Page 51 of Jenny
Her mouth gaped. No words would come.
Dare wasn’t a small man by any means, but sitting there with a worried expression and a stuffed animal made him look more vulnerable than he had the night she’d arrived in San Antonio.
He rolled himself toward her. Well, as far as he could before the bed got in his way.
“I’m no hero. More like an idiot. I screwed up big time. The stuff I said to you was wrong. I’m sorry.” His contrite voice matched his sad eyes, and all she wanted to do was put a smile back on his face. “The last thing I wanted—want—to do is hurt you, Jenny. But things—I—got out of control so fast, but I finally figured out why I got upset like that.”
“I love you,” they said at the same time.
His mouth curved upward into a breathtaking grin. “At least we agree on that.”
Smiling, she stood. “We should be able to find more.”
Tension evaporated from him. “I was scared. I saw us going one way—my way—and then I found out about your writing. For some reason, it hit on all my insecurities. I was positive I’d never be enough for you. That you wouldn’t want or need me.”
The sincerity in his voice wrapped around her heart and squeezed tight. “Oh, Dare.”
“There is something I haven’t told you yet. My dad… He kept secrets from my mom, and that tore them apart. I used you not telling me stuff as an excuse to protect myself and my ego. That’s why I told you to go. I’m so sorry. I’ll do whatever it takes for you to forgive me.”
Her heart swelled with hope. She wanted this to work out. There was only one thing to say. “I forgive you.”
He reached out to her, and she was at his side in an instant. “I’m sorry for not telling you more right away, but I wanted you to like Jenny before you found out about Jenna and the books.”
“I fell for your words, Jenny, not Jenna’s. What you wrote in the emails and texts made me want to take a chance on a relationship again. Looking back, I’m sure I was in love with you before I’d ever even seen you.”
He took her hand, rubbing his thumb softly over the back of it. His expression was tender, hopeful.
Her heart melted.
“I love you, Jenny Hanford. I love Jenna Ford, too, because she’s part of you. I promise you I’m not like that other guy. Just like I know I’m not going to walk in on you having sex with my best friend or some other guy. What happened with those people is in the past. That’s where they belong. But for us…”
“I…I just want to be with you.”
“I want the same thing, sweetheart.”
He pulled her toward his mouth.
His kiss started off gently as he moved his lips over hers, but the intensity changed. Heat flared. She didn’t care.
The kiss spoke of his love and desire for her. It claimed her as his and gave her all of him.
He drew back. “Have your lawyer draw up that agreement. I want you to have it ready because as soon as I can get down on one knee to propose—and I hope it won’t take me long to heal enough—I’m signing it. Don’t even have to read it.”
“Just like that?”
Dare nodded once. “You wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important to you, so why not? A piece of paper isn’t going to keep us together, and another one won’t drive us apart. We’re the ones who have to put in the effort to make things work.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Good, because right now, we have to go to my room. When you see Vince, act surprised.”
She drew back. “Why surprised?”
“Because he’s wearing a Bigfoot costume.”
Jenny let out a startled laugh. “What?” She didn’t even know where to start with that information. “Why?”
“That was the second phase of my plan to get you back if this didn’t work.”
