“And now you do, because you have proof I didn’t steal from you? How can I be sure that you won’t change your mind?”
Shane walked toward Gabrielle and held both sides of her face. “I guess you’re going to have to believe me, baby, when I tell you that I love you. Because it’s true. And I know you may not believe me now, because I hurt you. And I’m sorry about that. I truly am. All I can ask is for your forgiveness.”
“I do forgive you, Shane.” Gabrielle fought back the tears. “And I love you, too.”
“You love me?” Shane was overcome with emotion. His lips claimed hers, moving over them and devouring their softness. He crushed Gabby to him, eager to remember the sleek curves of her luscious body against his hard one. He’d known Gabby cared for him when she’d said as much at his loft, but he hadn’t dared hope that she felt the same as he did, especially after the boorish way he’d behaved toward her.
When Shane finally lifted his head, Gabrielle nodded through eyes glazed with tears, “I’ve been crazy about you for a long time, Shane, and once I came back to the States and really got to know you, I fell for you hard and fast. So much so that I didn’t want to lose you by telling you the truth about my family.”
“What truth?”
“That my father deceived me,” Gabrielle replied. She felt as if she could finally be honest about her family, about her history, about all of it. “He came to my apartment acting like he wanted to make amends for the past, but he was just using me. He stole the photo of the prototype, Shane, not me.”
“Your father stole the image of the prototype?”
Gabrielle nodded. “My father works for Jax Cosmetics. He has for years, and when he developed a drinking and gambling problem, Andrew used it to his advantage. He even tried to blackmail me into spying on AC for him.”
Understanding dawned on Shane. “That’s why you were photographed with him?”
“And when I refused to do his bidding, he vowed to use our meeting as evidence against me.”
“And I fell for it!” Shane couldn’t believe how gullible he’d been. But then again, Andrew Jackson was a master manipulator.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Gabrielle responded. “I have to take the blame, too. I should have been honest with you from the start about my family’s connection to Andrew Jackson, but I wasn’t. I contributed to your lack of faith in me. I was just so desperate to believe my father and I could have a relationship that I refused to see what was right in front of my face. But now I understand that he doesn’t deserve my love and trust. Trust is something that’s earned. But my Mom… There might be hope for us yet. She came to me tonight asking if we could start over, and I agreed to try.”
“That’s wonderful news about your mom.” Shane pulled her into his arms and held her close. “But I’m so sorry that your father betrayed you, baby. But, it’s all out in the open now. There’re no more secrets between us.”
“None.”
“Then we can start fresh?”
“I would like that very much.” Gabrielle eyes were brimming with tears.
“Good, because not only has Courtney and the rest of the Adams family missed you—” Shane bent down to kiss the tip of her nose, then her eyes and then her satisfyingly soft mouth “—but I’ve missed you, too, in the lab and in my bed.”
“Oh, really,” Gabrielle replied and found Shane’s eyes smoldering with fire as he pulled her into his arms.
“Yes, and I can’t wait to show you just how much.” Shane grinned naughtily before covering her mouth hungrily with his.
“And I look forward to it,” Gabrielle responded as Shane wrapped her in a silk cocoon of pure euphoria.
Epilogue
“I can’t believe how successful Ecstasy’s launch was tonight,” Gabrielle commented as she and Shane lay on his leather sofa at his loft after a long evening full of family, networking and press. They’d stayed longer than expected at the launch party because new-mom Kayla couldn’t bear to be separated from her two-month-old son, Alexander, so she and Ethan had sneaked off to spend more time with him. They’d left Courtney at the party eating up the spotlight. Of course Gabrielle and Shane owed her big-time, because she’d been instrumental in bringing the two of them together.
“I can,” Shane replied, rubbing Gabby’s feet, which she’d complained were hurting her after an evening spent in four-inch heels. “Thanks to you—” he pinched her nose “—we delivered a high-quality product.”
Gabrielle smiled. “I only gave you a couple of notes. You did all the heavy lifting.”
“But I couldn’t have done it without you,” Shane said, planting a tender kiss on her slightly parted lips.
The caress of Shane’s lips on hers set Gabrielle’s body aflame as it always did, and her heartbeat began to skyrocket.
“We’re a team, you and me,” Shane said, lifting her suddenly into the cradle of his arms. In a short time, Gabrielle had come to mean more to him than any woman ever had. He couldn’t imagine his life without her. When she wasn’t with him, he missed her. He missed her smile, her passion for the lab and her warmth when she was lying next to him. He’d thought he could never find a woman who lived up to his mother, but Gabby had. She was beautiful, smart and loyal, and he wanted her as a permanent fixture in his life. He lifted himself slightly off the couch, so he could reach inside his pants pocket for a small black box.
“Yes, we are.” Gabrielle’s mouth curved into a smile.
“Which is why—” Shane held out the box “—I want to marry you.”
“Excuse me?” Gabrielle was floored and turned in his arms, so she could see his face. Was he serious? They’d been inseparable for months, but she hadn’t expected a proposal.
Shane lifted Gabrielle and shifted off the couch, so he could bend down on one knee for a proper proposal. “Gabrielle Marie Burton, I love you more than I could have ever imagined, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” He opened the black box to reveal a cushion-cut solitaire ring with diamond band from Tiffany’s. It was stylish, yet classic and simple, like Gabby.
“Yes!” Gabrielle jumped in Shane’s arms. “Yes, I will marry you.”
“Then allow me.” Shane pulled back slightly, so he could slide the ring on her finger. “I love you, Gabby, and I promise to love you always.” He bent down and sealed his vow with a slow, drugging kiss that sent shivers of desire running up Gabrielle’s spine.
“I love you, too, Shane Adams.”
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459227446
Copyright © 2012 by Yahrah Yisrael
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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