AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She chose the wrong type of man and yet Lucas was giving her everything she wanted, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t terrified. Fate had dropped him in her lap. Would she have chosen him if she were given the chance?
Probably not, even though the man was so damn handsome that her breath caught in her throat when she gazed at him. He was sweet and kind and she’d been stupid about the types of men she’d chosen.
But at this moment, she chose him. She wanted him and no one else. Never had a man treated her as well as he did. Never had a man made certain she was happy. Never had a man made love to her like he did.
Tonight, her last night at the ranch, he’d fixed a lovely dinner. They had worked side by side in the kitchen creating a meal that was better than restaurant quality. They had laughed and kissed and tasted and tempted one another all night, but would it be like this forever?
She had a lousy track record, and what if tomorrow she woke up and Lucas was a complete asshole? What if he wasn’t like what he seemed here at the ranch and she’d given her heart to him?
They had spent four lovely days together and she’d never fallen so fast for someone and that terrified her. As much as she wanted him, she was afraid. Afraid to give him her heart and then get hurt.
Now they were sitting close to the fire, enjoying one last hour together before he took her home in the morning. And she didn’t know what she wanted. She was so confused.
The flames licked greedily at the logs. He’d taken the cushions from the couch and put them on the floor and they were lying in front of the fire with a blanket, drinking champagne in glass flutes that had been his mother’s.
“Why champagne?” she asked.
His actions only made her more nervous.
“Because tonight I wanted to celebrate meeting each other and spending the best four days of my life with you,” he said gazing at her. “To you, Olivia. I’ve never met a woman that I’ve instantly fallen in love with. It was like the universe dropped you into my world out of nowhere. And I love you with all my heart. You’ve changed my life.”
Not knowing how to respond, she clinked her glass to his.
“Lucas, I thought I was going to get engaged this weekend. I thought I had found love, but now I know what I had with the big jerk was not love. But I’m terrible at choosing good men. What if I’m not good for you?”
A smile crossed his face. “Maybe you didn’t choose me. Maybe the universe chose me for you.”
That was an interesting perspective. She’d never considered that before.
“Think about it. What are the odds that I was following behind you on my way home when an elk stepped out in front of you and caused you to go into a snowbank in one of the worst snowstorms we’ve had this year?”
He glanced around the room and sighed.
“My parents were happy together. They loved one another unconditionally and I’ll be forever grateful for them showing me what a good marriage was like. That’s what I want in life. To be with someone who will stand behind me, tell me when I’m wrong, love me regardless, and stay with me until I take my last breath. I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but in these four days, you’ve captured my heart.”
Stunned, she stared at him, gazing into his warm brown eyes that reflected the fire and she realized there was a flame that had been burning between them these last four days. A flame she’d never experienced with anyone else. A flame she didn’t want to go out.
“I love you, Olivia. I want to ask you to marry me. To spend your life with me. To have my children and create a family like the one I lost. One that is based on love for one another. One where nothing can separate us. Not another woman, not another man, no one. You would be my everything.”
Oh, how she wanted to tell him yes, but she was so afraid. So fearful because of her bad choices.
“Oh, Lucas, I love you too, but I’m terrified of making a bad decision. I’m so afraid of being hurt again. Of finding out that there are secrets that you’re keeping from me that will only harm me.”
Tilting his head, he gazed at her. “I have no secrets. I promise you I will never cheat on you. And I would never hurt you. Just let me love you. We’ll go slow, but you’re who I want. I’ve never fallen for someone so fast and so hard. Fate brought us together, but love will bind us forever.”
Staring at him, in some ways she felt so certain and then the doubts would creep in.
“We’ll go slow,” she said breathlessly, knowing she wanted this big handsome man sitting beside her. Feeling like he was the one. Truly the one she’d been waiting for.
“Yes,” he whispered as he pulled her to him. “We’ll wait until next week to get married.”
Pushing her down onto the floor, she gazed up at him laughing. “Please tell me you’re teasing.”
“I’d marry you tomorrow, but I’ll wait until you say it’s time. We’ll go at your pace. I’ll marry you whenever you tell me you’re ready.”
“I love you,” she said though she had doubts about her luck changing.
“I love you,” he replied. “Now I’m going to make love to you, right here in front of this fire. I’m going to have you screaming my name.”
