Meadow’s POV:


    If anyone had told mest week that I would be getting in a private jet with my billionaire husband instead of getting married to the man I thought was the love of my life, I would’ve had themmitted.


    But… this was real. This was really happening.


    Maybeter, I would sit myself down and drown in my thoughts and ponder on my stupidity<b>, </b>but right


    now<b>? </b>


    Right now I was in the back of a ck SUV that smelled like leather and money, staring out the tinted


    windows as the driver drove toward the airport.


    My fingers kept twitching in myp, and every now and then, they brushed against the ring.


    His ring.


    It was hard to ignore it. The ring was beautiful, heavy, definitely not something I could ever forget was


    there.


    Especially not with ric sitting next to me like the devil’s incarnate–ankle crossed over one knee, his clean red bottoms ring at me like I did something wrong.


    He hadn’t said a word to me since we got in the car. He was oddly quiet, appearing to be deep in thought.


    <b>I </b>wanted to know what was going on in that beautiful head of his.


    It took everything in me to stop myself from ncing at him, but that was a battle I never would’ve won in the first ce. His suit jacket was unbuttoned, shirt rolled at the cuffs, giving me a glimpse of that


    tattooed arm.


    “<b>You’re </b>staring,” his voice sliced through the ufortable silence and I nearly jumped out of my skin.


    ric turned to look at me, expression stoic, but I could see the amusement swirling in those beautiful blue eyes. I cleared my throat as I looked away, pretending to observe the ring on my finger.


    “You mentioned something about the ring being customized,” I said. “What did you mean by that?”


    His mouth twitched. “I suppose I was a fool for thinking you’d drop that question when I ignored it the first time.”


    I felt my cheeks heat up. “Well, unfortunately, that’s not the kind of person I am. I hate unanswered questions.” A sharp breath escaped my mouth at the look ric was giving me.


    He wasn’t ring at me or looking at me in any particr way per se, but being in his presence alone was intimidating. It was easier to pretend when we were in the spacious penthouse, but right now, in this car,


    his woody<b>, </b>musky scent was overriding my senses.


    He hummed. “I’ll leave you to hate it then.”


    “Really<b>?</b><b>” </b><b>I </b>rolled my eyes. <b>“</b>You’re going to keep secrets from your wife?<b>” </b>


    I mentally face–palmed when those words left my mouth. I hadn’t nned to say that. ric’s eyes dropped to my mouth and I realized that I was biting on my lower lip. Hard.


    <b>I </b>released it.


    <b>“</b>I take it you’ve had time to think about my offer then?” His tone was t, as if he didn’t care whether or not I took the offer. But I knew he cared. A lot.


    The way his body had responded to my touch back at the penthouse suite let me know that whether or not I epted his offer, ric wasn’t going to let me go.


    But, like I said, I wasn’t going to make it easy for him.


    <b>“</b>Maybe,” I sighed. “Or maybe I was preparing our breakup sh annulment speech.”


    “Then maybe you aren’t ready to be fucked like…” ric paused, his eyes dragging over me, slow and heated. “…someone who deserves to be worshipped.”


    A gasp escaped my mouth, my wide eyes darting to the driver whom I was sure had heard him. He’d been practically invisible since, but now that ric was ever so blunt, it felt like the driver was judging me through the rearview mirror.


    “Excuse me?<b>” </b><b>I </b>forced augh, folding my arms to distract from the way my thighs had automatically pressed together.


    ric didn’t flinch. <b>“</b>You heard me.”


    “I did,” I snapped. “I’m just trying to decide if I’m shocked… or disgusted.”


    He uncrossed his legs<b>, </b>turning toward me fully, eyes dark as he smirked. “You’re not disgusted. You’re turned on. <b>You </b><b>just </b>don’t know what to do with that yet.”


    I swallowed hard, heat creeping up my throat. “You think very highly <b>of </b>yourself.”


    “I don’t need to,” his voice was low. <b>“</b><b>I </b>just pay attention.”


    His eyes dropped to my thighs and I squeezed them tighter, shooting him a re.


    ric wasn’t fazed. “The way you look at me? Like you want to climb into my skin but hate yourself for it?” His gaze cut through me, his hand reaching out to tuck my stray haits behind my ear. “I’d bet good money your panties are soaked right now.<i>” </i>


    <b>“</b><b>Jesus </b>Christ<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>I </b>muttered, turning toward the window, furious that what he just said was the absolute


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    truth and hating myself for getting so easily aroused. “You’re insane.”


    “I’m honest.” I felt his hand on my chin, turning me to face him. And then he leaned in slightly. Not too close, but close enough that I could feel his minty breath fan my face as he spoke.


    “And you’re mine, Meadow.” His thumb grazed my jaw, inching toward my lower lip.


    I wanted him to touch it. God, I wanted him to touch me. Everywhere. My heart was practically pounding


    in my ears because of how close he was.


    <b>“</b>You said yes once. Say it again. This time sober.”


    I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. Not with my skin buzzing and my mind fogging up the way it was.


    ric smirked. “Now, where’s that smart mouth when I need it?” he muttered, voice going even lower as


    his eyes stayed glued to my mouth.


    My mouth parted, but no words came out.


    “So many things I could do to this pretty mouth.”


    I sucked in air as I felt something warm pool at the bottom of my stomach. ric knew what he was


    doing. And he was enjoying it. Torturing me, touching me, trying to remind me of what I was going to


    miss out on if I didn’t take his offer.


    And I could’ve said no. I could’ve just walked away and found some other willing guy to take my virginity.


    But for some fucked up reason, I wanted that person to ric Ashford.


    And it had nothing to do with the fact that he was Tyler’s boss. But, like ric said, that was only a bonus.


    <b>“</b><b>I-</b>”


    “We’re here<b>, </b>sir,” the driver’s voice interrupted.


    We’d pulled up to a ck, sleek private jet, the SUV slowing to a stop as the driver approached the tarmac.


    ric sat back like he hadn’t just unraveled me with words alone. “We’ll finish this conversation on the


    ne.”


    My eyes glued shut<b>, </b>shivers running down my spine when he pulled his hand away from my cheek. I needed him to touch me again. Needed him to touch me in ces that weren’t my face.


    And I should’ve closed my legs, looked away, put some steel in my spine and remember who the hell I was before this.


    But the warmth that had pooled in the bottom of my stomach overrode my senses.


    “I want something,” I said.


    ric’s brow arched. “Say it.”


    <b>“</b>You said you’ll give me whatever I want, right?”


    <b>“</b>Yes.”


    I leaned in, reaching for his hand, grazing his knuckles with my thumb. I swallowed.


    “Then I want you to make mee… with your fingers.”


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>