I wake up slowly and stretch in bed, unwilling to move from my comfy oasis.  I glance through my lashes at the clock, 1:00 pm.  It's not unusual for me to sleep in but this is late, even for me. 

The delicious aroma of coffee wafts into my room tempting me to get out of bed. Bethany always sets the coffee to auto brew the day before so there's less work for me in the morning.

To say I'm not a morning person is an understatement, but the promise of coffee gets me moving.  I stumble down the narrow hallway of our apartment with my eyes half-closed and make my way to the bathroom. I start running the shower, hoping by the time I've got a cup of coffee the water will be hot.

I'm essentially a zombie right now, but when I pass by the living room I don't fail to notice Bethany's keys are missing.  She either left early or never came home last night.  From what Sam said about her and Christian, I'm assuming it's the ladder.

Go Bethany.

I smile to myself as I take my favorite vintage Looney Toons mug out of the cabinet and pour myself a cup of steaming hot brew.  One scoop of sugar, a dash of milk and it's time for a shower. 

Halfway to the bathroom, I remember I turned my phone off last night.  I carefully set my coffee down so I don't spill it and dash to my room.  I quickly power my phone on and after what feels like forever, I'm shown the home screen. 

Breathlessly, I wait for any messages or calls and nothing.  Disappointment waves through me and I toss my phone on the bed angrily. I climb into the shower and being the melodramatic person I can sometimes be, I attempt to slam the shower curtain. 

Maybe Jack changed his mind.  Maybe he went home with one of those groupies.  Maybe his phone died.  Maybe he didn't reach Beth in time.  I sit in the shower with my knees tucked in my arms and let the hot water drown my sorrows. 

That's when I hear it.  The instantly recognizable sound of R2D2 from Star Wars plays over and over from the next room. I've been meaning to change that ringtone for years but I couldn't be happier hearing that beautiful sound now. Texts and voicemails finally came through, they must have just been delayed! 

Enthusiasm surges through me and prods me up from my fetal position in the bathtub. I flick the water off and roughly grab a towel off the hook, practically yanking it out of the wall. I barely towel off and hop out of the shower as quickly as I can, too quickly.   The second both feet hit the tile I slip and fall hard on my ass. 

"Fuck!"  I yell out to my empty apartment. 

I take a second to catch my breath and then silently thank god I didn't hit my head.  The pain shoots up my backside and I'm confident I'll be sporting a huge bruise later. 

I crawl naked through my doorway and reach for my phone from the floor. Two phone calls, one voicemail, and four texts. 

Bethany left a voicemail and a text, letting me know she was staying at Christians.  One text was from my mother, which I make a mental note to respond to later.  I have one missed call and two texts from an unknown number last night after 1 am.

"You awake Mags?"
"Don't forget you promised me a date tomorrow.  I'll pick you up at 4."

I roll onto my back and kick my feet in the air excitedly until I feel a sharp pain stab my buttocks.  I shriek and lift myself up to relieve the pressure.  Yeah, that's definitely going to bruise. 

While drying my hair, I curl the ends in but keep it mostly straight in an attempt to match the style Rachel wears in the show Friends. I decide to take more time on my makeup even though sitting is slightly uncomfortable, so I lean mostly on one cheek. 

I only dab a bit of concealer under my eyes to hide any dark circles because luckily I've been blessed with good skin and don't need it anywhere else. I line my eyes with eyeliner and carefully blend the black eyeshadow on the outer ends with a cream color on the inside corner. 

My favorite feature on myself is my bright blue-green eyes so I've learned to accentuate them enough to make them pop.  I top it off with a good dose of mascara and smile at my reflection.

When I go heavy on the eyes, I'm always careful to go light on everything else in fear of making myself look like a streetwalker.  So instead of lipstick I opt for cherry chapstick and leave my lips their natural color. 

I pick out skinny jeans and a soft black blouse that's tight on my chest but falls loosely around my hips.  Glancing at the clock, I realize it's almost four.  I'm starting to get anxious.  The confident girl who had the power is nowhere to be found and now I'm the panicky girl anxiously waiting for a first date.

I decide on flats last minute because I have no clue where we're going or what we're doing.  The second I slip my shoes on I hear a horn give two honks from the street.  That better not be him honking for me like a madman.  I listen for it again and sure enough two honks.  I grab my wallet and keys then slip out the door. 

There leaning on a white Dodge Charger with his hands in his pockets is Jackson.  He bites his bottom lip which causes me to do the same and we quietly drink each other in before I head down the stairs.  He's wearing his black jeans and another white V-neck and from the sun shining on him, I'm able to see his black tattoos through the thin white fabric.

