by Brenda Gayle
Nora thought her heart had stopped. Was he saying what she thought he was? Was it possible? No. This was Hunter Graham, notorious lady’s man and lover of the shiny new toy.
He doesn’t mean to break hearts. He just can’t help himself. His comment wasn’t promising a lifetime commitment to her. Rather, he was simply giving her credit for his goal of trying to be a better man.
But what if she was wrong. What if he had changed? She had.
Libby was right. Nora had to take the risk. Regardless of what it cost, she’d never be able to live with herself if she didn’t know she had at least tried.
“I love you, Hunter. I know that wasn’t part of our deal, and I’m sorry. I can’t help—”
The rest of what she was going to say was lost as his lips descended on hers. She closed her eyes, savoring the familiar sensation. She could hear him murmuring her name over and over again, and something else, too. It sounded like, “I love you.”
She pushed against him. She didn’t want him to stop, but she had to make him understand. Everything had changed for her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. His eyes had darkened with passion, and his voice was raspy.
“I can’t do this,” she said.
“Do what? I love you. You love me. What’s the problem?”
She squeezed her eyes closed. She would not cry. “I can’t simply go on the way we were before. I know it’s just supposed to be fun, but it’s not enough for me anymore. I don’t want to always be wondering when you’re going to grow tired of me and move on to the next woman.”
“Ah, I see.”
She felt him lean back. She wasn’t certain she wanted to see his expression, but she couldn’t stop herself from opening her eyes. He had that self-satisfied smile that made her heart flutter uncontrollably, while at the same time infuriated the hell out of her. He was looking at her in the same manner as when they’d first met, a combination of mocking pleasure and respectful courtesy.
“Perhaps, then, to make it easier for you, I should specify a date,” he said with extreme seriousness.
“A date for what? For when you’ll grow tired of me and find someone new? A date for when you’ll dump me? You can do that?” Unbelievable. The conceit of the man.
“Absolutely.”
“Never mind. It won’t be necessary,” she said stiffly.
“Oh, I don’t mind. And I think it’s very necessary.” He held up his hand to stop further protest. “I can say with complete certainty that the day I grow tired of you will be”—he paused dramatically—“never.”
“What?” She had been steeling herself for the worst, wondering if it would be three months, six, maybe a whole year. Now her breath rushed from her body as she comprehended what he’d said.
“Never,” he repeated and leaned forward to kiss her gently on the lips. “Since you’ve been gone, I haven’t been able to look at another woman without comparing her to you. And they never compare favorably.”
“But I saw you. That day in the hotel, that woman...”
“Yeah. She was really pissed off at me. I didn’t even take her to dinner after you’d left. And that was the last time I even tried to date anyone.”
“I’m sorry.” She wasn’t really, but she didn’t know what else to say.
“You should be. According to the latest Internet postings I’m either gay or impotent.”
Nora started laughing. She felt so incredibly happy.
“I’m glad you think it’s funny,” he said, but he was laughing with her. “You’ve ruined my reputation. You owe me.”
“What do you think would be appropriate compensation?”
“I’m a reasonable man,” Hunter said, tangling his fingers through her hair and looking at her as if he was ready to devour her any second. “I’d settle for the rest your life—and all your unborn children.”
“Sounds fair,” Nora said, feeling her face glow at his mention of having children with her. Even when she had dreamed about the two of them being together, she’d never dared to imagine they would be a family.
After her unhappy childhood, she’d thought family was unimportant, that she didn’t need it. She was wrong. Family was important, and she was doubly blessed. Not only did she have Hunter and whatever children they would have together, she had Karen, her real mother who loved her, and Thomas, her real father who would love her for whatever time he had left.
“What was it Nan said?” Hunter murmured, lowering his head to hers, stopping when his mouth was just a hairsbreadth away from her lips.
“Kiss already and start the happily-ever-after,” Nora replied, moving forward to meet him, claiming him body and soul.
A word about the author...
Brenda Gayle has been a writer all her life but returned to her love of writing fiction after more than twenty years in the world of corporate communication—although some might argue there was plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too. She has a Master’s degree in journalism and an undergraduate degree in psychology.
A fan of many genres, she is drawn to contemporary romance and enjoys writing deeply emotional stories with elements of mystery and suspense.
Brenda lives in eastern Ontario with her wonderful husband, two fabulous children, a rescued cat, two Siberian Huskies, and assorted aquatic wildlife.
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