by Leah Martyn
‘Of course we will,’ he promised. ‘We’d want to raise our kids here, wouldn’t we?’
‘Oh, yes…I’d love to fill the house with our children.’ He looked startled and she wrinkled her nose and compromised, ‘With two or three, then.’
‘That’s manageable.’ He sliced her a grin and then sobered. ‘You’ve been bowed down under tremendous pressure for a long time now, Emma. A year away will be good for you to do something for yourself, be a student again.’
She rolled her eyes at him. ‘I’ll probably end up with some pedantic authoritarian boss who’ll yell at me.’
‘Yell back.’ Declan ran the tip of his finger down her straight little nose. ‘You’re a fully qualified doctor, not some poor intern struggling for approval.’
‘Mmm.’ She settled herself more comfortably in his arms. ‘It’s pretty exciting to think we could do something like this, isn’t it, Declan?’
‘I think so.’ He paused and rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘I had lunch with Roz while I was in Melbourne.’
Emma twisted to look at him. ‘You had lunch with my mother! Why?’
‘I was at a loose end. Felt the need for family but Erinn and Katie were at work. Then I thought of your mum and it just seemed to fit. If I couldn’t have you with me, then I had the next best thing. Roz was brilliant. We got on like a house on fire. We talked about you a lot.’
‘Did you tell her why you were in Melbourne?’
‘Yes. She was sympathetic, practical. Talked me up. I also told her I was in love with you.’
‘You did?’ Emma laughed. ‘What did she say?’
‘Said she’d gathered how things were between us when she stayed here recently. She approves, by the way.’
Emma gave him a quick intense glance. He’d taken her breath away.
‘And she gave me something for you as well,’ Declan said. ‘A photo album she thought you’d like to have. It’s in the car.’
‘Oh, Lord,’ Emma groaned. ‘Not nude baby shots—please?’
His head went back in a laugh. ‘One or two. But mostly they’re of you and your parents from when you were tiny until your teens. Your parents had a happy marriage, Emma. You can’t fake the kind of warmth I saw in those snapshots.’
‘I’d come to that conclusion myself,’ she said softly, drawing closer to him. ‘But it was sweet of Mum to send the album.’ And put her last remaining fears to rest. Emma wanted to say it but her heart was so full she couldn’t find the words and anyway he didn’t give her time.
‘Will you marry me, Emma?’
The words were bliss to her ears. She hesitated and then said, ‘Yes, Declan, I’ll marry you. But not yet.’
His dark brows shot up in question.
‘I want us to do some old-fashioned courting first.’
He reached out and brought her chin up gently, and his eyes when they looked into hers were lit with devilment. ‘You want me to court you?’
‘Yes, please.’
‘Like with flowers and presents and…love notes?’
‘All of those.’
‘And dinners out?’
She looked dreamily at him. ‘And dinners in.’
‘I can do that.’ He kissed her very sweetly, very tenderly. ‘And when I’ve done everything to your satisfaction, you’ll become my bride?’
‘Yes, Declan…’ Her voice broke on a whisper as she looked up at him and saw the soft sheen of love in his eyes. ‘Then I’ll become your bride.’
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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First published in Great Britain 2010
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Leah Martyn 2010
ISBN: 978-1-408-91814-2
Sadržaj
Cover Page
Excerpt
Title Page
About the Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Copyright