I can't stand it anymore, I dash down the stairs but stop directly in front of him.  I'm grinning like a crazy woman, unable to hide my excitement.

"Charming."  I smile through my greeting then bite the inside of my cheek, slightly embarrassed by my lack of self-control.  He lets out a beautiful laugh and I feel my chest tighten.

Jack takes my hand in his and bows to give it a kiss.  I feel a blush creep onto my cheeks and my hand tingles from his touch.  He leads me to the passenger side of his car and opens the door for me. 

I get in carefully so I don't give away my embarrassing earlier incident, and watch him walk around the car.  I lean over to unlock the driver door for him, even though I'm sure he could have reached in the open window and done it himself. 

He opens the moon roof and as we drive I lean my head back and let the sun warm my face with a smile.  When I look over at him I notice he's got a cheeky grin across his face.  I decide I love his smile and wish it would visit his face more often.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"You'll see." He replies.

"Are you excited for your first real date?" I tease and his smile fades.

Internally I scold myself for ruining this moment.  I know he's got some sort of issue with relationships but I'm honestly hoping I can be the exception.  It sounds foolish, hoping the be 'the exception,'  but after feeling our chemistry, how could you possibly not believe in fate?

"You know, you don't always have to take life so seriously."  I try to lighten the mood. 

I want to ask so many questions.  I want to know who or what made him so afraid to get close to someone.  Who hurt him?  I'm an open book and I've never experienced a harder book to read than Jackson. 

I'll keep it light for now, but deep down I know I have to crack this boy because I can't and won't ever find this connection with anyone else.  I've never felt such an intense craving for anyone before and I can't imagine ever finding this feeling again.

Instead of waiting for a response I lean my head back against the seat again and welcome the sun's warm embrace. 

After a twenty-minute drive in silence, he casually says, "We're here." 

As I'm unbuckling my seat belt he comes to my side and opens the door for me.  At the very least, he's a gentleman.  I smile at him until I realize we're at the base of a mountain and my smile fades.

"I'm not exactly dressed for hiking." I groan.

This makes his stone face crack a smile and he takes my hand in his. 

"It's an easy hike and when I was checking you out earlier I saw you weren't wearing heels, so you'll be fine.  Come on."

He leads me up a path and I find he's right.   It's more of a winding path as opposed to some of the mountains in Phoenix where it's a straight shot to the top.  It's also the perfect weather for a hike with a light breeze gently blowing through my hair.

It's not long until we reach the top without even breaking a sweat and the view is breathtaking.  I can see the entire city from here and the sun is just beginning to set. 

Arizona is known for a lot.  It's known for heat, its saguaro cacti and of course, magical sunsets.  There's nothing quite like watching the sun paint the sky as it kisses the world goodnight. 

Bright orange, pink and purple streak through the heavens so beautifully, that it is truly capable of taking your breath away.  It's my personal belief that one should never go too long without experiencing a sunset.

I don't want to look away but I feel Jackson staring at me in my peripheral. 

"It's so beautiful Jack, thank you for bringing me here." I say merrily.

He flashes a timid smile that seems out of character for him.  "I come here a lot to think." 

He lays a blanket down in a smooth clearing and pats the ground next to him.  I accept his offer and sit beside him almost close enough to touch, but I don't dare give in to my urges quite yet.  I lean back and we stare out at the setting sun.  

Jackson reaches out attempting to slide me closer and I gasp from a slight pinch in my buttock.  He panics.  "What's wrong are you okay?"

"Yeah, I sort of slipped getting out of the shower earlier and bruised my butt cheek." My cheeks flush with embarrassment. 

He stares at me for a second before bursting into laughter.  I smack his shoulder to make him stop but I secretly love the sound.

"Are you a clumsy person in general?" He asks.

"Well I'd say no, but I don't have a great track record when it comes to balance lately." I shrug.

My meaning translates not only physically but mentally, however, I'm sure he doesn't catch my subliminal message.  Lately, Jackson seems to consume every single thought in my mind.  Since I laid eyes on him I've had this primal urge to lunge at him, but I've been reigning myself in. 

"I'm going to have to get you one of those shower mats old people use to make the tub less slippery."  He says through a giggle and this time I join in his laughter.

"I want to know more about you," I say hesitantly while staring out at the night sky.

I don't want to pry because I don't want to ruin tonight but I have to know more about him.  How else are we going to progress in this- well whatever this is we're doing.

He frowns in response, "What do you want to know?"

