“Sorted,” announced Jim. “Bobby is coming over at nine. How are you getting to the mall?”
“Juan is driving, but I need to sort a car out. Maybe I should ask Mike if he can come with me on Tuesday and I’ll ask Amanda about lunch on Monday,” she said, almost thinking aloud.
“I’m still not entirely happy about Amanda and don’t think you can send her back to my office late and get away with it,” he grumbled. “Tuesday is a no go for shopping, baby. It’s Independence Day which means a holiday. I think it’s Bria’s turn to play hostess this year,” he explained.
Another gathering where she could embarrass herself. “What should I wear tomorrow?” she suddenly asked.
“Not jeans,” he said, making her laugh. “Not for my usual reasons, but it is a family dinner rather than a barbecue, but anything else, you always look great.” He grinned as he slipped in next to her on the lounger she was occupying poolside. “Now, tell me some more about your sudden interest in caning.”
Chapter 11
Tasha was heading out of the bedroom when Jim called after her. “You appear to have forgotten something.”
She looked back from the door and found him holding up her engagement ring.
“I haven’t forgotten it, but until you have told Lizzie and Philip it seems a little tactless to wear it around Juan,” she explained.
“I guess so, but after tonight you need to keep it on.” He placed it back in its box.
“I’ll try,” she agreed nervously.
“Try?” Jim looked up and studied her face. Was she having second thoughts about marrying him?
“Yes, try. It worries me,” she began, but seeing the expression on Jim’s face she could see he was misunderstanding exactly what it was that caused her concern. “That I might lose it, or damage it.”
His shoulders dropped slightly, the earlier tension leaving them. “Baby, it is what it is, your engagement ring, so you should wear it. I will replace it or have it repaired in the unlikely event it gets lost or damaged. It’s kind of what insurance is for,” he said matter of factly.
She shook her head. “You have absolutely no concept of the value of things.” She sighed. “I would be mortified if I lost it. Partly because it’s my engagement ring that we chose together and because of the cost of it.”
“Get over the cost of it, baby. It was cheap if it means I get you as my wife.” He smiled as he joined her at the door where he took her hand to lead her downstairs.
“You should have just had me branded.” She laughed.
“Are you back at the rodeo, Tasha?” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head thinking of his own thoughts on branding her at the beach.
Tasha sat at the breakfast table eating a bowl of muesli while Jim scrambled some eggs.
“Do you normally do your own breakfast at weekends?”
“As Sandra doesn’t work weekends I don’t have much choice, but sometimes Bobby and I meet up and have breakfast at a diner or the club house if we play an early round of golf,” he told her. “Do you want some eggs?”
“No thanks.” She put her bowl into the dishwasher and made tea for herself and coffee for him.
Jim sat eating his breakfast opposite Tasha who was wearing a long, grey, thigh length t-shirt. “Are your family going to be okay about us getting married?”
“I guess so. There’s no reason for them not to be,” he said.
“Except you don’t have the best track record; you are very rich and influential, I am an actress and half your age,” she surmised.
“True, but you are beautiful, I love you and you are sexy as hell. Especially in that t-shirt that I can’t be sure whether you’re wearing panties beneath.” He grinned before winking at her making her flush slightly.
“You could check.”
“How could anyone not get why I want to marry you?” He curled his finger to summon her in that way that did strange things to her.
