Page 99 of Heartbreaker (Paths to Love 3)

After a bit, she tilted her head to the side. “You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“Like there’s something else on your mind.”

We knew each other better than either of us realized. “The other night when we fell asleep together, why did you leave again?”

“I lost control with you.” Her jaw worked. “I needed to get my head on straight about what was happening between us. It sure as hell wasn’t going away.”

“No need to fight it anymore.” I pulled her against me. “I love you, Heartbreaker.”

“I love you too.” I kissed the corner of her mouth. “I wouldn’t do this emotional stuff for anybody else,” she sulked.

“Good to know.” Something in me loosened.

She pulled my head toward hers. “So we’re clear,” she started, “I already told you this, but I’ll say it again. I haven’t been with anyone else since we got married.”

I dropped my forehead to hers. “I know, and neither have I.”

“Are we good now?”

“Not quite.” She pulled away, wary. “I need my ring back.”

Her body relaxed into mine as she held up her hand. “I don’t know. It looks kinda good on my finger.”

I lifted my hand. “Heartbreaker, give it to me.”

She slid the ribbon from her own long finger and placed it on mine. “You can’t wear that forever,” she said, sounding disappointed.

“Go get yours,” I said against her lips.

“How are you so sure I have them with me?”

I arched a brow, and she hustled to the car. When she returned, the diamond ring and her red silk band were in her palm. I plucked them from her hand and took her left one in mine.

Slowly, I slid the silk on. I reached in my pocket and produced a circle of rubies. Her eyes darted to mine. “This is permanent.”

I eased the band onto her finger, followed by her diamond. This had been real from the moment we said I do, but seeing the symbol of our commitment, knowing we were on the same page, made me feel like we could face whatever was ahead . . . together.

“We have a tradition in the Jacobs family,” she said reverently, staring at her hand. “We pass down wedding rings. I was supposed to get my great-great grandmama and granddaddy’s.”

“Then we just added some tradition to the family.”

“Nobody is ever taking these off me. Promise me when I die, you won’t let them.”

Pride wound through every crack in me and filled it. “But what about your great-great grandchildren?”

“Everybody knows how I am.” She shrugged. “I started to say they could pry it off my cold, dead finger, but that’s what they’d do.”

I laughed. “These are your rings forever. We’ll give your great-great grandparents set to whichever of our kids gets married first.”

“I haven’t agreed to children.”

“You will.” I brushed my lips against hers.

“Now are we good?”

“I’m good if you are.”

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