By the time we made it through the horrendous New York City traffic, it was after four-thirty and we were finally making our way onto Long Island. While Jesse fought his way through traffic jam after traffic jam, I had taken the time to tell him about my day and how excited I was about the new current affairs opportunity at Satisfaction. I probably resembled a five-year-old in a candy store with how enthused I was over the possibilities this could bring me. Jesse seemed happy to see me so happy, and it was tugging at my heartstrings how he smiled every time I mentioned how psyched I was. I couldn't stop stealing glances his direction. He looked too damn good in that suit and I was really looking forward to stripping it off of his tempting body.

The familiar upscale neighborhood came into view and a warm, fuzzy feeling enveloped me when Jesse pulled into the driveway. I was finally going to get to try his cooking and I was sure it would be delicious, seeing as he was part owner of more than one of the highest rated restaurants in the area. He may not have attended culinary school, but I was sure I would be very impressed with his skills.

He'd already impressed me with his other talents so well...

Jesse turned off the engine and shifted his body in his seat to face me. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes. I knew that look. I loved that look.

"Are you hungry?" he asked in a rough, yet sweet voice.

His gaze dipped down to my lips and then continued to trail lower.

I let my eyes wander to the straining zipper on his slacks. "Are you, Mr. Reese?"

His sparkling eyes darkened in lust and he leaned across the console, cupping my cheek and pulling me in for a steamy kiss that literally took my breath away. Jesse nipped at my bottom lip and within seconds, his velvety tongue had invaded my mouth. He groaned into the kiss and awakened every nerve in my body with that sweet sound.

I reached a hand behind his neck and toyed with the back of his hair while my other hand went to work on his shirt buttons. Our kissing continued to get hotter and more urgent until we'd built up a scorching need that was almost too hot to handle.

Despite the lack of space in the sports car, we found a way to make it work, and I ended up with my body draped over the console as I kissed a line down his now exposed chest. He was still wearing both his suit jacket and his now open button-up, and he looked outstanding! He could've been a model for Gucci or Armani.

I moaned against his skin as I kissed lower down his stomach. He sucked in a sharp breath when my lips reached his beltline. He gripped the steering wheel with one hand while the other tangled its way into my hair in anticipation. He knew what I was up to. He could probably tell I'd been thinking about it since we'd left my office. Although our conversation had been innocent on the drive over, my glances across the console hadn't been.

I decided to let my lips linger against his skin just to drive him a little crazy. I traced a finger over the bulge in his slacks and he shuddered in response. I placed a teasing kiss to the thin material and he lifted his hips, his breath hitching. I was driving him crazy just like I'd planned, and I was proud of myself.

I moaned at the thought of having him in my mouth. I'd fantasized about tasting him off and on every day since we'd first had sex.

Jesse's breathing was starting to become labored and I decided that was my cue to get to work undoing his pants.

I stole a glance up at him while I unbuttoned his slacks. He was looking down at me with fire in his eyes as he fought to keep his composure. He was playing with the back of my hair, twisting strands around his fingers and gently tugging when he gathered a fistful. His lips parted in pleasure when I dragged his zipper down.

"I never answered your question," I spoke up in a teasing voice.

Jesse's brow furrowed and he carefully studied my every move. "What?"

His voice was raspy, almost strained. It was devilishly sexy.

I smirked up at him and pulled the top of his boxers down just far enough.

"I'm starving."

Jesse squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, tilting his head back against the headrest. I wrapped a hand around his length and slowly started to take him into my mouth. His musky scent was intoxicating and he tasted like heaven. I worked my way up and down his shaft, earning deep, throaty groans from him as I gradually went faster and tested my own limits, seeing how much of him I could take in. His grip tightened on the steering wheel and I could see his knuckles turning white. I peeked up at him to see his eyes tightly shut in ecstasy. He was biting his lower lip and had a look of pure erotic bliss on his face. I moaned, long and low against him, and he gasped. I knew he was on the brink of losing control. I was ready to push him over the edge, but he had other ideas.

Before I knew what was happening, he'd managed to hoist me over the console and place me on his lap. I was suddenly very appreciative of Selena's input earlier that morning on what I should wear. Jesse's hands slid up my outer thighs, pushing my gray knee-length dress up my legs. It ended up in a ruffled pool around my waist.

Jesse moved the seat as far back as it would go to allow us more space in the cramped vehicle. I readjusted myself, getting into a more comfortable position and resting my hands on his chest. He had a confident, lazy smirk on his face and a darkness in his eyes. It was the kind of sexy, lustful look that could make any woman drop her panties on the spot.

"You're a bad influence, Mr. Reese," I teased, running my fingertips over his shirt collar.

One of his hands snaked its way between my thighs and pulled my panties aside. I wished I hadn't worn any. They were in the way and I was beginning to think I may as well just scrap them altogether.

Jesse breathed an arousing laugh, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I don't hear you complaining, Miss Crawford. In fact, I think you enjoy it."

The pad of his thumb brushed over my clit and a wave of pleasure shot down my legs.

