“Sometimes I think he cares. Other days, he can’t be bothered since he can’t talk sales numbers and metal suppliers with me.”
“Your mom, on the other hand, is worse than you described.”
“You get used to it.” She yawns, covering her mouth and shaking her head. “Man. It was only an afternoon tea and I’m already exhausted.”
“Perhaps it was the Prosecco,” I tease.
“Perhaps.” She shifts her head in my direction and opens her eyes. She does look sleepy. Worn out. “You know what I was thinking, sitting across from Roman, and watching how he and Julianna interact?”
I know what I was thinking and none of it was good. Still, she once loved this man.
“What?”
“I have no idea what I ever saw in him. And I was with him for more than six years. How can that be?”
I chuckle.
“What?”
“Only that was what I was thinking, too.”
“Was I like that with him? So…”
“Differential?”
“I was going to say wimpy, but we can go with that.”
“Mousy?”
“Biddable.”
“No.”
She shuffles to the bed, undoing her belt I eye with piqued interest. She won’t undress here, not with me in the room, but as she sits on the bed and begins to unbuckle her shoe, I imagine her slowly stripping off the rest.
She gives me a look full of doubt and I go to her, sitting next to her to throw my arm around her. “Hey, Roman’s a jerk. That you didn’t see it doesn’t mean you acted differently. And no, I don’t remember you ever being any of those things. You’re too strong.”
“Doesn’t say much about my ability to make good choices, though, does it?”
“Having your boyfriend lie to you and cheat on you doesn’t negate your intelligence, Jillian. Stop being so hard on yourself. That’s all on him. Unless you wish it was you sitting next to him tonight?”
I can see the appeal. Her mother’s approval and fawning all over her. The comfort of a man… who I still don’t believe is a great one. But everyone wants to be loved and accepted by their family.
“No. I think for the first time, I was glad I wasn’t next to him. Seriously… she asked him about which sandwich he prefers she have.”
I snort. “I almost gave her three of each when he suggested she have two.”
“What kind of woman would want that?”
She’s working something out in her mind and I’m unsure of what it is, how far I can push. “Why do you think Julianna’s marrying Roman?”
“Probably because she gets the thrill of taking something of mine. She always did the same as kids. Toys, money… she stole everything from me. I’d forgotten that, before.”
“And just think, she’s the one now stuck with the man she stole from you.”
“Good riddance, I guess, then.”
“Exactly. Come on.” I stand and tug down the covers of the bed. One we’ll be sharing later. If I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to push this farther than either of us intends for it to happen. “Get in bed and sleep. Things will be better later.”
“Always so sure of yourself,” she grumbles.
I eye her, keeping the covers lifted.
“Fine.” She kicks off her other sandal and shuffles into the bed, curling on her side toward me.
“Sleep well.” I kiss her temple. Lingering there and not hiding it.
“Klaus?”
“Yeah, honey.”
She yawns again, lashes slowly fluttering closed. “You’re my favorite.”
Her lips part almost instantly and she’s out. It’s not a surprise. Jillian can collapse into sleep in the middle of a heavy metal concert if she’s tired enough.
I drop the covers and step back.
If I don’t get out of here, I’ll be climbing in behind her and she won’t be asleep for as long as she needs.
“Later,” I promise with a whisper and head toward the door with her sleepy words bouncing in my brain. You’re my favorite.
If only I knew for sure what that means.
At the doorway, I give her one more quick glance and take in my favorite part of the room.
The bed.
One glorious and elegant king-sized bed.
For us to share.
Definitely later.
I return to the front of the house and climb into my car with Stetson, fighting a hard-on the entire time. What he planned on being a leisurely jaunt around Charleston ends up with us flying up and down the interstate. Every time he glances at me, I sense him ready to interrogate me about my intentions with his daughter.
Thank God he doesn’t glance down. He’d see my damn intentions for Jillian is pressed right against my dress pants.
Fortunately, he says little, but his looks say he doesn’t know what to make of me, what to say to me, when I’m not involved in a Fortune 100 company.
By the time Stetson thanks me for the drive and tosses me the keys, I’m still hard, irritated, and restless.
And I’m a damn perv because all I can think of is climbing into bed next to Jillian, slipping my hand to her waist and kissing her until she wakes up, realizes what the hell I’m doing and where I’m leading us right before she shoves me away. I’m a glutton for punishment, only I absolutely no longer care. I’ve been falling in love with Jillian since the first moment I met her and if she can be in the same room with Roman and know without a doubt she’s totally over him, then I’m getting us to where I want to be.
I open the bedroom door slowly, inhaling the scent of her flowery perfume that’s already filled the room.
Jillian is sleeping with the most peaceful look I’ve seen on her all week. Chestnut hair spread out all over her pillow like a dark halo. The most beautiful dark angel. My pulse kicks up at the sight of her.
Screw it. I’m a man on a mission, after all. Ripping off my shirt first, I also ditch my socks and dress pants and slide into the bed behind her, keeping my lower half covered as if the cotton fabric on my boxer briefs is an irremovable barrier.
But this is just about wanting to test the waters, not taking everything I want at the potential first sign of the word go.
As soon as my hand settles on her hips, a gentle puff of breath comes from her lips, whispering my name.
In her sleep? If she’s dreaming of me…
I pull her gently to my body, aligning the soft curves of her body with mine and warmth immediately invades me. This. This is what I’ve wanted for years and now I’m touching Jillian, listening to the soft hum of her breathing.
I should stop this. I should definitely stop this. But touching her without it leading to more? It’s a feat far greater than any man outside of one having supernatural powers can resist.
She’s too beautiful. Too soft in all the right spots and toned in all the perfect ones. She smells like sunshine and happiness, and I imagine she tastes like the most delectable treat.
I’m about to pull away, to end this all, when Jillian’s head turns on the pillow and her eyes flutter open. “Klaus.”
We’re so close, stupid of me for even thinking of acting on this, especially when she’s sleepy, but before I can move, she does, leans up and whispers my name again with her mouth brushing over mine.