It had been convincing, Jordan had to admit, but more than that it had served its purpose. They’d escaped the casino without any further run-ins with any of Jason’s fans and were now on the way to the airport as planned.
Fletcher was good. When he set a goal, he accomplished it.
Jordan sat back in her seat working very hard not to feel disappointed. That was ridiculous. Them getting married was a ridiculous idea and being disappointed that it wasn’t happening was silly.
Besides, if she wanted to marry Fletcher, she could bring it up back in Louisiana. Or on the airplane. Or…
“I’ve been thinking about what I need,” she told him.
He’d been typing something into his phone—she assumed a text to someone back home letting them know what was going on—but he stopped and looked over at her. “I’ve been thinking about what you need too.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Does it include eating your grandma’s pecan pie until I can’t move?”
He nodded. “Yes. And more.”
“So, dancing with Zeke, kicking Zander’s ass at darts, binge watching baking shows with my grandmother, and playing chess with your grandpa, too?”
Fletcher put his phone down and turned to face her fully. “Yes. And swimming in the bayou, hanging out with a couple of lemurs, and a hard game of one-on-one with me.”
Maybe I just need to get laid.
That was her first thought. That would explain why the “a hard game of one-on-one with me” sent her mind in all kinds of dirty directions. He was talking about basketball. They’d played one-on-one since they’d been eight or nine. But this time the phrase made her think about naked body parts and getting sweaty with Fletcher in a whole new way.
And the fact that it took a good fifteen seconds for the word lemurs to even sink in said a lot about which naked body parts.
“Yes. To all of that.”
He grinned.
It was the grin, she figured, that made her say, “But I also think that I need to—”
“Marry me.”
“Date you.”
They spoke at the same time.
Then stared at each other.
“What?”
“What?”
They spoke simultaneously again.
Jordan ignored the butterflies in her stomach that thought he’d said something about marrying him. She held up a hand to keep him from talking and took a deep breath.
“I was trying to get you to tell me we should date in the elevator earlier when I was talking about Zeke and Zander and Knox. Because Naomi and Charlie said I should do whatever you tell me to do today and not make any big decisions myself. So I figured if you said you thought we should date, then it would mean it was a good idea.” She frowned at him. “But you didn’t say that.”
“I was trying to give you some fucking space before I said anything.” He seemed very annoyed suddenly.
She leaned in, bracing her hand on the seat between them. “The last person I need space from is you, Fletcher. I mean, we’ve basically been dating for twenty years. If dating is about getting to know someone and figuring out how well you fit with them and figuring out if you want to spend the rest of your life with them…we’ve done that. I’ve always envisioned us growing old together, sitting together on your back porch and watching the sunset over the bayou when we’re eighty.”
“You were going to marry Jason. Up until, what, six months ago?”
She shrugged and nodded. “I know. But…I guess I thought we would both marry someone else, have those lives, stay friends, of course, and then after they died, we’d end up living together in Autre and sitting on the porch every night.”
Jordan watched him process that. She’d never told him that before, but it was true. She didn’t know when it had first occurred to her or why she’d never thought it was odd, but she’d always figured, no matter what other paths they took, she and Fletcher would end up together somehow. Even if it was just side by side in their rocking chairs.
He shook his head. “You have got to be one of the most exasperating people in my life.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Considering your twin brothers are Zeke and Zander, being one of the most exasperating people in your life is pretty huge.”
He shook his head. “Absolutely exasperating. To think I could’ve kissed you when we were standing next to a king-sized bed and you were only in your bra and panties and you would have been all in.”
Jordan felt her cheeks flush, but she grinned widely. “God, I really am a pain in the ass.”
“You really are.” His gaze dropped to her mouth.
Jordan felt a zing of excitement go through her. She really wanted him to kiss her.
“I think you dating me is a great idea,” he said after a moment.”
Thank God.
“You’re sure you’re done dating other people? Having fun with all those girls? All the casual relationships?” she asked.
“If it means I get to be with you? Absolutely.”
Her stomach swooped, harder and faster than before. “This isn’t crazy?”
“It makes a hell of a lot more sense than anything else. Like you dating other men. Or either of us being with anyone else.”
“We’ve never talked about this before.”
“You’ve been taken for eleven years,” he said simply.
Right. That was true. And Fletcher was too good of a guy to go after another man’s girl.
She still felt compelled to say, “Galveston was a long time ago.”
Why was she bringing that up? She was very attracted to Fletcher and she’d seen the heat in his eyes in the hotel suite. He commented on her nipples this morning, for God’s sake. He’d been hard when she’d sat on his lap. They had chemistry. Even Naomi and Charlie had seen it. She didn’t need to worry about that part.
“What are you thinking about?” Fletcher asked, reading her clearly as he so often did.
“The physical part,” she said honestly. “It’s been three years since anything happened.”
“Again, because you’ve been taken.” His voice dropped. “Only because you’ve been taken, Jordan.”
Her heart skittered at that and she wet her lips. She thought about her next words carefully. Several seconds ticked by. Then she said simply, “Prove it.”
And she realized a split second later, as Fletcher reached out, wrapped his big hand around her wrist, and tugged her close, that this was why she’d brought Galveston up. She wanted to kiss Fletcher. Right now. Not because she was afraid there was no spark, but because she just really, really didn’t want to wait any longer.
He cupped the back of her head and brought her in until they were nose to nose. “This changes everything,” he said. Almost as if it was a warning.
“I know.”
“I’m the last frog you’re ever going to kiss. So be sure you want it now.”
Oh, damn. That was exactly what she’d wanted to hear without even realizing it.
“Oh yes,” she answered softly.
He gave a quiet almost-growl then covered her mouth with his.
His fingers sank into her hair. He held the back of her head still as he tasted her.
At first the kiss was gentle. Tasting and seeking. Their lips pressed and released. He tipped his head, changing the angle slightly. Then again, deepening the kiss just slightly.