“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Jason was immediately sobered. He placed his hands on both sides of her head so he could look at her.
“I’m happy,” she sobbed. “I’m so damn happy. I never knew it could be like this.” She’d only ever known sex as a violent act until Jason. “You’re amazing.”
He swiped at her tears gently and placed her head on his chest. “It should always be like this. I hate what you went through, Hope,” he told her roughly, intensely, his voice full of pain.
Lifting her head, she looked at him tenderly. “Don’t. Don’t think about the past. Think about how happy we are now. I’m glad I survived or I’d never have this. I wouldn’t have you.”
“I wish you had me and you’d never had to go through that,” he answered in a graveled, emotional tone.
Hope knew it was going to take awhile for Jason to not think about the incident every single day, but hopefully he’d eventually think about it less and less. “It’s in the past now. Thanks to you, I’m a different woman than I was a few weeks ago.”
“You’ve always been the same woman, Hope. And you’ve always been mine.” His arms tightened around her, and she felt his big body shudder.
Eventually, Hope was optimistic that Jason would get over what had happened to her. Every day, it got better, the experience leaving her mind almost completely as it was replaced with memories of Jason. As time went by, she’d remind him every day how happy he made her, how much she loved him, and that horrible experience would fade away. It would have to. No one could experience this much joy without it eventually pushing away bad memories.
“You’re right. I’ve always been yours.” Her heart swelled with love as she ran the back of her hand down his cheek and then buried her hand in his coarse, beautiful f**k-me hair.
Truthfully, Jason had had her heart for as long as she could remember, first as her boy hero, and then as a man. She’d never been a big believer in destiny or fate, but it felt to her as if she was meant to belong with Jason since she was a child. She’d just needed to grow up.
“I’m glad I’m all grown up now,” she said with a happy sigh.
“Thank Christ,” Jason echoed. “I was getting tired of waiting.”
“You could have married another woman,” she teased.
“There is no other woman for me,” he growled, but he tangled his fingers in her hair gently.
They didn’t move for a very long time. They lay there just celebrating the joy of being together, and looking forward to their future. They murmured about their love, and healed old wounds that had kept them apart.
When they finally left Rocky Springs the next day, Hope did kiss Tate on the cheek and thanked him for everything he’d done for her. He might be cocksure and arrogant sometimes, but the man had a heart of gold lying beneath his alpha exterior.
“I hope Tate finds a good woman someday,” Hope said wistfully as they made their way to Jason’s private jet to fly back to New York.
“Oh, me too, sweetheart. And I hope she puts him through hell before she puts him out of misery. Arrogant bastard,” he grumbled.
Hope smiled as she walked beside Jason, her hand entwined with his as they made their way to the aircraft. “That’s a terrible thing to say.” She slugged him in the bicep playfully. She knew Jason actually liked Tate, probably respected him, but he hadn’t been happy when she’d hugged the handsome blond man goodbye and pecked him on the cheek.
“It’s not terrible. I’m actually waiting for it to happen,” he said innocently, shooting her a slick glance.
“You’re waiting to torture him,” she chastised.
Hope smiled as Jason laughed evilly. She couldn’t help herself. Being raised with four brothers who tormented each other constantly, she knew they still cared about each other, and Jason was far from coldhearted. Tate might be a pain in Jason’s ass, but he liked him.
“Maybe a little,” Jason admitted as he helped her up the stairs of the plane. “I was fine until you kissed him,” he accused.
Hope just gave him a seductive smile. “He just got a friendly peck on the cheek. You get a hell of a lot more.”
“Show me,” Jason said huskily as he followed her onto the plane.
“Count on it,” she replied in the f**k-me voice that she knew he couldn’t refuse.
“Soon,” Jason growled.
Hope just laughed, and proceeded to show him a lot of things as soon as the plane had leveled off and they were on their way to New York. It was a flight that passed…very pleasurably.
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
Jason watched Hope as she sat at the bow of the yacht. Yeah, he now called Sutherland’s Hope a yacht. His wife wasn’t worthy of anything less. She looked beautiful enough and happy enough to take his breath away. He doubted he’d ever look at her and not feel the exact same way. She’d become his entire life, a life that had made him so happy that it was almost terrifying.
She’d come on board the yacht full of excitement and enthusiasm, anxious to be out on the water. Looking at her, he could tell she would become as addicted to being on the ocean as he was. She was already involved in shooting pictures of just about anything and everything she saw.
Her hair was loose and blowing wildly in the breeze, making her look untamed and sexy as hell.
“Having fun?” He took a seat beside her.
“This is incredible. Thank you for bringing me out,” she answered enthusiastically.
Like he’d do anything else? He couldn’t be away from her for a day without missing her so much it hurt.
They’d spent most of yesterday visiting with his mom, and she’d been ecstatic about Hope joining the family. His mother had always adored all of the Sinclairs, but she’d had a soft spot for the little girl who really had no mother to guide her, and a useless, abusive father. She’d welcomed Hope like family, and Jason had seen Hope glow from being treated like an adored daughter.
“I’m glad you like it,” he told her simply as he dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“I love it. I’ve already gotten some beautiful shots.”
Jason grinned. He hoped to turn her mind to a different view as they headed out to sea. “I haven’t shown you the comfortable cabins yet.”
She smirked at him. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“When I’m around you? Yep. Pretty much.” Jason wasn’t going to deny he wanted to get her into a bed. Any bed. All he had to do was look at her, think about her, and he was rock-hard.