Jessie was too good for that. Jack had no choice but to hide the fact that he’d paid for the dress.

“I don’t think anyone would notice.”

“I would.”

Pushing her to keep the dress was out of the question. He glanced her way and noticed the sparkle dangling from her ears. “I bought the earrings. So don’t put those back in the box. Those you can keep.”

Her slender fingers touched the elegant diamonds, and a smile touched her lips. “You bought them?”

“I thought they would look great on you.” He thought of the knockoff pair in his room at the hotel. Nordstrom versus Nordstrom Rack. There simply wasn’t a substitution.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to. Consider it an early Christmas gift.” One of many, he hoped.

“I trust it didn’t cost you a lot.”

He shot her a frown. “It’s impolite to ask what someone spent on a gift.”

Jessie laid her hand on his arm. “Thanks, Jack. You shouldn’t have, but thanks.”

They drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence. It was nearly two in the morning when they pulled up to her apartment building.

“I can make it from here,” she told him.

Jack ignored her and opened his door. “In Texas, a man never lets a lady walk to her door alone. Especially at night.” Besides, how would he kiss her if he didn’t walk her home?

She laughed, a warm, inviting sound that pulled on Jack’s heartstrings.

“I don’t want to tick off all the men in Texas.”

“Good.”

After opening her door and helping her out of the car, Jack let her lead the way to her apartment door. The floral scent of her perfume followed her down the hall. He noted the number on her door for future use.

Tresses of her hair draped over her slender neck as she glanced at her door.

“This is me,” she said as she turned toward him.

Jack stood close, close enough to see surprise in her eyes at his being there. She didn’t back away. When she caught her lip between her teeth, Jack’s pulse shot high. Jessie’s gaze slid from his eyes to his lips, inadvertently inviting his kiss.

He didn’t give her a chance to protest.

Jack weaved his hand behind her head and lowered his mouth to hers. The simmering flame that had been on all night with her nearness grew into an inferno within seconds.

Jessie didn’t pull away.

He captured her around her slim waist and held her closer.

She moaned and tilted her head a little more. He slipped his tongue between her lips and melted into her. Jack committed every sensation he felt, from how she smelled and how she smiled to how her lips slid over his, into his memory. Her hand moved to his arm; her fingers kneaded his flesh. Timid strokes of her tongue against his proved her attraction, her feelings toward him, more than any of her words could.

This was more than friendship, he thought.

This is what poets write about.

Jack wanted more, so much more than a stolen kiss at her apartment door.

The door behind her suddenly flew open, causing Jessie to fall back. Had Jack not been holding her, she probably would have ended up on her butt.

Jack’s eyes snapped open and saw the shocked expression from both Jessie and the woman who had to be her sister, Monica.

“Oh, I’m sorry. So sorry.” Monica’s eyes were wide. Her hands covered her reddening cheeks.

Jessie stepped away from him. Her fingertips ran along her swollen lower lip. The glow of her cheeks was this side of delectable.

“It’s OK. Jack was just leaving,” Jessie finally spoke.

He’d better do so quickly, before Jessie started to regret their shared kiss. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Blowing out a sigh, Jessie chewed on her lower lip. “Right. My car. OK, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Jessica,” he said as he turned and left both stunned women at the door.

Before he rounded the corner of the hall, he heard Monica giggle and say, “Oh my God. Is that Jack?”

Jack stood a little taller, his grin a little bigger.

Chapter Six

“That was Jack, right? Holy shit, is he cute or what?” Monica practically squealed when she spoke.

“That was Jack.” Lethal lips and all. Oh man, his kiss had been to die for. Knock-her-on-her-butt delicious. And completely wrong. “Dammit. That shouldn’t have happened.”

“What shouldn’t have happened?” Monica pulled Jessie down on the bed that doubled as a couch.

“That kiss. I shouldn’t have…he shouldn’t have.” I should have pulled away, reminded him that he’s bad for me.

“Is he a bad kisser?” Monica tucked her feet under herself Indian style and rubbed her hands together.

“He’s an amazing kisser, but I shouldn’t have let him.”

“Why on earth not? He’s gorgeous, and that accent…geez, makes me a big pile of goo just thinking about it.”

“You know how I feel about dreamers, Monica. He’s a waiter at The Morrison.”

“So? You wait tables, too. You both have that in common.”

Jessie rolled her eyes. “Great, so we’ll save money so one day we might actually be able to buy a decent car that we’d have to share in order to get back and forth to our go-nowhere jobs. It wouldn’t work.” Falling for someone like Jack would break her heart. Then what? She’d end up like her mother, hopping from one man to another.