جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 180

That evening Jackson came to pick me up. He stood outside the house holding a small bouquet of fresh flowers, looking quietly apologetic. The moment I stepped out with Jr beside me, his eyes softened.“I’m so sorry about today, beautiful,” he said as he walked toward us.“Hi, Uncle Jackson!” Jr greeted him brightly.“Hello, handsome.” Jackson crouched a little and brought out a small gift box from behind the flowers. “This is for you.” He handed it over and pressed a gentle kiss to Jr’s forehead.“Thank you, Uncle Jackson.”“You’re welcome.”I turned to Loretta, who was waiting just inside the doorway. “Please take Jr inside. And don’t open the door for anyone except me, okay?”“Alright, ma’am. Come on, Jr—let’s go inside.”Once the door closed behind them, Jackson finally held the flowers out to me. I took them, lifting the bouquet to my face. Soft white and pale pink blooms, their scent light and clean.“These smell wonderful,” I said, glancing up at him.We stood there for a mome

I opened my mouth to speak “Jackson…”Before I could finish, he cupped my face in both hands and kissed me again—deeper this time, more certain. The warmth of his mouth erased the words I had been about to say.His fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt. One by one he undid them until the fabric fell open, revealing the solid lines of his chest. He took my hand and placed it against his bare skin, guiding it slowly downward—over the warm plane of his chest, across the taut muscles of his abdomen, lower still. I could feel the heat of him, the quiet strength beneath my palm.He leaned in and kissed me once more. This time I felt the hard length of him press against my thigh through his trousers as he slowly gathered the hem of my short, free-flowing dinner dress and began sliding it upward. His hands moved along the bare skin of my thighs, climbing higher, the touch deliberate and hungry. His fingertips had almost reached the edge of my underwear when I suddenly caught his wrists a

I poured myself another glass, one glass became another.Still, every thought led back to Payton.How could she be this heartless?She was standing right in front of me after everything we had shared. After all those years I had spent tearing myself apart looking for her. After everything I had gone through before for us to be happy together and after finally finding her again.And now she was dancing with another man as if none of it had ever mattered.As if I meant nothing.It wasn't just jealousy.It was the feeling of being deliberately pushed aside, of watching someone I had once loved with everything inside me give another man the place I had spent years desperately trying to reclaim—both then and even now.The thought made my chest tighten.I needed to leave before I lost control.I stood and shrugged off my suit jacket, the heat under my collar suddenly unbearable. I undid the top buttons of my shirt and loosened my tie, fighting to breathe through the anger rising hard insid

I didn’t answer right away. I just held him tighter.“Why did you sleep with him?”“I didn’t.”He lifted his head slowly. His eyes were swollen, red-rimmed, searching mine like he was terrified of what he’d find. I kept going before he could speak again.“I only took him out of that party because I saw how furious you were. I didn’t want you to cause a scene. So I dragged him home. That was it.”Teddy’s breath stuttered. “So you’re saying he didn’t sleep with you.”“He tried.” Fresh tears slipped free. “But I couldn’t. I just… couldn’t.”“Why?” His voice dropped to almost nothing. “Why is that?”“Because of you.” The words came out raw. “Because all these years, no matter how far away you were, no matter how hard I tried… all I kept thinking about was you. I couldn’t do it with anybody else. Because I still love you, Teddy.”“Payton…” he whispered.I didn’t stop. The truth kept spilling out of me.“I don’t know why I love you so much. It’s killing me. I know you’re wrong for me. I kno

She cupped my face and kissed me hard—deep, demanding, like she was trying to punish me and claim me at the same time. My hands went straight to the buttons of her white shirt, working them open one by one until I could tug the fabric free from her pants. She didn’t wait. She yanked my singlet up and over my head in one sharp motion, tossing it aside. I pulled her closer by the waistband of those tailored pants, bodies flush, and for a moment we just stared at each other, breathing hard, the air between us thick and charged.I unzipped her pants slowly, eyes never leaving hers, then dropped to my knees. She placed a steadying hand on my shoulder as I dragged the fabric down over her hips and legs, tossing the pants aside. The sight of her standing over me in just the open shirt and panties almost undid me.“Oh, Payton…” I whispered.I buried my face between her thighs, lips hovering right against the thin fabric of her panties. She smelled so fucking good—warm, clean, and already a li