race, but perhaps he found Hidden Hills too small for his taste.
He must have sensed her presence because he turned around and motioned her near. Even though Selena feared the look of rejection would be written all over her face, she stepped toward him, her body shaking.
Jackson moved toward her and wrapped a comforting hand around her waist. “I’m honored that you asked, sir, but my answer is the same. I love it here in Hidden Hills and plan to stay and raise a family.”
Jackson looked down at her with what could best be described as love.
Wait a minute. Did he just say he wanted a family? For real? Her heart nearly burst. As soon as he disconnected, she twisted in his arms to face him. “You’re really staying? For good?”
He dragged a knuckle down her cheek. “It’s what I’ve been saying all along. I never planned to leave. When I saw you in the Chief’s office that first day all those months ago, I knew we were mates. Destiny brought you to me and I wasn’t going to let you go.”
Tears shimmered on her lids, and she almost didn’t want to believe someone as wonderful as Jackson was real.
She needed to fight her fear and accept his love. He wanted her.
Jackson cupped her face. “As much as I’m dying to make love with you right now, I want to make certain you’re fully recovered before we take that final step. I don’t want the worry of your mother’s health or the department duties to get in the way of us.”
“Are you kidding? I want you for my mate. Forever.”
Her blurted revelation even stunned her in its intensity. Jackson had slowly been worming his way into her heart for weeks if not months, yet she’d been too stubborn to admit it. Relief at opening her heart flooded her with joy and excitement.
Jackson’s insistence that they wait before they committed to being mates, coupled with the way he appeared to be in pain telling her no, made her insides snap. It was almost like she’d died and been given her life review. Selena had let bitterness get in the way of true love and had judged Jackson without giving him a chance. They’d been together for more than three months and not once had he let her down.
While the days of broken promises might surface now and again, they probably wouldn’t be coming from him.
As if he, too, couldn’t believe her vehement pronouncement, he studied her. His dark eyes slowly lightened to green swirls and his face took on a ruddy hue. Even his breathing sped up. “Are you sure?”
“More than sure. I know I can be willful, but you’ve shown me what a wonderful man you are. I misjudged you, and for that I’m sorry.”
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.” He hugged her then stepped into the kitchen.
What? He was walking away now? He should be ravishing her, stripping her naked, and kissing her silly. Men . She’d never understand them.
Guess she’d just have to take this mating thing into her own hands. Selena ducked into the kitchen then moved toward him with as much sex appeal as she knew how, but she suspected the baggy pajamas weren’t helping her cause.
“Hey,” Jackson said as he poured two cups of coffee.
“Hey, back.” She stepped behind him, and when she tried to untuck his shirt from his pants, he set down the pot, turned around, and clasped her wrists.
“Whoa, there. You aren’t ready to be making any decisions about when we mate. How about we eat first?”
Being told no went against the very fiber of her being. “I’d rather eat you.”
He chuckled. “You need time to process everything that’s going on in your life and what our mating will mean.”
“Do not.” For the first time in her life, she knew what she wanted. “I want you more than life itself.”
He leaned in close, which only messed with her head more. “That might be because you bit me and we’re now half mated. Both of our desires have increased tenfold, but there’s a difference between pure animal lust and passionate desire.”
He
He must have sensed her presence because he turned around and motioned her near. Even though Selena feared the look of rejection would be written all over her face, she stepped toward him, her body shaking.
Jackson moved toward her and wrapped a comforting hand around her waist. “I’m honored that you asked, sir, but my answer is the same. I love it here in Hidden Hills and plan to stay and raise a family.”
Jackson looked down at her with what could best be described as love.
Wait a minute. Did he just say he wanted a family? For real? Her heart nearly burst. As soon as he disconnected, she twisted in his arms to face him. “You’re really staying? For good?”
He dragged a knuckle down her cheek. “It’s what I’ve been saying all along. I never planned to leave. When I saw you in the Chief’s office that first day all those months ago, I knew we were mates. Destiny brought you to me and I wasn’t going to let you go.”
Tears shimmered on her lids, and she almost didn’t want to believe someone as wonderful as Jackson was real.
She needed to fight her fear and accept his love. He wanted her.
Jackson cupped her face. “As much as I’m dying to make love with you right now, I want to make certain you’re fully recovered before we take that final step. I don’t want the worry of your mother’s health or the department duties to get in the way of us.”
“Are you kidding? I want you for my mate. Forever.”
Her blurted revelation even stunned her in its intensity. Jackson had slowly been worming his way into her heart for weeks if not months, yet she’d been too stubborn to admit it. Relief at opening her heart flooded her with joy and excitement.
Jackson’s insistence that they wait before they committed to being mates, coupled with the way he appeared to be in pain telling her no, made her insides snap. It was almost like she’d died and been given her life review. Selena had let bitterness get in the way of true love and had judged Jackson without giving him a chance. They’d been together for more than three months and not once had he let her down.
While the days of broken promises might surface now and again, they probably wouldn’t be coming from him.
As if he, too, couldn’t believe her vehement pronouncement, he studied her. His dark eyes slowly lightened to green swirls and his face took on a ruddy hue. Even his breathing sped up. “Are you sure?”
“More than sure. I know I can be willful, but you’ve shown me what a wonderful man you are. I misjudged you, and for that I’m sorry.”
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.” He hugged her then stepped into the kitchen.
What? He was walking away now? He should be ravishing her, stripping her naked, and kissing her silly. Men . She’d never understand them.
Guess she’d just have to take this mating thing into her own hands. Selena ducked into the kitchen then moved toward him with as much sex appeal as she knew how, but she suspected the baggy pajamas weren’t helping her cause.
“Hey,” Jackson said as he poured two cups of coffee.
“Hey, back.” She stepped behind him, and when she tried to untuck his shirt from his pants, he set down the pot, turned around, and clasped her wrists.
“Whoa, there. You aren’t ready to be making any decisions about when we mate. How about we eat first?”
Being told no went against the very fiber of her being. “I’d rather eat you.”
He chuckled. “You need time to process everything that’s going on in your life and what our mating will mean.”
“Do not.” For the first time in her life, she knew what she wanted. “I want you more than life itself.”
He leaned in close, which only messed with her head more. “That might be because you bit me and we’re now half mated. Both of our desires have increased tenfold, but there’s a difference between pure animal lust and passionate desire.”
He
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