Pinky Promise (Riverbend Romance 2) by Valerie Comer

Yes! But was she sure? “What do you have in mind?”
    “You suggested the hobby farm. I looked it up, and it seemed reasonable. I think they’d both enjoy it.” He glanced her way then back at the highway. “They have a package deal for up to fifteen kids. Is that enough? We can add a few more, up to twenty total.”
    “Ian... I don’t know.” She pulled her hand free and tucked her hair behind her ears.
    “Why not?” His jaw tensed, but he didn’t look at her.
    “I don’t know how to give up control,” she whispered. He probably knew a bit about that himself.
    Ian snapped on the turn signal then swerved into a roadside pullout. He put the Jeep in Park before giving her his full attention. “You’ve carried a heavy burden by yourself for years.”
    She bit her lip. “So have you.”
    “But I was able to finish college before Sophie was born.” He ran his fingers through her waves of hair. “I want to make it up to you.”
    “I-I don’t understand.”
    “Okay, that was a bad choice of words. I know I can’t undo your past, or mine either.” His fingers found her chin, turning her face toward him. “All I can offer you is a future filled with love and respect.”
    What did he mean by that? She lifted her eyes and saw his rueful grin.
    “I’m bungling this. For right now, I’d be honored if you’d allow me to bless you and Elena with a birthday party.” His brown eyes darkened as his fingers fanned across her cheek. “There’s more I want to say — much more — but this isn’t quite the moment.”
    She swallowed hard, unable to tear her gaze from his.
    “Soon.” His eyes promised her the world as he undid his seatbelt and leaned closer, kissing her thoroughly across the console. Time held still, the promise in his words demonstrated in his caress.  
    Kelly was safe with Ian. Her heart was safe in his hands. “Okay,” she whispered when he gave her a chance to breathe.
    “Okay what?”
    She grinned. “You’ve forgotten your question?”
    “Straight out of my head.”
    “The birthday party.”
    “Oh, right.” Ian’s gaze held hers as surely as did his hands. “I’ll take care of everything. Thank you.”
    She trailed her fingertips across his face. “No, thank you .”
    He caught a ragged breath then touched her lips with his again with a slight groan. “I think we’d better head home.”
    “You’re probably right.” All those promises. There’d be time to bring them to pass. She’d been self-contained and patient for the better part of eight years. She could manage a little longer.

    ~*~

    Ian set the Jeep back on the road to Riverbend. He’d come so close to asking her to marry him. She had to know those words had nearly spilled out. But that wasn’t a question to blurt out without careful planning, without the perfect ambience. Even so, he could barely think of anything else to talk about, and they still had an hour to drive.
    He glanced her way for the millionth time, memorizing her features, imprinting them on his mind. “I don’t think I ever asked you what you were taking in college.”
    Kelly gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I wanted to be a teacher.”
    “You’d be good at it. What grades?”
    “Lower. K through four. Before they get as much attitude and lip as older kids.” She shrugged. “Public Works is good to me, though. Decent pay and benefits.”
    Ian couldn’t keep his fingers away from hers, but gave them a squeeze. “Would you go back to college?”
    She laughed. “In a perfect world.”
    Maybe he could make her world perfect.
    “I’m okay with reality,” she went on. “It looks a lot better than it did for a few years.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Kelly gave him a startled glance. “I didn’t mean—”
    “I know.” He couldn’t help laughing as his thumb caressed her palm. “Teasing you. But I hope it’s at least a little bit true, even so.”
    She met his gaze for a second then shook her head and grinned. “Yes, you’ve helped