Californian Kings. Maureen Child

admit it. I wanted to hate you because it was easier that way. I wanted you to leave Morgan Beach because I didn’t want to have to see you and not have you. I wanted…”

      “What?” he asked, his voice low, his gaze fixed on her.

      “You, Jesse,” she said. “I wanted you, and couldn’t admit it, even to myself.”

      He took a breath, inhaling the fresh, clean scent of her, then reached out and skimmed his fingers through her thick, soft hair. His gaze moved over her, settled on her mouth briefly and then lifted to meet her troubled eyes. “And now you’re admitting it?”

      She deliberately released her hold on the quilt and it swished to the floor at her feet. Moving into him, she slid her hands up over his chest and then hooked her arms behind his neck. “I’m admitting it. I’ll even write a retraction to the paper, if you want.”

      He gave her a lazy smile, dismissing the irritation of seeing her letter in the paper in favor of enjoying having her in his arms. “I think I prefer a more private apology.”

      “Oh, I’m not apologizing,” she corrected, going up on her toes to kiss him once, twice. “I’m just saying that I’m revising my opinion.”

      “Enough to consider making Bella’s Beachwear a part of King Beach?” he asked.

      She huffed out a breath. “Enough to think about considering it.”

      He laughed a little. “I can live with that.”

      Then he picked her up, carried her to the bed and lost himself once again in the wonder of her.