Free Jermy, Marie - Together Forever [The Andersons 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Marie Jermy Page A

definitely wanted to marry Jessica. But when he asked again, he was going to do it with a ring and on one bended knee.

Chapter 6

    Two days later, Ross returned to New York.
    Walking through the arrivals gate at JFK, backpack slung over his shoulder, he spotted Jessica waiting by a side kiosk. Not that she was hard to miss. Her long, dark hair hung in shimmering waves down her back, and the electric-blue shirtdress she wore had the tongues of every man, young and old, practically lolling to the floor.
    He waved, and she ran over and jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, peppering his face with kisses before planting a lip-smacking kiss on his lips.
    For a moment, he was stunned, but then his backpack hit the floor and his arms were around her, and he was twirling them around as he deepened the kiss.
    People stared. People sniggered. But Ross didn’t give a damn and continued to kiss Jessica like there was no tomorrow. Finally, they both drew back when the need to breathe became paramount.
    He dropped her back on her feet, her stiletto heels kissing the floor with a gentle, yet audible, click-clack. “I take it you missed me?”
    “Whatever gave you that impression?”
    “Your tongue down my throat.”
    “Figment of your imagination.”
    “Oh, right. Is your hand on my cock a figment of my imagination, too?”
    Her laugh was strained. “How’s Sam?”
    “Buried. Finally. Yeah, she’s shaken up,” he hastily amended at the weird look Jessica gave him. “But she’ll be all right. She’s moved back in with Mom and Dad for the time being. Even Matt’s moved back home. He’s gonna be her…” He raised and crooked the middle and forefingers of each hand as quotation marks, “‘bodyguard.’ Something that Sammy doesn’t know about yet.”
    “And Ramona? Is she okay?”
    Ross smiled as he remembered Rex “Smug SOB” Latimer, Ramona’s partner and co-owner of the vet’s practice where she worked. “Oh, yeah, she’s more than okay.”
    “When your mom rang to tell us what had happened, Mom and I had to nearly hold Dad down to stop him getting on the first flight out and giving his own brand of justice to that creep, Raven.”
    “I thought I could hear the sound of thunder from the Ferris household.”
    He smiled down at her, that heart of his going haywire. She was the most gorgeous woman on the planet. And she was his. Together forever. He reached into his jeans pocket for the small, velvet-covered box containing the diamond and sapphire engagement ring he had bought.
    “Jess, the last time we spoke I asked you to marry me. While I was home, I had time to think and…” He began to drop down to one knee.
    “Yeah, me, too. And it’s not a very good idea.”
    Ross’s pounding heart stilled, and his knee cracked as he straightened. “What’s not a good idea?”
    “Us. Don’t get me wrong, Ross, I do love—um, like you, and I was flattered by your proposal. I mean, what woman wouldn’t be? But I know if we got together, walked down the aisle, it would be a big mistake.” She lowered her eyes, her gaze fixed intently on her shoes. “I want…”
    “You want what?” he asked, taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him. It wasn’t just the dullness to her eyes that shattered his world, but her words.
    “I’m breaking it off. I’m not ready to settle down. I want to have fun. Have lots of sex. But definitely not with you.” She brushed his hand away. “I’ve got to go. I’m on a meter.”
    Too stunned to comprehend what had just happened, Ross stood rooted to the spot as Jessica turned and practically fled from the airport. It was a full five minutes before he realized his jaw was still on the floor and the ring box was cutting into the palm of his hand.
    He removed the box from his pocket and flipped the lid. The sparkling, intense, blue sapphire that had been so enticing in the jewelry store’s window now mocked him. Fool! it