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He stepped close. “Are you giving me a star for the poetry element?”
“Yes, I am.” His kiss was tender and light, sweet, when she longed for passion.
“Good. I’ve found another American comedy that’s supposed to be even funnier than the last one we saw. Let’s go today rather than wait for tomorrow. I’ve found a new place for dinner.”
He appeared to be checking off a list and might propose under the moonlight, but her heart ached for so much more. “Could we stay here a little longer?”
“Of course. Do you want something to drink?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” She focused on the beautifully constructed model and searched for the right words while unshed tears formed a painful knot in her throat. “I appreciate everything you do, but you don’t love me, Alejandro, and some day you’ll meet a woman who’ll speak to your heart, and it won’t matter how many delicious dinners we’ve shared or where we live. You’ll choose her, and you’ll feel less guilty then if we don’t marry now.”
He stepped close to press her palm to his chest. “Are you finished?”
She’d struggled for every word and sighed as she nodded. They would know each other forever, but she wanted to be so much more than the mother of his child.
He pulled her into his arms. “You’re the only woman who’s ever touched my heart. Can you feel it beating? I can’t tell you the exact moment I fell in love, but I wouldn’t use it for an excuse when I let you believe we were married. You’d have dismissed it as a pathetic ploy.”
She raised her hand to slip her fingers through his glossy black hair. “You couldn’t be pathetic if you tried. I fell in love with you when all you knew was my first name. It was so nice not to question your motives when you wanted to be with me.”
He kissed her brow. “I let my father blow it apart, but you came after me.”
“Because I didn’t care about looking pathetic—but let’s not keep track of our mistakes. I made them too. Let’s cultivate the art of forgiveness.”
He crossed to his desk and removed a small velvet box. “I planned to propose tomorrow. The restaurant has a beautiful view of the city and live musicians who play love songs until midnight. It would have been a perfect setting, but I can’t wait. I miss you too much when we’re apart, and you make every hour we’re together a glimpse of paradise. I know I can be the man you deserve. Will you marry me?” He opened the box to show off a sparkling diamond solitaire.
It was a gorgeous ring, and his silvery gaze glowed with love. She rested her hands on his and took a deep breath. “This is really about you and me and not just the baby?”
“You and me,” he assured her. “I want us to be a real family whether we have one baby or half a dozen. My father set such a poor example. I promise I’ll do everything right and make you proud to be my wife.” He hugged her and whispered in her ear, “The next time you offer hot sex, I won’t leave. Will you please say yes so we won’t be late for the movie?”
He’d already shown her how wonderful a husband he could be, and such a loving man would be the very best of fathers. She didn’t care at all about going to the movies. “Won’t it be playing tomorrow?”
“Sure, but please don’t keep me waiting that long for your answer.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a sloppy kiss in his ear. “Yes, I love you dearly, and I’ll marry you. We’ll make the best family ever.”
Thrilled, he picked her up and turned with her in his arms. “Let’s plan your dream wedding with the designer gown and your mother and stepfather and all your friends and my mother and the artist. Whatever you want to do, I’ll be fine with it. I just want you to be happy.”
“Let’s wait until I’m able to walk down the aisle without needing crutches. But for now, there is one little thing.”
He set her down and slipped the dazzling ring on her finger. “I’m almost afraid to ask what it is.”
“You needn’t worry. I was only wondering if you had any of the frosting left.”
He responded with a wicked grin. “I do.” He gathered her into his arms and muffled his laughter in her cascading curls.
About the Author
Always a passionate lover of books, this New York Times bestselling author first answered a call to write in 1980 and swiftly embarked on her own mythic journey. With more than seven million copies in print of her historical, contemporary and futuristic books written under her own name as well as her pseudonym, Cinnamon Burke, she is as enthusiastic as ever about writing.
A native Californian, Phoebe attended the University of Arizona and California State University at Los Angeles where she earned a BA in Art History and an MA in Education. Her books have won Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards and a nomination for Storyteller of the Year. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Novelists Inc., PEN, AWritersWork.com and Backlistebooks.com.
She is the proud mother of two grown sons and two adorable grandchildren, who love to have her read to them. She loves to hear from fans. Please contact her through her web site: www.phoebeconn.com or her e-mail: [email protected]
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