“Don’t say that. I can’t bear it.”
“You can’t bear it? What about me? Did you stop to think about me at all?” My voice was shrill, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that the driver and Drew could hear me, even though the window was closed between us.
“You were all I was thinking about.” He leaned toward me to kiss my shoulder. “And I was wrong. I admit it. I was totally wrong. You can spend the rest of our lives reminding me of that. Mrs. Bruzzo.”
“JC!” The seductive smile he wore was infuriating. “I’m not done being mad! I hope there’s a couch in the room where we’re staying tonight, because I’m seriously not sure I want you in my bed.”
“I’ll sleep on the floor tonight and every night as long as you tell me you still love me.” He trailed his fingers up and down my arm, causing goose bumps to rise on my traitorous body.
I turned my head away from him. “I’m not telling you what you want to hear.”
“Come on. Tell me.” He slid toward me, closing the remaining distance between us. “Do you still love me?” He nibbled at my neck, then licked along the shell of my ear.
I shivered, my insides turning into mush. Dammit, he was too enticing.
Frustrated, I twisted my head toward him, forcing him to pause his seduction routine. “Of course, I still love you, you arrogant prick. It wouldn’t have hurt if I didn’t love you so goddamned much.”
His face lit up, his expression so enchanting that I didn’t protest when he gathered me into his arms and pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m a total douche. And I don’t deserve you. But you make me happier than I’ve ever been, even when you’re hating on me.”
I played with his bowtie, trying to ignore how intoxicatingly fabulous he smelled. “Then I have to work on how I display my anger, because I want you miserable.”
“You’re so adorable when you’re mad.” He stroked his thumb across my lips.
I was already pressed up against the door, but I leaned as far away from him as I could. “Don’t.”
He captured my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my palm. “Adorable.” He kissed it again. “And sexy.” Once more. “And did I tell you how beautiful you looked walking down that aisle?”
“Stop it.” I yanked my hand away, but my voice had begun to lack its fight.
“I had chills. I swear. There you were, the most incredible thing in the universe, willing to spend her life letting me love her.”
I met his eyes, eyes that adored me so intensely. “Spend my life giving you my wrath is more like it.” My anger had dwindled.
But I didn’t want it to be gone just yet. There was still too much I had to say. I wrapped my arms around myself again and mustered up another round. “I still can’t believe you. Did you really for a second think I’d be better off raising a child on my own than somewhere safe and secure with you?”
His smile faded and he grew somber. “That was shitty on my part. I have no excuse except to say that I really did think you’d be better off without me around. Safer. That gunshot just came too close to you, and all I could think about was what if…? I didn’t really consider how I’d be leaving you alone to raise a baby. Not that you couldn’t have done it.”
He lowered his gaze. “And you would have had help. Chandler would provide an entire staff to assist you if you’d asked.” He meant that last line to come across as teasing, but I heard bitterness layered in his tone.
I exploited it. “You know, Chandler offered himself again. Met me outside our condo Friday night to declare his love.”
His jaw tightened. “You’re trying to make me jealous. It’s working.”
Damn right I was. “Even knowing it wasn’t his kid, he still wanted me. You’re lucky I didn’t take advantage of his blind infatuation.”
He sat back against the seat, his forehead creased. “‘Knowing it wasn’t his kid?’ What do you mean?”
Oh. Damn. He still didn’t know. How could he not know? “Didn’t you get any of my messages?”
“I ditched my phone. What was your message?”
“It was several messages. And they said a lot of things.” A lot of curse words, actually. “Including that the test results had come in. I thought that was why you came back.”
“I came back for you. What did the results say?” His expression was anxious, his focus intense.
“They said that Chandler’s not the father.” I was still appalled that JC didn’t know that before now. “Are you telling me Drew didn’t say anything?”