“We need a hell of a lot bigger site for production, and a bunch of permanent employees,” Jared grumbled as he signed his name grudgingly to the contracts that gave him equal interest in the company after Mara had signed.
Mara smiled at him, both of them sitting at the dining room table, papers spread out in front of them. “We can keep going like this for a while. We need to make money before we spend it.”
“You need to invest money to make more money,” Jared rumbled. “And you can’t keep working these kinds of hours.” He paused for a moment before he asked hesitantly, “Do you miss the doll shop?”
“No,” she answered honestly. “I still regret the irreplaceable things I lost, stuff that belonged to my mom, but I’ve always loved making my consumable products more than I loved making dolls. I’ll enjoy it as a hobby someday when I have more time, but making my products for the market has always been my favorite thing to do. Coming up with new things is challenging, new products that can be used for different recipes. Cooking has always been my first love.” Mara sighed. “I wanted to hold on to my mother, but I’ve realized I didn’t need the doll shop. She’ll always be here.” She put her right hand over her heart, her finger adorned by her mother’s wedding ring. “I think she’d be proud of what I’m doing now. I may not be making dolls, but I’m still using traditions that have been passed down for generations, with my own twist. Honestly, I don’t think she would have cared what I decided to do as long as I was happy doing it.”
Jared leaned toward her and clasped the hand over her heart, bringing it to his lips to kiss her palm gently. “I think she would, too, baby,” he said huskily.
“Do you think you’ll ever go back to doing what you really love someday?” she asked him carefully. His former love of restoring old homes was a touchy subject.
“How did you know?” He released her hand gently, busying himself with arranging the papers they had signed.
“Evan. He told me you loved restoring old homes, that it was your first choice of careers. It’s what you were going to do with Alan. I know you have some bad memories about that, but I want to see you be happy doing what you want to do.” Would he ever be able to do it again? If she were in his place, she wasn’t certain whether or not she could go back. Mara wasn’t even positive that he should unless he could completely let go of the bitterness associated with what he loved. But the fact remained that it was his passion, something that gave him an immense amount of satisfaction. It broke her heart to think he might never pursue it again someday.
Jared released a heavy, masculine sigh and pinned her with an open gaze. “I don’t know. I’ve never stopped studying the latest methods of restoration, or looking at old homes and imagining how they could be restored to their former glory, but I’ve never quite been able to gather the same enthusiasm I had when I first finished college.”
Mara felt her eyes begin to water. Jared was an enigma to her sometimes. He was over-the-top gorgeous, and completely confident in running his commercial real estate company. He was a dirty-talking, arrogant, completely alpha male who seemed like he was in command of everything he touched. But there were times when he was vulnerable, exposing a gentle, wounded spirit that she was fairly certain was only visible to her. Now was one of those moments. “I just want you to be as happy as I am right now. It doesn’t seem fair that I’m getting my dream and you aren’t.”
“I’m happier with you than I’ve been in my entire life, sweetheart. Don’t cry for me.” Leaning over, he snatched her out of her chair and into his lap. “I like helping you build something that you want. I’m enjoying what I’m doing right now.”
“But later—”
“Later will take care of itself. Right now all I want is you,” he growled. “You fill all of the lonely, unhappy places inside me, Mara. That’s a damn miracle for me.”
His words made the tears flow, and she hugged him to her, hoping the Fates would let her keep him forever. “I love you.” The three little words popped out of her mouth unchecked. She’d been wanting to say them, needing to say them, but she’d been hesitant, unsure of whether he wanted to hear them or not. Now, she needed him to hear her, needed him to know he was loved. Between his loveless childhood and the big betrayal, Jared Sinclair needed somebody who loved him no matter what.
“What did you say?” he asked dubiously, as though he wasn’t certain he’d heard her correctly.
“I said that I love you,” she said firmly. “It doesn’t have to mean anything to you, and I’m not saying it to trap you into anything. I just need to say the words and have you know how I feel. I promised myself and you that I’d be open. That’s how I feel. I love you. It’s just that simple. We don’t need to act on it in any way. I just wanted to be able to tell you.”
“Tell me again,” he demanded, taking her face between his hands and forcing her to meet his gaze. “And it does mean something. It means everything to me.”
“I love you, Jared Sinclair.” Her voice was even louder, certain now that it was something he needed to hear.
He jerked her lips down to his, as though he was trying to capture the words with his mouth. Mara wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, opening to him and shivering at the fierceness of his embrace. He devoured her as though he hadn’t had a meal in days, penetrating her mouth desperately, but with a reverence that made her heart melt. The kiss was as worshipful as it was erotic, and the combination made her heart skitter as she tangled her tongue with his, needing the connection as desperately as he did.