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“Rowan.”
Looking at Bennett, she inhaled deeply and was mortified when she started crying. “I…”
“Come here, darling.”
She knelt beside his chair and he wrapped her in a hug. Mary-Margaret left the office and pulled the door closed softly behind her.
Rowan wouldn’t remember exactly what she said but there was a lot of rambling about needing to protect Bennett.
“No one has ever cried for me.” Her cheek on his shoulder, he rubbed her back. One hand held the back of her head. “I’ve never met anyone so passionate in their defense of others.” Leaning Rowan back, he withdrew a handkerchief from his suit jacket and carefully wiped her face of her tears. “I love that about you.”
“Bennett…”
“Yes, darling?”
She swallowed hard. Holding back the words on the tip of her tongue, she said instead, “They’re not destroying your reputation. They can’t be allowed to taint what you built. They don’t get to do that. If they want to sling mud, I’ll drop a truck load on their heads.”
“Zach calls you an attack dog.”
Sniffing, she said, “I hope that’s a good thing.”
“He’s not easily impressed. He likes your wit, dedication, and loyalty. Particularly to me.”
Sitting back on her heels, she held his hand. “Being loyal to you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”
His fingertips coasted over her cheek. “A rabid fan of my work, you said.”
“A rabid fan of the man behind the work,” she admitted softly.
For a long moment, his green eyes held hers. “For the last four months, you’ve spent every day learning about my life and the organization. How do you feel?”
“Motivated. I want those awful people to sign the agreements giving them millions of dollars they don’t deserve so we can focus on your project list.”
There was a long pause. “Mary-Margaret told you about that?” Rowan tugged her lip between her teeth. “You stumbled upon it and got it out of her.” He sighed. “It’s not aprojectlist. Call it what it really is.”
Clearing her throat, she wiped away tears that slipped from the corners of her eyes. Hoarsely, she said, “A-a bucket list.”
“My doctors gave me less than a year to live a week before I met you, Rowan.”
She nodded. “I-I know.” Taking his hand, she whispered, “I want it to be your best year, Bennett.”
“Marry me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I want you to know I’m here because I want to be. I’m here because of the man, not the money.”
“I already know that, Rowan.”
“A person can never know that for sure, Bennett. I could be a great actress setting herself up to inherit your fortune. It’s happened and I’m sure you’ve seen it.”
He was quiet for almost a minute. “Mary-Margaret said you rejected your salary.”
“I didn’t reject it. I renegotiated it.”
“For less. No one negotiates forless, darling.”
