Ultimate Love by Cara Holloway Page A

Dinah heard his words and heard him use the word love, but in this context just sent her into deeper despair. He had not said he loved her, and he never would. He was just trying to be nice and was probably embarrassed by a woman crying in front of him. She tried to get up and push past him to leave but he grabbed her with strong arms.
    "No Dinah, don't run away from me again," he continued. "There's something I need to tell you, something I need to ask of you. Please, sit down and listen to me. I promise I'm not here to hurt you. Dinah my love, I never wanted to hurt you. Will you listen to me please?"
    Something in the tone of his voice hinted at a depth of emotion and spoke to Dinah on a visceral level. Her weeping slowed enough for her to vaguely nod and sink back into her chair.
    Jared kneeled in front of her, resting his hands on her knees. He spoke softly to her, "Dinah, the last eight weeks have been the worst of my life. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't work properly. If I wasn't the boss I probably would have been fired! I've come to realise that I'm a huge idiot and I've let the one best thing I've ever come across in my life get away. No, not get away but I've left it. I left you Dinah and I shouldn't have."
    Jared paused and Dinah slowly lowered her hands from her face. No longer crying she felt the small flicker of hope begin to flare deep within her. He had come back not just to ask her to assuage a guilty conscience, but because he wanted her! He said that she was the best thing in her life! Did this mean…
    Jared saw her eyes grow wider. He saw she had stopped crying and was listening intently to his every word. With a huge feeling of trepidation he ploughed on ahead.
    "I realise now that I have hurt you and Dinah I hope that this means that I've hurt you because you feel the same about me as I do about you. Dinah, I love you! I love you so deeply and fully that I need you in my life and if you feel the same way then…"
    He paused, gauging her reaction. So far, so good, he thought. She had not stopped him and was listening, her face lightened. He detected a slight smile begin to form. Encouraged, he decided to plough onwards.
    Jared reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a small box. Holding it he opened the box and held it out in front of Dinah.
    "Dinah Luxford, would you do me the great honour of marrying me and being my wife. I promise I will treasure you and look after you for the rest of my life because I love you as much as life itself," he proposed and then held his breath.
    Her face lit up and the smile she bestowed upon him was her answer in itself.
    "Yes! Oh Jared, Yes!" Dinah said as she flung herself into his arms.
    For the next few minutes they kissed, drinking in the sweet taste and scent of each other. Dinah buried her face into his neck, with her nose in his hair curling around his collar, and breathed in deeply, calming and steadying herself.
    Drawing back finally Dinah took his hands. "Jared, yes, there is nothing in the world that I want more than to be with you forever. I will be so happy. To wake up every morning and know that you'll be there beside me every day, all day makes me so very happy!" she said.
    Jared stood, sweeping her up in his arms and turned towards the stairs to her flat.
    "Well then Dinah, how about we celebrate our new status as an engaged couple and retire to your bedroom upstairs?" he said. "I've missed you so much, and I want you so badly! I think we should begin in the manner we intend to continue, with as much lovemaking as humanly possible!" With a wicked grin and that sexy smile Dinah loved so much he winked at her.
    "Oh yes, lets get started," she replied as he carried her upstairs.

The end.