I leaned in closer and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his neck. His cologne smelled so sweet, I could've gotten drunk off of it.

I nipped at his earlobe and let him feel my breath on his neck. He was trying so hard to stay composed, but I knew I was driving him up the wall.

"Jesse," I moaned in his ear, rubbing myself against his palm at the same time.

I could feel his body stiffen beneath me and I knew he was about to lose it.

"I want you inside me," I whispered.

That was all the encouragement he needed. My plea was followed by his sharp thrust into my body, drawing loud moans and near screams from my lips. I gripped his shoulders for support while he squeezed my hips and continued to fuck me faster.

Cars were driving by and some of Jesse's neighbors were just getting home from work, pulling into their driveways and checking their mailboxes. I wondered if anyone could see me riding him in his driveway.

Jesse pulled my focus back to his smoldering eyes and kissed me, rough and fast. We made out to the same rhythm that he fucked me – fast, urgent, full of need.

I met his thrusts, moving down every time he moved up, and we were both quickly reaching the point of no return. My nails dug into his jacket and his grip tightened on my hips. His thrusts became uneven and sloppy. We were both close to the edge.

"J-Jesse!" I gasped when I felt his thumb on my clit again.

The added friction was all I needed to lose myself in him. I practically screamed my orgasm in his ear, moaning and writhing on top of him, and grabbing onto his lapels like my life depended on it.

"Fuck!" Jesse groaned and I felt his release, hot and sticky inside me.

We stayed in that position for a few minutes, panting, trying to catch our breaths, and staring into each other's glossy eyes.

He pulled me in for another deep kiss, briefly slipping his tongue in my mouth, and I moaned in protest against his lips when he pulled back.

"No, Miss Crawford," he said in a teasing rasp. "I think you're the bad influence."

I couldn't suppress the giggle that left my lips. "You think so?"

He nodded, sliding his hands over my ass and giving me a swift swat.

"Why don't we go inside and I'll show you how bad I can be?" I suggested.

Jesse swallowed hard and his eyes darkened again. I could feel him already getting hard again.

"Actually, I have another idea."

"Oh?"

He licked his lips and flashed me that panty-melting smirk again. "How 'bout I make you dinner first, and then I can have you for dessert?"

I rubbed my thumb back and forth over his collar and pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I like that idea."

I managed to awkwardly climb off of his lap and back over the console while he zipped and buttoned his slacks. I attempted to smooth out my sex hair but it was no use. Besides, I was sure the neighbors had a pretty good idea of what we'd been doing when Jesse emerged from the car with his shirt and jacket still hanging open. I was a little embarrassed and tried to keep from making eye contact with anyone while I followed Jesse to the front door. He placed a hand at the small of my back, guiding me inside.

As soon as he shut the door behind us, I was pinned up against the cold wood and his lips were on my neck.

"I thought you were going to wait 'til later for dessert," I gasped, sliding my hands up his torso.

He shrugged off his jacket and shirt. They landed in a messy pile by the door.

"I guess I needed a quick appetizer," he mumbled against my skin and gently bit my collarbone.

We pulled apart, our breathing labored, and Jesse lead me into the kitchen where I sat down at his breakfast table while he fetched us a bottle of white wine.

I took the opportunity to study more of his house while he busied himself with prying the cork loose. This was the first chance I'd had to look around since the few free minutes in his bedroom several mornings ago. I wanted to learn more about him. I wanted to discover what made him who he was. I wanted to know more about his family and his job and what his hobbies were. The sex was absolutely amazing, but I was starting to crave more conversation with Jesse, too. I was seriously considering a real relationship with him, but I was going to have to know a lot more about him. I was fine with the idea of learning about each other as we go along, but it was starting to bother me that I knew so much about Alex's history and hardly anything about Jesse's.

"I'm going to go freshen up," I told him while he was pouring the wine and headed up the stairs to the bathroom that I so vividly remembered him fucking me in.

I shut the door and leaned back against it, releasing a long, deep breath and studying my reflection in the mirror. My hair was tousled and my dress was wrinkled, but I felt good. I felt satisfied – for the most part. I would be fine if Jesse decided to conclude our sexcapades for the day with the thrilling car sex we'd just had, but I also wasn't about to say no to round two after dinner. I couldn't remember ever having been so easily seduced by anyone before Jesse. He was the rare breed of human who could simply wink at you and make you his. I loved that about him.

While I washed up, my mind wandered to Alex. At first, I wondered what he was up to. But then my thoughts took a darker turn and I found myself leaning against the bathroom counter, imagining what type of lover Alex was. I knew his style would be different from Jesse's. Jesse was a more direct and possessive man. But I was intrigued by Alex's sweet side and I wondered if he had a dark side, too.

"I've got an idea to run by you after you finish riding Mr. Hotshot."

I giggled at the text Selena had sent me ten minutes prior. I responded, saying we'd talk once I got home later.

I pulled my hair into a messy bun and headed back downstairs. I entered the kitchen to find Jesse, still shirtless, preparing vegetables for dinner.

