Wanted: Bodyguard
Page 15
Her heart ached more than whatever Ricky had done to her back as she saw the wealth of pain in his eyes. “That’s not true. I do love you, but I’m not willing to put myself through the same thing twice. Riley, you’re just like Joe—bigger than life and a shameless flirt.”
Emotion pressed hard in her chest, causing tears to form in her eyes. “I can’t do it again, Riley. I won’t put myself through it again.”
“I’m not asking you to,” he replied. Once again he leaned forward, and this time he reached for her hand and took it into his. His fingers enveloped hers with warmth and strength. “You’ve forgotten one very important difference between Joe and me. He was a married man, and any flirting I’ve done in my life I’ve done as a single man.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’m not Joe, Lana. Don’t let your experience with him destroy any chance of happiness we could find together. Let me be the man who gives you back your hopes, who gives you back your dreams. I love you, Lana, and there’s no other woman I want in my life. Give me a chance. Give us a chance.”
She saw his love shining from his amazing green eyes, felt it in the warmth of his hand, and a crazy hope built up inside her.
Maybe she was wrong to expect from him the same hurtful results that had occurred with Joe.
She’d told Riley that after his mother’s murder it had been tragic that he’d closed himself off to caring for anyone. But wasn’t she doing the same thing now?
“You scare me, Riley Kincaid,” she said softly.
He smiled, that wonderfully sexy smile that caused her heart to beat just a little bit faster. “No more than you scare me. Lana, I’ve been looking for you for most of my life. Now that I found you I don’t intend to let you go easily.”
“You’ve definitely caught me at a weak moment,” she said.
His eyes darkened and filled with a sense of horror as his fingers tightened around hers. “We almost lost you. When I think of what might have happened if you hadn’t been able to get into the laundry room it makes me sick.”
“But I did manage to get into the laundry room, and I’m here now.”
“I’m warning you, Lana. When you get well and you’re out of that hospital bed, I intend to sweep you completely off your feet.”
“I’d like that,” she replied and realized it was true.
“I think I’m ready to be swept off my feet by you.”
The fire that leaped into his eyes warmed her from head to toe and she believed in him, believed in them, and as he leaned over and gently kissed her cheek, she believed that this time she was going to get her happily-ever-after.
Epilogue
“Daddy Riley is here!” Haley called from the front window.
Lana’s heart jumped in anticipation, despite the fact that she’d just seen him the night before. She gave a final glance to the Christmas tree as she hurried to the front door to let him inside.
“Ho, ho, ho!” he said as he stepped into the entry hall, his arms laden with wrapped packages as he was chased in by the cold December air.
“Daddy Riley, you sound just like Santa Claus,” Haley exclaimed.
“I feel like Santa with all these presents,” he replied as he offered Lana one of those smiles that made her feel hot and bothered and wonderfully alive.
“Are some of those presents maybe for me?” Haley asked.
Riley laughed. “Maybe.” He walked into the living room and unloaded his arms, then took off his leather coat and grabbed Lana around the waist. “And how are you?”
“I’m wonderful. We have hot cocoa and cookies ready in the kitchen. Haley knows she has to go to bed early so that Santa can come while she’s asleep.”
“I’m almost sleepy now,” Haley exclaimed.
“Then we’d better have our cocoa and cookies,” Riley said as he released Lana.
Minutes later they all sat around the kitchen table enjoying cookies shaped like Christmas trees and cocoa loaded with marshmallows.
As Riley spun a story for Haley about Santa’s trip across the world, Lana’s heart swelled with happiness. It had been almost six months since that horrible night when Ricky had attacked her, and in those six months she had given her heart and soul to Riley.
Although technically he still lived in his downtown apartment, at least four times a week he ended up spending the night here with Lana and Haley.
Greg, Ricky and Randy were all in jail awaiting trial. Both Ricky and Randy were being tried as adults, and the district attorney was confident that all three of them would never get out of prison.
It was almost nine when Lana joined Riley on the sofa. Haley was asleep with dreams of presents when the morning came and Lana and Riley had hauled out all the gifts that they’d had hidden in the guest-room closet for days.
She snuggled against him and released a contented sigh. Later they would go to bed and he’d make sweet love to her, but for now she was content to cuddle in his arms as the tree lights twinkled and lit the room with a romantic glow.
“This is the first Christmas in a very long time that I feel truly at peace with myself and the world,” he said as he caressed her hair.
“I feel exactly the same way,” she replied. “And it’s all because of you.”
He smiled. “I was going to say the very same thing. Lana, I’ve loved what we’ve been doing for the last six months, but it’s not enough.” He straightened and pulled a small ring box from his pocket.
Instantly her heart began to beat a faster rhythm. Somehow she’d known this moment was coming. He’d been wonderfully patient with her need to take things slow, but the last couple of weeks she’d sensed an impatience in him.
“Marry me, Lana. Put me out of my misery and marry me.”
In the past six months she’d learned what kind of a man Riley was. A strong, honorable man who was definitely devoted to Haley and her.
Before she answered him she searched her heart to find any doubt, any hesitation, but there was none.
All that was in her heart was a shining love and complete trust.
“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I think it’s about time we make our pretend marriage real.”
His eyes gleamed as he opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. He removed it and slid it onto her finger. “You know what this means. You now have a bodyguard for life.”
“Thank God it doesn’t look like I’m going to need a bodyguard in my life anymore,” she replied as her heart sang with happiness. “But I do need you, Riley. I want you to be the man who raises Haley. I want you to be the man who is beside me for the rest of my life.”
Joe had broken her heart and made it hard for her to trust again, but Riley had taught her not only to trust again but also to believe in her dreams of a happy ending.
As he leaned over and kissed her, his lips held not only the taste of passion, but also the kind of love Lana knew would last a lifetime.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6479-7
WANTED: BODYGUARD
Copyright © 2010 by Carla Bracale
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†The Recovery Men