about becoming his missus. Well, I don’t want that.”
She looked away. Brave words, but she’d be lying if she told herself she wanted him to go. Why was she even with somebody who hurt her the way Shane did?
Because when things are good
,
they’re really
,
really good
. And she wanted to make things work between them so badly. She wanted what her own parents had, with him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Shane reached out and held her hand. She didn’t pull away. Tingling warmth spread from his skin to hers.
I must be a glutton for punishment
, she thought.
“I got a call from Dane,” he said. “He told me you were dating somebody else.”
She glared at him and tried to yank her hand away, but he held on. “You couldn’t ask me?”
“In front of my family? Not without making a scene, and I didn’t want to do that. Especially with Vanessa acting so hostile.”
“She saw me with Robert. That’s why she was like that at the dinner. I never got a chance to tell her we broke up.”
“I know that now. But at the time I was just…furious with you. And myself.” He raked his hair. “Even when Dane told me you were with another man, I wanted you. I wanted to fuck you until you forgot him…until I could take you away and make you mine.” His jaw clenched. “I never wanted to be like my dad, who doesn’t care about anything except screwing the women he wants. Even if they’re
married
. So I couldn’t…” He let out a rough breath. “I just had to get away…and I messed up.”
“Shane…” She squeezed his hand, her heart aching for him. “You are nothing like your dad. I would’ve never stayed with you for so long if you were.”
His laugh was hollow, self-deprecating. “Debbie was really pissed off.”
Ginger’s eyes widened. “What did she do?”
“Called me some names. Threatened a few things. I don’t really remember, because I was, uh, a little hung over.”
“Jeez. I told her not to do stuff like that.”
He shrugged. “She’s your best friend. You really should expect more from the people around you. Speaking of which…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. “I had Mark mail your original engagement ring to me in Thailand. I was going to give it to you there, but then I thought I should make the second proposal at least as memorable as the first, even if I couldn’t remember exactly how it had gone before. I was going to do it last night, but everything got derailed when my family decided to drag us out to dinner. But I can’t wait any more,” he said, going down on one knee. “I’ve screwed up everything since the first time I saw you after the accident. But I want you to give me another chance.”
His words rushed out in a torrent, and Ginger felt her heart soften. He got wordy and spoke fast whenever he felt nervous, which was rare. His mouth set in a firm line and his gaze unblinking, he was doing a good job of looking cool, but there were taut lines around his eyes as he waited.
Her heart pounded unsteadily. A part of her wanted to run. A
big
part. If things went bad again, she wasn’t sure she could ever deal with it. But another part of her urged her to say yes. Most people never got a second chance. She should seize this one and make it count.
“Will you take my ring?” he asked.
With a slow smile, she extended her left hand. “Put it on me.”
He pulled out the ring and pushed it onto her ring finger. She knelt down opposite him and he rested his forehead on hers. “You’re mine.”
“Right back at you.” She tilted her mouth up for a kiss.
His lips were so soft, so gentle. His tongue darted out, licking and taunting her with teasing strokes. He tasted like Shane and happiness and apple pie, and her heart sang—
he’s mine
. Her core went liquid, and she tilted her head for some deeper contact, thrusting her tongue boldly into his mouth.
With a low groan, he pulled her closer, his powerful hands on her
She looked away. Brave words, but she’d be lying if she told herself she wanted him to go. Why was she even with somebody who hurt her the way Shane did?
Because when things are good
,
they’re really
,
really good
. And she wanted to make things work between them so badly. She wanted what her own parents had, with him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Shane reached out and held her hand. She didn’t pull away. Tingling warmth spread from his skin to hers.
I must be a glutton for punishment
, she thought.
“I got a call from Dane,” he said. “He told me you were dating somebody else.”
She glared at him and tried to yank her hand away, but he held on. “You couldn’t ask me?”
“In front of my family? Not without making a scene, and I didn’t want to do that. Especially with Vanessa acting so hostile.”
“She saw me with Robert. That’s why she was like that at the dinner. I never got a chance to tell her we broke up.”
“I know that now. But at the time I was just…furious with you. And myself.” He raked his hair. “Even when Dane told me you were with another man, I wanted you. I wanted to fuck you until you forgot him…until I could take you away and make you mine.” His jaw clenched. “I never wanted to be like my dad, who doesn’t care about anything except screwing the women he wants. Even if they’re
married
. So I couldn’t…” He let out a rough breath. “I just had to get away…and I messed up.”
“Shane…” She squeezed his hand, her heart aching for him. “You are nothing like your dad. I would’ve never stayed with you for so long if you were.”
His laugh was hollow, self-deprecating. “Debbie was really pissed off.”
Ginger’s eyes widened. “What did she do?”
“Called me some names. Threatened a few things. I don’t really remember, because I was, uh, a little hung over.”
“Jeez. I told her not to do stuff like that.”
He shrugged. “She’s your best friend. You really should expect more from the people around you. Speaking of which…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. “I had Mark mail your original engagement ring to me in Thailand. I was going to give it to you there, but then I thought I should make the second proposal at least as memorable as the first, even if I couldn’t remember exactly how it had gone before. I was going to do it last night, but everything got derailed when my family decided to drag us out to dinner. But I can’t wait any more,” he said, going down on one knee. “I’ve screwed up everything since the first time I saw you after the accident. But I want you to give me another chance.”
His words rushed out in a torrent, and Ginger felt her heart soften. He got wordy and spoke fast whenever he felt nervous, which was rare. His mouth set in a firm line and his gaze unblinking, he was doing a good job of looking cool, but there were taut lines around his eyes as he waited.
Her heart pounded unsteadily. A part of her wanted to run. A
big
part. If things went bad again, she wasn’t sure she could ever deal with it. But another part of her urged her to say yes. Most people never got a second chance. She should seize this one and make it count.
“Will you take my ring?” he asked.
With a slow smile, she extended her left hand. “Put it on me.”
He pulled out the ring and pushed it onto her ring finger. She knelt down opposite him and he rested his forehead on hers. “You’re mine.”
“Right back at you.” She tilted her mouth up for a kiss.
His lips were so soft, so gentle. His tongue darted out, licking and taunting her with teasing strokes. He tasted like Shane and happiness and apple pie, and her heart sang—
he’s mine
. Her core went liquid, and she tilted her head for some deeper contact, thrusting her tongue boldly into his mouth.
With a low groan, he pulled her closer, his powerful hands on her
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