by Linda Warren
“We’ll just let them be themselves without control or manipulation. We won’t deride or belittle them, we’ll just praise and love them—just like my father did…me.”
That last word came out on a long sigh and Blair turned in the circle of his arms, her eyes gazing into his with so much love that for a moment all they could do was stare at each other. She gently touched his face. “I’m so happy you finally got through all the bad things about your father.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her hand. “I carried around that garbage for so long and I let it control my life, but not anymore. My dad was a good father. I can see that now. I just let what happened to him cloud my judgment.”
Blair played with a button on his shirt. “Do you remember the first time we came here and you talked about your father?”
“Yes.”
“You said you were just like him and you couldn’t stay interested in one woman for any length of time.” She tilted her head to one side. “It’s been over three years now. Has your interest cooled, Counselor?”
He grinned. “You sleep with me every night. What do you think?”
“I think…” Lucas covered her lips with his, ending conversation for several pleasurable minutes. He slipped his arms around her waist and held her tight against him. “Lucas,” she whispered into his mouth. “We’ve got company coming.”
“I know,” he groaned.
It was the twins’ second birthday and they were having a big barbecue, Texas-style, to celebrate. The Culver and Logan families were all coming, and it was going to be a big family day in their home. The farmhouse had now been completely renovated. They’d tried to retain some of the old charm while blending in the new. The result was warm and spacious with a homey atmosphere—just the way they wanted it.
“I can’t wait to meet Blake’s girlfriend,” she murmured. “I’m so glad he’s found someone.”
“Me, too.”
Life was better than Blair had ever thought possible. Blake was happy, while she had found true happiness with the man of her dreams. She was a wife and mother first, but slowly, with Lucas’s urging, she’d gone back to work. She worked part-time with her husband, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Lucas trailed kisses from her mouth to her neck and they slowly began to dance around the kitchen, locked in each other’s arms.
Lucas was about to kiss her again when a tiny voice asked from the doorway, “Whatcha doing?”
Lucas and Blair turned to stare at their children. Today they wore jeans and thick white sweatshirts. It was forty degrees outside, and Blair had a hard time making them keep their jackets on. Olivia’s hair was dark like her mother’s and in pigtails. Luke’s was short. Two sets of dark Culver eyes gazed back at them.
“We’re dancing, son,” Lucas answered brightly.
Livvy ran and wedged herself between Blair and Lucas, holding her arms up to Lucas. “Me wanna dance. Me wanna dance, Daddy.”
Lucas’s heart stopped every time he heard that word and he immediately swung her high in his arms. He began to spin her around the room, girlish giggles filling the air.
Blair scooped up her son and began to dance with him. He buried his face in her neck and Blair’s heart swelled with motherly love.
Lucas moved close to them and wrapped his free arm around Blair and Luke.
She smiled into his eyes, loving the way his hair had turned gray at the temples, but then she loved everything about this man of hers. She was so happy, so fulfilled, so in love. She had lived in a vacuum of fear for sixteen years, and now…now… Tears stung the back of her eyes.
Lucas saw the tears gathering. “Honey?”
“I was just thinking how happy you’ve made me.”
He grinned. “You were right.”
“About what?”
“The reason I hadn’t gotten married before was that I’d never fallen in love.” His eyes darkened. “I love you with every breath I take.” As he said the words, he softly kissed her lips.
Luke and Livvy began to squirm and giggle, and Lucas whirled them around. Love and laughter echoed throughout the Culver house—as it was meant to.
For now and for always.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8188-6
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
Copyright © 2001 by Linda Warren.
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