The Temporary Wife (4 page)

Chapter 5

The house in Cold Spring Harbor was set on three acres of mostly treed land, and Meg was amazed how much she loved it. It was large, built in the 1930s, and Jason called it a farmhouse. Well, Meg had never seen a farmhouse like this. It had six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, and a gourmet kitchen that was bigger than the whole main level of her little Cape. But the best part of the house was the sunroom. It was bright and airy and had two sets of French doors, one leading to the rear patio and garden and the other leading to the side porch. To say the house had charm was not enough.

Gwyneth, the interior designer Jason had hired, was fantastic. She was larger than life, with flaming orange hair and a British accent. There was nothing pretentious or snotty about her. For her, good design meant making a house a home, and Meg appreciated the way she helped her through the process of choosing colors and fabrics.

Meg was excited, in some way, to see the house come together, and Gwyneth promised to have sketches to her in a couple of days. Jason had stayed out of the decision making, except when picking colors and fabrics for his bedroom and his office.

Separate bedrooms. It made her think of the Regency romances she loved to read where the just-married couple, often thrown together by necessity, occupied separate bedrooms. Of course the hero and heroine were wildly attracted to each other and found a way to make the marriage work and lived happily ever after. Meg just didn’t see that happening for her.

After meeting Gwyneth, they had dinner with her mother and sister, who were shocked when they walked into the restaurant and saw Jason sitting with Meg at the table. To say dinner was difficult would be an understatement. Meg couldn’t shake the feeling that she was betraying her family. Jason was the enemy.

Although her sister had been too young to completely understand, she could see the hurt in her mother’s eyes. Meg had to face her past with Jason eventually. Face all the pain there. Admit to herself that the man currently saving her hadn’t stood by her, changing her whole family’s life.

And here he was,taking control of her life. Meg listened as he gave their cover story, and from the looks on their faces, neither Mom nor Caroline bought it.

Now they were sitting in the car on the way to the Campbells’.

This was going to be even worse.

Jason reached across the console and took her hand. “I’ll be right here. If you want, let me do the talking.”

“I feel like you do that whether I want you to or not.”

“What? Talking?” He was genuinely shocked. He had done most of the talking with her mother and sister, but mainly because Meg was so upset about the way they sprung this on them, she didn’t know what to say. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sorry.”

Of course he didn’t. She was being bitchy because she hated the loss of control.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m nervous. I shouldn’t take it out on you.” They pulled into the long driveway, and he didn’t say a word until they pulled up to the main house and Meg’s stomach dropped. Suddenly, she was freezing, and her heart was racing. Jason must have seen the panic on her face, because he took her hand again.

“Are you going to be okay?”

She shook her head frantically. No words came out.

“If it’s any consolation, I still get a horrible pain in my stomach anytime I have to deal with my parents. You’re in the same boat as any family member right now.”

“This isn’t funny,” she squeaked out. “Not at all.”

He reached across her to the glove box and popped it open. “I have something in here that might make it a little better.”

“What? Xanax? Valium?”

He laughed and pulled out a small blue box tied with a white bow. It was the little blue box she always dreamed of getting from the man she was going to marry.

“Is that . . .” Meg found herself looking into Jason’s smiling blue eyes.

“I was going to give it to you later, but I think you could use it now.”

Meg was still frozen, staring at him. “You didn’t have to do this. A simple wedding band would have been fine.”

“You’re going to be my wife; you’ll have diamonds.” Meg opened her mouth, and Jason rested his index finger on her lips. “No. This is my manhood here. It’s my right to give you as many jewels and luxuries as I can afford. People will expect it, and I won’t lie, I find buying things for you very enjoyable.” She still couldn’t move. “Take it, Megan. Open it.”

She took the box, which was heavy for its size, and pulled the end of the ribbon, all while Jason kept a close eye on what she was doing. Inside the blue box was a black velvet case, which Meg took out, held, and then opened.

