Tell Me You Love Me ✓

28. When The Truth Comes Out

Jackson wasn't sure when he'd fallen in love with Greer. Could've been the first time he saw her, and that's why he hadn't confessed on the spot. Whenever it was, it'd been before the office encounter. He'd wanted to tell her then, but what he had said freaked her out enough so he needed to be careful.

He'd help her through this crisis and then convince her to stay. No matter what she said, he didn't believe she thought their tryst had been a mistake. Just the opposite. From the way she reacted to the sex, it'd been the best decision she'd made in long time concerning a man. He felt it in her touch. Heard it in her sighs. Saw it in her expression. She cared about him, but how much?

After mind blowing sex, sleep should be a no-brainer, but that didn't happen. He tossed and turned most of the night. He ran his hand over his face, then swung his feet to the floor. The clock showed five a.m. too damn early for a Saturday morning. But he was wide awake so no need torturing himself to force sleep. Stumbling to the bathroom, he dressed in his running gear. Jogging should clear his head.

*

Greer was more determined than ever to end the relationship with Jackson. She'd gotten in too deep and now he was falling for her. Crap. She'd fallen in lust with him too, but that didn't matter. She could push him from her mind. Just needed to keep telling herself he was like any other guy. One time. A stupid error in judgment. The most delicious, fabulous, hot, mistake she'd ever made, but also the worst.

She'd get through the custody battle, go home to Atlanta, and not look back. Getting over Jackson Bellefonte would be so much easier this way. A single sexual encounter didn't compare to a long-term relationship. But why did he have to be so loveable?

Her heart stopped. Loveable? Love? No. No way. She didn't love him. Couldn't. Wouldn't. He was no different when it came to commitment. Sure. At first, every guy made promises and most of the time meant to keep them, but rarely did. If a couple like Ava and Evan, who'd been so in love were unable to make it work, then no one could.

Twelve more hours. That's all she had to endure. A day with safari animals, food concoctions that sounded like they'd give you a severe case of heartburn, and Jackson. The biggest heart ailment of all.

She unwrapped the towel from her wet head and ran a brush through the curls. She'd stripped the color out. At some point, she'd end up before a judge, and purple hair wouldn't make the best impression. She needed to change her persona. Look more respectable. Not like some wild woman who had no business raising a child. She pulled the strands to the side and braided.

"Aunt Greer? Will you do my hair like yours?"

She spun around. Emma sat Indian style in the doorway. "You snuck up on me!"

She stood. "You were cloud thinking. Mommy used to say that."

"Grownups do that a lot." She maneuvered Emma to stand in front of her and brushed the tangled stands.

She couldn't let the Collins win, but felt powerless. They had money. Connections. How could she compete with that?

She wound the rubber band in place and hugged her. "I love you more than anything. You know that right?"

Emma snaked her arms around Greer's waist and hugged back. "I love you, too."

Even if the grandparents won, a judge would put visitation rules in place. The Collins couldn't shut her out. No court in the land would do that. Or would they? Maybe that's why the old couple wanted pictures. Not just to win the suit, but to prove she should be nowhere near the child. She shook her head. "What did you say?"