She went still as she peered into my eyes, looking to see if this was the truth.
“Love isn’t a feeling. It’s achoice. And I choose you today, tomorrow, every day for the rest of my life.” I pushed the wet hair from my face as I spoke. “I knew that you struggled with this when I asked you to marry me. You didn’t keep it from me. I also knew that God was going to get down into the fire with me and pull me out of my darkness, because my wife loves me enough totell me when I need help. Why do you believe He can love me in all my failures and not you? You accepted God’s love even when you didn’t feel you deserved it. Now I’m asking you to accept mine. You don’t have to earn my love any more than you had to earn God’s.”
She looked at me in awe as my words, the words God gave me for her, started to sink in. “Is that true? It can’t be that easy,” she whispered, blinking away the rain, hope rising.
Placing my palms on her cheeks, I said, “Itis. It’s that simple. The love you accepted from God, you show to everyone around you. You love Vicky, and now Sofia and Leyla. You love Grammy. Even if you don’t say the words to your parents, you love them, Ren. You show it every day.”
“I, I?—”
Interrupting her, I said, “And you loveme. Youloveme. I know you do,” I pleaded. The space between us crackled with tension as we stood facing each other.
She was shaking from her emotional breakdown as rain began to fall in sheets. Shakily, she grabbed onto the front of my shirt and whispered, “You’re right. I love you.” Her sobs seemed to usher in the breakthrough. “I, I do. I love you, Mike. I want to be the kind of wife that you need.”
I closed my eyes, letting the words soothe my soul. “Say it again,” I begged.
Ren laughed through a sob as I pressed her close to me, my eyes opening to hear her confession. “If what you’re saying is true, then I love you, Michael Walker. I didn’t know if what I felt was enough, but I love you so much ithurts. Please don’t give up on me.”
Pulling her away to look into her eyes, I somberly said, “Renata Walker, death couldn’t separate us, because even when that day comes, I’ll love you into eternity. I’ll never leave you thisside of heaven. Never. And if death parts us, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.”
Her eyes closed, and she stood on her toes, kissing me as she’d never done before. This kiss was filled with emotion, passion, and surrender. It was the kiss of a husband and wife, the one I’d been waiting so long for. My mouth swept hungrily over hers, kissing away her tears, mingled with rain. I pulled her into me, desperate for her to feel the depth of my love as she sighed into me.
I lifted her up, and her legs instinctively wrapped around my waist. Without breaking our connection, I walked through the open back door as Max circled around us. My sweet boy settled on his bed in the living room, his job of protecting her accomplished.
Our breathing was labored as I walked slowly into my room.Ourroom. Because tonight I was going to demonstrate everything I’d been holding back. Tonight, if my wife were ready, we would become one, and I would be able to show her the power of my love.
Kicking the door closed, she pulled back, her breath heaving out, matching mine. “I love you,” she whispered. “Thank you for running after me and not letting me go.”
“I love you, too, Renata. You’re the most beautiful thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ll run after you to the ends of the earth.”
Ren looked around the room and, with a shuddering breath and a smile, she said, “I’m yours, Mike. Tonight and always.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Renata
There wasa permanent smile on my face as I cut up fresh strawberries and placed them on the breakfast tray I was making for us. I’d snuck out of bed to surprise Mike and was just about to start the coffee when I heard his large feet quickly padding down the hallway.
I turned just in time to see his look and sigh of relief when our eyes met. Well, okay, I may have also checked him out because, oh my. My gorgeous husband was shirtless with a pair of boardshorts hanging low on his hips.
“Wow, guarda te,” I whispered appreciatively. I had taught Mike a few Italian terms, so he knew I was saying, ‘look at you.’
His dazzling smile let me know he’d remembered. Walking slowly over to me, he looked me up and down, drew me in close, and whispered, “Si, wow, guarda te.”
Let me tell you, my husband speaking Italian made my heart do somersaults. I was sure he’d used up his full arsenal the night before.
He was still nuzzling my hair when he said, “I woke up and you weren’t in our bed. I was a little worried.”
My heart ached because I knew why. Pulling back to look up at him, I said, “Mike, I’m so sorry about my breakdown when you got home last night. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Mike leaned down, touching his forehead to mine. “No, Ren. There’s never a reason to be sorry for expressing your feelings. Not to me. And not ever. Understand?”
“Yes, I do. But I hated that I put you through that. I was ready to walk away so you could find a woman who could really love you the way you deserved,” I said, my voice trembling.
He leaned back with a determined look, his eyes darkened. “And finish that sentence, please, wife.”
I huffed out a laugh, trying not to faint hearing him go all alpha again. “But…I knowI’mthe one God made for you.”
Nodding, he said, “That’s right, Spitfire. Theonlyone. And I’ll remind you of that every time you start to doubt it.” He pulled me close again, my arms reaching around his neck. “I love you, Renata. With my whole heart and for all my days.”
