Part 19 (1/2)
”R.J.-”.
The dress slipped over her shoulders, leaving her in her strapless bra. R.J. whistled. ”d.a.m.n, honey, when did you get that?”
Distracted, she explained, ”Hope and Anna bought me some things.”
He fingered the lace edging the cups of the bra. ”More things like this?”
”Yes. R.J., stop that” She pushed his hands away, then pressed on his shoulders.
R.J. pushed back, and gently tumbled her onto the bed. ”R.J....”
He kissed her ribs as he tugged the dress down. ”Another thing, honey.” The dress bunched at her hips, and R.J. lifted his head to look at her. Tears were in her eyes, ripping his heart out. ”I love you.”
She gasped, and the tears spilled over. ”You love me?”
He settled at her side, then gathered her against his chest ”So much, Dana d.a.m.n, I've been stupid.” She stirred, and he squeezed her tight to keep her in place. ”No, don't defend me.”
”I was going to agree!”
He laughed. Much as Dana loved to defend him, she didn't pull any punches, either. She was, as he'd told her, perfect for him. ”Good. Because I've been a blind fool. My only excuse is that you let me be blind. I'll trust in the future that you'll keep me better informed of things I should know.”
Dana wriggled out of his hold to prop her elbows on his chest. The position did delightful things to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and made the urgency beat at him. The emerald necklace hung free, the light glinting off it. ”Tell me again,” she said.
”That I love you? I do. And I need you. And I want you.”
She pressed her hips down. ”The want part I can believe. You've got proof.”
He stilled her hips by gripping them in his large hands. ”The love and need part you can believe, too. I don't want you to have any doubts, Dana. Not about me and what I feel for you. I've known so many women over the years, but none of them affected me like you do. I've been obsessed with you, but I didn't even know why.”
”You've been obsessed with s.e.x.” She kissed him. ”Not that I'm complaining.”
R.J. pulled her back for a more thorough tasting that left them both breathless. ”This isn't mere s.e.x, woman. s.e.x I could have with any number of women. What we have together is special, and if you don't tell me you'll stay with me and love me and have my babies, I'll...”
”Fire me again?”
”Smart a.s.s.”
”Smart enough to know a good thing when I have it. I'm not going anywhere, R.J.” She laid her head on his chest. ”All I ever wanted was for you to love me.”
”I seem to recall you demanding s.e.x rather forcefully, too.”
”R.J!”.
His grin was wicked. ”As a businessman, I have to say that was the best deal of my life.”
Dana met his grin with one of her own. ”Then I think you should stop talking and start fulfilling your end of the bargain.”
R.J. agreed. After all, regardless of his father's tainted legacy, he was no slacker. And he'd proved it.
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