“Of course you can,” he agreed. “I’ll support whatever you decide to do.”
“You’d be okay if I wanted to resume my career?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” He brought her palm to his lips.
“How did I get so lucky?” She trailed her fingers across his cheek. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
He kissed her far too quickly and got out of bed. She watched as he nakedly padded over to the dresser.
“Where are you going?”
“Not far.” He smiled over his shoulder. Opening the drawer, he took out a black velvet box and turned to watch Natasha’s eyes grow wide with surprise and happiness.
“Damien.” She placed a hand to her mouth. “What is that?”
He opened the box, bent down on one knee beside the bed and took her left hand in his. When her eyes beheld the beautiful five-carat emerald-cut diamond solitaire lying in a bed of black satin, tears fell unheeded.
“God, I love you, Natasha, much more than I ever thought I could love anyone,” he began. “I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you how much you mean to me.” He placed the ring onto her ringer. “Will you please marry me?”
“Yes, yes I will!”
Her arms reached for him and pulled him back into the bed and into her arms. Their lips met and pressed close to seal her acceptance, and then she rained kisses across his smiling face before her mouth sought his out again.
“How long have you had this?” she asked between kisses.
“A few days. I wanted to give it to you tonight—a perfect start to the new year together.”
“It is perfect.” She stared at her ring and then kissed him again. “I’m so glad we found each other.”
“So am I.” His arms pulled her close. “I never knew what love was until I fell in love with you.”
“Neither did I—until I met you,” she answered with a tender smile that turned into a slight frown. “You don’t feel trapped, do you?”
“Tasha, I feel blessed. I have you, the love of my life, and soon our child will be born. I’m where I want to be,” he firmly stated, greedily seeking her mouth. “I’ve been hooked on you since our first dance.”
“So have I.” Tears of happiness welled in her eyes. “I love you, Damien.”
“I love you too, Tasha.” He spoke the words that once had been so hard and now were so easy to say. “I’ll never let you go,” he spoke against her mouth.
“Promise?” Her breath intermingled with his.
“I swear.” He pulled her closer.
“Then I have everything I want,” she whispered as his lips rubbed against hers. “Everything I’ll ever need.”
“So do I, my love.”
He pulled her back against the pillows and sealed his vow with the sweetest kiss either of them had ever known—a kiss and a love that made them breathless.
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781459233683
Copyright © 2012 by Judy Lynn Hubbard
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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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