that Alex had left for her at the end of the mattress, then picked up the ring box and headed out to the adjoining living room.
Alex was sitting at the small dining table, reading the Sunday paper. He was wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, and it appeared he’d ordered in a continental breakfast for the two of them. But she wasn’t hungry for food. Not yet, anyway. First, she and Alex had unresolved business to settle between them.
“Good morning,” she said, greeting him with a smile.
He set the paper aside, his gaze searching her features, his own expression guarded. Not that she could blame him for being wary, considering she’d yet to give him an answer to his proposal.
“‘Morning,” he murmured.
She set the jeweler’s box on the table in front of him. “I’ve made my decision.”
He swallowed hard, glanced from the ring box back to her, and gave her a short nod to continue.
“I love you, Alex Wilde,” she stated in a clear, steady tone of voice.
A small frown formed on his brows. “But?” he asked cautiously, obviously thinking she was going to qualify that declaration with a dozen reasons why they couldn’t be together.
He was wrong. “No buts about it,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder. “I love you. And I want to be with you. But I need for us to take things slowly, and I know you’re going to have to be patient with me along the way. I’m still scared deep inside, and I’m still learning how to deal with all that. It might take some time for me to become the woman you deserve and need in your life.”
Hope shone in his eyes. “You already are,” he rushed to assure her.
“I’m getting there.” She smiled, unable to believe her heart could feel so full—a feeling that was both scary and wonderful at the same time. “I know I have work to do in certain areas, and it’s going to take time, I’m sure. Like being more open with my feelings. Depending on you for certain things without fearing it’s going to strip me of my identity or independent nature. And I do trust you, Alex. With everything I am.”
She drew a quick breath, and continued before he could issue a response. “But I can’t accept the ring.”
The slow grin that had been easing up the corner of his mouth quickly fell flat once again. “Why not?”
“It needs to come with a proper proposal,” she said, trying not to laugh at his comical expression.
He grabbed the velvet box and dropped to his knees before her, proving as always that he was a man to rise— or, in this case, kneel—to any occasion. He flipped open the box, took her left hand in his, and gazed up at her adoringly.
“Dana Reed, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice deep and heartfelt. “Will you be my wife, the mother of our children, and my best friend for the rest of my life?”
“Children?” she asked, and bit her bottom lip.
He looked taken aback. “You don’t want children?”
“I never thought I’d have kids,” she said softly, and trailed her fingers along his strong jawline. “But yes, I do want them, with you.”
“So is that a yes?” he asked anxiously.
She was done tormenting him. “Yes,” she said, and laughed. “Yes, yes, yes.”
“Thank God!” he rejoiced.
He surged to his feet and kissed her soundly on the mouth. Then he quickly slipped the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her left-hand finger, as if fearing she’d change her mind, and claimed her as his. The stone hit a shaft of sunlight, and sparkled as bright as their future together.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, and kissed him, deeply and intimately.
Within moments, Alex was taking over, guiding her back against the table until her thighs hit the edge. He swept aside their breakfast, lifted her up, set her on the cleared surface, and tugged the lapels of her robe down her arms so that he could feast on her nipples.
She let him have his way with her and sighed in pure, unadulterated pleasure. “I think I could get used to
Alex was sitting at the small dining table, reading the Sunday paper. He was wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, and it appeared he’d ordered in a continental breakfast for the two of them. But she wasn’t hungry for food. Not yet, anyway. First, she and Alex had unresolved business to settle between them.
“Good morning,” she said, greeting him with a smile.
He set the paper aside, his gaze searching her features, his own expression guarded. Not that she could blame him for being wary, considering she’d yet to give him an answer to his proposal.
“‘Morning,” he murmured.
She set the jeweler’s box on the table in front of him. “I’ve made my decision.”
He swallowed hard, glanced from the ring box back to her, and gave her a short nod to continue.
“I love you, Alex Wilde,” she stated in a clear, steady tone of voice.
A small frown formed on his brows. “But?” he asked cautiously, obviously thinking she was going to qualify that declaration with a dozen reasons why they couldn’t be together.
He was wrong. “No buts about it,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder. “I love you. And I want to be with you. But I need for us to take things slowly, and I know you’re going to have to be patient with me along the way. I’m still scared deep inside, and I’m still learning how to deal with all that. It might take some time for me to become the woman you deserve and need in your life.”
Hope shone in his eyes. “You already are,” he rushed to assure her.
“I’m getting there.” She smiled, unable to believe her heart could feel so full—a feeling that was both scary and wonderful at the same time. “I know I have work to do in certain areas, and it’s going to take time, I’m sure. Like being more open with my feelings. Depending on you for certain things without fearing it’s going to strip me of my identity or independent nature. And I do trust you, Alex. With everything I am.”
She drew a quick breath, and continued before he could issue a response. “But I can’t accept the ring.”
The slow grin that had been easing up the corner of his mouth quickly fell flat once again. “Why not?”
“It needs to come with a proper proposal,” she said, trying not to laugh at his comical expression.
He grabbed the velvet box and dropped to his knees before her, proving as always that he was a man to rise— or, in this case, kneel—to any occasion. He flipped open the box, took her left hand in his, and gazed up at her adoringly.
“Dana Reed, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice deep and heartfelt. “Will you be my wife, the mother of our children, and my best friend for the rest of my life?”
“Children?” she asked, and bit her bottom lip.
He looked taken aback. “You don’t want children?”
“I never thought I’d have kids,” she said softly, and trailed her fingers along his strong jawline. “But yes, I do want them, with you.”
“So is that a yes?” he asked anxiously.
She was done tormenting him. “Yes,” she said, and laughed. “Yes, yes, yes.”
“Thank God!” he rejoiced.
He surged to his feet and kissed her soundly on the mouth. Then he quickly slipped the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her left-hand finger, as if fearing she’d change her mind, and claimed her as his. The stone hit a shaft of sunlight, and sparkled as bright as their future together.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, and kissed him, deeply and intimately.
Within moments, Alex was taking over, guiding her back against the table until her thighs hit the edge. He swept aside their breakfast, lifted her up, set her on the cleared surface, and tugged the lapels of her robe down her arms so that he could feast on her nipples.
She let him have his way with her and sighed in pure, unadulterated pleasure. “I think I could get used to
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