‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘Yes, please, Simon. I would very much love to be your wife.’
With a whoop, Simon dragged her to her feet and swung her around. Kate found herself in the centre of a victory dance with her family. And then she realised it wasn’t just her and Simon, Jesse and Paul, Danny and Felice, cheering and dancing and wiping their eyes, but what appeared to be half the airport too.
Which reminded her where they were. ‘Oh, Simon, you’re going to miss your flight.’
‘I am.’
He didn’t seem the least put out by that fact.
‘I shall have to return to England at some time over the next week—meetings I can’t get out of, I’m afraid, and documents that need signing. But then I’m coming back here to take you and Jesse home.’
It sounded heavenly.
‘It takes one month after the notice of intent to get married in Australia.’
She blinked. ‘How do you know that?’
‘I looked it up.’ His eyes darkened. ‘I want to marry you on the beach at the exact spot where we first kissed.’
Her mouth went dry at the promise in that marvellous voice of his. ‘I…um…we’d better wear our swimsuits then, because from memory it was a bit wet.’ Not good for a frilly dress. ‘Make it the spot where we did back flips and you have yourself a deal.’ She wanted the frilly dress.
She wanted Simon. For ever.
‘Done.’ He gripped her face in his hands. ‘I love you, Kate Petherbridge.’
She stared at those divine lips, trying to shake herself out of the trance threatening to descend on her. ‘I love you too, Simon Morton-Blake.’ She meant to spend the rest of her life proving to him exactly how much.
‘Can you, Jesse and Paul be ready in a month?’
She’d make sure they were. ‘Yes.’
His hands traced her face; his thumb followed the curve of her bottom lip. ‘Once we’re married we are never going to be separated again,’ he vowed.
She twined her arms around his neck. ‘Amen,’ she whispered against his mouth the moment before his lips claimed hers and she could finally melt into him.
When Simon lifted his head, heaven only knew how many seconds or minutes later, Kate grew aware of the applause, the cheering, the people—strangers—who called out their congratulations and good wishes. Heat mounted her cheeks but she was too happy to be embarrassed for long. In fact, it seemed as if the happiness surrounding her and Simon rippled outwards in ever increasing circles, engulfing everyone nearby in its glow too.
She glanced down when Jesse squeezed in between her and Simon. ‘Cool, huh?’ he said, grinning up at Simon.
‘You bet,’ Simon said, swinging him up into his arms.
‘I think Mum will be happy again now,’ Jesse whispered.
Simon pretended to consider her. ‘Her eyes are decidedly sparkly,’ he agreed.
Jesse curved one arm around Simon’s neck, the other around Kate’s. ‘I think we’re all going to be happy.’
‘That’s the plan, bucko,’ Simon said with a grin. ‘I plan to dedicate my whole life to making you and your mum happy.’
‘And whoever else comes along?’ Kate whispered, touching her forehead to his.
‘And whoever else comes along,’ he said, his eyes dark with promise.
Kate winked at Jesse. ‘Cool, huh?’
Jesse beamed back. ‘You bet.’
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2991-8
THE ARISTOCRAT AND THE SINGLE MOM
First North American Publication 2009.
Copyright © 2009 by Michelle Douglas.
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.
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
The Aristocrat and the Single Mom Page 18