I take a few seconds to mull over questions in my head.  I want to know where he's from, what made him want to write, and why he chose romance novels if he doesn't even believe in love.   I want to know why he doesn't date and who hurt him.  I also want to hear about his childhood and how he became who he is today.  I have so many questions but I'm afraid if I ask him he'll pull away again.

I decide to start with something easy.
"What's your favorite color?"

Jack chuckles unexpectedly.  "That's certainly a tough question and I don't know if I can answer that one without making you cry."

I beam up at him, "I'm a tough girl, you need to work a little harder to make me cry.  Try me."

He looks me over and finally says, "Blue-green, the color of your eyes."

I roll them in response.  "Good one Charming."

"I mean it."  He leans slightly closer, cups my face in his hands and examines my eyes as he answers, "I swear your eye color changes with every mood.  The night I met you they were a striking light blue with barely noticeable flecks of green."

My cheeks start to flush and I look away but he continues.  "Last night by the end of the night, when I had you gasping for air on the balcony, they were a deep blue.  I'm talking blue like the color of the ocean in the middle of the night and it's only lit up by the moon. And now-"

He gently grabs my face again and my eyes meet his.  "Now that the sunset is melting into them they're mostly emerald green, with waves of blue."

My face is intensely burning with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement.  I can feel my heart beating out of my chest and my breathing is labored.  I nervously bite my bottom lip but he doesn't seem to notice.

"I'd miss a thousand of these sunsets just to stare into your eyes." He says never looking away.

I have to break the tension or I'll pass out.  I try to think of something humorous to say because that usually gets me out of intense situations when I'm nervous.  But my sense of humor is becoming a shitty defense mechanism when it comes to Jackson.

"Ask me a question." I whisper.

"What questions are off base?" He inquires.

"None, I'm an open book." I smile and feel myself coming back to reality.

Returning my smile with a grin of his own he asks, "I think I can guess, but what do you like to do in your free time?"

"Easy, I read." I laugh and expecting part two of the question I continue, "I've been told my nose is always in a book.  But honestly, I enjoy anything that challenges my mind.  I love to read, paint and I've dabbled in writing but I can't seem to find the inspiration to write something really wonderful."

"So you're hoping I'll be your muse." His brow raises in question and he smirks.

I slap his shoulder and lean back on the blanket.  "You definitely inspire me." I say honestly.

"How long have you been working at The Palace and how long are you planning on staying there?"

"Ooh, a two-parter." I wink. "I've been working there for almost five years now and I wasn't planning on staying for so long.  It was just a temporary job but when I dropped out of college I started working full time and days seemed to blend into months into years."  I sigh.

"So then what do you really want to do with your life?" He asks.

I smile and look to the city skyline. "I'm honestly not sure but that's why I dropped out of college.  I don't know what I want to do but I know it's not business.  I want to do something creative, something that challenges me."  I look back at him with a huge smile, "I want freedom, freedom to create works of art, to travel, to explore and adventure." 

"You're inspiring, you know that?" He says sweetly.

"Not yet, but I will be." I lean my head on his shoulder.

"My turn to ask a question." I lift my head and turn to look at him.  "What's the last book that really moved you?"

Jackson raises a brow at me and smirks, "Really?"

"Quit stalling and answer the question."  I laugh.

After a moment of silence he finally speaks, "The Great Gatsby"

My brows raise in shock, "A romance novel?"

"It's not what you're thinking." He huffs.

"Oh, so you weren't moved by a man so in love with a woman, that he does everything he can to reclaim his long lost love?" I giggle, "What else about the book could have possibly moved you?"

"I don't see it as a man desperate to win back the girl of his dreams." He pauses and his jaw tenses.  "I see it as a man who has a narcissistic obsession with the past.  His obsession is so powerful that he's trapped in this dream of love he cooked up in his mind.  He ruins his life for some bitch who's already moved on from him."  He broods and the mood turns sour.  I'm silent as I uncomfortably contemplate his words.

Is he really too broken for me to fix?  Is a simple conversation too difficult for him that I have to walk on eggshells around him?  I mean, I know I've got issues but he's got them worse.

"I'm sorry." He whispers.

I'm startled from his apology.  Not because I wasn't expecting sound, but because he actually apologized. 

"You want to know more about me?  I'm damaged goods Maggie.  I've been sitting here playing 21 questions with you on pins and needles waiting for a question I can't or won't answer."  He takes a deep breath and pushes his hair back with one hand. 

"I've been pushing people away for so long that I just don't know how to let anyone in anymore.  So here's your warning, you should just stay away from me.  I can only hurt you if you let me."  His gaze is intense but not harsh.  "Find a nice boy like Sam who will treat you right and give you everything you want and need.  Someone you can grow old with, have babies and a nice white wedding.  I just can't give that to you."

