She seemed to understand, though not appreciate, that he possessed secrets he didn’t want to share. JT knew it was unfair. She’d given him so much of herself. That he continued to hold back made their relationship uneven. He didn’t know how to fix it without risking losing her. But would she eventually get frustrated with him and leave?
In the beginning, they’d agreed to divorce after the shareholders’ meeting. He hadn’t yet decided how to ask her to give their marriage a little more time. He’d grown accustomed to having her around.
She’d coaxed him out of his shell. He was happy. But was she? And was it fair of him to take advantage of her generosity and give her little in return?
The question plagued him through the rest of the afternoon. He listed the pros and cons of being married to Violet, pitting logic against emotion and measuring the ratio of risk to reward. In the end, after he’d applied all his business decision-making skills, it all came down to what he needed to be truly happy.
That evening, as he waited for her to show up at Baccarat, he faced the troubling reality of his situation. No matter how many objections he’d unearthed for staying married, the biggest factor in his decision was that he was falling in love with his wife. “Good evening, husband,” Violet said, sitting down beside him on the couch. “What has Rick concocted for you tonight?”
JT glanced at the drink in his hand and realized he’d consumed half of it without tasting a drop. “I have no idea.”
“Let me.” She plucked the glass from his grasp and sipped. “Blissful Ignorance. Plum gin, red wine syrup, egg white, lemon juice, rose water and balsamic. One of my favorites.”
He blinked, a little surprised by her memory and vastly turned on by the way she licked her lips and smiled. Everything about her unleashed his desire. No sooner had he figured out one habit that aroused him than she exhibited another. To say she fascinated him would be an understatement.
“A client wants my opinion on a horse that’s for sale in Kentucky,” he blurt without preliminaries. “And I thought I’d take a side trip to my family’s farm outside Louisville.”
“I’m sure your family will be happy to see you.”
“Come with me.”
They could both use a change of scenery and he very much wanted to show her where he’d spent the happiest moments of his childhood.
“I’d like that. When?”
“Tomorrow.”
“I’ll clear my schedule.” Her willingness to drop everything and run off to Kentucky said that she too felt the need to clear her head. “How long has it been since you’ve visited?”
“About six months. I try to get there a couple times a year.” The farm was the only place he’d ever felt completely at home.
“It must be wonderful,” Violet said. “I’ve never seen you look so happy.”
“Never?” He lifted her palm to his cheek and gave her a wolfish smile. “Then you’ll just have to pay close attention later tonight.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I’ll make sure I do.”
After a night filled with lots of blissful smiles and very little sleep, they boarded the private jet JT’s client had sent to take him to Kentucky.
“Nice,” Violet murmured, accepting a mimosa from the flight attendant and relaxing into a butter-soft leather chair. “Fontaine owns several corporate jets, but none as nice as this one. Who’s your client?”
“She’s a member of the royal family of Dubai.” JT smiled at Violet’s wide-eyed reaction. “A princess who has a passion for horses and show jumping.”
“I had no idea you were so well connected.”
“We met in Miami many years ago and struck up a friendship. She knew my grandmother’s reputation and likes to get my opinion when she’s planning on spending six figures on a horse.”
“I am impressed.” Violet eyed him over the rim of her glass. “And more than a little turned on.”
JT chuckled. “Then my work here is done.”
The farm where JT was to evaluate the jumper was about an hour away from his family’s farm, Briton Green. The plane touched down at the regional airport less than fifteen minutes away and JT’s cousin Samantha was waiting to greet them. He dropped the suitcases an instant before she threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. Tall and slender, with long, dark blond hair and an infectious grin, she had always been a whirling dervish of energy.
“It’s great to see you.” As soon as she stopped choking JT, she turned her attention to Violet. “I’m Samantha.”