by Watson, Lisa
He reached out to stop her. “Wait a minute. We need to talk about this.”
“We’ve talked, Adrian, and you were dead wrong.”
“Fine, I was wrong about him—that time.”
“I can’t believe you,” she yelled. “You know what? Forget it. It’s a moot point anyway.”
Adrian’s expression darkened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m moving back to Miami.”
*
“The hell you are,” he thundered. Adrian ran a hand over his jaw. Anger flooded his system. He turned away from Milán to get his emotions in check. It took considerable effort, but he tried again. “Why are you leaving?”
She shrugged. “I love it here, but… Echo de menos a mi familia. I thought I could get acclimated to not seeing them so often, but it hasn’t worked out that way.”
Adrian cocked his head to the side. “And that’s the only reason?”
“Absolutamente.”
His smile was telling. “Estás mintiendo.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Why would I lie?”
“Because we’ve got unfinished business, cariño.”
She stepped back. “I can’t imagine what that would be.”
Adrian moved across the deck. She retreated until her backside brushed against the deck railing. He reached up and cupped her chin. “I said I was sorry, Lani.”
“You didn’t mean it, Adrian.”
“I did—and do. I realized I was wrong to give you an ultimatum, Milán. You taking Ludlow as a client came as a shock. I reacted badly. Whom you choose to work for is completely your decision. I overstepped my boundaries by trying to dictate what you should do. It’s your business, and your decision.”
Milán’s jaw dropped. “What have you done with Adrian Anderson,” she blurted out.
His laughter echoed around them. “I thought it wise to step out of character for once.”
“I should have, too,” she confessed. “I’m way too hotheaded.”
“You had a right to be angry with me.” He slid a hand up her shoulder. “You’re damn good at what you do, Milán. I was out of line to suggest Ludlow wanted you for anything but that. He’s a fool if he doesn’t appreciate the gem he has.”
“He does,” she told him.
Adrian tensed and released her. “Good. I’m glad things are going so well for you, and that my suspicions were off base.”
Milán smiled. “I didn’t exactly say that.”
“Is something wrong? Did Ludlow—”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” she replied trying to calm him. “I just…well… It’s not the same,” she admitted. “Working with him is fine, but it’s definitely not like at Anderson.”
He pulled her closer. “So you missed me.”
“I missed everyone,” she corrected.
Adrian’s smile eclipsed the moon. “But mostly me.”
“Especially you.”
Tracing the outline of her lips with his finger, he said, “I seem to have that effect on people.”
Her eyes rolled heavenward. “Yeah, I’ll bet.”
Milán wasn’t sure who made the first move, but they ended up solidly in each other’s arms. She held onto him and relished the feel of being wrapped in his warm embrace.
“I’m sorry about the way I ended things. I just got overwhelmed by everything. I was so worried history was repeating itself and I was making a huge mistake. I was… I was scared my heart would get broken again and I panicked.”
Adrian tilted her face up so they were eye-to-eye. “Milán, I would never intentionally hurt you. Earlier, my mother accused me of steamrolling over you. That truly wasn’t my intent. Forgive me if I made you feel that way.”
She hugged him tightly. “I’ve missed you,” she said softly.
“I’ve missed you, too,” was his muffled reply before his mouth descended on hers.
He kissed her cheek and traveled down her neck with his lips. Eventually, Adrian lifted her off the ground and wrapped her tightly in his arms.
“You left at the first sign of trouble, Milán. If you ever break up with me like that again—”
“I won’t,” she vowed. “Ever.”
“Good, because I love you, Milán, and I want you to stay with me.”
Milán gasped. “¿Tú me amas?”
Adrian kissed her. “Of course I love you. How could you doubt it? You think I’d apologize to just anybody?”
She poked him in the stomach. “Adrian Anderson, you are the most obnoxious, vane, know-it-all man I’ve ever met in my life.”
He grinned as if she’d just complimented him. “And?” he prodded.
She tilted her head back and shouted, “And I’m completely in love with you.”
“So you’re staying?”
“Yes,” she said loudly. “I’m staying here in Chicago.”
Adrian hugged her tightly. “Fantástico.”
“And I’m giving Anthony Ludlow my two weeks’ notice.”
“Even better,” Adrian said approvingly. “So, when are you coming back?”
“I’m not,” Milán informed him. “I’m still working for myself.”
“That’s too bad,” he said in a serious tone. “I was looking forward to sleeping with my subordinate again.”
She poked him in the ribs. “Eres ridículo.”
“I know.” Adrian kissed her until they were both breathless. “It’s a good thing you’re staying because I’d hate to have to fly all the way to Miami just to ask you to marry me.”
Milán was as still as a statue. “¿Qué dice?”
“I said I’d hate to have to—”
“The other part,” she interrupted.
“The one where I asked you to marry me?”
“Yeah, that part,” she said in a shocked whisper.
Adrian got down on bended knee. Milan covered her mouth with both hands.
“Milán, I love you. You mean everything to me. You’re my soul mate, my lover and the first, and only, best female friend I’ve ever had. I want to spend the rest of my days making you happy and sharing my life with you. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
Before she could respond, he repeated the entire proposal in Spanish. She burst into tears.
