“And I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He spoke without hesitation.
Mallory smiled. She was so lucky to have found a man who thought she was worth the effort of digging beneath the surface. And he deserved to be rewarded.
She began a slow unbuttoning of her coat, her trembling fingers hindering the attempt. “I just hope you’re not expecting me to be the Mallory from the office, or a Stepford wife.” Because she’d learned she was a combination platter and she was still discovering more about herself every day.
She shrugged the long coat off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet. He took in the sexy black lingerie she’d picked with him in mind and his eyes darkened with appreciation.
He let out a slow whistle. “Don’t let the neighbors see you.”
She laughed. “I guess you’ll have to install blackout shades,” she said and crooked a finger his way.
“I take it that’s a yes to my invitation?”
Her heart pounded hard in her chest. “That’s yes to a lifetime.”
Jack stepped forward, lifting her into his arms and sealing their bargain with a long, lingering kiss—a kiss that promised a lifetime of erotic invitations to come.