Jen_C’s Reviews > Cross My Heart > Status Update

For a minute he just looked at her, and Jenna wondered how she could have believed even for a second that she could live without him. He slipped the ring out of the box and took her left hand in both of his. “Is that a yes, Jenna? Will you marry me?” There was a squeak—nothing more. A tiny squeak of excitement.

She hesitated. “Would you kiss me goodbye?” He couldn’t have said no to save his life. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly, slowly. He savored the taste of her, the scent of her, knowing it was the last time. He pulled her closer, until he could feel her heart pounding against his. And then he let her go.

“That’s the most incredible thing anyone’s ever done for me. I never...I...” Words failed her. She laced her hands behind his head and pulled him to her for a kiss. When the kiss was over he cleared his throat. “I only did it for ulterior motives. I’m trying to get you into bed.” “Mission accomplished.”

“Are you sure everything’s all right?” Jenna asked. No, everything wasn’t all right. His daughter hated him, and the woman he wanted didn’t want him—and was heading out on the town with the ex-boyfriend who’d broken her heart. “Everything’s great. Have a good night, Jenna.”

He knew it was stupid, this urge to make sure Jenna was all right when she saw Derek again. The asshole who’d actually had Jenna in his life, willing to marry him—and had screwed it up so badly he’d lost her. It was a particularly stupid urge given the fact that he and Jenna were actually moving towards a real friendship.

Something inside her, something utterly primal, responded to his words and the look on his face as if she’d been waiting for this her entire life. The feeling should have terrified her. It went against everything she thought she knew about herself. But it was just one night. One night of fantasy, of make believe. One night to belong to him.

Nothing had ever tasted so good. She was hot and silken, sharp and sweet, and he would never, ever get enough. He backed her up against the counter and pushed his thigh between hers, and when she clutched at his shoulders and moaned against his mouth he almost lost his mind.

I think you’ll be a great influence on Claire. You’re caring and smart and passionate, and I bet you’re an incredible teacher. And an incredible musician. I won’t lie to you. I hope Claire graduates. But you left to follow your dreams, and you made them come true. That’s what I want for Claire. I want her to find out what she wants in life, and go after it with everything she’s got. Like you.

There were so many things she liked about this man. And something in Michael’s serious brown eyes told her that a relationship with him could get very complicated. She already liked him, and she’d known him less than a day. And she was really, really attracted to him. She wanted to move closer. She wanted to feel that long, hard-muscled body against hers.

He told himself his reaction to his gorgeous new neighbor had been a combination of 11 months of celibacy and exhaustion brought on by his schedule at the hospital. Except that it happened every time he saw her. He’d never spoken to her, not even a casual hello. The universe had sent his polar opposite to live next door to him, encased in the most beautiful body he’d ever laid eyes on.