by Terra Little
Tressie was startled to see tears swimming in
Nate’s eyes when they faced each other again. As soon as he blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek, she released his hand just long enough to reach up and swipe it away. He caught it before she could thread her fingers through his again and pressed a kiss to her palm.
“Tressie,” he said, then released a shuddering breath. “I’m not perfect, but I’m convinced that everything I’ve ever done in my life, every decision I’ve ever made, has been so that I would be prepared to meet you here today and give you my heart. I love you, sugar. Everything I am, everything I have and everything I can be, I give to you, forever and always. I’m only going to do this once and you’re it, sugar.”
He fell silent, staring down at her, waiting. It was her turn. She was supposed to say something, supposed to recite the vows that she had been practicing ever since she was twelve years old, but the words wouldn’t come. She couldn’t squeeze them out around the lump in her throat. He squeezed her hand gently, encouraging her to speak, but she just couldn’t. His words had stilled her, stolen her voice and quieted her mind. For the first time in her entire life, she felt complete...and safe...and at peace. Nothing she could say could ever communicate what she was feeling to him. It was too big and she was too full with it to even make sense of it herself.
He seemed to sense what she couldn’t say, though, if the slow, lopsided grin that took over his mouth was any indication. Seemed to understand that she was full right now and needing a moment to gather her scattered thoughts and somehow string them together. She swallowed once, then again, and opened her mouth. Tears came then and they had to be dealt with. Moira produced a crumpled tissue and Pam stage-whispered something to her about not ruining her mascara even as she took the tissue that Moira offered, dabbed at her eyes and probably did just that.
When she was reasonably sure that she had her emotions under control again, she passed the tissue back to Moira and reached for Nate’s hand again. Clearing her throat, she opened her mouth and tried again. This time, she managed to find her voice. “Nate...”
Silence.
“Yes, sugar?”
“Oh, to heck with this....”
Tressie launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. His arms instinctively caught her, but his mouth went slack with surprise, which was just fine with her. His lips were in the perfect position for her to dive in and let her lips speak to his...from the heart.
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781460310267
BENEATH SOUTHERN SKIES
Copyright © by Terra Little
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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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