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Slowly she nodded.
“What, Hannah?”
“You old—codger.”
A push away from his half-embrace sent him reeling, curling up like a shrimp around the half-healed wound. “Ah. Oh. Ow, ow, ow. Dagnabbit. Horse feathers. Ods Bodkins!”
Instantly she was struck by contrition. “Oh, Gabe, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you all right? Did I do any harm?”
“Only to my—innards. Can we call it quits now, and make up? That’s always the best part.”
Silence for several long minutes, while a few voices were raised in the kitchen at the other end of the room, and dishes clattered. Someone slammed a pot onto the stove. It was nearing time when the restaurant doors would be opening, and diners be invited in.
Suddenly, all barricades between them toppled, as both exchanged steady gazes; each might have been sharing insight into the other’s very soul.
“You really—truly—honestly...”
Smiling tenderly, he took her hand in his. This time she did not pull away. “Hannah Burton, I love you, and I always will. I hope you feel the same way about me. But I’d like to hear it.”
“Oh, Gabe.” Tears again, of burgeoning happiness. “Yes, I think about you too. I wondered what it would be like to have you hold me and share a life with you. I do love you. You’ve captured my attention from the very first minute we met. But I pushed anything I felt to the back of my mind because I didn’t want to get hurt. But I’m ready to take the risk. Because you are worth it. And you’ve shown me that. You are the handsome doctor everyone talks about. And I didn’t think I deserved you. And then, we didn’t get along at first. I thought a marriage between us would never work. And then, things changed. And I noticed you, Gabe. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I fell in love with you. That’s why I was so torn, don’t you see? Wondering what to do about my mail order groom.”
Once more he managed to reach into his pocket. “I bought this while I was home in Atlanta, my little lambkin. I hope it fits.”
While she was wondering what else he could have possibly shoved into that capacious inside compartment, he opened a tiny box. Nestled into the black velvet interior lay a ring that someone might have dreamed of. It was made of gold, and set with one perfect center stone that shot brilliant purple flames far and wide. Holding her fast, he slipped the beautiful bauble over her finger, so that both could admire the way it looked in the light.
“An amethyst—my month’s stone,” she said wonderingly. “Gabe, how did you know?”
“That your birthday is February 28th? Toldja, honey, I know a lot.” The smugness was back, in force; he had just won his lady and he wanted to crow about it, all over town. And probably would, later on—if his physical condition would permit. “Look, I won’t be a hundred percent ready to perform my marital duties by then, but whatddya say we plan our weddin’ for that date?”
“You don’t want to wait until—well...”
“Nope. It’s taken me too long and too much effort to catch you. Sure don’t want you gettin’ away. Uh—I’ve already talked to the Reverend, and he happens to have that day free, and Camellia ain’t due for another six weeks or so, and Molly’s housewarmin’ ain’t comin’ up till the middle of March, and—”
Hannah burst out into a gurgle of delighted laughter. “Oh, you are soooo well-acquainted with my sisters! Yes, Gabriel, I will marry you on February 28th. I think I can even make all my preparations by then. It will be—” she caught her breath, “—wonderful—!”
“Ha.” His face positively glowed with radiance, and he thought his heart would burst. “And you and the cats will come make your home with me at that time?”
“We will. I wouldn’t dream of leaving those cats behind. They’ve seen me through many an unhappy night.”
“Now it’ll be my turn,” he said roughly.
And then, before she could realize what he was about, he made his move on her. Half-laid up he might be; there was nothing wrong with his other working parts. An eager nibble at her throat, her earlobe, her cheekbone, until he found her mouth.
It was a kiss beyond belief, what Hannah could never have imagined, and it sucked all the breath from her lungs and drew all the blood from her outer extremities. Worse, it left her wanting more. And more. An instant’s dazed thought reminded her, This is what Camellia meant; before she went under again.
“—Gabe...” she barely managed to pant, when he finally released her.
His eyes, as he took in her very satisfactory response with a great deal of male pride, shone green as an Irish sea. Oh, this would be a marriage full of spirit and battle, an adventure sparked by intensity and tussle and endless times of passion—in the parlor, in the office, and, most of all, in the bedroom.
“Yes, darlin’. Can we get married tomorrow?”
“Whatever—whatever you—so desire...” Hannah felt drugged by need and want and would, at this moment, agree to almost anything. “Gabe.”
“Yes, darlin’,” he repeated, wishing he could immediately clasp and explore all the places that would soon be his, knowing he dared not. “What is it, my dearest, the love of my life?”
“Gabe, do you suppose we might have dinner now? I’m awfully hungry, and I think I need some sustenance before we carry on from here.”
“You know this is the happiest day in my life, right?”
