I hadn’t even realized I was crying until Jason lifted his hand to softly wipe away my tears.

“As if they hadn’t done enough damage, one of them also called the tabloids as an anonymous source to say that our marriage was fake.”

Bewildered, I shook my head. “It couldn’t be Lily. I don’t even know her all that well. But I swear to you, I didn’t tell Charlotte either. Only Lucy knows.”

“It’s okay sweetheart, it doesn’t matter. Megan pulled some strings and they won’t take the tip seriously.” His lips touched my forehead and instead of pulling back, he stayed just like that.

“I brought your phone with me. Why don’t we call Lucy and you can hear it from her, too,” he whispered.

Reaching behind, he took something out of his back pocket and handed it to me. My phone. I barely had any battery left.

I dialed Lucy’s number.

“Lucy? Hi.”

“Hey, babe. How are you holding up?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that? How is Jameson?” I tried to talk as quietly as possible.

“He is awake now. He is already making my life miserable. Frankly, I’m more worried about you right now. You promised you would call me when you made it home.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. When I saw my dad, I just…”

“It’s okay, Olive, I understand. I’m assuming lover boy made it there and that’s why you are calling.”

My lips twitched, but that was all I could manage.

“I don’t know exactly what he told you, but he is telling the truth, my little green Olive. I talked to Charlotte a few hours ago, or more like fought with her. The night I brought you to the apartment and Marcus carried you away to his room, well, that’s apparently when she realized Marcus would drop her like a hot potato the moment you wanted to get back with him. I think that’s why she told you that she’d been with Marcus while you guys were still together. If you ask me, I have my doubts about that after everything that’s happened since yesterday.”

The more Lucy talked, the more confused I was getting. Messing with someone’s drink was a whole different ball game then just cheating, or made up cheating, or whatever. Heck, where had she even found a pill that would mess Jason up like that?

“My take is that she told you about the cheating so you wouldn’t go back to Marcus, and she messed with Jason so you couldn’t have him either. The worst of it is she made it sound like she did you a favor because it was ‘bound to happen anyway’. The bitch has no idea Jason is in love with you.”

“You are the only one who thinks that.”

“Oh please, it’s only you who doesn’t think that.”

“My battery is dying, I have to go, Lucy. Can I call you tomorrow?”

She made a sound that clearly meant she was annoyed with me. “Fine. I’ll call you later. Don’t be stupid about this, Olive. You better have good news for me tomorrow. And try to ask him what he thinks about adopting me. He is even hotter when he is fuming. Be a good friend for once and ask him.”

She hung up while I was still shaking my head.

I pushed my phone under the pillow.

“So?” Jason asked into the silence. “Do you believe me?”

“I didn’t have to call Lucy to confirm what you said, Jason. I believe you. This type of stupid drama is supposed to happen with the costar you are working with. I’m supposed to hate Lindsay, not my best friend. She is supposed to fall in love with you and then mess with our marriage.”

“Is that what is supposed to happen?” he murmured, a small smile curling around his lips.

“Yes,” I said miserably. “That’s what happens in books. There is always an evil costar or ex. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I’m really sorry for what my—”

His lips crashed into mine and the angels started singing above us.

With his unexpected movement, I gasped into his mouth; he made sure to take advantage of that opening and slipped his tongue inside. I clutched his shirt and pulled him closer to me, his fingers biting into my flesh, but right when I was getting more into the kiss, he pulled away.

“That’s all I wanted to hear,” he said roughly, his hot breath mixing with mine.

I slowly pried my fingers open, let go of his shirt, and took a deep breath to clear my mind.

“This is not a game any more, is it?” I asked.

“I thought about that on my way over here. I’m not sure if it ever was, baby.”

“So what happens now?”

“Tomorrow, I’m taking you home with me.”

“And then what? We act like nothing happened?” I twisted away from him and plopped onto my back. “I’m not sure if—”

“Don’t finish that sentence. Yes, we act like nothing happened because nothing happened. You are my wife, Olive. You already made the mistake of saying yes, and I’m not letting that go. You can’t take it back.”

See if I’m letting you go, buddy.

In my next breath, Jason was on top of me and was making himself a place in between my legs.

When I felt his erection, I gasped. “What are you doing?” I asked in panic, glancing at the door over his shoulder.

“Falling in love with you.”

“Right now? You’re falling in love with me right this minute? Sure.”

Dipping his head down, he gently nipped at my lips.

“No, you little smartass. I already fell—a little too hard if you ask me. Now it’s your turn.”

“My turn for what?”

“To say you love me so I can close my eyes and fall all the way.”

“I didn’t exactly hear you say you love me so why am I saying it? I think you should say it first.”

He tilted his head and this time lowered it slowly, giving me the option of stopping him. When our lips were barely touching, he murmured, “Kiss me, Olive.”

Without meaning to, I lifted my head up and gently kissed his lips. The bastard was playing with me. “What’s with the ordering around all of a sudden?”

“Shut up and kiss me, woman.”

“I thi—”

He shut me up and kissed me, for several minutes—several glorious minutes. When it ended, we were both breathless. “Say it. Please,” he murmured again, ghosting small kisses around my lips.

“I love you, Jason Thorn,” I admitted.

I’ve loved you for a disturbingly long time.

My heart was going crazy. The butterflies he had awakened in me the very first day I’d seen him were multiplying by the second, and I felt sick.

And vulnerable.

And hopeful.

So very hopeful.

His eyes closed and then he rested his forehead on mine. “The night I came to the bar and saw you singing with your friend…that’s when I started falling for you.”

“Can you say the actual words?” I asked.

He smiled down at me. “I love you, my beautiful little Olive. My wife.”

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Keep repeating that. You can do it!

“Okay. That was okay,” I said, patting him on the shoulder and barely holding back a heart attack.

He chuckled quietly. “So my love is acceptable?”

I made a noncommittal sound. “Eh, sure. Why not?”

He started kissing my neck while he was still chuckling, so I closed my eyes to keep my sanity. “You are more than ten years late, but damn if it isn’t good to hear those words in this room,” I whispered quietly.

His hand sneaked under my top and he started stroking my waist, slowly moving upward. “What else did you want to hear or do in this room? I’m all about making your dreams come true.”

Suddenly the door to my room opened and I saw Dylan’s shoulder. He was trying not to peek in.

“You’ve been in here for an hour now, you son of a bitch. Did you think I wouldn’t notice? How about you get your ass out of my sister’s room and we have a nice little chat, you piece of shit!” Dylan whispered furiously and closed the door without waiting for an answer. Not a second had passed when he opened it again. “I’m waiting for you!”

Burying my forehead against Jason’s neck, I quietly laughed.