His face relaxed, his shoulders lowering.
"Who'd try to have a romantic encounter on his yacht when he knew his wife was due to meet him there soon?"
"When he'd gone to all the trouble of strong-arming the same wife into marrying him." he supplied.
"Exactly." Shed thought this through the night before—when she'd had a chance to calmly assess what had happened.
"I'm getting rid of Wishful Thinking" he said hoarsely.
Her eyes widened. "But you love that boat."
He stepped forward. "I love you more."
A crazy joy swept through her.
He raised his hand and pushed hair away from her face. "The yacht doesn't suit my lifestyle now but there's an acquaintance who's expressed interest in buying it on more than one occasion."
His lips quirked in the lopsided smile that shed always loved. "He used to be a rival of mine in Miami's playboy sweepstakes."
"You don't say." she said, a teasing tone creeping into her voice.
"I'm also stepping away from being the public face of the Garrison Grand."
She went still. "What? You can’t do that."
"I can and I will," he responded, looking at her tenderly. "I don't need to be partying when what I really want is to be home."
It was a grand gesture, and sudden tears choked her.
"Are you going to say it?" he asked. "Because I'm prepared to wage a campaign if I have to."
"I love you!" She flung the words at him even her vision blurred. "There. I said it. Are you happy now? You arrogant, ruthless—"
He yanked her into his arms. "I'm all those things and worse," he muttered, "but I love you."
Then he silenced her with a kiss. He didn't ask he took, and they both gave themselves up to the kiss with wild abandon.
She’d taken the long way she thought, but she finally had what she’d been looking for.
When his lips eventually moved away from hers, he trailed kisses along her cheek and to the hollow of her throat.
"You know." she joked breathlessly, her heart feeling lighter than it had in years, ''if this keeps happening. I'm going to have to lock you up to keep women away from you."
"Don't worry. Meggikins." he said, his fingers searching for the zipper to her dress. "I intend to become the most family-oriented guy around. I want more kids, and I'm definitely going to enjoy making them."
She pretended to look shocked. "We can’t spend all our time in bed!"
As if in response, he nuzzled her neck.
"Is this how men communicate their feelings?" she teased, her breath catching.
"What can I say? I'm a man of action."
His response elicited an involuntary laugh, even as he nibbled along her shoulder, sending waves of lush desire through her.
"We need to pick up Jade from Anna’s before this storm really hits." he said reluctantly, kissing the tops of her br**sts.
"Mmm." she responded. "I called Anna and Parker right before I got here. They're bringing over Jade shortly."
"In that case, well have to hurry."
Another laugh escaped her. "At this rate I’ll be pregnant in a month."
He raised his head to look at her seriously. "We talked about it in an if it happens sort of way but we can wait if you want to."
She shook her head. "I don't want to. Jade is going to be four, and I'd like her to have a sibling or two before she gets too much older. Now I'm a partner at Elkind Ross I've got some leverage as far as organizing my work schedule and taking a leave. I’ll just have to space my projects further apart."
He smiled. "You'll have no problem getting clearance from your current client."
Then he lifted her onto the nearby kitchen table, bunching her dress around her h*ps in the process.
"The kitchen table—?"
"We haven't used it yet. Let’s tick it off our list."
She slid back on her elbows to keep her balance. He was aroused, and she was weak-kneed.
"It’s been one of my fantasies for a long time." he admitted, grasping her h*ps to pull the panties off her.
"How long?" she asked throatily.
"Too damn long." he responded. "Since you left."
She watched as he divested himself of some clothing. "Ah, those fantasies of yours..."
He looked at her passion dilating his eyes. "We're about to make one of them come true."
"Id dream about you too you know. I couldn't stop myself."
He stilled, looking at her. "Oh, yeah?"
His pose was all male swagger, tinged with hunger.
She nodded.
He smiled. "Care to share?" She shook her head. Just the thought made her—
"You're blushing." He leaned forward with wicked intent, bracing his arms on either side of her. “I’ll just have to make you—"
"Nothing will make me spill my secrets." she said on a breathless laugh. But he was already tracing a hot path to her cle**age, making her gasp. "Whisper them to me..." And she did as they had grinding, pulse-throbbing sex on the kitchen table.
Later, as they were straightening their clothes. Stephen said. "After you saw Tiffany kissing me on the yacht I thought Id lost you for good."
"Was she kissing you?"
He nodded.
Megan was glad for the confirmation that her faith hadn't been misplaced. "I overheard you on the phone asking Tiffany about her explanation that it was supposedly mutual."
His lips twisted. "Yeah, that's her story, and she's sticking to it."
"It wouldn't have mattered." she responded. "I’d already made up my mind, but accidentally hearing your part of the phone conversation earlier was nice validation."
Stephen shook his head. "She's fairly savvy for a mixed-up kid."
Megan wondered whether she’d missed some signs where the babysitter was concerned. "I hired her through a child-care agency. She was available to babysit during the hours I needed because she's an aspiring dancer and attends classes in the evenings."
"Well. I’ll be around to help now." Stephen said. "We'll continue adjusting our schedules to accommodate Jade, and I’ll hire a live-in housekeeper. When I was a single guy I didn't feel the need for permanent staff, but that's changed now."
She thought about Stephen's statement earlier. "I don't want you to give up the yacht for me."
"Not for you. For us."
"But we'll need Wishful Thinking to entertain all those kids you're planning to have." she teased.