Jake froze. “Can?”
“Lift my skirt.”
/>
“You’re punishing me, aren’t you.”
Char grinned as she whispered into his ear. “I purchased some lingerie from the party. Be thinking about that during dinner.”
“Great.” Jake swore. “So Grandma’s going to assume, what? Flowers turn me on? I have the hots for oysters? Damn uncomfortable, if you ask me. Let’s just skip dinner.” Once they reached the top of the stairs, he pushed her against the nearest wall, trapping her with his body. “Just one more kiss.”
“It’s never just one kiss with you, Jake.”
He couldn’t help the giant grin that spread across his face. “Good. Because I want them to be never ending.” He kissed her nose. “I have this need to prove to you that it won’t be just one kiss.” His lips grazed hers. “Because it’s going to be the first of a hundred thousand kisses.” He rubbed his lips against the base of her throat. “It’s going to be the first of the last kisses you ever receive.” His tongue swirled around her collarbone as he made his way back up the other side of her neck. “I want to ruin you for anyone else’s kisses. I want to brand you as mine. I want to hear you say my name, not because you’re irritated, but because you’re so damn turned on you can’t think straight. I want to do that to you. I want to make you mine.”
“Yours?” Her eyes welled with tears.
“I’m a very possessive man if you can’t tell. I’m done walking away.”
“Can you promise me that?”
Jake cupped her face with his hands. “Forever. That’s my offer.”
“So this is a business arrangement?” She gave him a teasing smile.
“Absolutely.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “I’ll of course make you sign this insane gag order drawn up by lawyers who have nothing better to do than to protect me. You’ll have to sign on the dotted line—you know, the usual—that you’ll be my love slave at all hours of the day and night. Then I’ll punish you when you try to leave me.”
“Nice. If you were still a CEO I could call you Christian Grey.”
“Jake Titus!” Grandma’s shout could have awakened the dead. “Where are you! I need to speak with you!”
“Do we run?” Char asked.
“Grandma sees all. It’s like hiding from God.”
With a sigh, they broke apart. Jake lifted her hand to his lips. “We can talk later.”
“About the whole forever thing?” Her eyes looked hopeful, which made his heart basically jump in his chest.
“Yeah, about this forever thing.”
“There you are!” Grandma panted. “I looked everywhere for you two! It’s time for the toast! Wait. Where’s Jace?”
“Sleeping,” a voice said behind them. “I decided to take a nap.”
“In the wine cellar?” Grandma crossed her arms. “Oh dear! What in the blue blazes happened to your eye?”
“Squirrel.” Jace’s gaze narrowed in on Jake. “Seems it found its nuts after all and attacked me, damn thing.”
“Oh.” Grandma nodded. “Right. Well, I’m sure his nuts aren’t near as impressive as he’d like us to believe.”
“Oh, but they are.” Char piped up.
Jake gave her a wicked grin.
Jace covered his smile and looked sternly at Grandma. “If you’re ready, we should probably go back to dinner.”
“Okay.” She took his arm and led him away from Jake and Char.