted anyone the way she wanted him. “You think your mom will mind if we leave without her?”
Grabbing her hand, he led her across the dance floor and whispered into his mom’s ear. She glanced to Skylar, looking concerned.
When he came back to her, she said, “What did you tell your mom?”
“I might’ve said I needed to get you to bed.”
“You what?” She nudged him. “You did not tell your mom we’re leaving to have sex.”
He grinned. “She thinks you’re not feeling well.”
“Thank God.”
Right there on the dance floor, he cupped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Just so we’re clear, I get that you’re away from your son, you’re in Vegas, and you want to have some fun. But I don’t want an hour with you. I don’t want one night.”