Page 68 of Fixed Asset

I turned in his arms and looked up at him. “I feel small next to you.”

He frowned immediately. “I don’t ever want you to feel small.”

Good Lord, could I love this man any more?

A few seconds later, when he reached behind me and grabbed a bottle of shampoo, I learned I could.

“Turn back around.”

I turned.

Jack commenced washing my hair. Strong hands massaged my scalp around my temples before lathering the strands.

“That feels amazing,” I groaned.

“Are you gonna leave your hair this color?”

It took me a moment to realize what he’d asked. “You don’t like me with brown hair?”

“Honestly, when I first saw the color, I was pissed. I fell in love with you as a blonde; that’s how you came to me in my dreams. Seeing that gone was like a punch to the gut. But now I’m used to it. You’re gorgeous either way.”

That’s how you came to me in my dreams.

I spun to face him, tilted my head up, and forgot I had shampoo in my hair until I had suds in my eyes.

“Ouch.” I closed my eyes and muscled my way under the spray to wash off my face.

I felt Jack’s hand swipe my forehead. “Jesus, baby, what the fuck?”

My hands bumped into his as I tried to get the soap out of my eyes.

I chanced reopening my eyes. I gave it a second. When I didn’t feel the burn, I asked, “You dreamed of me?”

He moved me back under the spray. “Close your eyes and tip your head back.”

I did as he asked. He went to work rinsing the shampoo out.

“I dreamed of us in Las Vegas, just the two of us there, having fun. I dreamed of waking up next to you in my bed in my Idaho house. I dreamed of us horseback riding—and baby, I gotta admit, that one threw me. My ass has never been on the back of a horse, and I have no interest in ever riding.”

My body started shaking with laughter. “Well, I moved to Texas after Gran died, so I have been on the back of a horse, and I’m not a fan.”

“I dreamed of me kissing you, us making love. I dreamed about eating your pussy, you giving me head.”

I felt myself smile. “Was it good?”

“Hell yeah. Woke up hard, jerked off to my dream Cat.”

His hands went to my shoulders, and he turned me. I took that as I was clear to open my eyes.

“I missed you when you were gone. So many times I had your number pulled up on my phone, but I couldn’t get myself to call. I was afraid to hear your voice. I’d convinced myself that if I really loved you, I had to stay away from you. I had to let you go so I didn’t suffocate you. In my stupidity, it never occurred to me that I was the problem. That to have you, all I had to do was trust you. It was my fuckup. And I hope you know how sorry I am.”

And there he did it again, made me love him even more.

“You’re talented, Jack Donovan. I think you’re the only man on the planet who can turn me on one second and make me feel warm and melty the next.”

“I’m good like that, baby.”

I stopped teasing and got serious.