Her heart stopped. On the dark field sat the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. If she’d picked it out herself it couldn’t have been more perfect. It was a cushion cut diamond surrounded by tiny beadlike diamonds and set in a delicate diamond-encrusted band. It was dazzling, but not gaudy or tacky, and Meg felt herself smile, because no matter what the circumstances of their marriage, Jason was trying to give her the dream.

“I guess you like it?” He took the box and grasped the ring between his fingers.

“It’s beautiful.”

“There were bigger diamonds, but I thought this one suited you best.”

“You picked it out?” She was shocked he didn’t just send one of his people to do it.

“Yes, I did.” He paused before he confessed the rest to her. “I went to four jewelers before I found this particular ring. Something about it reminds me of you.” He reached toward her and grinned. “Give me your left hand.”

Meg extended her trembling left hand, and Jason’s larger one encircled it.

“Megan Rossi,” he whispered against her ear, “will you marry me?”

She sighed and watched as he slid the ring onto her finger, fulfilling one of her most romantic fantasies. All she could do was nod, touched by the effort he put into this, that he tried to make it special.

That he
asked
her to marry him.

Meg didn’t know what made her do it, but she touched his face with her fingertips, loving the warmth of his skin, and gently kissed his lips. “Thank you.”

***

How the hell had she done that?

With that one kiss, everything in Jason came back to life, everything that died when he lost her. Meg was still staring up at him, not moving, and it appeared there was nothing to lose, so Jason leaned in and kissed her again.

That was all it took for the heat, that had been building for weeks, to flare between them. His fingers pushed into her hair right before she grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him closer, all while his mouth took hers in an erotic dance.

There was warmth and softness and the scent of her perfume mingled with the taste of chocolate, and he remembered how she always tasted like this. Smelled like this. His response to her was visceral, raw, and when he felt the tip of her tongue touch his lips, he flashed back to feelings he had in the past. She was his. Always. And as he continued to kiss her, Jason wondered what it was about this woman and her kisses that made him forget about everyone else. There was no one else who could take him out at the knees with a touch or a word, and certainly no one he wanted to kiss like this. No one who could make him feel so much.

Fortunately, for the next year, it didn’t look like he’d have to. When Meg pulled away and their eyes locked, they both knew they were in trouble. There was no way to contain this, no way they were going to be able to keep their hands to themselves. So the question of sex was now right out in the open.

“Oh, God,” she whispered. “That’s going to be a problem.”

Jason skimmed his lips over her cheek and kissed the soft skin by the corner of her mouth. “A problem?”

“Wasn’t there something suggesting we keep things platonic and not have sex in that second agreement? That it would complicate things?”

“Yeah. I think it’s a stupid idea. My lawyer came up with it, but it will be up to you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he said.

“That kiss didn’t feel platonic.” Meg was still breathing hard. Jason was just hard.

“Nope. Not at all.”

“We’re in deep trouble then,” she said on a shaky breath.

He couldn’t disagree with her. This crazy attraction between them was going to be a problem if the plan was to keep things platonic. He wanted her, no doubt about it, but his rational mind shifted back to the moment and told him they had to get out of the car. “We’d better go inside. I just saw the curtain in the dining room move.”

She dropped her head until her forehead touched his shoulder. “Do we have to?”

“Come on.” He got out and made his way to the other side of the car, where Meg was still frozen. He opened the door and squatted down in front of her, taking both her hands in his. “It’s like dealing with any bully: Try not to show fear. It only gives the bully more power.”

“Okay. I’m ready.” She stood and stepped away from the Mercedes.

She didn’t look ready. She looked like she was going to face a firing squad. He leaned in and touched his lips to her hair. “I’ll be right here. It won’t be like last time.”

Meg looked up, and he didn’t know if he had made a mistake saying that or not. Until she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. She pressed her body into his and threaded her hands through his hair, and Jason found himself lost in the suppleness of her body and mouth. He pulled her closer, loving how she fit against him, loving the feel of her curves under his hands, loving her sweet taste.

Heaven.
Jason had gone to heaven.

