His eyes widened. “Katie? You’re talking about my sister. Blonde, wears her skirts too short?”
Jessie seemed to remember seeing a lot of leg and not much of the woman’s face. “That was your sister?”
“Yes,” he blew out with a half smile. “The rumors about a marriage were all about you.”
“I turned you down.”
Jack’s lips pulled into a full smile. “Do you really think I would have given up after one proposal?”
No, she realized. Jack wasn’t the kind of man to give up so easily.
Unfolding from his perch, Jack walked over to her and knelt down. The closer he came her way, the harder it was to detach her heart from the conversation.
He placed one hand on her knee.
Jessie flinched but didn’t pull away.
“My father heard about you from my sister. Katie isn’t great about butting out of someone else’s business.”
She sounds like Monica.
“Where my dad goes, so does the media.”
Jack grasped one of her hands in both of his. His gray eyes bored into hers, making it difficult for her to remember how angry she was at him for all his deceit. “You are the only woman in my life, Jessie. You are the one I want to introduce to the world as my wife. I lied to you about my wealth for selfish reasons.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I needed to know if you could love me for me. Your hang-up about finding a rich husband made me wonder if you could ever separate your feelings for me from my money. If you knew from the beginning I was loaded, how could I truly know if you loved me?”
Her chest started to ache, again. “How do I know if I love Jack Morrison? I don’t even know who that man is.”
“Yes, you do, Jessie.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. Jack let her hands drop and spread his own as wide as his shoulders. “This is me, jeans and boots. I wear suits at the office, but not all the time. On the ranch, you’d have a hard time pointing me out with all the hands that take care of the place.”
“The ranch?”
“My father’s ranch. I’m comfortable in the boardroom and the barn. Outside of when I’m desperately trying to convince the woman I love that I’m perfect for her, I’m as honest as they get.”
Jessie bit her lip and felt some of the ice around her heart drip. “You love me?”
He gasped. “Jesus, Jessie, aren’t you listening to me? I love you more than roaches love sticky buns.”
She burst out laughing. So much for the poet who’d walked in the door half an hour earlier.
“Not the best way to put that, was it?” he asked with that cocky grin surrounded by dimples.
“It’s unique. I doubt I’ll ever forget that you compared our love to a cockroach.”
Jack placed both hands on her shoulders. “Give me a chance, Jessie. Give us a chance.”
Suddenly her mouth went dry and her lip started to tremble. “Trust is important to a relationship, Jack. How can I trust that you’re telling the truth?”
“Ask me anything. I’ll never keep another thing from you.”
Now was her time to put every question to the test. “Monica thinks you bought the car for me.”
“She’s right. I did. I knew you wouldn’t accept it if I gave it to you, so I made up the story about a fire.”
Little chance she would have accepted a new car from a man who waited tables. Or the rich one in front of her, for that matter.
“Did you sabotage my other car?” The thought had passed through during a dark moment.
“No. I’d never jeopardize you or Danny.”
It was silly to think he would do something so low, she realized.
“Clarify rich.”
With a dimpled grin, he ran his hands down her arms and up again. “Stupid crazy kinds of money. We have over two hundred hotels under the Morrison name. My father insisted on splitting half the estate when Katie and I came of age. He gave each of us one-quarter of that half. Believe me when I tell you that women with high dreams and fancy needs will do anything to get at what I have.”
Jessie lifted a hand to his arm and felt the rest of the ice around her heart melt away. “I get it, Jack. I don’t like that you lied to me, but I understand why you did.”
“I’ll never do it again.” He stepped closer, until the heat of his skin met hers. “I love you, Jessie. The last couple days were sheer hell thinking I’d lost you.”
A smile breached her lips and a single tear fell from her eye. “You better not ever lie to me again.”
Jack scooped her into his arms before bringing his lips to hers. It was a brief kiss, one laced with excitement. “Never again.” He leaned in and kissed her again. This time he angled his head for a much more enjoyable meeting of lips. With insides that were jumping high one minute and low the next, it didn’t take long for Jessie to feel lightheaded. Then again, Jack’s arms were crushing the air out of her lungs.
A small laugh vibrated from her lips to his.
“What?” he asked when he pulled away.
“Can’t. Breathe,” she managed.
Jack loosened his grip. “Sorry.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m not either.”
Lost in his eyes, Jessie felt his love for her in ways she couldn’t describe. Perhaps his test to determine if she loved him would work out for the best in the end. So long as the testing was over.