Cuffed Read Free

the cut of the trousers. Cupping his hand over his erection, he did his best to hide it and think about something else.
    But he couldn’t. Not while he was standing right next to her. She glowed, and smelled so good that he couldn’t focus on anything else.
    What he wouldn’t give to see her flushed with arousal. He wanted to see her rumpled and replete. To see that hair tousled after wild lovemaking. To take her soft and slow by candlelight or hard and fast against a wall.
    Jackson stroked himself as the images flashed through his mind before he knew what he was doing. Christ. She had him playing pocket pool like some teen who’d never touched a female.
    And he sure as hell wanted to touch this one.
    And kiss. And fondle. And definitely fuck.
    “Jackson?”
    Startled back to reality, he noticed they were at the counter, and Scarlett had tapped his hand, having obviously asked something.
    “Huh?”
    “What are you having?”
    Her—and soon.
     
    Once they ordered, Scarlett reached for her wallet, but he swooped in.
    “My treat.”
    Scarlett hesitated as they shuffled over to the crowded waiting area. “You really don’t have to.”
    He shook his head. “Just take it. I’m trying to be chivalrous for once in my life.”
    The barista called their names and she took her drink with a laugh. “Inspired by the costume?”
    He winked as he retrieved his. “Maybe. You never know. I might have a softer side that I’m willing to let out to play right now.”
    To let out his softer side in public? That would be something. She knew him well enough to know that there was more to him outside of his tough-talking, sarcastic YouTube persona. It was highly unlikely that she knew all there was about him. She was actually curious to find out a bit more.
    Scarlett was pleasantly surprised when he led them to a quieter section and pulled out a chair for her. She took it and ignored the phones pointed their way, the wide-eyed stares and the frantic thumb movements that were the telltale signs they were going to be on a blog or Twitter feed sometime soon.
    “Is that why you chose to wear it? I thought you lost a bet or something.” She couldn’t think of any other conceivable reason why.
    He chuckled and took a long sip of his drink. “You would think, right? Sailor Moon isn’t exactly my kind of anime.” His eyes were drawn from her for a moment and a grin lit up the portion of his face that wasn’t covered by the mask. “You’re actually about to find out.”
    Jackson stood just as a girl, who looked like she was in her early teens from her slight build and the way she was dressed, bounded toward him and leaped into his arms.
    “I can’t believe you did it!”
    Her shout turned heads in their direction.
    He gave her a big hug before settling her back down and beaming at her. “I said I would, didn’t I?”
    “I just never thought you’d actually do it!” She shrieked again, circling him.
    A woman, who Scarlett assumed was the girl’s mother judging by her looks, watched on with a soft, teary smile as she took photo after photo.
    Scarlett smiled and walked up to her. “Your daughter?”
    “Yes.” She thrust out her hand. “I’m Carole and she’s Julia.”
    Scarlett shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Scarlett.” She turned again to see Julia chatting Jackson’s ear off about something.
    He took it all with a smile and even responded here and there, much to the girl’s delight. She even convinced him to pose with her again and he did so without complaint. If she had to guess, Scarlett would have to say that he was enjoying himself immensely. “She’s so cute. How does she know Jackson?”
    Carole’s smile waned, turning a little watery. “Julia is a fan of his.”
    Unsure of what she said that might have caused the other woman’s smile to waver, Scarlett bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry. Did I upset you?”
    The woman sniffed but looked as though she was regaining control of her emotions.