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She looks at me and I see her eyes softening. Her lips tilting up slightly.
“I bought the building next door.”
“What?” she says. “Why?”
“Because I need an office. Someplace to run my business. I also bought the old farmhouse on the outskirts of town. There’s a construction crew out there right now starting work.”
Her eyes light up. “I’ve always loved that house.”
“I know. I would do anything to make you happy, baby girl. Anything to give you the kind of love you’ve only read about, dreamed of.”
She sidles closer and I lift my arms slowly, letting out a sigh when she steps into the circle of my embrace.
I lean down and breathe in the soft, sweet smell of her, kiss the smooth curls on her head.
“Promise me that no matter what happens, you always talk to me, kitten. I can’t breathe when you walk away. It’s like you ripped my heart out and then held it up to stare at it, still beating in your hands.”
Her nose crinkles. “That’s disgusting.”
“But accurate.”
“Alright.” Her gemstone eyes lift, her dark lashes fluttering. “I love you, Steele. I love you so much. I think that’s why it hurt so bad when I thought you were just playing some kind of game with me.”
“And I promise you’ll never ever think something like that about me. I’m all in. I want to marry you. Have babies with you and grow old with you.”
“But not today.”
I lean back and stare at her. “Why not today?”
“Because today I just want you to make love to me. No fanfare. No kids, no dog, nothing. Just the two of us. We’ve got time for all the rest of it.”
A smile breaks on my face. “We do. I like how you think.”
“Stick with me, baby. You’re gonna love what I’m thinking right now.”
She whispers something in my ear and my eyes dance. “I have always wanted to try that too.”
“Then let’s get out of here.”
And later, wrapped in each other’s arms, I drive into her slick heat and thank every god out there that she forgave me. That she loves me and that this is the woman I will love forever.
“Love you, baby,” I moan when I feel my release jet out of my body.
“Love you more,” she whimpers, her body wrapped around me, holding me, cradling me in her loving embrace. Where I intend to spend the rest of my days.
Epilogue: Cleo
“Rory, please tell me you’re all right. Please, answer your damn phone.”
“She’s not picking up?” Steele says, his voice sharp with worry.
“No. I knew something was wrong when she called off at the last minute today.” I move into his arms and he sighs.
“You couldn’t know that her mom died. That she was going to run away.”
I can’t believe she left like that!” I wail. “She made the funeral arrangements and took off. No word. Just a curt message saying she needed time off.”
“We’ll find out what’s going on. In the meantime, Rory’s a smart girl. She’ll be okay.”
