Ethan’s lips quirked into a lopsided smile. “Well, I’m not. Earlier, when you didn’t, I was pretty pissed off.”
“Why?”
“Because…” He looked into her eyes. His were so dark and beautiful, she thought she might sink into them and never come out. Never want to come out. “Not asking made it seem like you didn’t care. Like what we had wasn’t worth even a tiny bit of curiosity about Lisa on your part.”
She swallowed. “Well…we were supposed to be having a fling. Doing a lot of probing about Lisa seemed too, I don’t know, intrusive and demanding.”
“Uh, we’ve been in an exclusive relationship.”
“Which is—was—supposed to end.”
He shook his head, resting his forehead against hers. “When either of us finds someone else we’d rather be with. Don’t you get it? That’s how all relationships are. They always end when either party finds they’d rather be with someone else.”
Her mouth parted. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t caught that part of his proposal. Or had her subconscious ignored it because deep down she wanted to be with him?
“Otherwise, it’s forever.” he murmured. “Don’t you agree?”
Forever.
Her heart hammered. “So why all that contract stuff? Why didn’t you just say ‘hey, let’s have dinner’ like a normal person?”
“Because if I’d asked you out in a more traditional manner, you would’ve run off to California or something.”
She couldn’t deny his logic. He was absolutely correct. She would’ve run. She hadn’t wanted a complicated relationship. And she’d convinced herself he wasn’t her type because he would’ve left an indelible mark on her.
“You’ve been hurt by the people who should’ve loved you and protected you the most,” Ethan said. “That part of your life is over. You can trust me to keep you safe.”
He kissed her, his lips firm and sure, and joy suffused her with warmth. Then the kiss became something more, deeper, as though he wanted to devour all her secrets and thoughts and emotions. She clung to him, her body heavy with a sweet ache for him, relief making her head light.
This wasn’t just heat. Her heart throbbed with emotions, the wall she’d used to keep them out destroyed and blown away. She felt vulnerable, yet surprisingly safe. She trusted Ethan; he’d keep his word and protect her.
He finally broke off the kiss. “Tell me you love me again.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He trembled against her, his thick and powerful arms holding her tight.
“By the way,” she said against his shirt, her voice muffled. “Barron said he wanted to meet you sometime soon. If he hears that we’re together, he’s going to want to see you before leaving Virginia.”
“That’s fine. I want to see Barron too.”
“You do?”
“Oh yes. I have a few things to tell him.”
She tensed. “You aren’t going to pick a fight with him, are you?”
“No. But I’m going to let him know he better treat you right. You never had anyone before, but now you have someone to watch your back.”
“I have a feeling he’s going to like you quite a lot.”
Ethan shrugged. “He can like me or not, so long as you love me.”
“I do.” She kissed him again, letting her lips go soft and tasting everything: hope, future and love. “I do.”
Epilogue
One month later