by Laura Iding
“It’s a surprise.”
Her grin widened. “I love surprises.” And she had a surprise for Simon too. She was ready to get behind the wheel of a car. She’d been practicing, without his knowing. She couldn’t wait to tell him.
Hailey took her time, lingering in a bubble bath that was nothing short of heavenly. Her right leg looked a little pale and small compared to her left, but she didn’t care. She pulled on the slinkiest red dress she owned and was ready and waiting when Simon showed up.
He whistled when he saw her, frank admiration in his gaze. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks, so do you.” His dark shirt and slacks were casually elegant. He was by far the most handsome guy in the universe, in her opinion.
Simon drove to a restaurant on the outskirts of town, and she could hear the band playing from the parking lot. The thought of dancing with Simon made her pulse skip with excitement.
She barely had time to put her purse on the chair before he was tugging on her hand, drawing her out onto the dance floor. She would have sworn he’d paid the guy off, because the music immediately slowed to an intimate pace. When he stroked his hand down her back, lingering low on her waist, she shivered.
They danced three songs in a row, before he deemed it break time and escorted her over to a cozy table off to the side.
She tensed, just for a moment, when the waiter came over, but once again, Simon told him they’d stick with water. “Go ahead and bring out the first course,” he said.
The waiter bowed and disappeared.
She flashed him a mock frown. “What’s the first course? Don’t I have a choice as to what I want to eat?”
Simon shrugged. “You always have a choice, Hailey. Wait to see what it is first, and if you don’t like it, we’ll send it back to the kitchen for something else.”
She sighed, reminding herself that she loved surprises. She took a sip of her water, gazing at Simon. He was so handsome he made her heart ache. The past five weeks with him had been wonderful.
“Thank you, Simon. This is the perfect way to celebrate getting my cast off.”
“You’re welcome, Hailey.”
At that moment, the waiter came out with one silver-dome-covered tray that he set in front of Hailey.
“Don’t you get one?” she asked.
Simon gave a tiny shake of his head, his gaze surprisingly wary. “I’ll share yours.”
The waiter paused dramatically, and then lifted the cover. Instead of a mouth-watering appetizer, a small black velvet ring box sat on the middle of the plate.
She sucked in a quick breath, raising a shocked gaze to Simon. “What is this?”
He looked tense, his gaze searching hers as he said, “Open it.”
With fingers that threatened to tremble, she picked up the box and opened it. A beautiful emerald-cut diamond glittered inside. “Oh, Simon!”
“Hailey, will you marry me?”
Tears threatened, and she blinked them away furiously. They’d only been together for six weeks, but she didn’t for one minute doubt her feelings for him.
Or his feelings for her.
“Yes, Simon. I’d be honored.” And since she wasn’t hampered by her cast any longer, she picked up the ring and jumped up from the table, and went over to wrap her arms around him in an exuberant hug.
He took the ring and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand. “Come on,” he murmured, nudging her once again toward the dance floor where the music instantly turned to a slow, romantic number. He’d definitely paid off the band leader.
“I’d like to dance with my fiancée,” he murmured softly, nuzzling her ear.
“For the rest of our lives,” Hailey agreed with a sigh as she rose up on her tiptoes and captured his mouth in a heartfelt kiss.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8854-0
CEDAR BLUFF’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR
First North American Publication 2011
Copyright © 2011 by Laura Iding
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
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.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.eHarlequin.com