Page 45 of The Sandover Beach Billionaire

“You mean one and a half-th date.”

“Can’t get anything past you, Monroe. Anyway, I’m glad I like the music so I don’t get kicked out on date one-point-five.”

“It’s my soul music,” she said, not intending to say it. The words sounded silly out loud.

But Jackson did not laugh and instead kissed her temple, letting his lips linger. “I can see that. Or—hear it, I guess. It’s you. Jenna Monroe Music.”

“Do you really know me well enough to say that?” Jenna mentally cringed at the words. She hadn’t spoken sharply, but they felt too honest.

Jackson didn’t even flinch. “Tough question with a complicated answer. I feel like I know you so well and not at all. I told you yesterday that I liked you back in high school. Really, I have since then. Not in a creepy way, but I always watched you.” He chuckled. “Okay, that still sounds creepy. I noticed you. I felt like a moth to a flame. If you were somewhere, I noticed. But, obviously, we weren’t ever close. I only know what I saw.”

“What did you see?” Jenna felt greedy whispering the question, but after Mark, she felt like she needed more commitment before she could fully open herself up to even the possibility of him. This thing with Jackson, it was powerful and fast. Like a riptide, he was pulling her away from safe shores. She needed some assurance of faith that she could really trust him.

His arms tightened around her and his lips moved to her cheek, where his breath fanned over her skin as he spoke. “I saw a girl who loved well and loved hard. Fierce and loyal, funny and unique. A girl far too good for the guy she was with, and far too good for me.”

“Jackson—”

“Don’t argue, Monroe. It was true back then and is true now. I will never feel good enough for your love, should you ever offer it. But I’m not stupid enough to turn you away if you do. I will simply be thankful for the gift.” He pulled back enough that he could cup her face in his hands. “That’s what you are, you know. My gift.”

She had no words. Jenna wanted to respond in a way that told him how treasured he made her feel. She longed to find a way to tell him the goodness and kindness she saw in him. But the ability to speak escaped her. Instead, Jenna lifted up on her toes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Just one sweet, tender kiss.

Sighing, she pressed her face back into his neck. His chin rested on her hair and he lifted a hand to touch her neck, the barest motion of his fingertips. It sent a shudder down the length of her body.

Remember this moment, she told herself, trying to take in every part of it to commit to memory. The warm melody of “Claim Your Ghost” played around them. The night sounds of frogs and insects stirred awake in the marsh woods behind them, what she always thought of as summer sounds. As she continued to sway, safe in Jackson’s arms, Jenna began to believe that just maybe, this moment was the beginning of many more beautiful moments to come with this man whose arms felt like home.

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