by Jane Drager
“I like your hair loose,” a male voice said.
With her stomach jumping into her throat, she jerked to an upright position and stared at Deems on the opposite side of the kitchen’s screen door. She blinked several times to ascertain whether he was real. Heart thundering, she never imagined she’d see him again, and there he stood in khaki pants and open collar summer shirt looking as handsome as ever. She couldn’t breathe. Hell, she couldn’t even acknowledge him behind the screens, so she simply stared. Then, she smelled his musk scent blowing with the faint breeze, and her knees wobbled. Every whiff was torture and triggered memories she’d rather forget.
“Can I come in?”
Suppressing the urge to run to the door, she waved with as nonchalant an air as possible. “Screen door’s unlocked.”
Deems stepped inside, carrying a large fruit basket wrapped in clear yellow cellophane. He pointed. “On the table?”
She swallowed hard. “Sure.”
Tilting his head upward, he glanced at the angled ceiling barely a foot from the edge of the table. Anyone rising too fast would put their skull through the roof, but with limited choices, the spot was the best position for the table.
She steeled herself against the feelings he stirred. She still loved him and to see him again tore her gut into shreds. Her heart said he’d come to apologize, but what changed his mind? They had countless differences to resolve—of which none were discussed. “How did you find me?”
“Private investigator.” He turned the basket so the big yellow bow faced outward.
Her gaze narrowed. “Does he happen to resemble a mousy-looking man with thick glasses?”
He chuckled. “He’s my head of accounting, Lauren. He said he always wanted to see Gettysburg.”
“You made me debt-free,” she’d said the words so softly she barely heard herself.
He stepped away from the table. “Yes. I hope you don’t mind.”
From the beginning, he’d taken care of her, always in subtle ways, and she appreciated every effort, but he had no further need to continue. He’d wiped his hands of her clearly enough. Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin. “Why?”
“I’d say the answer is fairly obvious.” His gaze steady on her face, he slipped his hands into his trouser pockets.
He appeared ominous with the light from the door behind his back. The kitchen was way too small for a man of his size, and she suddenly felt trapped, like she wasn’t safe in the same room with him. If he so much as touched her, she’d melt into a puddle of goo.
“I’m here to apologize, Lauren. I was wrong.” With an unwavering gaze, he stepped forward. “Mark traveled straight to Belize.”
“I’m not surprised.” A flood of emotions ripped through her and hit so fast she wasn’t sure what else to say or do. None of the confusion had anything to do with her ex. Just Deems. She hurt too much to look at him, but his gaze had her mesmerized. He fixated on her face as if to see if anything changed. All her bruises were gone. Her skull and jaw were healed, and she only recently ate her first green apple.
He stepped around the table toward her side.
She backed away, not sure why since she had no place to go except against the sink. With her emotions on edge, she had this overwhelming urge to jump onto the sink and propel herself out the window, but she’d only fall into a large brier bush. Oh, God, what can I do? He smelled of musk and sunshine and, in her book, a deadly combination. She wanted so much to hold and love him but was afraid her love for him ran deeper than what he felt for her.
His brow cocked, but he nodded and stopped by the refrigerator. “I discovered something very important about my life, Lauren. You and I could have spent your remaining week together if I wasn’t so obsessed with doing everything myself. You were the first person I should have seen on my return from Salt Lake—not my assistant, not Mark, but you.”
He leaned against the refrigerator door, but the appliance rocked on its broken feet. Jumping away, he shot a quick glance in her direction.
Her lips curled into a half smile. “The fridge came with the place. I keep forgetting to ask my landlord for a block of wood to level it.” She waved an open palm at a metal chair. “Do you want to sit?”
“Not yet.” He replaced his hands into his pockets. “I don’t know if we can regain what we had, Lauren, but I’d like to find out. Over these past few weeks, I realized what a fool I’ve been. How much money I have or how many buildings I own doesn’t matter. I don’t have you.” He ran a hand through his hair then met her gaze. “Jan told me you planned to stay.”
Heart hammering to escape, she shrugged. “For a little while, but I wasn’t in complete agreement with your terms.”
“A mistress, you mean?”
Smirking, she nodded. “Yeah…mistress. I hoped to discuss some options, but…” She stared at the floor.
He took a step toward her then stopped. “I love you, Lauren Howell, and am willing to make some drastic changes. I have the money to bring our two different worlds together, but I’ll need your help.” He swept his hands up and down his clothes. “Starting with suits. Do I look okay?”
Oh, God. He looked absolutely wonderful—casual and sexy, his hair slightly windblown, and a hint of color to his cheeks. She smiled. “I love your clothes, Deems.”
