Page 33 of Captured By Fate

I obediently lower myself onto the plush cushion. Jackson joins me on the lounge chair and pats the space beside him, inviting me to snuggle closer. I hesitate.

“Last night,” I begin, “It didn’t mean anything, you know?”

His head falls back with the force of his laughter and I stare at him in confusion. He moves closer to me, still chuckling and his hands come up to grab my breasts.

I gasp as a wave of intense sensations wash over me.

"Of course it meant something," he says between chuckles, pulling me close and wrapping a towel around us both. "I feel you in every inch of my being. Don’t try to deny the electricity between us."

His voice is low and velvety, his hands make me shiver.

His bare skin is warm from the sun against mine, making me all hot and tingly. He pulls me even closer as he trails his fingers down my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"Your taste is still on my lips," he murmurs against my ear, his breath tickling my neck.

The smell of chlorine mixes with the salty smell of bacon creating a heady cocktail that intoxicates me further.

“If you need a reminder, Kelley, I’ll happily oblige,” he whispers against the shell of my ear. His fingers pinch my nipple until I gasp in pleasure and pain.

“You’re the one seeking more,” he adds.

With his free hand, he cups my ass, pulling me flush against his long body. My breath catches in my throat as I feel every hard inch of him pressed against my thigh.

“You can’t deny how good it felt,” he growls, his voice a dangerous purr in my ear. I shiver, a delicious chill running through me. I knew this would happen. Once Pandora’s box was opened, there was no closing it again.

“We can’t do this,” I protest weakly, my resolve crumbling under the onslaught of lust coursing through my veins. “People will talk.”

He chuckles darkly and bites my earlobe playfully before soothing it with a swipe of his tongue.

“Did that stop you last night?” he queries, pulling away to look deep into my eyes - pools of emerald that both entice and intimidate me at the same time. His grip on my ass tightens, his fingers digging into the soft flesh as if he were branding me as his own.

My insides clench at the possessiveness in his voice and actions, but it only fans the flames of desire burning between my legs instead of dousing them outright. Jackson's hand finds its way to my thigh, tracing slow circles as if he's drawing a heartbeat on my skin.

He scrapes his nose against my neck, inhaling deeply. His breath tickles my earlobe, and I tremble against his touch.

And then…his phone rings. The look of annoyance on his face is almost enough to make me laugh. His eyes narrow before he releases me and grabs the phone off the table.

He speaks quietly to whoever is on the other line before giving me a pointed look as if to say, “You’re full of shit if you think this is over.”

Without another word, he turns on his heel, the phone still pressed against his ear, and departs. Leaving me standing alone by the poolside. My body burning from his touch.

20

JACKSON

There are six founding members of the underground racing club, including me. I sit at the head of a polished conference table, eyeing all six members as they eye me.

The tension in the air is thick. Benny, the current head, leans forward with a probing look. I’m here because he wants to address the issue of Kelley.

All of my self-control goes toward keeping my body and my temper composed. I’m not even sure I’m hiding my annoyance. If they choose to discuss Kelley it shouldn’t bother me. I got what I wanted from her.

"I understand your concern, Benny," I say calmly, keeping my voice steady despite the racing of my heart. "But we've always been careful with our operations. No one has ever been able to find out about us before."

My fingers drum gently on the tabletop as I speak, trying to keep my nerves from getting the best of me. “And despite Kelley being a reporter, she doesn't know anything that could bring us down."

Around me, the other members shift uncomfortably in their seats. They know it's true; we've always been careful with our dealings and kept our identities hidden well.

But still, there's a nagging worry that won't go away... especially after what happened last time. We all remember how close we came to being exposed when that cop got too curious.

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