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“No one fired me, Kyle.” God, he was so handsome it hurt. “I quit.”
“Quit? Why? You loved that job.”
“I did,” she agreed. “It was my whole life for a while—because I didn’t really know how to have a life outside of it. But now, I think I want something more.I’m ready for a change. And I thought maybe…you might want to be part of it.”
“Did you?” he challenged. “Did you really? Because I thought we were taking the first steps toward something like that. But then the next thing I knew, you were running away. Saying it hadn’t meant anything. What was I supposed to take from that other than the conclusion thatIdidn’t mean anything to you either?”
Tears welled in her eyes—partly in response to his harsh words, but more because she could see and hear how deeply she’d hurt him. “Youdomean something to me, Kyle. Why do you think I quit my job? I did it to show you that I’m ready to start a family, a life, a future with you.”
His gaze was both hopeful and haunted. “You are?”
“Yes.” Natalie inched closer to him. “After Nick died, I felt so alone. When you came back into my life, it was like someone had turned on all the lights. The shadows faded and the colors returned. That night we spent together meant everything to me, Kyle. So much it scared me.”
Kyle took her hand and kissed it. “Don’t be scared, Duchess.”
She shivered, and he pulled her in tight to his chest, enfolding her in his embrace. He felt so warm and strong and secure. So right. Natalie closed her eyes and inhaled his comforting scent— soap and musk and crisp fall air. At last she leaned back and smiled. “I’m not scared. Not anymore. Not with you by my side.”
“I am by your side, Duchess.” He stroked her hair back from her face, then cupped her cheeks. “For as long as you want me. For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Yeah?” She snuggled in closer, unable to help herself.
“Oh, yeah.” He kissed her then, his lips soft and warm and gentle.
“About damned time,” Gage called out. “Thought you two would never get there.” Anna elbowed him, but she was smiling.
Kyle kissed Natalie once more, then pulled away. “Mind your own business, sailor.”
“Why,” Scotty asked, walking up hand in hand with Hayley, “when your business is so damn interesting?”
Natalie buried her face against Kyle’s chest. “Maybe you should let go.”
“Nope.” Kyle squeezed her tighter. “Never letting you go.”
“Finally,” Spencer crowed, slinging an arm around Toni’s shoulders. “Have you guys set a date?”
“Have any of you?” Kyle countered. “You all are the nosiest bunch I’ve ever met.”
“And you won’t know what to do without us,” Scotty said, winking. “Right, guys?”
“Right,” the rest of the team chorused.
“Perhaps. I’m starting to get a few ideas, though.” Kyle chuckled, and Natalie felt the deep rumble all the way to her toes. He clasped his hands around her lower back. “You hungry, Duchess?”
Her stomach growled, and she grinned. “Guess I am.”
“Good.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “Let’s get some food.”
They headed for the stairs, passing his parents. Kyle’s mother glanced at their joined hands and gave Natalie a smile. “I’m glad to see you two were able to work things out, dear. I think Nick would be so happy that you two found each other. You know, he said to me once that if anything happened to him, that you two should move on and be happy and—”
“Find our bliss?” Natalie and Kyle said together, before dissolving into laughter.
“Yes!” Mrs. Matthews frowned. “Though I don’t see why that’s so funny.”
Both she and Kyle kissed Mr. and Mrs. Matthews on the cheek, and then Natalie kissed Kyle again, just because it felt so good.
Halfway down the stairs, Kyle stopped and pulled her into his arms once more. “I should’ve said this a long time ago, but I love you, Duchess.”
Warmth bloomed in Natalie’s chest, and she twined her hands around his neck, her fingers stroking the soft hair at his nape. “I love you, too, Kyle Matthews. More than I can ever say.”
