Page 89 of Hidden Gem
“If you could imagine sharing it with me? A house? A life? It doesn’t have to be this house, but...” His grey eyes, deep and dark like storm clouds, stared straight into her soul.
Marnie could barely speak. “You don’t have to buy me a house. I’m yours.”
Jason took her hand and escorted her inside. Marnie removed her shoes and walked across marble tiles, onto the soft carpet in the lounge. It had the most intricate fireplace she’d ever seen, with bottle green tiles that looked handmade. It was gorgeous. Forgotten, dusty and unloved, but gorgeous.
Jason approached from behind and caught her in a tight embrace. His voice was gruff and hot in her ear. “I want to fill this house with life. With you.”
Marnie’s belly chose that moment to zing with pain that reverberated through her whole body. Was there life inside her? Or impending death? If she lost this possibility, would she be given another one? She could see herself in this house, with Jason, sitting in matching chairs by the fire, reading, eating, talking ... but she had to be honest with him.
Marnie wriggled out of his arms and took a step back, forcing herself to look him in the eye. “Jason, I’m pregnant, but I might be losing the baby.” Without warning, tears sprung out of her eyes, and more words flowed through the sobs. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I was ashamed I’d been so careless, that told you I couldn’t, when... I honestly never thought it could happen. I was told years ago I was running out of eggs. But it still happened.”
Jason stared at her, blinking in confusion. She saw the doubt, worry, then a flicker of excitement sweep across his face like passing clouds. He took her hands into his, his voice thick with emotion. “That’s fantastic.”
Marnie shook her head. Tears dropped onto the oatmeal carpet and disappeared. “No. The doctor said it might not last. I have to get ready for a... you know.”
Jason’s fingers lifted her chin until their eyes met. His were full of tears. “Doctors are wrong all the time,” he whispered. “And even if it doesn’t work out, we have each other. If you want a baby with me, I’m happy to work on that.” His lips curved into a lopsided smile.
Marnie smiled through her tears. “I think I do. Maybe. But what if it never happens?”
“Then we still have each other. There are no guarantees in life, even if we were both in our twenties and healthy. So, the only question is, do you want to be with me?”
Marnie nodded, her chest squeezing at the thought. She’d be brave. This time, she wouldn’t run away. “I’ve humiliated myself on national media. I can’t go back to my old life.”
“Then we better build a new one together.” Jason stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans and fished out a ring, a simple gold band with a tiny stone. “It’s nothing flash, sorry. All the money’s in the house. But I might get my old teaching job back. Part-time.”
Marnie stared at the ring, then at him, forgetting to breathe. After a silence that stretched into the awkward territory, she found her voice. “You don’t have to marry me because I got pregnant.”
Jason’s forehead wrinkled as he studied her. “Do you think I just produced this out of my pocket at will when I heard you were pregnant? I mean, it’s not an amazing ring, but I still had to go out and choose it. Or rather, I had my friend Nick do it for me, because I didn’t want the story to end up in the news before I spoke to you... which is why it’s like this. I told him to pick something simple and boy, did he deliver. We can change it—”
Marnie couldn’t help laughing. He was adorable. “It’s not the ring! I don’t care what it looks like. I’m not in my twenties, dreaming of a white wedding! I just can’t believe you’d want to—”
“Why not? I love you. I wanted to show you I was serious.”
“I don’t have a great track record with marriage, you know?”
“Me, neither. I’ve never even tried. People who have a great track record are still married. But I want you, for life, and I’ve been told this is how it works. By my mum. Repeatedly. She’s not just after babies, you know. She’ll get a big kick out of seeing me take you down the aisle.”
Marnie held her breath as he slid the ring on her finger. To her relief, it was on the loose side. She bent her fingers, cringing at the familiar ache. She’d promised herself, if she ever got another chance, she’d take it. This was it. Was she good enough to be his wife? “You know me, right? You know what you’d be marrying?” Her voice was small, and she hated the echo of her old self that carried through.
“Don’t worry aboutmyanswer. I’ve made up my mind. What’s yours? Do you love me?”
Marnie stared into his eyes, taking in the challenge, the anticipation, the fear. A weight lifted off her shoulders. “Yes! I love you so much!”
Jason closed the distance between them, his mouth meeting hers. Marnie wove her fingers into his hair, desperate for him. She’d felt a fire burning in her belly ever since she’d released that video to the world, boldness that pushed her forward.
Jason’s tongue swept into her mouth, claiming her. His arms tightened around her, and he lifted her off the carpet. A pool of tingly warmth gathered between her legs and a moan escaped. The ache for him overtook every other twinge in her body. She needed him, right here, right now.
“When do you need to return the keys?” she asked as they parted to catch their breath.
“No hurry,” he replied in a voice so thick that it nearly stuck in his throat. “I love this dress. Can’t wait to see you out of it.”
His hand slipped in the cleavage, and she gasped. Why had she ever run away from this man and his touch? She must have been mad. He lowered her on the carpet, softly like she was a feather, and undid his belt. The sound of it landing on the floor made her shiver with anticipation.
“You have a condom?” She asked before her mind caught up and she gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, I mean, I’m already pregnant, so...”
The hunger in his eyes was clouded with concern. “Is it okay? I don’t want to risk...”
“No, I don’t think it makes any difference. If I start bleeding, then we know. Would that freak you out?”
