THAT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT they slept in the same bed but didn’t make love and Bella lay there hurting inside and wasn’t sure what she could do about it. She was trying to protect her heart, especially after the results of the pregnancy test she’d taken a few days ago.
Jason was an honorable man. Just the kind of man who’d keep her around just because she was the mother of his child. She wasn’t particularly thinking of herself per se but of her child. She had grown up in a loveless household and simply refused to subject her child to one. Jason would never understand how that could be because he’d grown up with parents who’d loved each other and had set a good example for their children to follow. That was evident in the way his cousins and brother treated the wives they loved. It was easy to see their relationships were loving ones, the kinds that last until death. She didn’t expect that kind of long-term commitment from Jason. That was not in the plan and had not been in his proposal.
She knew he was awake by the sound of his breathing but his back was to her as hers was to him. When he had come up to bed he hadn’t said anything. In fact, he had barely cast a glance her way before sliding under the covers.
His family was excited about hosting a wedding reception for them but she had been tempted to tell them not to bother. Their year would be up before she knew it anyway. However, she had sat there and listened while plans were being made and fighting the urge to get pulled into the excitement.
The bed shifted and she held her breath hoping that, although she’d given him that reminder, he would still want her. He dashed that hope when instead of sliding toward her he got out of the bed and left the room. Was he coming back to bed or did he plan on sleeping somewhere else tonight? On the sofa? In his truck?
She couldn’t help the tears that began falling from her eyes. She only had herself to blame. No one told her to fall in love. She should have known better. She should not have put her heart out there. But she had and now she was paying the price for doing so.
“OKAY, WHAT THE HELL is wrong with you, Jason? It’s not like you to make such a stupid mistake and the one you just made was a doozy,” Zane stormed. “That’s the sheikh’s prized horse and what you did could have cost him a leg.”
Anger flared up inside of Jason. “Dammit, Zane, I know what I did. You don’t have to remind me.”
He then glanced over at Derringer and waited to see what he had to say and when he didn’t say anything, Jason was grateful.
“Look, guys, I’m sorry about the mistake. I’ve got a lot on my mind. I think I’ll call it a day before I cause another major screwup.” He then walked off toward Zane’s barn.
He was in the middle of saddling his horse to leave when Derringer walked up. “Hey, man, you want to talk about it?”
Jason drew in a deep breath. “No.”
“Come on, Jas, there’s evidently trouble in paradise at Jason’s Place. I don’t profess to be an expert when it comes to such matters, but even you will admit that me and Lucia had a number of clashes before we married.”
Jason glanced over at him. “What about after you married?”
Derringer threw his head back and laughed. “Want a list? The main thing to remember is the two of you are people with different personalities and that in itself is bound to cause problems. The most effective solution is good, open communication. We talk it out and then we make love. Works every time. Oh, and you need to remind her every so often how much you love her.”
Jason chuckled drily. “The first two things you said I should do are things I can handle but not the latter.”
Derringer raised a brow. “What? You can’t tell your wife you love her?”
Jason sighed. “No, I can’t tell her.”
Derringer looked confused. “Why? You do love her, don’t you?”
“Yes, more than life.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Jason stopped what he was doing and met Derringer’s gaze. “She doesn’t love me back.”