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And histhe point of the question completely, probably on purpose

"Would you do anything to co priceless?" He couldn’t co support of her fa her next fiancé through a ht over his s far hed off his questions "I’m sure I’d find the appropriate words for such awith this?"

Jason winced and gave up explaining it to her She had liht resonated in his head over and over: If he let Gia slip through his fingers, he’d probably wind up with a neife every five or ten years, each one ht sickened hi between them He certainly couldn’t make her love him

Fuck

"When is the party?"

"Tonight at eight o’clock" She rattled off an address, sohland Park

Oldat four thirty If it wraps before then, I’ll be there"

"Lovely Don’t disappointup

Jason ended the call and shook his head

He felt sorry for hisdeeper than the joy of pretty, shiny things for sale She’d never really feel her heart Moreover, he didn’t want to be like her He wanted what Gia’s parents had

He wanted Gia

How could he impress that upon her when he saw her this afternoon? All his usual ideas--jewelry, handbags, shoes--took hi direction She wouldn’t care about any of that She wouldn’t take a trip to an alley with him, much less anywhere tropical and fabulous so that he could romance her unless she wanted to be with him

Other than her divorce settlement, she didn’t seeht about it, her agreeing to spend eighteen days with him for the cash seemed out of character

Unless the money wasn’t for her at all

He pounded on the steering wheel with a sigh Oh, hell He’d been so stupid

But at least he knehat to do now

A few errands and a lot of anxious waiting later, Jason pulled up at the park, locked his car, and headed toward theirtoward the seventy degree ainst a winter that would soon encroach A few leaves still clung to the trees Ducks swahed across the little stone bridge near the granite bears that served as ht of this place as a little slice of heaven, a refuge in the city

Now being here just ate at his guts

Jason glanced at his watch Right on ti, hoping like hell he’d uessed himself, Gia approached in a pair of faded jeans, a sie sweater, and flip-flops What she didn’t as her wedding ring or a smile Jason couldn’t stop the anxious slide of his stoodda me here"

He wanted to hold her Fuck, he wanted to take her, possess her, convince her that she was his and alould be But she put off a vibe that gave hi, either

"Of course What’s on your mind?"

She drew in a not-quite-steady breath--a hint that she was nervous, too "I’ve given everything that happened recently a lot of thought I’ve made some decisions and taken so him that she’d filed He clenched his jaw, braced for the worst, and resolved to at least listen before he spoke Then he intended to fight like hell She ht for one another

"We reement before I cas, so I’ll return for the next eight days if you want"

"Because you want the money from the divorce settlement?"

"Yes"

"So…you haven’t filed yet?"

"No"

Thank God for that "Then what? You plan to hire an attorney and just…go on with your life as if this never happened?"

"No," she said softly Her expression broke, and he watched her fight tears

It took everything inside Jason not to intervene and co okay

"Then what?" He frowned at her, not understanding "Explain"

"I won’t be the one to file I can’t stop you if that’s what you want, but…" She shook her head, tears gathering "I’ll never e I tried for a year to go on as if we never happened I already know it’s not possible"

His chest seized up Breathing stopped His heart thundered furiously "Are you saying you don’t want a divorce?"

"No" She eiven this a lot of thought You’ve been trying to show ifts It’s not an insult, and I have to stop being too proud to see that"

Gia had been thinking

Relief poured through him "I never once tried to hurt or offend you"

"And you’ve gone out of your way to help ht not like your methods, but you meant to keep me safe and eradicate him from my life all at once"

"Two birds, one stone I’ve been telling you my motives for a while"

"You have, and I…" She shook her head and curled her fingers together nervously "I can’t hate you for that"