When Meg finally pulled away, she glanced over his shoulder toward the house.
What was that all about?

“That should have everyone talking.” Meg licked her lips and grasped his hand. “Your wicked aunt Nancy was at the window.”

A chuckle escaped, and he had to love that she was willing to stir the pot. Aunt Nancy was a meaner version of his mother and deserved to be called wicked, if not a lot more. She’d never married, lived off his family’s money and fake lawsuits she’d drummed up, and was as nasty as a rabid dog.

Jason thought she might just need to get laid, but he couldn’t imagine any man being that desperate.

But Meg was smiling. She was going to be okay, at least for tonight. He knew the stress would get to her, that she might break at points, but she wasn’t going to show any weakness here.

And neither was he.

***

The maid, Carla, who had been with the family for twenty-five years, opened the door and shook her head. “You sure you want to go in there?”

“No choice. Have to introduce my bride-to-be.”

Tears welled up immediately in Carla’s eyes. She’d watched Meg and Jason go from childhood friends to lovers and had been there when the Rossis left the estate.

She grabbed Meg’s left hand and examined the ring, smiling at her and slapping Jason on the arm. “It’s about time you grew a pair.”

That shocked Meg a little. Jason and Grace were the favorite Campbells, and Josh as well, until he turned into an asshole while he was at Yale. The staff was very loyal to the kids, protecting them from a lot of their parents’ crappy behavior. She remembered more than once when her own mother had to take the kids trick-or-treating or help with school projects. She never expected to hear anyone say a harsh word to any of them.

Meg imagined Jason, Grace, and Josh’s upbringing forced all three of them to become self-sufficient, but it also left holes in their childhood. Fortunately, people like Carla, the handyman, Larry, and sometimes Meg’s parents had filled in where they could.

Jason took her hand. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Meg rubbed a hand across her stomach, trying to quell the nerves.

“If you’re going to be sick, aim toward my mother’s shoes. They probably cost a fortune.”

She giggled as he dragged her down the long hallway to the family room. Meg figured she’d have to deal with his mother, father, and wicked aunt Mary, but she wasn’t expecting his brother, Josh. The eldest Campbell sibling was a year older than Jason, better looking, if it was possible, and possessed ten times the arrogance.

“Well, look who decided to stop by. Slumming, son?” his father said.

Outright rudeness from the start was something even Meg didn’t expect. Of course, considering that the last time she was in Will Campbell’s presence she was branded a gold-digging slut, nothing should surprise her. Unlike the last time, however, his barb didn’t upset her. Instead, she felt ready for whatever he planned to dish out. Because this time, Jason was standing close by, holding her hand, and rather than crumbling beneath his father’s disdain, as she once had, she found herself feeling amused by his hostility.

“What brings you both here? Especially you, Megan?” His mother was polite, as always, but there was haughtiness dripping from every word. “Is Molly with you?”

“It’s just us, we’re here with news,” Jason said. “We’re getting married.”

“Excuse me?” His mother raised an eyebrow. “Married?”

Josh stood and walked around them, circling, before heading to the bar in the corner of the room. Meg thought she’d be nervous, but she found herself starting to enjoy the game, and leaned into Jason. His warmth seeped inside her as his arm slipped around her waist.

“Married, huh?” Josh said. “That’s interesting.”

“We’re happy.” Jason eyed his brother, and Meg heard the caution in his voice. So far things had been pretty much as she expected. The family was about as warm as a school of barracudas, and she knew that the worst was still to come.

“Are you pregnant?” his mother asked.

“No,” Meg said, smiling sweetly at Jason for good measure. “Not yet.”

“Okay, then why are you marrying her?” His father’s question took Meg a little off guard.
Was there no other reason to get married?
The man crossed his legs as he accepted a drink from Josh. He took a sip of the amber liquid, and his lip curled as he gave Meg a once-over.

Everyone had a talent, Meg thought, and Will Campbell’s talent was making her feel like she had no worth whatsoever.

That’s when Jason launched into their cover story like a practiced con man.