Page 38 of Beneath a Tennessee Sky

“More than I’d like.”

Something unreadable flickers across her face, but it’s quickly gone. “Tell me about the album. The real stuff, not the press junket version.”

And just like that, we’re back on solid ground. I tell her about the studio, about Dex and the song I wrote at three in the morning that might actually be good. She listens the way she always has—leaning in, asking the right questions, laughing in all the right places.

For the first time in months, I feel like myself.

I eat more than I have in a long time. The steak is cooked to perfection and the side dishes are amazing. Dessert arrives—a decadent chocolate cake that Jinnie insists on sharing. She takes a bite, her eyes closing in bliss as she moans softly. I can’t help but smile. For a moment, it’s just us again. No label, no fans, no expectations. Just Jinnie and Jack.

But the bubble doesn’t last.

As we step out of the restaurant, a small crowd has gathered. Phones are out, cameras flashing. I instinctively pull Jinnie closer to me, shielding her as much as I can.

“Jack! Over here!” someone yells.

“Who’s the girl?” another voice calls.

Jinnie tenses beside me, her grip on my arm tightening. I keep my head down, guiding her quickly to the waiting car. The driver opens the door, and we slide inside. The noise muffles as the door closes, but the tension lingers.

“Are you okay?” I ask, turning to her.

She nods, but her face is pale. “That was intense.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “I didn’t think they’d be waiting like that.”

She forces a smile. “It’s fine. Just different.”

The ride back to the penthouse is quiet. When we step inside, she heads straight for the windows, staring out at the city below. I join her, standing close but not touching.

“Are you mad?” I ask softly.

She shakes her head. “Not mad. It’s overwhelming, but I guess that’s part of being a star.”

Her fingers trace the collar of my shirt. “This is new.”

“Liz picked it.” The words slip out before I can stop them.

Jinnie stills. Just for a second. Then her hands are moving again, unbuttoning the shirt and sliding it off my shoulders. “I liked the old ones better.”

“Me too.”

“You don’t wear them anymore?”

“I do. Sometimes. I was doing some meet and greet thing earlier and went straight to the airport.”

Her lips find the hollow of my throat, kissing and moving just below my ear. Every touch feels like coming home.

When she pulls back, her eyes are dark, her cheeks flushed. “Bedroom?”

I scoop her up, earning a squeak of protest that turns into laughter as I carry her down the hall. The penthouse, the album, the fucking designer shirts—none of it matters when she’s in my arms.

Her breath hitches as I lay her down on the bed. I hover above her, my hands framing her face, thumb brushing over her cheek. Her eyes are wide, searching mine. I see it there—that same heat, that same hunger that I’ve longed for every night since I left.

“I missed you,” I whisper, my voice rough with need. “Every damn day.”

She doesn’t answer with words. Instead, she pulls me down until our lips meet. It’s not soft or tentative—it’s desperate, like we’re both trying to make up for every second we’ve been apart. Her mouth opens under mine. I deepen the kiss, tasting her, relearning the shape of her lips.

Her hands slide down my back. I hiss at the contact. Her touch is electric, sending a jolt straight through me. I pull back just long enough to yank her sweater over her head, tossing it somewhere across the room. Her eyes drop to my chest. She bites her lip like she’s trying to hold back a smile.

“Still like what you see?” I tease, even as my voice shakes.

She answers by sitting up slightly and kissing me again, one hand sliding around to grip the back of my neck while the other trails down my stomach. My abs clench under her touch. I groan into her mouth.

“Jinnie,” I murmur against her lips.

“Jack,” she whispers back, breathless.

She moans softly against my lips as I trail kisses down her jawline and across her collarbone. I realize this isn’t going to go slow. As much as I want to savor this moment, we’re both desperate. We strip naked and I’m over her in a flash. Her body is just as perfect as I remember.

I slide inside her. We move together in a rhythm that’s been missing from both of our lives. The bed creaks under our frantic movements as we find each other again in the heat of the moment. Her moans are my fuel, driving me deeper and harder inside her.

I kiss her neck, teasing her skin with my teeth as I thrust harder. Her nails scratch lightly against my back, leaving trails of pleasure and pain. She meets my thrusts with equal urgency.

Time seems to stand still as we lose ourselves in each other. And then she cries out, her body tensing underneath me in an intense wave of pleasure. I follow her over the edge, groaning her name as I let go and release everything I’ve been holding onto. Our bodies shake together, our hearts pounding in unison.

I collapse onto the bed, our breaths coming in ragged gasps. I roll onto my side to look at her, brushing a stray hair away from her face. She smiles up at me, the satisfaction clear in her eyes.

“Missed you, too,” she whispers.