Page 52 of A Convenient Ring to Claim Her

Back then, their lovemaking had been a game. They’d been equal players locked in a sensual power struggle, playfully taunting each other with sensual caresses and teasing licks.

Today, he had the upper hand. She had given up her old life for him. She verged on taking his name and he even held her heart.

Recognizing that, she might have tried to hold something back, but she couldn’t. She loved him too much. She clung to him and met his thrusts and let her cries of pleasure release with abandon. When he rolled onto his back, she rode him with fervor, grasping at his hands on her breasts and touching where they were joined. She met his narrowed gaze even though he must see into her soul. He must.

Time blurred and she lost track of how many times she shattered. When they were both stripped naked and lost to passion, all pretense at control completely lost, she let the truth spill from her lips.

“I love you.”

He shouted with his release.

She joined him one last time.

Micah woke alone, which ticked him off. It was too much like their old pattern, him falling asleep after explosive sex, her slipping away while he snored off his orgasm.

Today had been different, though. Quinn had told him she loved him.

His heart lurched as the frantic edge on their lovemaking came back to him. When he’d returned to their suite, he’d expected a playful tumble, not such a torrid hour or this disturbing grit it had left in his breastbone.

Perhaps it had been the throes of passion, the same way he said things likeI love the way you taste? She didn’t expect him to say he believed in that emotion, now that she had agreed to marry him, did she?

His chest tightened at the thought. He valued honesty too much to lie to her, but that word was so ephemeral, yet loaded.Lovewouldn’t magically keep them together. Commitment would. He cared about her. She had to know that. Wasn’t it enough?

She came out of the bathroom in a robe, bringing the humid fragrance of bodywash with her, but her hair was dry as she yanked the towel from her head. When she saw him, she halted abruptly, making him realize she’d been hurrying.

She had been trying to leave before he woke up!

Wordlessly, she veered to the mirrored dresser and picked up her hairbrush, wincing as she began running it through her hair. Her shoulder wasn’t quite up to the task, but she did it as a sort of therapy.

“About what you said—” he began reluctantly.

“Ignore it. It didn’t mean anything.”

That landed like a mule kick in the chest. “Then why did you say it?”

“Let me rephrase,” she turned to say hotly. “I meant it, but I know it didn’t mean anything to you so forget I said it.”

For three pulsebeats, he stared into the abyss that was her challenging expression. He saw the shadows of doubt and hurt flickering behind her eyes.

“I know you care about me, Quinn. We care about each other. That’s as it should be.”

The tendons in her neck flexed as though she was absorbing a blow. She looked away and slipped a mask over her face that he hadn’t seen in a long time. It made a tremor start behind his heart, the first cracks of a long fracture.

“What does that word even do? It doesn’t change anything. Do you think a man saying it would mean he’s bringing more to the table than I am? Is he going to be more faithful than I am? Take better care of you when you’re sick? We’re a good match, Quinn.”

“We absolutely are not.” Her voice cut a low swath across the room. “Look around. Nothing in this room is mine.”

As she looked around, vaguely frantic like someone waking from a dream and not fully comprehending reality, he realized they stood on very shaky ground.

“This is cold feet.” He threw himself from the bed and stepped into his boxers. “These last weeks with you have been some of the happiest of my life.” Not just because of the steady diet of sex—although he really enjoyed that. “I like having you in my life, Quinn. I like seeing you thrive.”

She widened appalled eyes at him. “You like taking care of me.”

“I do,” he said without shame. “Because the opposite scenario, where you don’t have what you need, makes me sick to think about.” It wasn’t like she was completely dependent on him. She’d just landed that job in Berlin and had blossomed with shy excitement at how much regard they had for her. He’d nearly died of pride.

Her cheeks were carved out so her cheekbones stood out starkly. Her eyes were bright.

“It does mean something to me that you would say those words. I know you wouldn’t lie about something like that.” He picked up her hand to kiss her fingers. They were cold and trembling.

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