Sweeping his gaze over her face, he stepped closer. “I told you earlier of my plans to give up the North American territory. I have since appointed a man for the job. I’ve also redirected business calls away from my cell phone. This way, my calls to you won’t be interrupted.” He took another step closer. “I want a family, Lauren, with children as beautiful as you.”
Her breath hitched. Emotions slammed together like a tidal wave against a brick wall. All the love she felt for this man returned with one big whoosh. She went mute, too stunned to speak.
He stared down the hall leading to the apartment’s two bedrooms. “I’ll still need to travel, but I want you with me every step of the way. We’ll make a compromise of sorts. Time here and time in New York.” He cocked his head. “Are you willing?”
Somehow, she found her voice. “I’m not sure.” She searched his face. He still hadn’t said the words she wanted to hear. Technically, she’d be the mother of his children and nothing else. That arrangement will go over big with my parents. She cleared her throat. “Deems, I—”
Stepping toward her, he pressed a finger against her lips.
Oh, dammit! His touch instantly melted her bones. Fighting a powerful urge to wrap her arms around his neck, she plastered her hands to her thighs. How could she be so friggin’ in love with him after all this time?
His lips stretched into a gentle smile. “Unwrap the basket.”
Anything to move away from him. She ripped the cellophane to expose red, green, and yellow apples. Nestled in the center stood a little black box. A ring box definitely. But what kind of ring was the question. Fingers shaking, she lifted the box and flipped the lid. Her breath caught. A gorgeous, diamond-studded engagement ring sparkled against a black-velvet backdrop. She dropped her jaw and threw him a questioning gaze.
He slid his hands up and down her arms. “I’ve missed you so much, Lauren. I thought I’d never again see your beautiful smile or hear your laughter. Please, marry me. I knew you were the one the moment we met in Jan’s apartment, but I’ve taken too long to say the words to keep you in New York.” His fingers caressed her arms. “Maybe I can convince you not to teach and stay home to raise our children, but you will always have an art studio and all the supplies you need. All I want is to hear you say you’ll be my wife.” He dropped his hands to his sides. “You can think about your answer.”
Think? What the hell had she to think about? He was handsome, rich, and she loved him so much. He was as necessary as her next breath, and she’d be a fool to let him go. “Deems—” Her voice failed her.
Doubt clouded his gaze. He cocked his head and waited.
“Please, kiss me.”
His honey-colored eyes sparkled as he wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace and slid his lips over hers.
The memory of their New York time together flooded her soul, and tears welled in her eyes. She had her own happily-ever-after story straight out of a movie. Slipping her arms around his neck, she lifted her head to gaze into his beautiful eyes. “I’d love to be your wife.” She choked on a sob.
Again, his lips connected, and a groan escaped from his throat.
She kissed him with all the pent-up love she’d held in since their last encounter. He belonged to her, and she would love him until the day she died. Sniffing, she released his neck and stared at the ring still in its box. “I can’t believe I’m marrying a billionaire.” Suppressing a grin, she tapped a palm on his chest. “If you want, you can have a cheap rate for three-D murals in all your buildings.”
He laughed heartily and squeezed her tight. After releasing her, he took the ring box and slipped the diamond onto her left hand. “You are the country girl I cannot give up, Lauren.”
Hand extended, she stared at the beautifully cut stone. “I feel like I’ve entered another dimension.” She positioned her hand to catch the light from the open door. “The setting is perfect, Deems.” Her heart filled to overflowing with a love she could no longer contain, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. Oh, God, how she adored this man. She placed a palm against his cheek. “I love you so much.” She sniffed then smiled. “If you’re willing, we can run out for a pizza and some wine—assuming you don’t mind sleeping in an apartment without air conditioning.”
Gaze sparkling, he used both thumbs to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “With you by my side, I’ll sleep anywhere, but—” He lifted her chin and waved a finger in her face. “Here is our first compromise. How about pizza and beer? After a hot day like today, I need to guzzle a few pints. And while we’re out, let’s buy a window unit to keep us cool.”
Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “All right. Pizza, beer, and love on cool sheets.” But not necessarily in that order.
A word about the author…
With a growing backlist of books, Jane Drager continues to write mysteries with a strong romantic element, always with a happily-ever-after theme. An avid reader as well as writer, Jane has lived her life as diverse as her stories. She was a journalist, sports editor, office manager, firefighter, ambulance captain, caterer's assistant, but retired from her long career as a Respiratory Therapist and instructor. She's married to a wonderful organic farmer who keeps her busy with canning and freezing.
Visit her website at www.janedrager.com
Other Titles
Ask Nothing in Return
Infinite Choices
Secrets and Assumptions
Secrets by Necessity
The Riddle Key
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