The Billionaire's Temporary Bride (Scandal, Inc #3)(74)

Charlotte smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. Her head thrummed with a pleasant contentment. She had all but forgotten that she was lying naked on a kitchen floor in a house she'd never been in before. She cuddled there with Jack, looking out the window into the hazy winter sky. She tried to catch her breath as she rubbed her cheek. It was still tingling from the way his facial stubble had rubbed against her. She hadn't noticed until that moment. The skin felt warm to the touch. If this was the price of feeling this wonderful, she was willing to pay it.

"So that was wonderfully unexpected," she said.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked. He rolled onto his side and slid a hand over Charlotte's stomach, making her abs tie themselves in knots. "I thought that was your idea."

"Oh, so it was all me?" Charlotte said, feigning surprise. "And here I was thinking that you were a willing participant."

Jack grinned. "Maybe I helped things along a little."

"That might be an understatement," Charlotte said.

"Are you complaining? I guess I should wait a while before attempting a repeat performance."

"Me? Complain? Never," Charlotte replied. "But if you're thinking about trying that again, you should know you've worn me out. Maybe if you carry me to the bedroom, your luck might improve. A glass of water wouldn't hurt either."

"Be careful what you wish for." Jack scooped Charlotte up into his arms as he stood.

"What are you doing?" she asked, surprised that he actually followed through on her request. "The sink's over there."

"I'm bringing you to bed," he said. "Don't worry. I won't exhaust you again."

"That's a shame."

"You only say that because you don't know what I have in mind instead." Jack lifted her higher, propping her up to kiss her as he headed out of the kitchen.

Charlotte felt like Jane in Tarzan's arms as Jack carried her up the stairs. "Be careful," she said, "I just might get used to this."

"I know I never will," Jack said as he brought her to the top of the stairs. The way he looked down at her told Charlotte everything she needed to know. She just wished he'd find some way to tell her in words.





***

Jack lay awake as Charlotte turned over and pulled the sheets across the bed, wrapping herself tight. Moonlight streamed in through the windows and pooled on the bed, casting a silver glow over Charlotte's skin. She looked so perfect, so beautiful. He smiled as he watched her. He just wanted to wake her up and stare into her eyes and tell her that he loved her.

Love, the word he had held out against for so long now. He loved her. He couldn't deny that to himself any longer. He was crazy about her. He just wanted to reach over, tap her on the shoulder and tell her that he loved her.

There was no getting around his feelings for her. For a while, he had been able to fool himself into thinking that their attraction was merely physical, and that all of the fun back and forth had been nothing more than a game. He'd had his reasons for it at the beginning. He didn't want to let her in. That way he could keep his commitments without hurting her in the process, but here they were, months later, and he still couldn't spend a waking moment without thinking about her. Something had to change. He had to figure out a way to explain the truth without making her hate him if he wanted any chance at making what they had last longer than a few months.

Of course, if Jack were honest with Charlotte, he'd have to be with his brother and sister and mother as well. He wouldn't have to tell them about the marriage, but he would need to explain why his father had named him executor of the trust, why Jack alone had access to all of the records and accounts. If he did that, he could no longer protect his family from the truth. The secret Jack had worked for so many years to hide would be out in the open. It would tear his family apart.

Once the rest of the Coburn family knew the truth, Jack didn't know if they'd ever speak to him again either, and for once, he didn't care. He needed to do this — he wanted to do this — for Charlotte and for himself. It was the right thing to do. His marriage to Charlotte had been only one in a long list of lies he had told over the years, and if Jack wanted any chance at making the marriage real, he'd have to go back and fix the biggest lie of all. The only question was how to do it.

Jack wished it was as easily as telling Charlotte about it, just leaning over to wake her up and say, "Honey, there's something I need to tell you," and that she'd understand what he had done and why he had done it. He knew that would be irresponsible. It would be reckless. He looked over at Charlotte as she slept, her chest rising and falling slowly with her breaths, a calm, contented look on her face. All Jack wanted to do was protect her, but he couldn't mislead her any longer. He wanted what they had to be real, not some lie. That was it. As soon as possible, he was going to get on a plane to North Carolina to make Maria understand. He would make things right.

Jack lay there until the sun started to brighten the sky behind the Beacon Hill brownstones. His head ached. He was dead tired, and he knew he couldn't sleep until he told Charlotte everything. She was sound asleep next to him. She had pulled the sheets up to her cheek, and she had a little smile on her lips.

Quietly, Jack slid out of bed and slowly opened the drawer to his nightstand. He pulled back a few pieces of paper and grabbed the small cell phone out from the back of the drawer. He looked at Charlotte and then back at the phone. He wondered if he really wanted to do this. He had spent years protecting this secret, lying to family and friends, and now he was about to risk it all for Charlotte. It was selfish of him, it was rash and short-sighted, and it would put everything at risk — his career, his family's name, even his relationship with Charlotte. If he made this call, he lost all control over his fate.