Jared's Counterfeit Fiancee - Brenda Jackson [61]
A short while later, he collapsed on the floor beside her and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her as she lay sprawled lifelessly across his chest, the hunger they had for each other satisfied.
“Truth or dare?” she whispered, pressing her lips against the hollow of his throat and gently sucking there.
His breath caught and he felt himself getting hard all over again. “Truth,” he said when he was able to breathe normally again.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, somehow finding strength to lean up and stare down at him.
His heart reacted immediately to her question. “I’m thinking that what we just shared is amazing, and that every time we’ve made love was incredible. I also think that you’re beautiful, sexy and a woman any man would want to claim as his. And that I want you in all the ways a man could possibly want a woman. In bed and out of bed. I’m also thinking about the fact that we didn’t use protection, but I’m not bothered by it because I don’t want things to end between us tonight.”
Dana lightly traced her fingers through the hair on his chest. Was he trying to say he wanted her as a lover? That things didn’t have to be over after tonight? But how would he explain to his family as to why she had gone from being his fiancée to nothing more than his lover. But then another part of her knew she wanted more from Jared, a lot more than he was willing to give. She refused to sell herself short and it was best to walk away now to save herself heartbreak later.
“Truth or dare, Dana?”
His challenge interrupted her thoughts. She looked at him. “Truth.”
He reached out and captured her hand. “What are you thinking?”
She inhaled deeply, then released a slow, shaky breath. “I’m thinking that I can’t settle for an affair with you, Jared.”
“That’s good because I don’t want an affair.”
At the confused look that appeared on her face, he sat up and pulled her to him and placed a slow, lingering kiss on her lips. When he released her he said, “I want something more than an affair, Dana. I want you to be the woman I come home to every night.”
She frowned, not sure she understood what he was saying. “I don’t understand.”
With a shuddering sigh he said, “Then maybe it’s time to put all game playing aside and speak only the truth.”
He couldn’t help but think about how much he loved her and needed her in his life. “These past six weeks, pretending to be your fiancé, the man you are going to marry, have been the best weeks of my life. And tonight when I realized it was about to end, I had to face a number of truths. One of which was the fact that I have fallen in love with you.”
Dana blinked, seeming thunderstruck. “You have?”
His smile showed a perfect set of white teeth. “Yes, and more than anything I want to make our engagement real.” He lifted his hand to her face to caress her cheek. “But getting what I want really depends on how you feel about me, Dana.”
He saw the moment tears began forming in her eyes. “Oh, Jared, I love you, too, and more than anything I want our engagement to be real.”
He chuckled with both joy and relief and pulled her into his lap. “I’m damn glad to hear that. So, Dana Rollins will you marry me? Be my wife, the mother of my children and the love of my life for always?”
He framed her face in his hands and continued. “Will you let that ring you’re already wearing be a symbol of my love and promise? And will you believe that I will honor you, protect you and make you happy?”
He watched as more tears came into her eyes at the same time a soft chuckle escaped from her throat. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Jared, and be all of those things.”
An overpowering gush of happiness erupted from Jared’s throat. “You do know this means you’ll have all the Westmorelands as family?”
Tears made her choke back her laughter. “Thank