Julianna released him and looked up. Her lips wet from his semen, her eyes unfocused and blurred with need. Jack scented her raw arousal and knew she was moments from orgasming herself.

“Keep licking me gently.”

She obeyed, caressing him with talented fingers and soft breaths as he grew hard again. When he was ready, he guided her off her knees and pointed to the bed.

“Lie down and spread your legs.”

She raised her knees and let him look at her. The bodice of the sundress had dipped to her belly and exposed her full naked breasts, already swollen and sensitive. Her skirt was hiked up above her legs, and her pussy spread open to his ravenous gaze. Wetness gleamed in the dim light. He moved to the bed and knelt between her open legs. His tongue flicked out to gently lick around her swollen clit, parting her labia and then stroking the surface with teasing strokes. She arched off the bed in response and cried out, looking for more, but he kept her there for long minutes, stretching out her pleasure until sensation was so intense it bordered on pain.

She begged and pleaded. Finally, he sucked on her engorged clit, the ripe flesh blossoming against his lips, her heady scent swamping his senses. She slid toward orgasm, the convulsions beginning, and he quickly removed his mouth and plunged deep inside her with his cock.

Julianna screamed and climaxed hard. He took all she had, every thrust a reminder her body and soul and mind belonged only to him. Her body embraced the knowledge and then she shuddered again, a flow of mini-orgasms that milked his cock and pushed him one final time to spurt inside of her.

The clock ticked as they lay together in a tangle of sheets. Her breathing slowed, and Jack rolled over to face her in the darkness. He reached deep inside himself for the strength to reveal his emotions, not knowing the outcome.

“Don’t marry him.”

Her hands cupped his face. He felt her fingers lightly touch his lips, trace the curve of his cheekbone, his jaw. Smooth out his brows. He watched as a mix of emotions flickered in her inky eyes.

“What have you done to me?” she whispered.

“I’m breaking our deal.” He placed a hard kiss on her lips. “I lied. I don’t want you to belong to me every night. I want days. Weekends. Holidays. I want it all.”

“Jack—”

“I love you.” His heart squeezed in fear and hope and astonishment at the truth. “I want you to marry me instead. I want to sail my boat with you and make love to you and listen to you quote poetry all day. Choose me.”

Despair leaked into her voice. “This was supposed to be about sex.”

“Yes. But it became more for me. Now I need to know if you feel the same.”

His gut told him she’d choose him. They understood and connected with each other on a basic scale he’d never discovered with another woman. He had to believe it was more than sex. He had to believe she’d choose him over the money. He felt as if his whole life had led up to this moment. Not only had he found a woman he loved, but by marrying her, he’d complete his destiny and finally claim the company and his heritage on his own terms.

“I love you, Jack.”

Triumph coursed through him. He reached for her, but she held out two hands in an effort to ward him off. He finally caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. The slight tremble of her lips. And he listened to her words while he felt his world slowly break apart around him.

“But I can’t marry you. I have to marry Bryce.”

A deep freeze settled over him. He studied her with a hard, assessing glare. “Is this about money?”

She flinched, but stayed her course. He gave her credit. She looked at him straight on and nodded. “I made my father a promise before he died. The Cliff House is the only family legacy left to us. We lost everything with the medical bills, upkeep, mortgage. The money’s all gone. My father asked me to do anything in my power to keep our home. I looked for loans from anyone. Time was running out and the house would have foreclosed. I can’t let that happen, Jack. Even if I have to marry for it.”

She took a deep ragged breath and sat up in the bed, the sheet tightly clutched to her breasts. “You made me fall in love with you. But if I don’t marry Bryce, I’ll break the only promise I ever made to my father. I can’t do it. So I can’t choose you.”

He let the words wash over him and permeate each layer of his body until they reached the beat of his heart. He felt as if something died deep inside. There was no happily ever after. Bad sometimes wins over good.

Still, he needed to live with no regrets. Now he understood why she needed the money. The final puzzle piece locked into place and the reality lay before him. She’d never craved money for her own needs. Her promise to her father was key. Jack realized the woman before him had given over her entire life to promises she’d made to other people. None for herself.

