Page 28 of My Fiancé's Brother 2

Matt grabbed my upper arm, his fingers cutting hard. “I’m serious. This is the worst mistake of your life.”

I yanked my arm out of his grip and looked up at Matt for the first time. He looked incredibly frustrated.

“Irene needs you,” my voice sounded wooden. He abruptly turned and moved towards Irene.

I looked back at Jackson who shook hands with the maitre d’ and three waiters. He glanced over at me. He motioned with his head for me to move towards him. I somehow managed to walk over to him. I felt one big arm come around my shoulder and pull me against his warm, strong side.

“You’re shaking,” he said quietly. His tone was so gentle I moved my face against his chest and took in a deep breath. I loved how this man smelled. If I could burrow my way into this man, I would. He represented everything safe and warm to me. He felt like home.

“I thought he was going to shoot you,” my voice muffled against his chest.

He snorted. As if what I suggested was so preposterous it was almost insulting.

I put my hand on his chest. I could feel his heart beating. So slow and steady. I started to slowly calm down. “Your heart isn’t even beating fast.”

“My heart rate only goes up when the bullets are coming out of the gun.”

“I thought you were going to die.”

He looked down at me, reading my expression. I looked back up at his face. Didn’t he know that the mere thought of him in danger filled me with so much angst, I could barely breathe?

“Come on,” he grabbed my hand and started to pull me out of the restaurant.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the police or something?” I tripped after him, glancing over my shoulder.

He ignored me and pulled me outside, leading me to the truck.

CHAPTER 10

He bundledme into the truck and got in beside me. Without looking at me, he started the truck and then we were driving. I sat there beside him, shaking like a leaf.

What was he thinking? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Did he not want to marry me? Was he resenting the fact that I had publicly proposed to him? Thoughts raced through my mind.

We pulled up to my dark loft.

He turned off the truck and looked over at me. His features looked so angular in the dim light. “Are you sure you want to marry me?”

“Yes.” My voice faltered.

He sounded calm. “I can’t offer you what Matt can. You’re marrying a soldier, not a lawyer.”

“I know that.”

“You come from a different world. No one knows that better than me.”

Shock rippled through me. “Why would you say that?”

“Em, I stayed at your granny’s place. It was a penthouse thatoverlooks Central Park. If that is the kind of luxury you’ve grown up with, you’re going to hate military housing.”

“I don’t care about that,” I said. I didn’t. Houses did not make a person happy. Other people did.

“I’m gone a lot.”

“Don't you want to do this, Jackson?” I asked him, suddenly scared again.

“I’m all in. I just want you to have realistic expectations.”

I looked out the windshield. Thinking about the tall blonde hostess who looked like she would eat him alive. I decided to be blunt about it. “What are your views on monogamy?”

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