Page 30 of Jackson
Jackson narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her.What’s going through that sharp mind of yours?
Mere moments ago, she’d beenrivetedby Henry and Lincoln’s interaction. He’d seen the way she’d locked onto them, the subtle tell of her breath catching, the way she’d pressed her lips together and turned back to the food table, like she was trying to shut down a reaction.
Could she even articulate what had captivated her?
Or is it something you don’t want to admit to yourself yet?
It made him wonder—had he simply never caught on to her submissive streak before? Had he been so enmeshed in his past relationship with Monica that he’d missed the cues Paula had been giving him all along?
The room buzzed with conversation and laughter, the scent of good food still lingering in the air. The party had mellowed slightly, with some guests settling into quieter conversations. An empty spot was available near the French doors leading to the patio, and without a word, he reached out, placing his hand lightly at the small of Paula’s back. He barely had to apply pressure before she responded, allowing him to guide her toward the quieter space.
Perfect.
Satisfaction curled low in his gut. She might not have noticed it, but she’d followed his lead without hesitation. It was something he’d always found beautiful about the lifestyle—partners moving together, instinctively attuned to each other. He didn’t only want that in play. He wanted it ineverything. That was why the 24/7 TPE lifestyle was his kind of kink.
They reached the edge of the room, and as they paused, Paula turned slightly toward him.
“That was impressive,” she murmured.
Jackson lifted a brow, a slow smile tugging at his lips. He was pretty damn sure what she meant, but he asked anyway. “What was?”
Paula’s expression was still conflicted, like she was sorting through unfamiliar territory in her mind. “Henry and Lincoln.” She shook her head, her voice tinged with something he couldn’t quite place. “I can’t explain it. The way Lincoln served him—Henry didn’t have to say a word, and Lincoln justknew. He was completely tuned in. And he—” She exhaled, as if trying to find the right words. “He wasrelaxedin it. Like it was second nature.”
Jackson tilted his head, watching her intently.You see it now, don’t you?
Paula made eye contact with him, and her open expression warmed his soul. “You know, I’m understanding this lifestyle and its appeal a little more every time I see it. The dynamic can be amazing.”
Thank God.
She was still looking him in the eyes, her hands lying on the table between them. Jackson placed his hands on top of hers. “How would you feel about exploring things further with me?”
Paula gave him a smile that made her look younger, and she nodded decidedly. “I’d be interested”—she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth—“although I don’t know what it would entail.”
“That’s for us to discuss and decide. Draft a contract, create limit lists and such.”
“Why can’t we just try? Why the contract? Kate told me it isn’t legally binding. Why is it important?”
Jackson laughed at her barrage of questions. “You’re a detective, even off duty, aren’t you? No, a contract isn’t legally binding, but it’s important for me. Writing down our dynamic will help us open up our communication, and the negotiation process is an important way to help our relationship grow. The second reason is to help us to get into the mindset, the fantasy.”
“To draw up a contract sounds scary to me. What if I don’t like it?” Paula said.
“If you don’t like it, we can renegotiate,” Jackson answered with a squeeze to her hands he hoped reassured her. “How about we start with a three-month term?”
“Three months is an awfully long time if we make each other miserable,” Paula responded.
“It sounds like you’re convinced this isn’t going to work.” Jackson allowed his disapproval to show in his tone.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. My track record with relationships isn’t great, and I’m worried about how this will affect our jobs, too.”
Jackson hated to see her in pain. He was fairly certain Paula was the woman for him, but he could see he needed to compromise. “Okay, let’s do two months instead. You have to understand for us to work as a lifestyle couple we have to have some time to adjust. Two months is short, but I think it will be enough for us to decide how we want to go from there.”
“Would you ever want a relationship without a contract?” Paula cocked her head in a way he found adorable.
“That’s a hard question. I don’t think so. If you’d asked me seven years ago, I would have asked you what kind of relationship needed a contract. That was before I was in thelifestyle, and I had vanilla relationships. So who knows what I will or won’t do ten years from now?”
Paula nodded. “Okay, that’s fair. I think I can handle two months.” Her smile became more confident. Jackson picked up her hands and turned them over to press a kiss to the center. He could have been Aragorn when Arwen arrived in Gondor with an army of elves to help in the battle against Sauron. Paula blushed at his attention. “So how do we go about all this negotiating? Could we go somewhere more private?”
Jackson wanted to shout his excitement from the rooftop at Paula’s willingness to move forward. He contented himself with a wide smile. “Absolutely, we should do this elsewhere. Let’s plan on getting together tomorrow. Could I have your email? I’d like to send you links to some reading material, sample contracts, limit lists, and so forth. That way you’ll be more prepared when we talk.”
