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“She won’t be home till five at the very earliest,” Savannah confirmed. “I have Donna’s firm commitment on that. She couldn’t keep her tonight, so we compromised.”
“I see,” he murmured, sliding his hand over the slick fabric barely covering her breast. The nipple peaked at his touch.
“Sorry my present’s a day late,” she said as she proceeded to unbutton his shirt and slide it away.
Trace gasped as her mouth touched his chest. “Oh, darlin’, something tells me it will be worth the wait.”
* * *
Savannah had never felt so thoroughly cherished as she did lying on the sofa in Trace’s arms, a blanket covering them, as a fire blazed across the room. In a few short days, she had discovered what it meant to be truly loved, even if Trace himself hadn’t yet put a label on his feelings. She wondered if he ever would.
She turned slightly and found him studying her with a steady gaze.
“You’re amazing, you know that, don’t you?”
She shook her head. “I’m just a single mom doing the best I can.”
“Maybe that’s what I find so amazing,” he said. “You remind me of my mother.”
“Just what every woman wants to hear when she’s naked in a man’s arms,” Savannah said lightly.
He gave her a chiding look. “Just hear me out. You’re strong and resilient. You’ve had some tough times, but you haven’t let them turn you bitter. You’ve just gotten on with the business of living and making a home for Hannah. When I was a kid, I don’t think I gave my mother half enough credit for that. I spent too much time being angry because she didn’t tell my dad to take a hike. I realize now that she didn’t see him the same way I did. She loved him, flaws and all. It was as simple as that, so she did what she could to make the best of his irresponsible ways.”
Trace caressed Savannah’s cheek, brushing an errant curl away from her face. “So, here’s the bottom line. I meant to do this with a bit more fanfare, but since our date has turned out to be a little unorthodox, this part might as well be, too.”
He sounded so serious that Savannah went still. “What’s the bottom line?” she asked worriedly.
“Will you marry me? I know we’ve just met and that you’re still recovering from a divorce, but I’ve fallen in love with you. I talked it over with Nate—”
Savannah stared, sorting through the rush of words and seizing on those that made the least sense. “You what?”
“Now don’t go ballistic on me,” Trace said, then rushed on. “I ran into him yesterday. He saw that I had a lot on my mind, because I had all these feelings and I thought they were probably crazy, but he put it all in perspective for me. He said life is way too short to waste time looking for rational explanations for everything. I’m not all that experienced with falling in love, but apparently it doesn’t follow some sort of precise timetable.”
Savannah’s lips twitched at his vaguely disgruntled tone. “No,” she agreed. “It certainly doesn’t.”
“Then again, I’m used to making quick decisions. And I do think it’s exactly what Mae had in mind when she insisted I come here for Christmas.” He met her gaze. “And just so you know, with these quick decisions of mine, I rarely make mistakes.”
“Is that so?” Savannah said quietly. “Well, it’s certainly true that Aunt Mae was an incredibly wise woman. She hasn’t steered me wrong so far.”
“Me, either,” Trace said, regarding her warily. “So?”
“So what?”
“Bottom line? I’ve fallen in love with you. Something tells me that if I don’t reach out for what I want with you now, it will be the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Then reach,” she said softly, her gaze locked with his.
Trace held out his hand. Savannah put hers in it, and for the first time in her life, Savannah felt as if she were truly part of a whole, something real and solid, with a future that was destined to last forever.
“There’s something about this place,” she said with a sense of wonder. “It must be Aunt Mae.” She lowered her mouth to Trace’s. “She always did get me the best gifts of all.”
* * * * *
