“I love you,” she said, laughing breathlessly.
It couldn’t be that easy. He’d barely begun to grovel. And Gib, with all his vast experience, swore up and down that women were complicated. “Just like that?”
“I’ve been too scared to admit it. Scared to love you when the store might fail and I’d be stuck marrying some bore my parents chose. I told you that all I want out of life is to be happy, and you make me deliriously happy.”
Sam was ready to turn backflips that she loved him. But they couldn’t move forward until she answered the next question. Because they couldn’t have a future if the shadow of her parents and the promise of an easier life hung over them. “What if the store fails?”
“Then I’ll find another one.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear. “It won’t, by the way.” Then she stood up, her eyes shining like the midday sky. “But my love for you is worth so much more than a measly hundred million dollars.”
Holy shit. “How much?” If he’d known she was worth that much, Sam never would’ve had the balls to urge her to throw it all away.
“Doesn’t matter.” Mira dismissed her lost fortune with a wave. “Let me finish. I have to air the doubt I felt, and then it’ll be done. I was scared to love a man who didn’t love me enough. There has to be equal footing in a relationship.”
“Then we’re out of luck, because I love you way more than you could ever love me.”
Her competitive streak flashed in her quick smile, but it was nothing but love brimming over in her eyes. “Not a chance.”
He held up the ring to her finger, ready to slip it on. “Prove it. Say yes, and spend the rest of your life trying to prove you love me more. It won’t work, because I’ll always love you more, but I dare you to try.”
Mira slid her finger through the gold band, happy tears slipping down her cheeks. “You know I never back down from a challenge.”
That was worth sealing with a kiss. And Sam kissed her, reveling in the sweetness of her lips and her love. He’d make damn sure every day of her life with him would be a fine romance.
* * * * *
Go back to the beginning of Christi Barth’s Aisle Bound series and check out Planning for Love, available now!
Planning for Love
Wedding planner Ivy Rhodes is the best in the business, and she’s not about to let a personal problem stop her from getting ahead. So when she’s asked to star in the reality TV show Planning for Love, it doesn’t matter that the show’s videographer happens to be a recent—and heartbreaking—one-night stand.
Bennett Westcott admits he didn’t handle his encounter with Ivy very well. But looking at her beautiful smile—and great body—through a camera lens every day? He can’t be faulted for suggesting they have some no-strings fun.
The more time they spend together, the more Ben realizes Ivy isn’t the wedding-crazed bridezilla he’d imagined. But if he doesn’t trust himself to make a relationship last, how can he convince Ivy to give him another chance?
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About the Author
Christi earned a master’s degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance. Christi lives in Maryland with her husband.
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ISBN: 978-14268-9517-3
Copyright © 2013 by Christi Barth
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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