I glance at him as the plane begins to move again. “I’ll be fine. I’m being silly.” How many more ways am I going to embarrass myself with this man?

“Relax and close your eyes,” he says softly but with an air of authority.

“When did you get so bossy?” I close my eyes and smile, hearing a rustling before I sense him shifting closer.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he replies, humor dancing in his voice. “Now, stop talking and just breathe.”

I take a deep breath and start to sing to myself. My father used to sing this song to me at night whenever I had bad dreams. The lyrics soothed me. Throughout my life, I’ve always sung that song when I needed strength, even though it was associated with him. Now is no different. My father’s voice, singing about me being his one and only sunshine, echoes through my ears and floods my mind. If only it’d been true.

I repeat the song over and over as Jackson’s fingers graze my arm. Abruptly, the contact I’d been enjoying vanishes. I shiver from the loss, terrified to open my eyes. What if I’m alone again?

“You’re safe now.” His warm voice blankets over me.

I’m far from safe, but somehow during that brief moment we managed to become airborne and I didn’t even notice. My lids are heavy, so I relax into my seat and think about my morning with Jackson. Within a matter of minutes he put me at ease. He cared for me when he saw my distress. How easy it would be to fall for him. To give myself to someone who looks out for others before himself. But at what cost to my heart? Somewhere before unconsciousness I realize—it’s not the plane I should be afraid of, it’s the man next to me.

“Catherine…”

No! I don’t want to wake up. Damn Ashton and her nudging.

“Catherine.” I hear a throaty chuckle. “You’re adorable when you sleep.”

What?

“Come on. Time to get up. We’re in Virginia.”

Virginia?

I groan and open my eyes to see Jackson smiling and leaning over me with both hands on the arm rests. Damn, I’d love waking up to that face every day. I rub my eyes, realizing I slept the entire flight. Between the lack of sleep last night and the events of this morning, it’s no wonder I passed out. I try to move but he has me caged between his muscular arms, a huge grin on his face. I clear my throat and look at his hand, hoping my silent cue will register. However, he only seems more amused.

“Could you let me up please?”

He leans back but not enough to give me the space I need. I glare at him until he takes a step back, crosses his arms over his chest, and smiles widely at me.

Now standing, I become extremely self-conscious as he stares at me. “What? Do I have something on my face?” I wipe my face, smooth my hair, and inspect my clothes.

He inches forward, dropping his arms to his sides. His eyes tease me as they travel the length of my body. “Did you know you talk in your sleep?” His voice is full of mischief.

No. Oh no! I’m aware of this, but I’ve never really thought too much about it. Though, Ashton does make fun of me all the time for the things that come out of my mouth at night. Pink paints my cheeks as I cover my face with my hands. I open my fingers a tiny bit so I can see through them. “Please tell me I didn’t say anything embarrassing,” I say hesitantly.

Jackson tugs at my hands, pulling them away from my face. His calloused thumbs are rubbing back and forth against my wrists. Taking a deep breath, he gives a small smile. “You said ‘Daddy’ a few times.”

“Oh.” I give a deflated huff. “I guess that makes sense … with everything today.” I look down to where he’s still holding my arms. I shift my weight and stare at the floor.

Sensing my discomfort, he drops my wrists. “I’m sorry again,” he says. And again, I know he is. I can hear the honesty in his voice. It’s touching but disconcerting at the same time. I can’t afford to form an emotional connection with this man. The physical one is bad enough.

“I know.” I smile. “I’m excited to get to work and see the plant,” I say in a polite tone, switching topics. I don’t want to discuss my father or anything personal, and I’m not going to think about all the issues waiting for me back in New Jersey. There’s business to handle while I’m on this trip, and that is going to be my priority. In the last twenty years, my father never once made me a priority—I’m not about to make him one now.

“We’ll head straight there. Then we’ll have dinner, since I know you’re excited for that too.”

“Too?” I straighten my back and snap my eyes to his.

“You might have said something about that.” He laughs. “And a few other things,” he adds as an afterthought. Jackson turns and cleans up his papers.

Is he serious? I bite my lip and hesitate before asking my next question. “What are you talking about? Did I say anything else?”

He tilts his head to the side, grinning, and then shrugs. What the hell does the shrug mean? I have to know. He grabs his bag and moves past me. I’m stunned, silently praying all I did was mumble.

As he walks by, I grab his arm to stop him. I try for nonchalance, hoping that maybe his good-humored side will play along. My stomach is doing somersaults as I think of all the possible things I could’ve said in my sleep. In the short time we’ve known each other I’ve dreamed of him so often—if my words were anything close to sounding like the two very erotic dreams I’ve already had, I may die.

His eyes are playful when he looks at me. “Something you want to know?” he asks, raising one eyebrow.

“Me? No.” I smile and look contrite.

“Are you sure? You look rather curious.” He smirks and pushes my hair off my face.

I laugh, hoping to get him to tell me what I said. “Jackson, I thought you were into saving girls from disastrous situations. You know, a soldier and all—”

He cuts me off. “No, I was a SEAL, not a soldier. Big difference,” he says as he puffs his chest out.

“Okay … SEAL, then. Didn’t know the term meant anything.” I tilt my head, smiling and batting my eyelashes. “Anyway, don’t you want to tell me whatever it is you think you know?”

He smiles at my blatant attempt at persuasion. Dropping his the bag on the seat, he says, “Catherine, you don’t really think I’m going to give up that easy, do you?” He grins and takes a step closer. I notice his Adam’s apple bobbing as he debates his next words. “I’m like a vault, and it’s going to take a whole lot more than those gorgeous eyes batting at me to crack this one,” he says huskily.

I take a step back and smile. “So there is something to spill, then?”

He laughs loudly and steps back. “Come on. We’ve got places to go.”

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a frustrating man?”

He taps his finger on his chin as if deep in thought. “Nope, most people find me endearing and charming.”

I snort. “Are these people on your payroll by any chance?”

“Maybe, but then again you’re on my payroll and seem to disagree with the consensus.” He smiles and heads toward the cabin door.

“Good thing I don’t work for you. You’re just a client, so I don’t have to agree.”

He stops and turns toward me suggestively. “Good thing I have three days to change your mind about that, then.” He winks, leaving me speechless as we exit the plane.

Jackson and I don’t speak much in the car. Both of us are looking at the new sales figures he received from his secretary when we landed. The numbers look promising and show a shift in the market. I look through a few more emails on my phone, not really paying much attention to where we’re going. I shoot a quick text to Ashton, letting her know we’ve landed safely. About fifteen minutes later, we pull up to a large office building that’s all windows.

I look over at the Cole Security Forces sign and I’m suddenly confused. Clearly, this isn’t the production facility. I glance at Jackson. He’s still engrossed in the figures, so he hasn’t noticed we’ve stopped.