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Animal instinct slammed him in the gut, uncontrolled and wild. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was important at that moment except the driving desire to satisfy his needy mate.
“I love you,” she panted restlessly, her teeth biting gently at his neck.
This time, her words went straight to Simon’s heart, the pleasurable pain striking him directly in the chest. “I love you too, sweetheart.” Resting his forehead against her shoulder, he closed his eyes, floored by the strength of her emotions, humbled by the fact that this woman truly loved him. Him. The man. Not the billionaire or the material things he could give her. He bore the scars of his past, inside and out, but Kara never seemed to see anything except a man worth loving. She was a miracle, his miracle. “No more talk about prenuptial agreements, okay?”
He felt her silky hair brush against his jaw as she shook her head, pulling back slightly to meet his eyes. Frowning at him, she answered, “We have to talk about it.”
Nope. They sure as hell didnothave to talk about it. She could drop the whole ridiculous idea and just kiss him again. And again. Simon wasn’t about to make the most incredible, happiest event of his life into a fucking contract. “You know I already revised my will. We went over it.” He’d made damn sure Kara would always be taken care of, no matter what happened to him.
She nodded slowly. “It’s one thing if you leave me unwillingly by death. But what if…”
“Not happening,” he replied swiftly, his jaw tightening at the thought of losing Kara. “This is forever. I’m not signing a damn prenuptial agreement. You and I are not a fucking business deal. This is about you and me. Together. For the rest of our lives.” Simon’s green-eyed monster was clutching at him, irritated at the possibility that anything could take this woman away from him.Not happening.
Pushing against his chest, she wriggled out of his hold. “I want you to know that I’m not marrying you because of your money.” Her voice wobbled and her lower lip trembled.
Oh, fuck. No.“Don’t cry. I don’t like it.” Actually, he hated it. Seeing her cry practically brought him to his knees, made him want to give in to just about anything she wanted. Luckily, she rarely cried unless it was tears of joy and Kara never used his weakness at seeing her cry as a weapon. “And it’s always been quite obvious that you aren’t after my money.”More than obvious.
Giving him a wide-eyed, astonished glance, she replied hotly, “How can you know that? You supported me while I finished nursing school, paid my expenses, buy me outrageously expensive gifts. I want you to be able to trust me completely.”
Shit! Seriously? The woman knew every one of his dirty little secrets, things that he had never revealed to another soul, not even his brother, Sam. “I’ve trusted you with every detail of my life, Kara. I trust you. I wouldn’t be marrying you if I didn’t. I don’t need a prenuptial agreement. I don’t want one,” he rasped, trying to squelch his anger, his hurt over the fact that as much as he had poured out his soul to her, she still didn’t completely trusthimor the fact that their relationship would never come to an end. “If you had enough faith in me, you wouldn’t need it either.”
It took Simon about a nanosecond to regret the words, wanting to take them back the moment that they left his stupid mouth. Kara’s beautiful face fell, every ounce of hurt showing in her expressive eyes that were filling with tears.Shit.What kind of dumbass statement was that?Instead of appreciating the fact that Kara wanted him so much that she was willing to give up any financial gain from their marriage just to show him how much she cared, Simon had slung the hurtful words at her out of frustration and more than a little fear. And the words weren’t the least bit true. Kara had always had faith in him, even when she probably shouldn’t have had any, even when he hadn’t had faith in himself. Problem was, he wanted more, needed her to believe inthemas a couple. Although she balked whenever he bought her something because of her past financial situation, Kara had never seemed to question the fact that they were soul mates, destined to be together forever…until the last few weeks. Her recent hesitance scared him, terrified him into starting to consider that maybe it wasshewho might want out some day. Her notion that sheowedhim and didn’t want to share everything, especially his wealth, bothered the shit out of him. It made every lingering insecurity he had jump up to bite him in the ass.
Spearing a hand through his hair with a remorseful sigh, he told her softly, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
He watched her carefully, his heart breaking as Kara angrily swiped away a tear that escaped from her liquid blue eyes as she answered, “You wouldn’t have said it if there wasn’t some truth to it. Maybe you’re right. Maybe this is all a mistake.”
His eyes turned dark and turbulent. “What kind of mistake?”
