As the photographer shouted out new directions and continued to click away with his camera, I continued to get lost in my own thoughts. I thought about Jackson and me sitting on that park bench last night. I'd felt so safe with his arm around me, cozied up against him, my nose buried in the nape of his neck, allowing me to smell the mixture of cologne and his scent. It had felt so good to sit with him like that, with no pressure of what was to come. It was something I hadn't felt in a long time, just to be in the moment with someone. I couldn't recall a time I'd ever felt that way with Jim. I always felt there was some expectation from him that I needed to meet, but with Jackson, I always felt like I was home.
That feeling alone solidified that Jim had been right, if we had of decided to stay together we would only be settling for something less than we each deserved. It had taken me a while to realize that I wanted my life to be full of these electrifying moments. I wanted to feel the flutter of butterflies when my significant other looked at me and when he asked me out, hell, even when we just sat on the couch wrapped up in one another and watched a movie. I wanted to feel that anticipation again, and I'd only ever felt that with Jackson.
"All right, ladies, it’s the men's turn," the photographer announced, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I blinked hard and noticed that most of the girls were already over where the guys had been standing, and the men were on their way over. I was about to step away when Jackson stopped in front of me.
"Can't stop thinking of me huh." He smiled. "It's okay, I can tell."
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. His cockiness was always something I'd adored, and even though I didn't want to let on that he was right, I couldn't help but give a small smile as he gave me that sexy grin I loved.
Four hours later, everything to do with the wedding was done. People were on the dance floor, and I stood over by the dessert counter looking for more of the cheesecake I'd had earlier when I felt a familiar touch on my arm. I turned to see Jackson standing there holding a plate with what appeared to be the last slice of cheesecake.
"Thought you might be looking for this. Would you like some?" he asked, holding the plate out to me.
I smiled. "How did you know?"
"There isn't much I don't know about you," he said as he stuck the fork he was holding into the cheesecake, breaking off a piece, then bringing the fork up and sliding it slowly into my mouth, the sweet dessert sending my taste buds into overdrive.
Our eyes locked as he held out the fork with another piece of cheesecake on it and slowly brought it up to my mouth.
"Anyone ever tell you that your eyes dance when you eat this stuff?" he whispered.
I shook my head and was about to take the fork from his hand and feed him a piece when the announcement for the wedding party to have their dance came over the speaker. The slow music that started to play sent those exact same butterflies that had finally calmed in my stomach to start fluttering again as I looked to Jackson. He carefully set the plate down and took my hands in his, pulling me toward the dance floor.
"What are you doing?" I said, following him.
"You heard. It’s time for the wedding party to dance." He grinned and then pulled me into his embrace. I was about to fight it, but the second I was in his arms, my body relaxed, and I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes as we swayed to the music.
By midnight, most of the wedding party and guests were drunk. Cara and Ryan had already retired to their room for the night. I sat sipping on the last bit of my wine and watching Jackson as he talked with a couple of guys across the room. When his eyes landed on mine, he shook hands with them and danced his way over to me and took a seat beside me.
"You just about ready to blow this party?"
"I could use some quietness, yes."
He nodded, stood up, and held his hand out for me to take.
"Where are we going?" I questioned.
"You'll see," he said, still holding his hand out to me.
I slid my hand into his, and together we walked out of the party room and into the quiet of the hall. The longer we walked, the quieter it got, and soon we stood outside the elevator. He leaned in to press the button.
It was only a matter of seconds before the doors opened and we entered that quiet elevator together. I hit the button for the tenth floor, and he hit the twelfth, then he turned and looked at me. I could see the intense look of want in his eyes as he slowly approached me, slowly wrapping his arms around me. I didn't fight. Instead, I welcomed him. He pressed me up against the mirrored walls and kissed me hard.
"Come back to my room with me. Don't turn me down two nights in a row," he pleaded as his lips left mine and danced down my neck.
I closed my eyes, trying to fight against all the things I was starting to feel. The feelings of want I had for this man intensified the longer he kissed me. As his hands traveled my body, the harder it became for me to deny the want I had for him. I'd barely heard the ding of the elevator letting me know that we had hit my floor. "Come with me," he whispered in my ear as he sucked my lobe between his lips.
I swallowed hard. "Okay." That was the only word that I got out of my mouth before he placed his lips over mine and pressed himself into me, pushing me even harder against the wall.
We'd barely made it down the hall and into his room before we'd started undressing one another. I pushed his shirt off his shoulders and pulled at his belt, fighting with the buckle, as he unzipped my dress, sliding it off my shoulders. It landed in a pile on the floor. His eyes washed over me, over the black lacey bra and panty set that I had purchased just for today.
His eyes hid nothing, as I pulled at the button on his pants and allowed them to fall to the floor. I could feel my heart beating hard as his fingers slowly traced the lacey cup of my bra, sending a chill through my body, my nipples instantly hardening beneath the fabric.
It felt as if we were barely moving. He studied my eyes and leaned in, taking my mouth with his, kissing me slower and deeper than before. I felt his one hand wrap around my waist, while the other unclipped the back of my bra, the fabric falling away from my body. His lips moved from my mouth, down my neck, and continued kissing their way down my body as he pulled my bra down my arms. I rested my hands on his strong shoulders as he knelt in front of me and looked up at me, gently pressing a kiss to my navel. The fire he held in his eyes told me I was in trouble. I ran my fingers through his thick hair as he placed another kiss on my belly, while he slowly pulled my panties down, placing gentle kisses on my hips as his fingers skipped down my legs, creating a fire in my body I could barely stand.
Once my panties were at my feet, his eyes washed over my body, then he stood, and his eyes locked with mine as he gently guided me over to the already turned-down bed. He slowly brought his lips to mine as we both sunk onto the mattress, his kiss turning demanding and aggressive as his hand roamed my body. I could already feel my own arousal building and knew that the second he touched me, I'd shatter. As he settled over me, I could feel his arousal. I ran my hand over the large bulge in the front of his boxers, a barely audible moan escaping his throat.