Page 25 of Promise Me Never

“Try it on.”

She pulled it from the box and slid it on her finger. It fit perfectly. She held out her hand to look at it. It was stunning. “I wish I’d done my nails,” she joked.

“It looks perfect on you.”

She looked at the ring again and then it hit her. The picture of Bennett and Poppy. Her hand on his chest. Savannah was almost certain she had been wearing the exact same ring. But it couldn’t be. Surely, he wouldn’t give her the same ring that he’d given to Poppy. And wouldn’t it have been on her finger when she had fallen off the boat?

| Twenty-Three |

Poppy—Before

It’s been three weeks, and I’ve spent every night at his apartment, even on the nights I work until three a.m. He always waits up for me and no matter how tired I am, I jump his bones. He’s so sexy and so good in bed. An unusual combination. My experience has been the better-looking the man, the less good in bed. They seem to think they don’t have to try or something. But not Bennett.

It’s Sunday and we’ve finished an early dinner. He cooks for me too. I was getting ready to leave to work on a collage that I’d finally found the last piece for. I got up from the table.

“I’m going to get going.”

He walked over to me and kissed me, his hand moving to my ass. I laughed and pushed his hand away.

“Oh no you don’t. I told you I have work to do.”

“I hate it when you’re not here. Why don’t you move in?”

I was stunned. “What?”

“Move in with me. You’re here most of the time anyway.”

“Tempting. But I’m not giving up my apartment to move in with you. That’s crazy.”

“I love you. Don’t you love me?”

I looked at him. “You know I do.”

“Then don’t move in with me. Marry me.”

I sat back down, looking at him in shock. “Now I know you’re crazy!”

“No, I mean it, Poppy. You’re killing yourself working two jobs to pay for that apartment. You’re a brilliant artist. You need time to create. I want to get back to Bedford. The only reason I’ve stayed in this apartment for the past few weeks is you. It’s so peaceful there. Clean air, wide open spaces. You can really breathe. You’d love it. It’s the quintessential village.”

He grabbed a photo from the counter and showed it to me. A white colonial surrounded by trees. I looked at the photo, then up at him. “This looks so remote. I don’t—”

“We were both saying the other day how crowded and dirty it is here. You could have your own studio. And we’d be an hour from the city. It’s perfect. You’d have all this free time to create. I even have a housekeeper who does all the cooking and cleaning.”

“That sounds rather posh,” I said, laughing.

“She used to be my nanny and she’s great. Felicia. Moved up from Virginia years ago when I bought the place.”

“She lives with you?”

He shook his head. “In the guesthouse on the property. Don’t worry. It’s about a mile away and she’s very respectful of my privacy.”

“Hmm. That sounds, I don’t know. A bit Victorian. But I do like the idea of someone else cooking and cleaning.”

“Aren’t you ready for a change? An escape from the madness of the city?”

It did sound refreshing. I like the country, and it could be a fresh start. And the idea of quitting the bar appealed to me. I’d been putting my heart and soul into working at the gallery, but they still hadn’t shown any interest in my work. It would be great to have all that time to myself for my art. But depending on a man for my income seemed foolish. Although Bennett had plenty of money, that was evident. But I’d been working so hard on my independence, and this seemed like a step backward.

“There are lots of antique shops around there,” Bennett said, raising his eyebrows.