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“Yes.”
“The cake that I’ve been afraid to taste and crave isn’t kissing and sex. It’s not even love,” she says. “It’s freedom. It’s making my own choices. It’s being who I really want to be.That’sthe cake I was avoiding because I knew, deep down, subconsciously, how much I would miss it when it was gone. So I just…didn’t let myself have those things. And then you came along. And you saw me. You saw that I was missingallof that and…you cared. You wanted to give it back to me.”
She stops and takes a deep breath, her smile fading, her expression growing more serious.
“Yes, kissing you in the palace kitchen was a turning point for sure, but my cravings started before that. When Torin came back and made it clear he didn’t want to be married. When you were there, actuallylisteningto me and caring how I felt and thought about things. I think I started to realize then that things could be different, and I started to wantthat. And then…this trip. This plan. You and Torin thinking that I needed to consider something new. I actually opened my mind to that idea and the cravings got too strong to ignore.”
She smiles at me. “That’s the cake I want, Jonah. The chance to make my own choices, to have options, to think about things in a new way. And you’re the one who has been the biggest champion of that.”
She leans in. “So yes, I’m sure that I want this cake. And just like my grandmother’s recipe isn’t the same when someone else makes it, I knowIhave to be the one making this all come together. Not Torin picking out other men. Not evenyoutelling me what else I can have.Ihave to look at what I want, who I am, what my choices are, and decide what ingredients my cake will have.”
I swallow. God. In all the times I’ve been impressed by her and found her stunning and incredible and impossible to resist, this might be the sexiest, the most confident, the most amazing she’s ever been.
“I think you are…a fucking queen,” I say gruffly.
Her smile is sweet and full of emotion.
She leans closer, her lips nearly on mine. “And I really,reallywant you as one of my ingredients.”
Then she kisses me.
It’s just the press of her lips against mine, just for a few brief seconds, but it is the most mind-blowing kiss of my life.
So I scoop my hands under her ass, pull her against my shoulder, then stand.
“Jonah!” she exclaims, but she’s laughing.
I start for the car with her over my shoulder and my hand on her ass.
Chapter23
Linnea
* * *
On the way back to the hotel, Jonah doesn’t let go of my hand for even a second. Our fingers are entwined and I swear the butterflies in my stomach are throwing a dance party.
This feels so right with him. I’ve never been more sure of anything.
And looking into his eyes as I told him that I choose him, I know that he felt it too. Yes, I do love seeing jealous Jonah, but I hated seeing unsure Jonah. More than anything I want him to know that he can be sure of me. There is no hesitation, no second thoughts. Even though I’m inexperienced when it comes to relationships, I know my own mind and heart.
He lets the valet at the hotel park the car and doesn’t let go of me all the way through the lobby and even once we’re on the elevator.
I’m itching to break the silence.
Not because I’m uncomfortable, but because I have so much to say.
“My panties aren’t wet because of kissing Christian,” is what I choose to start with.
His head snaps to the side and he looks down at me. “I don’t wanna talk about Christian.”
I lift my chin and his gaze. “Okay, we won’t. I’ll say, my panties are wet and have been wet all day because ofyou. You’re the only man to do that to me ever.”
He takes a breath and it seems that he’s considering how to respond to this. “Thought we took care of that before bowling.”
Heat floods through me as I remember the bedroom, the vibrator, his hand on his cock. “Sure. For a little bit. But then you were sweet and funny and charming with everyone at the bowling alley and I got wet for you all over again.”
I can practically feel the heat coming off of him.