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“Your therapist!” she cried, nearly falling over in shock.
“Talking about the past has helped me understand the choices I’ve made as an adult. And why I was so afraid to love you.” He took a deep breath. “Because I do love you, Callie. So much.” He looked down at the green cracked tiles of the floor. “Brandon is … he is a good man. I know he’ll make you happy.”
Moving closer, she reached up and lifted his chin. “Brandon and I aren’t together. He’s engaged to my sister.”
Slowly Eduardo lifted his head. Shock filled his expression, followed by savage joy. “Your sister?”
“I gave them the car yesterday and she was hurt in the crash.” She pressed her lips together. “We were worried. For a few hours last night the doctors weren’t sure she’d make it. She lost a lot of blood. But she came out of surgery this morning and the doctors say she’ll be fine. She just needs a lot of rest.”
“Thank God.” He hugged her close and whispered, “So she’s engaged to Brandon. I always knew I liked her.”
She pressed her cheek against his shirt, and her tears made the fabric wet as she sniffled. “Ever since it happened, all I could think about was that I wished you were here. So you could hold me and tell me that everything would be all right.”
“Oh, querida.” For a long moment, he held her tightly then he looked down at her. “I know I’m selfish and ruthless and occasionally a jerk. There will be times in the future you’ll want to punch me. But give me one more chance to love you. Just say the word,” he vowed, “and I will never again leave your side.”
She started to speak, but he put his finger to her lips. “Before you give your answer,” he whispered, “let me finish my argument….”
Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her in an embrace so pure and breathless and true that it left her in no doubt of his love for her, and so passionate it left her dizzy and swaying in his arms.
She looked up at him.
“Stay with me, Eduardo,” she breathed, blinking back tears. “Don’t ever go.”
His dark eyes lit up with joy. “Callie—”
“I love you,” she whispered, and he kissed her again, so long and hard that several members of the hospital staff cleared their throats and made loud comments suggesting they get a room before Eduardo finally pulled away.
“I wish I’d done things differently from the start,” he said against her hair. “That I’d given you a real wedding, and asked your father for your hand …” He snorted, his eyes twinkling as he confessed, “Do you know I actually tried to write you a poem on the flight here?”
“You did?”
“A love poem.”
“A love poem from the great Eduardo Cruz.” Giggling, Callie shook her head. “Now that is something I really, really want to read.”
“Not in this lifetime. You’d laugh yourself silly.”
“I could do with a laugh.” Callie put her hand on his hard, rough cheek, then slowly traced down his throat, to linger against his chest. “A
nd we both know you’ll give it to me sooner or later.”
She felt him shiver beneath his touch. “Yes,” he said huskily. “I will.” He took a deep breath as he cupped her face. “I will give you everything. Everything I have. Everything I am. Both the good and bad.”
“For better or for worse.” Rising on her tiptoes, she kissed him again, in clear and complete defiance of the hospital staff. She felt the hard, satin strength of his lips, felt the heat of his tongue brush against her own. She wanted to kiss him forever. And she could. She was his wife….
Callie pulled back with a horrified gasp, her eyes wide.
“What is it, querida?”
“I signed the divorce papers yesterday!” she wailed. She gave a choked sob as she threw her arms around him. “Oh, Eduardo. We’re divorced!”
He blinked then slow joy lifted his handsome features, like the rise of the first spring dawn after endless cold winter. He gave a low laugh. Lifting her chin, he stroked her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. “Oh, my love. That’s the best news you could have given me.”
She blinked in shock. “It—is?”
“Of course it is.” He smiled down at her, then leaning forward, he whispered, “This time we’re going to do it right.”
It was a warm evening in late July as Callie stepped out of her parents’ farmhouse to the porch, where her father was waiting in the twilight.
