The Beautiful Ones (Arabesque) Read Online Free

there.”
Ophelia stepped back. “I know, but my family lives here in Atlanta.”
He shrugged. “I’ll buy them airline tickets.”
“We can’t just buy everyone airline tickets,” she protested.
“Why not? I can afford it.” He chuckled and pulled her back into his arms. “Or did you forget you were marrying a very wealthy man?”
“Just because you have money doesn’t meant you have to be so frivolous with—”
“Frivolous?” he barked. His eyes danced with amusement. “We’re talking about our wedding—not about some luxury toy we don’t need.”
“But flying my whole family—”
“Fine. We’ll have the wedding here in Atlanta, and my family will fly down. Problem solved.”
He leaned in for a kiss, but she quickly pushed him back. “How is that solving the problem? Your family is larger than mine. That’s even more money.”
“Hardly,” he laughed. “My family can afford their own tickets.”
“And what—my family can’t?”
Jonas’s expression twisted in confusion as his arms dropped to his sides. “Did I miss something?”
Ophelia stared at him, unsure where her sudden wave of irritation came from.
“Are you purposely trying to start an argument?” Jonas laughed.
Closing her eyes, Ophelia expelled a tired breath. “Forgive me. See? The wedding is already stressing me out.”
He gently drew her back into his arms. “Well, I know a few things that can relax you.”
One flash of his dimpled cheeks, and Ophelia was putty in his hands. “Are we back to that again?”
“I have a feeling that this is going to be a hot topic for the next few months.” His hands cupped and then lightly stroked her chin. “But if waiting is something you truly want to do, then we’ll do it.”
He smiled again and she watched as his head descended. Closing her eyes, she waited patiently for their lips to connect. This time there would be sparks—that magical something to reinforce her belief that this man was her destiny.
At last his soft lips pressed against hers and, just like the times before, her heart dropped in disappointment. It wasn’t a bad kiss—far from it. However, she didn’t get that warm tingling rush like when…
She abruptly pulled away from him. “I better jump in the shower.”
When his expression twisted, she eased the situation with another smile. “You promised me Italian, remember?”
He studied her a second longer before bobbing his head. “Yeah. I’ll speak with the chef.” Jonas backed away and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “Take your time.”
Ophelia nodded and then sashayed her way toward the bathroom, knowing full well Jonas’s gaze followed her every move. Once she closed the door, she quickly moved over to the shower.
What the hell was wrong with her? Jonas was an ideal catch. Any woman would be happy to have him. Not only was he good looking and successful, he was kind, caring, and attentive. What was there not to love?
She laughed at herself. She was being silly. Of course she loved Jonas. That whole speech Solomon gave about not knowing Jonas was just his way of playing the role of protector. That was what he’d always been to her, really—him and Marcel.
Casanova Brown married. She shook her head. She would’ve definitely put her money on him being the last—not the first in their screwball group to walk down the aisle. After all too many women, so little time had always been his motto.
Well, she was going to be next. Instant warmth radiated through her at the sweet memory of the day she’d met Jonas—“the asshole” as she and her business partner, Stevie, had affectionately christened him. As owners of Missler & Lambert Sports Rehabilitation Center, she and Stevie had actually worked for the Carolina Panthers for years. However, when the NFL team got a new owner, Ophelia and Stevie received a pink slip almost immediately. Having never been fired in her life, Ophelia stormed over to the Hintons’ sprawling mansion determined to give the team