He looked at her hopefully. “And you think you got it right?”
“I know so,” she answered emphatically. “Maybe I can’t remember it, and maybe I never will. But I know I wouldn’t have married you either unless it was actually what I wanted. I guess I still don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me sooner.”
“I was drunk, but I didn’t do something I didn’t want,” he said huskily. “Somehow, I wanted to convince you that we could make it real. When I woke up, I was worried that you wouldn’t even consider staying together and giving us a try. I took the rings and the paperwork, and actually hoped you didn’t remember. It would give me a chance to wrap the movie and get to Amesport so we could talk.”
“I have a confession to make,” she told him hesitantly.
“What?”
“You didn’t really blackmail me. I didn’t want to end our marriage, either. I didn’t think it was going to work, but I wanted to steal whatever time I could to be with you.”
“I thought you wanted to make me miserable,” he reminded her teasingly.
“How could I do that when you were so hard to resist?” she asked him lightly. “You might be bossy, but you’re kind of sweet sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” he said with false indignation.
Kristin leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “Most of the time,” she relented. “Julian, I love you just the way you are. There isn’t anything I’d change about you. And there’s nothing I’d change about us and the way things happened. If I did, I might not have learned so much about myself along the way.”
“I did lie,” he answered regretfully. “In my defense, I was a desperate man, Scarlet.”
“I forgive you . . . this time. Don’t do it again,” she admonished, trying to stay serious when all she wanted to do was wallow in the warmth of his love and her happiness. “I wasn’t that forthcoming about how I was feeling, either. I’m sorry. I was just so afraid I was going to end up heartbroken when all of this was over.”
“I don’t know how you couldn’t have known exactly how I felt,” Julian said, sounding confused as he sat back a little and kissed her on the forehead.
Kristin straightened up and looked him in the eyes. “Because nothing this good has ever happened to me. My life has never been normal. I didn’t really dream about falling in love. I just wanted to get through the day. I didn’t think about fairy-tale endings with the perfect guy. My life has never been that way. You were an unexpected gift who offered me a love like I’ve never had. I was confused, and it was scary. I lived out my fantasy in Vegas, and I thought it was over.”
“We’ll never be over, Scarlet. Your life has been too damn hard, and way too serious. It’s time for that to change,” Julian grumbled as he hauled her into his lap.
“It has been difficult sometimes, but I wouldn’t change what I did even if I could. I love my mom and dad, and they did the best they could under difficult circumstances,” Kristin shared as she wrapped her arms around his neck and inhaled his musky, masculine scent. “What you did for my parents . . . I’m not sure how I can ever repay something like that.”
“No repayment. It was nothing,” he said gruffly. “Unless you want to pay me in sexual favors. I’d take that.”
She giggled. “I’d give you anything you want because I love you.”
“Be careful what you promise,” he answered hoarsely. “I can think of some pretty kinky fantasies, sweetheart.”
Kristin knew he’d changed the subject because he didn’t want her to thank him. Julian took it for granted that she was his wife, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make her happy. For him, it was nothing life-changing. For her, the fact that he went out of his way to make her parents’ life easier meant the world to her.
No man had ever given a damn about her happiness or her emotional pain. But he did, and Julian being Julian, he’d just resolved her issues in the fastest way possible with minimal drama or fuss.
She let the subject go, accepting the fact that he’d always be a protective husband. Kristin planned to take care of him just like he took care of her.
“How kinky?” she asked breathlessly, thinking about just how much she wanted to explore with this man she loved so desperately.
Julian had her pinned beneath him in a heartbeat, his strong body covering hers. “There isn’t much I haven’t fantasized about when it comes to you,” he answered, his deep blue eyes piercing her soul as he pinned her arms over her head. “Most of them revolved around convincing you that you’re mine while we’re both naked.”
“Already convinced,” she panted, her gaze meeting his with a raw honesty she couldn’t and didn’t want to hide. “But if you want to keep trying, I’m up for that.”
The sensual, possessive stare he was giving her slammed her hard in the chest.