“You picked it out?” She was shocked he didn’t just send one of his people to do it.
“Yes, I did.” He paused before he confessed the rest to her. “I went to four jewelers before I found this particular ring. Something about it reminds me of you.” He reached toward her and grinned. “Give me your left hand.”
Meg extended her trembling left hand, and Jason’s larger one encircled it.
“Megan Rossi,” he whispered against her ear, “will you marry me?”
She sighed and watched as he slid the ring onto her finger, fulfilling one of her most romantic fantasies. All she could do was nod, touched by the effort he put into this, that he tried to make it special.
That he asked her to marry him.
Meg didn’t know what made her do it, but she touched his face with her fingertips, loving the warmth of his skin, and gently kissed his lips. “Thank you.”
***
How the hell had she done that?
With that one kiss, everything in Jason came back to life, everything that died when he lost her. Meg was still staring up at him, not moving, and it appeared there was nothing to lose, so Jason leaned in and kissed her again.
That was all it took for the heat, that had been building for weeks, to flare between them. His fingers pushed into her hair right before she grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him closer, all while his mouth took hers in an erotic dance.
There was warmth and softness and the scent of her perfume mingled with the taste of chocolate, and he remembered how she always tasted like this. Smelled like this. His response to her was visceral, raw, and when he felt the tip of her tongue touch his lips, he flashed back to feelings he had in the past. She was his. Always. And as he continued to kiss her, Jason wondered what it was about this woman and her kisses that made him forget about everyone else. There was no one else who could take him out at the knees with a touch or a word, and certainly no one he wanted to kiss like this. No one who could make him feel so much.
Fortunately, for the next year, it didn’t look like he’d have to. When Meg pulled away and their eyes locked, they both knew they were in trouble. There was no way to contain this, no way they were going to be able to keep their hands to themselves. So the question of sex was now right out in the open.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “That’s going to be a problem.”
Jason skimmed his lips over her cheek and kissed the soft skin by the corner of her mouth. “A problem?”
“Wasn’t there something suggesting we keep things platonic and not have sex in that second agreement? That it would complicate things?”
“Yeah. I think it’s a stupid idea. My lawyer came up with it, but it will be up to you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“That kiss didn’t feel platonic.” Meg was still breathing hard. Jason was just hard.
“Nope. Not at all.”
“We’re in deep trouble then,” she said on a shaky breath.
He couldn’t disagree with her. This crazy attraction between them was going to be a problem if the plan was to keep things platonic. He wanted her, no doubt about it, but his rational mind shifted back to the moment and told him they had to get out of the car. “We’d better go inside. I just saw the curtain in the dining room move.”
She dropped her head until her forehead touched his shoulder. “Do we have to?”
“Come on.” He got out and made his way to the other side of the car, where Meg was still frozen. He opened the door and squatted down in front of her, taking both her hands in his. “It’s like dealing with any bully: Try not to show fear. It only gives the bully more power.”
“Okay. I’m ready.” She stood and stepped away from the Mercedes.
She didn’t look ready. She looked like she was going to face a firing squad. He leaned in and touched his lips to her hair. “I’ll be right here. It won’t be like last time.”
Meg looked up, and he didn’t know if he had made a mistake saying that or not. Until she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. She pressed her body into his and threaded her hands through his hair, and Jason