He rolled his eyes, ever wanting to be out of the spotlight.
He grinned down at her and reached into his pocket. “I’ve brought you a little surprise.”
“Really? I think you are spoiling me just a mite too much,” She pinched his elbow playfully, with a Texan drawl.
“You got me my own rings? Honey, you shouldn’t have!” she teased, pointing to the familiar box.
“I knew you couldn’t wear your rings towards the end there,” he said, opening the box and holding out her wedding set, “so it was a good time to do something I’d been thinking about for a while.”
“What’s that?” Meredith asked, reaching to pluck the diamond and platinum rings from the box.
“Look.” Colt point inside the band to the fresh engraving. MFBS. She looked up at him, frowning slightly at the letters. “Meredith Forbes Banks Stone.”
“Banks? But that wasn’t real! That’s not who I was, it was just something I made up for work!”
“That’s true, but I don’t want you to ever forget when you were a fancy big-city, world-traveling photographer. I may have tricked you out here with me, but don’t you think you are any less of that amazing successful woman you were in Chicago. I just know your own magazine is going to do amazing.”
She put her newly engraved rings back on her finger. It was a bit of a tight squeeze but doable. It wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. Together Colt and Meredith would find that balance between family life and exploring their own dreams.
Nothing brought that more home for Meredith the that new little dream they shared together dozing in his basket.
She leaned back and closed her eyes. Colt took her hand and kissed her softly on her palm.
“I think little Wynn and I would like to go to that fancy ribbon cutting of yours,” she said keeping her eyes closed.
“Yeah?” he asked distractedly while he nibbled on her fingers.
“Mmhmm,” she said with a little giggle.
He was now making his way up his arm and she had a feeling this patio set was about to see some more action.
“Sadly, my car is still busted down,” she responded peaking an accusing eye at him. Shutting them again she said, “I s’pose we’ll have to hitch a ride there.”
“I might know a cowboy who can help you with that,” he said, just before sealing a kiss on her lips.
Copyright © 2017 by Jess Bentley
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Prologue
Lindsay
Ben slipped out of the limo first, and I hesitated for only a second to accept his extended hand. As soon as my palm touched his, a jolt of electricity shot up my arm and set my nerve endings tingling all the way to my core. Touching him, even just casually, was such delicious torture. Reminding myself of all the reasons why I couldn’t give in to the chemistry I felt for Ben did nothing to stop the sharp twinge that went through me. It only got more intense when he didn’t drop my hand. Instead of letting it go, he folded it in his own, cradling my palm with his. I couldn’t help but notice that for a billionaire, his flesh was slightly rough.
I imagined that hand moving over my body, cupping my breasts before slowly trailing down my stomach, and the thought made me tremble.
“Cold?” He asked, his bright blue eyes gleaming. Could he tell how I felt?
I shrugged, not committing to an answer. His touch disoriented me, and it took a moment to realize we were at the back of the building instead of the front. I’d never come into the Imperial from this side. Until a few weeks ago, I’d never gone in the exclusive apartment building in downtown Manhattan, even from the front. “Where are we? What are we doing?”
“There’s a party going on in the penthouse, so the front entrance will be packed. I had the driver bring us here instead.”
I nodded as I followed him inside, unable to ignore the fact that his hand was still clasping mine. Perhaps he was feeling the same? Could it be that the rich and powerful Ben Hudson was actually attracted to me, his daughter’s nanny? But I’m so much younger than him! It sounded ridiculous in my head, but I wasn’t imagining the heated looks he’d sent my way this evening, and there’d been that moment when we were out this afternoon, looking at the animals at the zoo with his daughter.