Page 22 of Be Mine Forever

Peter whistled, low and suggestive.

“Guess the rumors are true.”

“I can’t confirm or deny anything because I don’t know—or much care, for that matter.”

Liar!

Jo fluffed the teal-patterned skirt of her Tracy Reese dress. “You said two things.”

“Huh?”

“You said you needed to discuss two things.” Jo perched an elbow on the back of her seat and slipped her feet out of the slingbacks she’d worn an hour beyond comfortable.

“Oh yes. The second thing.” Peter extended an arm, laying his hand flat on the desk for support. His blue eyes brightened even though his expression didn’t change. “I have tickets for the ballet tonight.”

“Score.” Jo reached down to massage the chafed spot just above her heel. “I didn’t know you liked ballet.”

“I don’t, but I heard you do.”

And there it was. The closest Peter had ever come to articulating the heat in his eyes when he watched her. The way he always conveniently ended up seated beside her in meetings. The way he lingered in her office after they’d said all they needed to say.

“Peter, I—”

“Now, before you say no—”

“Yes.” Jo couldn’t help but grin when Peter’s face abandoned all the bluster he’d been working up to convince her. “I’d be delighted to go.”

“You’ll go with me to the ballet tonight? Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“I expected…I don’t know, to have to persuade you.”

“Why is that?” Jo tilted her head, toying with the fishtailed braid she had tamed her wild hair into today. “Aren’t you one of Rivermont’s most eligible?”

He really was. Like her, he came from a ridiculously wealthy family. Wealthy enough that he could indulge his philanthropic notions instead of training to run his father’s lumber empire. Not to mention his Nordic good looks. Any other girl would have noticed long ago. Jo wasn’t any other girl. And she hadn’t been interested in anyone except…Her eyes strayed to Cam’s picture, facedown again but still drawing her attention like a neon sign.

Peter leaned forward until only inches and breaths separated them.

“Not sure how eligible I am, but you weren’t impressed. I’ve been watching you.” He chuckled, his minty breath reaching her lips. “There’s no shortage of interested males, but you always manage to elude them.”

“And yet you waited until the day of the ballet to ask me. That was a pretty confident move.”

“A woman like you only responds to confidence, I think.”

Jo didn’t blink but held his blue eyes with little effort.

Peter’s hand wandered from her shoulder up her neck until his thumb could stroke the line of her jaw.

“I’ll pick you up at six.” Peter dropped a quick kiss on her temple before striding out of the office.

Jo stood in the middle of her office long after Peter had gone. She couldn’t help but think it was exactly what she’d done for the last fifteen years. Stood still waiting for something that would never happen with Cam. She might not ever fully understand why, but did it really matter? Whatever she had imagined between them at Christmas, it could be diced and chucked along with all the other half-truths, innuendos, and veiled promises she’d misinterpreted through the years. It was time to move on. To forget the almost-thing they had practically been that one time or two…if she wasn’t mistaken. Yes, it was time to move on, and maybe Peter was her next move.

Chapter Eight

Peter, I had an amazing time tonight.” Jo clutched her clutch, tracing the raisedYSLwith her index finger.

“So did I, and I hate the ballet.”

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