Page 72 of Tempted

“You’ve barely touched your pasta, Jasmine. Remember what the doctor said. We need to get some weight on you.”

She sighed, pushing the bowl of spaghetti away. “It’s too much. I’ll take the rest home with us and I’ll eat the leftovers tonight.”

He raised a brow. “You know you won’t. You’ll leave it in the refrigerator until I break down and eat it myself. At least have some dessert.”

Jasminelaughed. “What’s the point, we both know I’ll be praying to the porcelain Gods by the time we get home anyway. I haven’t been able to keep anything down except toast and water.”

Jason grinned. “I like how easily you say that.”

“Say what?”

“When we get home. It is your home you know? And you can make it official by saying yes.”

Jasmine closed her eyes with a groan. “Jason you promised you wouldn’t pressure me. I feel guilty enough mooching off of you the way I have been without any means of paying you back.”

“You’re not mooching, besides, I get to paint you at my leisure and you are going to be the star of my next collection. That’s payment enough. In the meantime, while you’re trying to make up your mind about us, I got you this.”

Before she could reply, Jason pulled out a small black velvet box and opened it to reveal a huge teardrop shaped diamond solitaire ring. A gasp escaped her lips. “Jason, you shouldn’t have.”

He took her hand and slipped it on her left ring finger. “Perfect fit.”

Jasminetugged her hand out of his to remove the ring, but he recaptured her hand.

“Just wear it while you decide.”

“Jason, it wouldn’t be right. I already told you, I…”

“I know what you told me Jasmine, but haven’t you figured it out yet?”

She’d known for a while but had pretended not to notice for the sake of maintaining their friendship. “I have, Jason. I just hoped that we could put this conversation off until later.”

The disappointment was clear on his face. “I see.”

The guilt was overwhelming but she couldn’t force herself to feel something she didn’t. She loved him but she wasn’t in love with him. “You’ve been such a good friend to me. I don’t ruin that.”

“Jasmine, I’ve been in love with you from the moment I laid eyes on you. When I saw you in the park my heart skipped a beat. I said to myself, that’s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. The problem then was you weren’t ready to hear it. You’d been hurt before. I saw it and backed off, giving you a chance to heal. But something happened in the interim. You fell for Meade didn’t you?”

She nodded silently not trusting herself to speak.

“I know you don’t love me now but I believe you can learn to.”

She shook her head. “Jason, listen, when I get my daughter back and have this baby, they will have to be the priorities in my life.”

“I’ll love your children like my own. I want to take care of all three of you. Besides, I’ve been the one taking you to your doctor’s appointments and holding your hair when you puke in the toilet. I’m the one who’s been here for you throughout your pregnancy.”

Jasmine couldn’t argue with that. Jason would be great with children. He had such a kind heart. But still, she refused to condemn him to a loveless marriage. “Jason that sounds nice, but eventually you’d come to resent me because I can’t return your feelings the way you want me to.”

Jason stroked the back of her hand. “We have a strong friendship. We can build on that. You’d be well taken care of. Besides, with a husband and a stable home you’d get Star back faster.”

There was that to consider but Jasmine still had reservations. “Jason, what are you getting out of this?”

“I get to make you happy.”

“Jason…what if I never fall in love with you?”

“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“If I said you, am I allowed to change my mind?”

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