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“You’ll see. And you’ll love it,” she promised. Her dad had taught her a lot, but she’d had to become a decent cook for Jorge. No way was she going to let him grow up on fast food.
“Of course I will.”
Behind her, he was naked. It was all she could do not to take him again right this second. Her experience with men—one man—had never been fun. She’d always been self-conscious, always worried, always judging her performance, her looks, what she said, how she said it. But Gideon let her be anything she wanted. He let her be herself. She loved him for that. And she would never stop wanting him.
“Thank you for setting me free,” she said softly.
“It’s the other way around, Rosie. You set me free.”
The truth was that each had set the other free in different ways. He had freed her from a prison of regret for making the wrong choice with Jorge’s father and the fear of risking her heart again with another wrong choice. And she had freed him from blaming himself for what had happened to Karmen and to his team.
“Now we need food.” She waggled her eyebrows like a lecherous old man. “So that we have the energy to do that again. And again. And again.”
When he grabbed a pair of sweatpants, as much as Rosie hated seeing him cover up all those gorgeous muscles, it was absolutely necessary if they were ever going to get food on the table.
She found spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms, cheese, eggs, and some hamburger in his fridge, which was perfect to make her special scramble. “You chop the peppers and mushrooms,” she said, “and I’ll grate the cheese.”
“I’ve never cooked with anyone before.” He said it with no little wonder.
For the next few minutes, they shared things they’d never done before. He had never gone for a bike ride along a river walk. Never taken a paddle boat out on a pond. Never owned a dog or a cat. And she had never been to a Sharks hockey game. Or to a race at Laguna Seca in Monterey. Or on a camping trip in Yosemite.
Together
with Jorge, they would do it all. And every second they spent together would be precious.
“Can you hand me the eggs?” she asked.
He moved behind her to wash his hands at the sink, then back again, his scent tantalizing her as he passed her to open the fridge. He put the eggs beside her, then rested against her, his chin on her head, as she broke an egg into a bowl. Then another. And another.
Until he lifted the robe and stroked his fingers up the outside of her thighs. Then slipping down, along, inside. She gasped and almost tipped over the bowl of eggs.
He slid his foot between hers and pushed her legs wider. “You’re doing a great job,” he said in a low voice than sent a shiver of need up her spine. “Those eggs are going to be so good. I can’t wait to eat them.”
The next thing she knew, he was pulling her hips back, bending her over, and moving between her legs while she gripped the counter.
He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck, his warm breath tantalizing across her skin as he said, “There’s one more thing I’ve never done before. I’ve never made love. Not until you.”
“Gideon.” She could barely get his name out as he entered her. “Neither have I.”
* * *
A while later, after great food and more loving, when he felt lazy and sated and happy with her in his arms, there was one more thing he needed her to know. Not tomorrow, but tonight. Now.
Slowly moving from her arms, he went down on one knee beside the bed. Her eyes were wide, and she sat up in surprise as he took both her hands in his. “I love you so much I ache with it. I love Jorge like he’s my own child. Marry me, Rosie, and make me even happier than I ever hoped I could be.”
He’d never thought he could want such a thing. He’d never thought he wouldn’t fear making such a deep commitment to another person, with the risk of losing them one day the way he’d lost so many people he cared for. But Rosie had erased all his fears. Rosie had made him want this. He loved her, so much he burned with the need to make her his forever.
“Oh, Gideon.” Moisture glistened in her eyes. “I swear I was just about to ask you the same thing.” She tugged him back onto the bed, both of them facing each other on their knees. “Even though it’s only been a week, the truth is that I’ve loved you from the moment Ari told me all the stories about her big, beautiful brother. Even before I met you, my heart was forever yours.”
“If you’re asking,” he said in a voice overflowing with emotion, “I’d give anything to be your husband.”
“And I want nothing more than to be your wife.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Matt and Ari had returned from their honeymoon a week ago, and today they were taking the boys to the beach for their last summer outing before school started. It was the right time for Gideon and Rosie to drive to Bakersfield to see Mrs. Sanchez, Karmen’s mother.
Gideon parked at the bottom of the long, circular drive, then put his hand over Rosie’s. “Thank you for coming with me.”
