Page 42 of For Business...Or Marriage?

Abby smiled, turning in his arms. “That’s because we’re either working or having sex.”

Oh, Lord. When the words came out and hovered in the open they didn’t sound so good. Was that all this…relationship consisted of?

“I can’t seem to get enough of you, Abby.”

She knew the feeling. So, when Cade slowly undressed her and kissed her as they made their way to the king of all showers, Abby realized that talking was definitely overrated.

Seventeen

Cade stripped his clothes and slipped back into bed, thankful that Abby was still sleeping. He took just a moment, as he had when he’d had to leave her an hour ago, to admire the simplicity, the beauty.

Flawless. She was magnificent in every way. Creamy skin, soft, subtle blond waves spread over the stark white pillow, full pink lips parted just so. Yes, it had been difficult to leave her this morning, but he’d had another important call to make and he’d had to make sure his package arrived.

Lying on his side, Cade propped his head in his hand and trailed the strand of pearls between her breasts, which were uncovered because the sheet had slipped to pool at her waist.

She moaned, shifting beneath the pearls.

Cade smiled. She was just as amazing to watch asleep as she was awake. The subtle way the corners of her mouth kicked up as she stirred, the sexy way her eyelashes fluttered against her cheek…

God, had he ever noticed these things about a woman before?

No, because he’d never lingered in a woman’s bed. Never wanted to until now.

And that solidified the decision that he’d made earlier—hence the important phone call to Mona’s father this morning.

He slid the strand of pearls back down, then up again, pleased when her eyes opened and focused on him.

She smiled and stretched her arms. “Good morning.”

“Yes, it is,” he agreed, now roaming the pearls around each breast.

“What’s this?”

“They’re yours.” He held up the necklace for her to see. “They are flawless, much like the woman who used to own them and like the woman I’d like to wear them.”

Abby’s eyes widened. “These are…these…were…”

“My father’s mother’s pearls.” He sat up, tugging her with him to fasten them around her neck. “Perfect. I knew they’d suit you.”

Instinctively her hand came up to feel the pearls. “Do you just travel with these in the hopes of giving them away on a whim?”

Her bluntness never ceased to amuse him. “No. These were in my safe back home. I asked my housekeeper, whom I trust with everything I own, to have them sent here.”

Abby’s hand froze on the pearls. Her green eyes darted to his. “When did you do this?”

“Yesterday morning before we boarded the plane.”

She studied his face for a moment without saying a word. Speechless? He’d never known her to be. But what shocked him more was when tears gathered in her eyes and she threw her arms around his neck and nearly knocked him backwards off the bed.

Realization must’ve dawned on her. He didn’t want her to think he took her gift of love lightly. And just because he wasn’t ready to say the words, didn’t mean he couldn’t show her in other ways how much he cared.

Warm tears fell onto his bare shoulders, but he felt her emotions all the way into his heart.

His hold on her tightened. “I take it you like them.”

“I love them.” She sat back, wiping her eyes. “Sorry. I don’t mean to cry. I’m a hideous crier.”

He took her face in his hands, stroking her damp cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re beautiful no matter what you do.”

She fingered the strand again and smiled. “My mother had a set of pearls. Nothing this expensive or perfect, but they were her favorite piece of jewelry.”

Cade eased her back into his embrace and laid down, drawing the light sheet over them. He wanted her to talk, wanted to hear about her life before him. Wanted to help ease the hurt she still carried for her mother. He knew all too well the pain of losing a parent.

“I battled with myself,” she went on. “When it came time for me to choose her funeral attire, I held those pearls in my hands and cried for hours. I wanted to keep them, to keep her. But I wanted everyone who came to say goodbye to be able to see her looking like she’d want.

“It was hard to let go of anything that belonged to my mother, but I knew she’d want me to move on and be happy.”

Cade kissed the top of her head. “And are you?”

She turned her head, resting her chin on his chest. “Happy is when you ace an exam in college or when Santa leaves you the present you asked for all year. I can’t even define what I feel when I’m with you. Happy doesn’t even skim the surface.”

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