He needed her to trust him, to reach deep inside and let herself go in order to give them a shot at having something real. So, he choked on his pride. “I’m asking you to choose me over your father.” His body burned with urgency, mentally screaming for her to pick him so they could share a life together. He picked his words carefully. “You may not think I have much, but I can take care of things, Julianna.”

He’d give her no more. He needed her to choose with a clear conscience. For love. Not money.

She bowed her head, and her glorious umber hair slid over her face and teased the tips of her breasts. When she looked up, he watched one lone tear skate down her cheek. But her face was carved from stone. “I can’t marry you, Jack,” she said softly.

Silence descended. He nodded and rose from the bed. After dressing quickly, he paused by the door and took one last glance at her. Said farewell to the one woman who’d stolen his heart, but didn’t want it.

“Good night, Julianna.”

Then he left.

Chapter Seven

Jack stiffened when he heard footsteps on the dock, but his senses told him it wasn’t the woman he loved coming back to beg his forgiveness. Even the air smelled stale in the presence of evil. He got up and met his cousin halfway.

“Bryce.”

“Hello, Jack. Figured you’d be here licking your wounds in private. Would you like to talk?”

Jack studied his cousin and relied on his gut instinct. Something else was going on, and he needed to find out what. His cousin had discovered his secret, focused on Julianna, and got her to agree to marriage. All to spite him? Or to beat him in the rush to claim the company?

“Come aboard. Drink?”

“Guinness, please. Thanks.”

They settled on the deck with their stout and pretended civility. From years of experience, both were masters of the game. Jack took a swig. “What do you want?”

Bryce threw his head back and laughed. “Why, Jack, I have everything I want. I’m in the perfect position. I’m going to marry Julianna and inherit the company. Your time is up, and you’re no closer to finding your wife. The company will default to me immediately.”

Jack studied his cousin’s perfect profile and called his bluff. “No, it won’t. I’m sailing back to England and announcing my engagement.”

The other man’s lips tightened. “To whom?”

“Rachael. The woman my mother had her hopes pinned on. So, you lose. Now you’re stuck with someone you don’t even love.”

Darkness stole over Bryce’s features. Jack watched the tendril of loathing writhe from gun-metal eyes.

“If I lose in this, Jack, I’ll make sure she pays.”

Jack didn’t move a muscle. “What are you talking about?”

Bryce relaxed again, assured he was back in control. “I’ll make sure she’s miserable. I’ll hurt her, Jack. Quietly, of course, but enough so she knows to be afraid of me.”

The breath whooshed out of him like he’d been clubbed. “If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.”

Bryce waved off the quietly spoken threat. “You won’t be able to stop me. There are delicate ways of torturing women. You remember by handiwork in the old days, don't you, cousin? Of course, you were always a bit squeamish. I'll start our honeymoon off by forcing her to tell me everything you’ve done together. Then I’ll do it to her and make sure she likes it better.”

Jack lunged for him, but his cousin had already jumped out of his chair in anticipation of the move. “Calm down, Jack. Of course, I’m only kidding. Still, if you allow me to win this round gracefully, I’ll let her go. I have a long line of women in England I can marry in a heartbeat. You can be with Julianna and be second in command. We can run the company together like I’ve always wanted. Think, Jack. We can actually have it all if you’ll just think the whole thing through.”

"I'll tell her the truth. She'll never marry you."

"We're getting married on Friday." Bryce clucked in mock sympathy."You lied to her. I didn't. I told her about my worthless cousin who sails in his free time and refuses to run the company. I told her why I want to marry, where I come from, and my real name. You look like a scam artist. She'll never believe you now, Jack."

"I'll make her believe me."

Bryce grinned. “You had your chance.” His voice dropped to a whine. “Choose me, Julianna. Please.” His cousin laughed out loud. “I knew she’d choose the money over you. I waited for you to confess you had the money. The game would have changed. But you kept quiet, and she betrayed you. You were always blind when it came to women. Still, you have a soft spot for her, which will be quite useful to me.”

Jack clenched his fists. “You bugged her room, didn’t you? You fucking bastard. You were listening to us all along.”