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He shrugged as he set out the desserts and the champagne, the flutes, and the most important thing—his little bag of goodies.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s that?”
“Tiramisu.” He tried to look innocent, but she wasn’t going for it.
“I know that. I mean, what’s in the bag?”
“A surprise.”
She made a face at him.
“Oh, that’s right. You don’t like surprises.” He picked up the bag. He’d wanted to wait until after dessert, but he was too impatient anyway. He fished inside it and pulled out his first gift. He handed it over with a smile. “I thought you might want this.”
She took it from him with a puzzled look. “It’s a garage opener?”
He nodded. “You shouldn’t have to leave your car in the driveway.”
She laughed. “It’s hardly in any danger out there. Even if someone tried to take it, they wouldn’t get out of the gate.”
He shook his head. She was missing the point. “It’s not about someone taking your car; it’s about you keeping your car here.”
“Okay.” She still looked puzzled. “Thanks.”
“When you come home before I do, you can go straight into the garage.”
She nodded again, missing his point about this being home.
He needed to do better. He pulled out the key he’d had cut and handed it over. “This is for you, too, if you want it.”
She took it with the same puzzled look on her face. “Thanks, do you need the other one back as the spare?”
He let out a frustrated chuckle. “No. The point is that that one was the spare. I don’t want you to have the spare. I want you to have your very own key, and your own garage opener so you can come and go as you please. You should be able to do that—if you live here.”
“But I don’t … oh!” She met his gaze. “Are you saying …?”
He laughed and took hold of her hands. “Apparently, I’m not doing a very good job of it, but yes, I’m asking you to move in with me.”
She nodded slowly, and he held his breath, not sure if that meant yes or if she was thinking it over.
He tried to wait for her to answer, but he couldn’t. “Do you want to?”
She met his gaze and nodded again. “Yes. I do.”
He grinned and lifted her hands to lips. “Thank you. You just made me an even happier man.”
She was smiling, but she didn’t say anything.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded happily. “Sorry; yes, I am. I’m thrilled. I’m just taking a moment to get used to the idea—and to get past my need for things to go more slowly. I want it just as much as you do, so why waste time?”
Antonio grinned. “I love it when you think like that.”
She laughed. “So do I. So far.”
~ ~ ~
“Do you want to go out for breakfast?”