My heart breaks for him.  He thinks he's broken but it's not true.  Him opening up to me here and now is already a start to something beautiful.  I don't want anyone else, in this moment I want him, and I want all of him. Just then one of my favorite Hemingway quotes dawns in me.

I crawl closer to him and straddle my legs around his waist as he watches me carefully.  I feel the heat start in my belly slowly trail through the rest of me. We never break eye contact.

"We're all a little broken." I whisper.  "That's how the light gets in."

The night air is quiet with only the sounds of our labored breathing breaking the silence. My lips hover slightly above his, so close I can almost taste him.  I want to crash my lips to his but seeing him open his heart to me then immediately warn me away, makes me cautious.  

We stare deep into each other's souls and it feels as if our eye contact is more intimate than any words could ever be. His strong arms initially wrapped around my waist, move to my hips as he gently guides them in a smooth grinding motion.

The friction between us warms our bodies against the brisk winter air and I feel him hardening beneath me. My mind isn't my own as it's overcome with a dominant need I've yet to experience. Rather than contemplating what level headed Maggie would do I give in to desire, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

The loss of eye contact grants Jackson permission to explore my eager body.  His soft lips touch my exposed neck shooting heat and electricity through me.  He slowly trails kisses down towards the fabric just above my breasts and I feel my nipples stiffen in anticipation.

One of his strong hands massages my breast and the other cradles my neck bringing my mouth crashing to his.  The second our lips finally touch I sense a slight relief but it ripens into a craving for more. 

Every inch of my aching skin he caresses leaves a trail of goosebumps.  My body has never been so responsive and I know now that any touch from any other man will never feel the same.  My body responds to him and only him.

Jack's mouth disconnects from mine and I whimper from the loss of contact.  His hand skillfully unbuttons my blouse and his breath catches at the sight of my black lace bra. 

His diamond eyes meet mine for permission as his graceful fingers teasingly trace where the lace and the skin on my breast converge.  I bite my bottom lip and he accepts the simple gesture as consent. 

Jack's fingers glide in my bra and guide my breast over the top to expose my bust.  My heart beats out of my chest as his tongue glides over my aroused nipples and I lace my fingers through his soft chocolate hair. 

My hips move continuously in sync with his and he guides me skillfully as a dance instructor would his student. Our dance leaves me breathless, gasping from the contrast of his cold moist tongue on my feverish chest. I feel as if I might explode from the attention he's giving my chest alone. 

Gripping his hair and urging his soft lips back to mine, our movements evolve to a faster pace. I feel myself urgently attempting to fill the ache that has built in my lower belly. 

"You better stop before I come in my trousers." He pants and a moan escapes my lips in response to his dirty words. The idea of me pleasing him enough to lose control in his jeans stokes the fire burning deep inside myself and I lose all self-restraint.

"Fuck, Maggie you're so sexy."  His breathing is so labored that his words just barely reach my ears and I whimper in response.

His hot breath feels like fire against my skin as his hungry lips devour me, trailing kisses up and down my neck. Beads of sweat form on my skin mixing with his as his eager hands ravish my body everywhere at once.

Jackson lifts his hips in a matching rhythm with mine, conforming to each other in a synchronized dance. The beautiful sound of our labored breathing mixed with a melody of crickets grace my ears as our ballet nears its end.

Our bodies stiffen and Jackson pulls me flush against him as we come unraveled together. 

He collapses on his back and I fall with him.  I'm too exhausted to roll over so I leave my head resting on his hard chest.

We lie on the blanket for a few minutes listening to the sounds of crickets until our breath is steady.  Neither of us want to be the first one to break the silence.  I just had my first orgasm and I want to revel in this moment as long as I can.

I didn't even think to mention to him that I'm a virgin.  I mean, it hasn't come up and it's not like I'm just going to randomly blurt it out. 

Jackson's hand starts combing through my hair in a comforting way.  "I've never done that before." He giggles and my heart skips a beat.  I know I'll never get tired of that sound.

"Me either," I say.  "Well, that's kind of an understatement." I wince knowing I have to tell him I'm a virgin but I'm dreading it.

"What do you mean an understatement?" He asks, tilting his head down to look at my face and continuing to run his hands through my hair.

I take a deep breath and slide off him unsure of how he's going to take it.  "I'm- well I'm sort of-"

His brows pull together as he watches me with concern.

I look down at my jeans and pick at a loose string.  Why is this so hard to say?  I should be proud, not embarrassed.

"I'm a virgin."