Too Much to Lose (32 page)
Authors: Samantha Holt
“I didn’t say Mitch. You think
he has a crush on you too?”
Jess turns in my hold and wraps
her hands around the back off my neck. “Quit scowling and listen. I did not say
Mitch has a crush on me. Neither of them would dream of touching me. You know
they love you too much.”
“You can’t blame me for being
jealous, not when you look so fucking hot in those trousers,” I grumble.
Truth is, I trust those two
with my life as I do Jess. Doesn’t mean I want them looking at her though.
Sometimes I’d like to tuck her away and keep her from everyone but then I
remember the side she only shows me. The real Jess. And I’ve got to admit, it
does quite a bit for my ego to have her trust me with that.
“Well, I am wearing these for a
reason.” She kisses the corner of my mouth and slips out of my arms before I
can press the kiss deeper. With that sexy strut of hers, she strolls over to
the door and glances over her shoulder. “You coming?”
I gulp and nod. “Yeah, sure.” I
don’t know what the hell she’s up to but seeing that cute ass all in leather
does something to a man’s brain.
We head down to the parking lot
underneath the building. Jess stays frustratingly quiet, refusing to answer my
questions. She takes my hand and leads me through the dimly lit car park. A few
weeks ago I’d have been worrying about her being in the dark parking lot after
Lucas skipped bail, but having read the papers the other day, I can relax.
Seems he didn’t want to go to jail and jumped in front of a tube train when the
police tracked him down.
She tugs on my hand. “Jess, what
the h—”
“Ta da!” She points to the
motorbike parked in one dark corner so that I didn’t see it when I came in. My
motorbike.
“What the hell?”
I let go of her hand and stride
over to the bike. Sweeping my hand over the seat, I try not to gape. I didn’t think
I’d see it again and I’d come to terms with that. Being with Jess is a clean
start for both us. No more baggage from the past, even my Dad’s bike. As far as
I was concerned it was going to get crushed after being written off. And that
was fine now I have Jess, but I can’t say I didn’t miss riding, especially with
Jess wrapped around me.
“I kind of talked to Connor and
got him to fix it. It’s not all your old bike. He had to bash a few bits
together but a lot of it is still there.”
“Princess, you are really
something.”
A flash of teeth. “I believe I
said the same thing about you once.”
“Fancy taking a ride with me,
Jessie?” I crack a grin, hold out my hand and lean back against the seat.
Her cool fingers slip into mine
and that familiar thrill shoots up my arm, sending my thoughts a little hazy. I
tug her close and she reaches up to rake her nails across my chin. “I’d ride
with you any day, Hunter.”
“Even after the accident?” I
skim my hands down her back and cup her rear.
“Of course.” Green eyes sparkle
under the overhead light, lit with love. “The accident wasn’t your fault and I
know you’d never hurt me.”
My heart stretches and squeezes
at the idea of being loved by this woman. I hold her fiercely to me. “Never,” I
promise. “I will do everything I can to make you happy. To protect you from
this world. I don’t know what’s around the corner but I’ll always be here to
defend you, you know that, right?” I draw back and hook one finger under her
chin to raise her gaze to mine. “Whatever we face in the future, we’ll do it
together. I’ll always be by your side.”
“I know. And I’ll always be by
yours.”
“No more running?”
“Never. Only into your arms.”
“Good.” I nod. “Then you had
better marry me, princess.”
“Is that a proposal?” Both of
her brows rise.
“Shit.” I let go of her ass and
push my hands across her cheeks so I’m cradling her face. “I meant to do it
properly. The ring is upstairs,” I admit.
Truth is, I’ve had that ring
for a few weeks now. I knew she’d say yes but I was looking for the perfect
moment. I intended to make it amazing. But as I stare down at this beautiful
woman, I realize that every moment with her is perfect. Whatever shit we’re
dealing with, as long as she’s by my side, we can’t go wrong.
“Well?” I prompt as silence
reigns. My mouth dries a little. Maybe she did need roses and candlelight and
stuff. “We’re practically married already. Hell, we bought an apartment together.”
Her lips tilt. “Hunter—”
“And you’d look amazing in a
wedding dress.”
“I—”
“Plus Connor and Mitch need a
wedding to hook up with some hot bridesmaids.”
“Hunter—”
“Don’t forget the honeymoon.
I’ll take a break after this next job and take you somewhere warm where I can
see you in a bikini all day long.”
“That sounds wonderful but—”
“And I won’t have to worry
about men drooling all over you if you’re wearing my ring.”
“That’s a terrible reason to
get married,” she scolds. “Anyway, no one drools all over me. Not since leaving
Murphy’s.”
“That’s not true. You still
look hot in your buttoned up little suits,” I grumble.
Jess laughs. “Hunter, I—”
“Okay, how about this? Marry me
because I can’t get enough of you. Marry me because I love you and need you by
my side forever. Marry me because I’ll do all I can to make you happy. I can’t
bear the thought of not having you as mine.”
“I am yours.” She skims a kiss
across my lips and when I go to speak again, she presses harder, silences me.
Against my mouth, she says, “I love you, I’ll marry you.”
The words take a moment to sink
in. She’s mine. Well and truly. Almost, anyway. Just need to get that ring on
her finger. I draw back to eye her. “What in the hell did I do to deserve you?”
“I was thinking the same. Now
are you going to take me for a ride or not?”
I glance at the bike and back
to her. Holding her firmly against me, I flash a grin. “Princess, I’m going to
take you for the ride of your life.”
The End
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Other titles by Samantha Holt
Contemporary
Historical
To Steal a Highlander’s Heart (Book 1
of the Highland Fae Chronicles)
To Dream of a Highlander (Book 2 of
the Highland Fae Chronicles)