She shrugged, unperturbed, but she’d been pretty certain he’d have this kind of reaction. Any one of her brothers would have reacted exactly the same way. “You’re a well-traveled man. Don’t you try out the local cuisine when you travel? Or are you just having sympathy pains for the bull?”
The disgruntled look on his face was priceless, and Hope itched to have her camera in her hands. Obviously, even if he was willing to eat just about anything, she guessed he drew the line at bull’s balls. She’d lived in Colorado long enough to get used to crunching on the unusual Rocky Mountain specialty. She hadn’t lied when she’d told him they were really good if they were cooked well, and the oysters he’d picked up were outrageously good…if you liked bull’s balls.
“I’ve eaten all kinds of local cuisine, but there’s something seriously wrong with eating—” He scowled at the oysters. “That.”
Hope burst out laughing, nearly snorted as she saw a humorous side of Jason she’d never seen before. He looked like a little boy who didn’t want to eat his peas, which really made her want her camera. She wasn’t sure she’d ever see this look again, and she wanted to capture it. Smug, confident, panty-meltingly gorgeous Jason Sutherland actually looked like a rebellious child.
He pushed the remaining carton toward her. “It’s not funny. Some things are just too personal to eat.”
Hope chortled. “I’m sure they were personal to the bull, too. You are having sympathy pains. I take it you don’t travel to Colorado very often.”
“Rarely. And I’ve never been offered…those.”
He couldn’t even manage to say what they really were, which delighted Hope no end. “Why do I have a feeling that my brothers would feel the same way?” Hope smiled. Obviously testosterone-overloaded men had a real problem eating testicles.
“They would,” Jason agreed with a grimace. “It makes me wish I could send some to Grady without him knowing exactly what they were.”
“Admit it, if you didn’t know what you were eating, you’d like them. They’re pretty tasty.” Hope cajoled him to confess that the local specialty was actually good. “They’re even better if you have a tangy cocktail sauce, but they didn’t give you any.”
“But I do know what they are. And I can’t believe you actually dip those in sauce.” Jason gave her an unhappy look. “And you didn’t warn me on purpose,” he finished accusingly.
She had intentionally waited until he ate some of them, had wanted to see his reaction. It had pleased her more than she had expected. “Maybe I was trying to get back at you for threatening me, and for being such a jackass earlier. Staying married any longer than we have to is just compounding our stupid mistake.”
His expression turned stormy. “You must have wanted the marriage, Hope. I’m sure I didn’t force you.”
Of course he hadn’t. She’d obviously been all for the idea. There was no such thing as a shotgun wedding anymore, and she had to have been willing—probably because she had always wanted Jason so desperately. Her inhibitions had obviously all flown away and she’d readily agreed. “I wonder if I asked you.” She wished she knew exactly what had happened.
“Maybe it was a mutual decision,” Jason said casually as he got up and threw empty cartons away, grabbed a chocolate bar from the cupboard, tore off the wrapper, and consumed half of it in one bite.
It wasn’t very romantic, but it was very possible she had asked him. Without her usual defenses, she might have even begged. Just the thought made her flush, her face now as red as her hair.
She tried not to think about their time in Vegas, so she rose and helped Jason clean up the table. “So how do you suppose we got the rings?”
“I imagine we purchased them like any other couple getting married,” he said nonchalantly. His candy wrapper went in the trash since he’d already finished the entire bar of milk chocolate. “Do you like what we got?” His voice was casual, but she heard a note of indecision, a slight hesitation in his tone.
Hope sighed. “They’re beautiful. But it’s not like we’re going to wear them.” She twisted the ring she wasn’t used to wearing on her finger, and started to draw it off.
“Leave it,” Jason demanded as he turned around. “For now,” he added in a low, husky voice.
Hope left it on her finger. What did it matter? She’d take it off eventually, though she found it odd that Jason still wore his, and he didn’t want her to take hers off.
“What were we thinking?” She still fidgeted with the ring on her finger nervously. She wasn’t given to mad acts of impulse, and she was certain Jason wasn’t either. He was the type of man who weighed everything out, considered the pros and cons. He hadn’t become a billionaire by not using his head.
He cornered her by the kitchen table, rested his hands on both sides of her and looked down at her with a set of turbulent blue eyes that made Hope shudder.
“I’m positive the head above my neck wasn’t thinking. My dick was probably happily contemplating the consequences at the time, and in complete control.” He leaned down until she could feel his heated breath against her lips. “Maybe I wasn’t willing to see you married to anyone else but me.”
He captured her mouth in a fierce embrace that made Hope’s core clench in response. His kiss was possessive. Wild. All-consuming. It was the kind of embrace that she didn’t have the strength to resist. Arms wrapped around his neck, she squeaked as his hands covetously palmed her ass and lifted her onto the table. His lips never left hers. He tasted sinful, like the decadent chocolate he’d just consumed, and he was just as addictive. With a grasp on her hips, he yanked her heated core against his engorged c**k none too gently and let her feel just how aroused she could make him.
For just a moment, Hope’s heart beat erratically in satisfaction, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist, to feel him even tighter, closer.
Jason.
Her heart sighed and her body caught fire as Jason kissed her as if he had to have the connection, as if he needed her mouth more than he needed anything else.
Jason.
She tightened her legs around his waist, needed him so desperately that her core flooded with liquid heat. Her ni**les hardened to sensitive twin peaks.
Jason.
She pulled her mouth from his, leaned her head back and moaned. Tears of frustration flowed down her cheeks.