"You'd be right," he said with a bitter chuckle. "She seems to have built this elaborate romance, turning the two of us into star crossed lovers. But that's not our story."
I propped my hand under my chin. "And what's our story, Jacob?"
He swept my bangs from my eyes, his fingers lingering. "Well for starters, you're not the latest in a long line of submissives. I've had a similar arrangement twice before."
I couldn't believe it. "Only two others? But I thought..." I remembered the sly jabs of the woman from the boutique, the flight attendant.
"I know." He brought a single finger down, tracing the line of my jaw. "And just to be clear, this-" He gestured between us. "Talking, being near one of another afterwards, you are the only one."
Oh my god. I was definitely blushing now. I tilted my head down, but he brought my chin back up gently.
"Don't do that," his eyes sparkled playfully. "You're so beautiful when you're embarrassed." I gave him a look and he let out a raucous laugh. "And when you're being stubborn. Just like the day we met."
I bit my lip, the memory of the nerves and the thrill skating over me. "I wanted you so bad."
"You and me both," he said, his voice taking on the husky edge that drove me wild. "More than I ever wanted anyone."
It was exactly what I wanted to hear, but I hesitated when he brought his lips to mine. Jacob cared about me, but I knew something now with certainty. Something that could complicate everything.
I was in love with Jacob Whitmore.