Page 150 of The Sun & Her Burn

“Mr. Meyers,” I teased.

His lids lowered just a little, further proof if I needed it that he loved being called that.

“How do you feel about being Mrs. Meyers one day?” he asked, and suddenly, the car felt like a confessional, a sacred space for secrets and whispered prayers.

Mrs. Meyers.

It was strange to think of the title as belonging to me instead of Savannah, whom I had known as Mrs. Meyers for most of the time I’d been acquainted with her through Miranda.

And there was no mistaking that I hated Savannah.

She had squandered the incredible love of two men who deserved someone who would move heaven and earth for them.

Yet the idea of being Linnea Meyers?

Adam’s wife.

Hispartner.

Of standing beside him as his witness through life, as his sword or his shield or his pillow to rest his weary head?

I loved the idea of that.

And it had very little to do with my obligations through our contract.

Adam deserved to have someone in his life who would fight for him. Even Sebastian hadn’t fought, though he had only been freshly nineteen and forced out by Adam’s chilling dictatorial ways.

I resolved as I sat pressed into his warm side, that I would fight for Adam until he no longer deserved my love.

And I honestly couldn’t see that happening.

Ever.

So I turned deeper into his embrace and looked full on into his perfectly handsome face, straight into those haunted green eyes.

“I’m not sure if, in this day and age, a womanhasto take her husband’s last name,” I said lightly, just to mess with him because he was a man who needed to be teased and often. “But I love the sound of being Linnea Meyers almost as much as I love the sound of beingyourwife.”

“Even if I were to rip up the contract between us right now?” he dared with a raised brow and narrowed eyes.

He wouldn’t, of course, but it meant something that he wanted to test my feelings.

It implied that he had feelings of his own.

“Well, you made me swear I wouldn’t fall in love with you,” I reminded him. “But as you promised no such thing, I could probably be convinced to stick around, even if you didn’t need me to salvage your reputation anymore.”

“Oh, I need you,” he murmured, his gaze like a caress along my face. “I need you in ways I did not know I could feel need.”

“Take what you want,” I offered. “I’m here and I’m yours.”

His mouth was on mine before I had even finished speaking, his hand fixing my face in place so that he could eat desperately at my mouth. I groaned, pressing into him, opening my mouth for the savagery of his kiss.

It would absolutely ruin my makeup, but that’s why I had a touch up kit in my clutch.

“We’re here, snoggers,” Chaucer called through the now open partition. “Save some of it for the red carpet, please. Adam, you’ve completely ruined her lipstickandher hair. Can you keep your hands to yourself for even a moment?”

“It wouldn’t be a carpet without Chaucer reprimanding me for something,” Adam muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

I giggled as I whipped out the compact mirror and lipstick to repair the damage, and Adam used the edge of his pocket square to wipe off the transfer to his own mouth.