“You hungry?” She drifted toward the kitchen. “I can heat up that leftover lasagna.”

“Actually, is it cool if I go over to Angie’s for dinner?”

“Sure, but only if you finish all your homework first.”

“What does it look like I’m doing, dum-dum?” He promptly buried his nose in the textbook and proceeded to ignore her.

Mia smiled and inwardly praised herself for bringing up such a good kid, but along with the joy came a pang of bitterness. How dare their mother ring her up out of the blue and announce a visit? The woman had deserted her son. She didn’t deserve to see Danny again.

Swallowing her resentment, she focused on nuking yesterday’s dinner. A part of her was tempted to tell Danny about their mother’s call, just so she’d have someone to vent to, but she fought the urge. For some f**ked-up reason Danny had a soft spot when it came to their mom, and Mia feared that the news might actually make him happy.

She couldn’t tell him. And not just because she didn’t want to see that flicker of excitement in his eyes. She refused to get his hopes up only to watch them splinter to pieces when their mother didn’t show up.

“Oh, Mia, I forgot,” Danny called out. “Can we stop at the bank tomorrow before school so I can deposit my check?”

“No problem,” she called back, pulling the warmed-up lasagna out of the microwave. “Leon finally paid you, huh?”

“Yep. Finally.”

She was glad he couldn’t see her face because her displeasure was written all over it. She really wished Danny would find another part-time job, but he insisted on doing manual labor for a landscaping company owned by a jerk named Leon, who openly took advantage of his young workers and always “forgot” to pay them. Mia had urged her brother to quit on numerous occasions, but he was too damn trusting for his own good. She did appreciate his work ethic, though; he’d been saving money since he was fifteen, putting aside every penny in order to pay for college, or, hopefully, to supplement the athletic scholarship he was bound to get.

After she’d served herself a big helping of lasagna, she drifted out to the living room and ate her dinner while Danny finished up his work. Fifteen minutes later, just as her brother had slid out the door with a hasty goodbye, her cell phone buzzed.

A smile filled her face when she read the incoming text.

On my way. Meet me outside?

She typed back, No need. Little bro went out, so we can stay here. Come up and let yourself in.

Jackson responded with six words that sent a blaze of heat to her core.

Be naked when I get there.

They were going to have sex tonight. The s-word hadn’t come up over the texts they’d exchanged these past two days, but Mia knew it was inevitable.

And she didn’t plan on objecting.

In fact, she couldn’t fricking wait for it. After the other evening’s warm-up, she was more than ready to explore a sexual relationship with Jackson Ramsey.

Just a sexual one, a little voice reminded her.

She nodded in resolve as she rose from the couch and quickly went to the kitchen to rinse her plate. She might have capitulated and embarked on a fling with the guy, but she had every intention of keeping things between them light and complication-free. Because the truth was, her issues about sex didn’t even compare to her issues about love.

As in, love didn’t f**king exist.

Mia had decided a long time ago that there was no such thing as forever. If her mother had taught her one thing, it was that all love ever got you was broken promises and a broken heart, and another set of divorce papers to sign.

Well, screw that. She was perfectly content with her life, and she had no interest in letting a man destroy it. Jackson might be sweet and sexy and incredibly easy to be with, but this was nothing more than a temporary arrangement. Some good company, even better sex.

And nothing more.

Mia’s apartment was quiet when Jackson strode through the unlocked front door. He entered the living room and found it empty, a smile tickling his lips.

“Where you hiding, sugar?” he called out.

Her faint voice drifted from the hallway. “I’m in the bedroom.”

His c**k thickened with each step he took, growing into a full-blown erection by the time he reached her door, which had been left ajar. No light seeped out of the room. She must have closed the curtains. He liked that. There was something deliciously dirty about f**king in the dark.

He walked inside to find Mia lying naked on the bed. One hand rested idly on her thigh, the other was flat on the mattress, toying with the soft blue bedspread.

She was so pretty she took his breath away. Tanned shapely limbs, perfect br**sts, a flat belly and narrow hips. And her dark hair was loose and curling over one shoulder, looking silky to the touch.

“Beautiful,” he said simply.

“What?” she murmured.

“You. I could stand here staring at you for hours.”

Her green eyes gleamed. “Is that what you’re planning to do then? Stand and stare?”

“No way, darlin’. I have more interesting plans for tonight.”

Without delay, he began to strip. His shirt came off first, followed by his wifebeater. Socks and boots were next, and then his jeans and boxers joined the rest of his clothing on the floor.

Mia’s breath hitched and his ego got a nice boost out of that. So did his cock, which hardened even more and rose to salute her.

Jackson gripped his erection and gave it a firm pump, smiling when Mia’s lips parted in delight.