"What are you making?" I asked, placing my hands on his shoulders.

He smiled, kissing my forehead. He was chopping up carrots, onion, and a green bell pepper.

"Lemon pepper chicken on a bed of sautéed veggies."

I admired the way his biceps flexed as he prepped the food. His eyes were fixed on his work with the occasional saucy glance my direction. I hopped up on the counter on the opposite side of the sink and watched him work, studying his features. His usual carefree look was replaced by concentration and it made me wonder how many layers of his personality were left for me to peel back.

"Jesse, I want to know more about you," I blurted out after a few minutes of silence.

I decided now was as good a time as any to try to get to know him better.

He looked up from his cooking, lemon pepper rub all over his hands, and the look in his eyes was unreadable.

Did he not want me to know more? Did he just want to be fuck buddies with no strings attached?

"What do you want to know?"

I watched him wash his hands and fetch a skillet from the cupboard.

"Maybe I gave you the wrong impression," I muttered more to myself than him.

I probably had given him the wrong idea. The sex was fantastic, and maybe I was okay with being friends with benefits at first, but now that I'd spent some time with him and thoroughly enjoyed his company, I was starting to want more than just sex with him. I was developing feelings for him, and if he didn't feel the same way, I needed him to let me know now so I could walk away without getting my emotions too tangled up.

Jesse set the skillet down and stopped what he was doing. I'd hopped off the counter by then and was leaning against the sink, watching him.

"I'm not sure I follow," he frowned and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

This would've been a much easier conversation if he had a shirt on.

I rubbed my temples in frustration with myself and the lack of explanation leaving my lips.

"What do you want, Jesse? With this. With us." I gestured between us. "Because I'll be totally honest with you – I'm catching feelings and I'm not sure I want to be just fuck buddies. I know I probably gave you the impression that I was cool with friends with benefits, and I'm sorry if I lead you on, but I don't think I can be just the girl you fuck every few days."

Jesse was silent for a while. He stood there, arms crossed, with a perplexed look on his face. I probably couldn't have picked a worse time to spring this conversation on him. I was starting to regret opening my mouth.

"I'm not expecting to be your girlfriend," I clarified, mostly just to fill the silence. "But I need to know what you want – what you're looking for."

He breathed out. His heavy sigh filled the room and I was sure this was going to be the end of our obscure relationship.

"Clearly, I've mislead you, too, if you think all I want from you is to bed you," Jesse said in a gruff voice.

He sauntered across the room and stepped in front of me, placing his hands on the sink on either side of me, pinning me. He studied my face for a few seconds and his eyes softened. We were mere inches apart and his minty breath was daring me to kiss him.

"Truth be told, Kate, I don't know what I'm looking for right now," he said. "I'm at that point in my life where I'm still trying to figure everything out. I know I want to make a commitment and settle down eventually. I don't know how soon that may be. I'm not exactly looking for the one right now, but I'm not looking for a quick fuck either. I'm just letting life run its course and seeing where it takes me."

He brushed a loose strand of hair from my cheek and continued. "I know I came off as the easy lay type. I saw you at the café and I liked you and I ran with it. Yeah, I probably should've made my intentions clear from the start. I'm sorry I didn't. But I never once thought of us as just fuck buddies. I wasn't sure what we were for a while, but the more time I spend with you, the more I like you. I understand if you've changed your mind about me – about us – but I don't want to stop seeing you, Kate."

His explanation was a lot to digest at once. This was a whole new side of him that I hadn't seen before. He seemed vulnerable, in a way.

I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair. He watched me intently, his eyes fixed on mine.

"I don't want to stop seeing you either, Jesse. But I want to know more about you," I said in almost a whisper. "I want to know everything about you."

This was the first time I'd allowed myself to open up to a man since Eric, my dear cheating ex. It felt good, yet foreign.

Jesse was really starting to grow on me. I wasn't completely sure why, seeing as I barely knew him, and I knew his body better than his story. But there was just something about the man that hooked me and reeled me in.

"Okay," he said softly, his eyes boring into mine with an emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on. "Ask me anything."

"Anything?" I cocked an eyebrow and my lips curved into a lazy smile.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Damn. I think I just signed myself up for a mass Q and A over dinner."

"Nah," I giggled. "I wouldn't want to wear you out before dessert..."

Jesse flashed me a cheesy smirk and hoisted me up to wrap my legs around his waist as he kissed me. But it wasn't our usual urgent make out. It was soft, sweet kisses that built up a slow burn.

We were both flushed and panting when he reluctantly set me back down so he could tend to our meal.

I retreated to the breakfast table again and continued to admire him as he finished up his cooking.

I knew Selena was going to have a field day once I told her about this. Though I was focused on the man I was about to have dinner with, Jesse wasn't the only thing on my mind. Now that we'd had an intimate discussion about us, I wondered where that left things between Alex and me. I hadn't gotten far enough with him to have a chat about us. I wasn't even sure if there was an us. Maybe I was overthinking things. I made a mental note to get Selena's advice when I got home.