“Us.” She gestured at him and then at herself. “Maybe we shouldn’t be considering marriage right now. Maybe there’s just too big a difference in our circumstances.” Hands shaking nervously, she swiped at both her eyes, the tears coming so fast she couldn’t keep up with them.
What. The. Hell. He’d waited, fighting against every instinct he had to make her his wife immediately, for nearly a year. And now she was questioning their upcoming marriage? Because he was wealthy? It wasn’t like his money was something new, something unknown. He’d been a billionaire long before they met. Cursing under his breath, Simon stepped forward, reaching for Kara, but she pulled free, backing away from him with a strangled sob. Dropping his hands, he fisted them at his side. Jaw clenched, he forced himself not to reach for her again. In the year that they had been together, he and Kara rarely fought, and he had never seen her look this fragile…except for the time she had been attacked and nearly killed by two violent junkies. Even then, she hadn’t looked this freaked out. When his woman was really angry, she got in his face and told him off. Their arguments fired hot and blew over quickly, usually resolved with a compromise and earth- shattering make-up sex.
Did we wait too long? Is she getting cold feet?
Wishing he had just thrown her over his shoulder nearly a year ago and swept her away to Vegas on his private jet, Simon answered, “We are getting married and you need to tell me what’s really going on.” Trying to keep his temper and his voice level, Simon clenched his fists harder, nearly cutting off all the blood circulation to his fingers. Kara had never backed away from him, rebuffed his attempts to comfort her. What had happened to the woman who would throw herself into his arms whenever she needed him? And, damn it, he wanted her to need him. Her rejection was killing him.
“I don’t know if I can marry you.” Her statement was released with a mournful sob.
Screw it. Simon couldn’t watch her tears another damn moment and he didn’t for the life of him understand what she was trying to say. All he knew was panic, desperation, and pain. Panic at the thought of losing her, desperation to fix whatever was wrong, and an unholy agony from hearing her say that she wasn’t going to marry him. To hell with that. “You’re marrying me. No fucking prenuptial. I need you, Kara. I’ll always need you. Please don’t do this.” His statement was low, dangerous, spoken like he was barely able to contain his caveman instincts…which he was. Right now, he wanted to pin her to the wall and get inside her so deeply, take her so thoroughly, that she never again considered saying that she couldn’t marry him. Hell, if she needed a reminder of how they fit together, how much he wanted and needed her, he’d be glad to give it to her. Right here. Right now.
Eyes wild, Kara backed up as he followed slowly, stalking her until he had her pinned to the wall beside the door. Her eyes shot to his face, then the door, and back to his face.
“Don’t even think about it,” he rumbled, slamming a hand beside each of her arms, boxing her in, cutting off any hope of her escape. “Talk to me,” he demanded roughly, needing to soothe her pain…and his own. After spending the last year blissfully happy with a woman he loved more than life itself, Kara’s sudden irrational behavior was out in left field. He was usually the one who was a controlling, dominant asshole and Kara was his voice of reason. “Are you okay?” he asked gruffly, his eyes searching her face. If something was wrong, he’d fix it. There was nothing he wouldn’t do at the moment to make her smile again, take away the confusion and pain he saw reflected in her eyes.
As long as she doesn’t say she can’t marry me. If she says it again…I’ll lose it.
Kara nodded hesitantly and then shook her head. “Yes. No. I don’t know.” She put her forehead on his shoulder and started to sob like her whole world was ending. Lifting her hands, she clenched at his t-shirt, fisting large portions of the cotton at his waist while she saturated the top half of the garment with her tears.
Holy Christ! Completely baffled, Simon wrapped his arms around her, his grip so tight she squeaked.
“Can’t breathe,” she mumbled as she sucked in a labored breath.
“Shit. I’m sorry. Kara, I don’t understand.” Simon loosened his hold immediately, keeping her pliant body against his, feeling completely helpless and hating every moment of it.
She twisted in his arms as a series of sharp raps sounded on the wood frame of the door and his older brother Sam strolled, uninvited, into the room.
Using the distraction to her advantage, Kara slipped from Simon’s arms and made her escape. “I have to go. Maddie is expecting me at the clinic.” Her explanation was rushed and breathless; as she hurried out of the open door like her ass was on fire, skirting around his brother as she went.