Read Online Be Mine Forever by Kennedy Ryan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kennedy Ryan
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meetings. The way he lingered in her office after they’d said all they needed to say.
“Peter, I—”
“Now, before you say no—”
“Yes.” Jo couldn’t help but grin when Peter’s face abandoned all the bluster he’d been working up to convince her. “I’d be delighted to go.”
“You’ll go with me to the ballet tonight? Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“I expected…I don’t know, to have to persuade you.”
“Why is that?” Jo tilted her head, toying with the fishtailed braid she had tamed her wild hair into today. “Aren’t you one of Rivermont’s most eligible?”
He really was. Like her, he came from a ridiculously wealthy family. Wealthy enough that he could indulge his philanthropic notions instead of training to run his father’s lumber empire. Not to mention his Nordic good looks. Any other girl would have noticed long ago. Jo wasn’t any other girl. And she hadn’t been interested in anyone except…Her eyes strayed to Cam’s picture, facedown again but still drawing her attention like a neon sign.
Peter leaned forward until only inches and breaths separated them.
“Not sure how eligible I am, but you weren’t impressed. I’ve been watching you.” He chuckled, his minty breath reaching her lips. “There’s no shortage of interested males, but you always manage to elude them.”
“And yet you waited until the day of the ballet to ask me. That was a pretty confident move.”
“A woman like you only responds to confidence, I think.”
Jo didn’t blink but held his blue eyes with little effort.
Peter’s hand wandered from her shoulder up her neck until his thumb could stroke the line of her jaw.
“I’ll pick you up at six.” Peter dropped a quick kiss on her temple before striding out of the office.
Jo stood in the middle of her office long after Peter had gone. She couldn’t help but think it was exactly what she’d done for the last fifteen years. Stood still waiting for something that would never happen with Cam. She might not ever fully understand why, but did it really matter? Whatever she had imagined between them at Christmas, it could be diced and chucked along with all the other half-truths, innuendos, and veiled promises she’d misinterpreted through the years. It was time to move on. To forget the almost-thing they had practically been that one time or two…if she wasn’t mistaken. Yes, it was time to move on, and maybe Peter was her next move.
Chapter Eight
P eter, I had an amazing time tonight.” Jo clutched her clutch, tracing the raised YSL with her index finger.
“So did I, and I hate the ballet.”
Jo gave in to a grin, something she had been doing all night. Peter’s sense of humor held just the right amount of bite to be clever, but never cruel. He opened her car door, pulled out her chair, and actually listened when she soapboxed about foreign policy and human trafficking. He spoke the same languages she did. Belonged to the same clubs. Even drove the same freaking Land Rover. He was perfect for her. He made sense. He wanted her, and wasn’t afraid to show it.
“Would you like some coffee?” Jo thumbed at the door behind her. “Want to come in?”
“I’d like that very much.”
Peter’s eyes roamed down the gold shantung cocktail dress sheathing Jo’s curves from shoulder to knee, before making their way back up to her eyes.
Vera Wang, thank you vera much.
“Have I told you how absolutely beautiful you look in that dress?”
“Maybe four, five times, yes.” Jo loved that he didn’t flinch or even look embarrassed but shared a small smile with her. She pulled the key from her bag as she formulated her next words. “Peter, when I ask you in for coffee, it’s not a euphemism for anything else. It’s literally coffee.”
“I like my coffee literal. And I wouldn’t expect anything more.” He gave his own pause for effect. “Not on the first date, at least.”
Jo raised wide eyes but caught the little
“Peter, I—”
“Now, before you say no—”
“Yes.” Jo couldn’t help but grin when Peter’s face abandoned all the bluster he’d been working up to convince her. “I’d be delighted to go.”
“You’ll go with me to the ballet tonight? Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“I expected…I don’t know, to have to persuade you.”
“Why is that?” Jo tilted her head, toying with the fishtailed braid she had tamed her wild hair into today. “Aren’t you one of Rivermont’s most eligible?”
He really was. Like her, he came from a ridiculously wealthy family. Wealthy enough that he could indulge his philanthropic notions instead of training to run his father’s lumber empire. Not to mention his Nordic good looks. Any other girl would have noticed long ago. Jo wasn’t any other girl. And she hadn’t been interested in anyone except…Her eyes strayed to Cam’s picture, facedown again but still drawing her attention like a neon sign.
Peter leaned forward until only inches and breaths separated them.
“Not sure how eligible I am, but you weren’t impressed. I’ve been watching you.” He chuckled, his minty breath reaching her lips. “There’s no shortage of interested males, but you always manage to elude them.”
“And yet you waited until the day of the ballet to ask me. That was a pretty confident move.”
“A woman like you only responds to confidence, I think.”
Jo didn’t blink but held his blue eyes with little effort.
Peter’s hand wandered from her shoulder up her neck until his thumb could stroke the line of her jaw.
“I’ll pick you up at six.” Peter dropped a quick kiss on her temple before striding out of the office.
Jo stood in the middle of her office long after Peter had gone. She couldn’t help but think it was exactly what she’d done for the last fifteen years. Stood still waiting for something that would never happen with Cam. She might not ever fully understand why, but did it really matter? Whatever she had imagined between them at Christmas, it could be diced and chucked along with all the other half-truths, innuendos, and veiled promises she’d misinterpreted through the years. It was time to move on. To forget the almost-thing they had practically been that one time or two…if she wasn’t mistaken. Yes, it was time to move on, and maybe Peter was her next move.
Chapter Eight
P eter, I had an amazing time tonight.” Jo clutched her clutch, tracing the raised YSL with her index finger.
“So did I, and I hate the ballet.”
Jo gave in to a grin, something she had been doing all night. Peter’s sense of humor held just the right amount of bite to be clever, but never cruel. He opened her car door, pulled out her chair, and actually listened when she soapboxed about foreign policy and human trafficking. He spoke the same languages she did. Belonged to the same clubs. Even drove the same freaking Land Rover. He was perfect for her. He made sense. He wanted her, and wasn’t afraid to show it.
“Would you like some coffee?” Jo thumbed at the door behind her. “Want to come in?”
“I’d like that very much.”
Peter’s eyes roamed down the gold shantung cocktail dress sheathing Jo’s curves from shoulder to knee, before making their way back up to her eyes.
Vera Wang, thank you vera much.
“Have I told you how absolutely beautiful you look in that dress?”
“Maybe four, five times, yes.” Jo loved that he didn’t flinch or even look embarrassed but shared a small smile with her. She pulled the key from her bag as she formulated her next words. “Peter, when I ask you in for coffee, it’s not a euphemism for anything else. It’s literally coffee.”
“I like my coffee literal. And I wouldn’t expect anything more.” He gave his own pause for effect. “Not on the first date, at least.”
Jo raised wide eyes but caught the little
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