“When did you have time to buy a ring?” she sniffed as he slid a diamond engagement ring onto her left ring finger.
“Sweetheart, I’ve had three weeks to realize what an ass I’ve been. That gave me plenty of time to window shop. You weren’t getting away twice.”
“But…but you didn’t know I’d be here.”
“Justin let it slip that the Love Broker was at it again. So I decided it was time for my mother to retire that damned black book once and for all. From there we made a pit stop at my place so I could get your ring.”
Milán glanced up. “So everyone knows?”
Adrian kissed her ring finger. “No, Lani. I wanted this moment to be just between us—like our island paradise. Which reminds me,” he said staring at her.
She wiped some of the tears from her eyes. “Yes?”
“You haven’t answered my question. Are you going to marry me, or what?”
“Oh. Yes, yes, yes,” she cried. “I can’t wait to be your wife, Adrian. I love you so much.”
He tenderly brushed the tears away with his thumb. “Good answer.”
They sealed their vow with a kiss. Adrian picked up his coat and placed it back on her shoulders.
“Let’s go break the news.”
“Your mother is going to pass out,” Milán said against his lips.
“It’s possible,” he chuckled. “I think we’d better tell her in the Cupid room.”
“Why?” Milán inquired. “Because the family room is the most romantic?”
“No, because it has the thickest carpet.”
Chapter 31
Norma Jean wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck. “It’s been ages since we’ve danced together. Who’d have thought we
still had it?”
“Yeah, it’s been two whole weeks,” Heathcliffe said twirling her around and back into his arms. “Glad neither of us has gotten rusty.”
Norma Jean laughed. “Oh, darling, I’m having such a good time,” she told him.
“Excuse me, do you mind if I cut in?”
Heathcliffe released his wife and stepped aside. “She’s all yours, son.”
Adrian took his mother in his arms and spun her around the dance floor. “You look happy.”
She smiled up at him. “Honey, how could I not be having a wonderful time?”
“I’m glad. I wanted to make sure everyone knows I’m off the market, and that your matchmaking days are finally over. You will be hanging up the Love Broker hat, and throwing away that little black book,” he replied sweetly. “Just like you promised.”
“Anything for you, darling. I’m so glad things worked out with Milán. I almost had a coronary when I saw that ring on her finger. You made your mother so happy.”
“I am too, Mom. Who would’ve thought that I’d settle down?” he said in awe. “But I guess some things even sneak up on me.”
“I couldn’t be more pleased. She’s going to make a wonderful daughter-in-law,” Norma Jean said confidently. “I can’t wait to meet her family. I’ve been practicing my Spanish, too.” She winked. “I’m just sorry they couldn’t make it for the party.”
“They’ll be coming in a few days. Milán wanted to make sure Pia was completely over that stomach flu before they traveled.” He squeezed his mother’s hand. “You know, if someone had told me last year I’d be getting married as soon as humanly possible, I would’ve thought them insane,” he said in awe. “And yet, here we are.”
His mother’s eyes grew wide. “I didn’t think to ask, and not that it matters in the least, but, Adrian, is she—”
“No, Mom,” he said quickly. “Milán isn’t pregnant. I think we’ll get used to being married a while before we talk grandbabies—if that’s okay with you?”
“You’d better get to it,” she warned him. “I’m not getting any younger.”
“Or quieter,” he teased.
*
Justin walked over and handed his wife a glass of champagne. “Having fun?”
“Yes, it’s a lovely engagement party,” Sabrina replied. “Another success for the Love Broker.”
He kissed her hand. “We’re living, breathing married proof that Jeanie’s matchmaking works.”
Sabrina observed Milán and Adrian on the dance floor. “And now we’ve got another happy couple to add to the list. I guess Jeanie’s matchmaking days are over.”
Justin’s gaze traveled to Adrian’s mother. “Uh-huh. I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“So will I,” Tiffany said over the shoulder of her date.
“You’d better watch out, Tiffany,” Sabrina warned. “You’re still single.”
“So?” she replied.
“So,” Justin chimed in. “That makes you fair game in Norma Jean’s eyes. “You’d better watch your back,” he said with a chuckle.
The smile dropped from Tiffany’s face. She glanced warily over to where Adrian’s parents were dancing, and then back to Sabrina and Justin. “Seriously?”
*
Adrian leaned down and kissed his fiancée. “Te amo.”
“I love you, too,” she grinned. “You realize you’re stuck with me and my obsessive cleaning habits forever.”
“I don’t mind,” he said casually. “Personally, I can’t wait to discover what other things you do to perfection. If those hidden talents are anything like the ones we discovered in the Bahamas, we’ll never see family and friends again.”
Milán giggled. “We can’t forget what we learned in the Bahamas. Do you really want to be the one to tell Norma Jean she’ll have to rent grandbabies after all?”
They both looked over at his mother and burst out laughing. Adrian shuddered. “Baby, I’m in love, not crazy.”
*
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LOVE CONTRACT
ISBN: 9781460312414
Copyright © by Lisa Watson
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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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