“I won’t let you,” he whispered.
“So what do you plan to do?”
“I don’t know what to do.”
He released his grip on her and thrust her away. Stumbling back a step, she bumped into the door. When she again raised her frightened gaze to his, he raised his hands to the ceiling in frustration and groaned aloud.
“Damn woman, what am I to do with you?”
“I won’t keep Bryce from you, Devlan, I promise you that. Thomas and your lawyer will help us work something out. I don’t want to complicate things any more than I already have.”
“Is that what you want? Don’t you want anything from me? Child support?”
She shook her head. Then she lowered her face to stare at her hands. Honesty, she reminded herself, she had made a promise to clear the air between them, and that required honesty. “I’ve never wanted anything from you, Devlan, except…”
“Except what?”
She shook her head and chuckled wryly. “Nothing. It’s not important now.”
“It is important.” Devlan’s approach was rapid, and he had a hold on her before she could move away. His eyes burned with an urgency that took her breath away. “Tell me, Diana. For once, tell me how you really feel instead of forcing us both to assume.”
His husky words tickled her ears. How she had missed that deep and gentle voice. She would always remember the feel of him, the taste, and the smell of his clean skin. That was all she wanted.
She wanted him.
With shaking hands she reached up and cupped his cheeks. The sharp stubble there scratched her palms, but she did not care. He felt so male and alive, so familiar and so desired. She loved him with all of her heart and soul. She wanted him so much that her heart ached.
“I love you, Devlan. I don’t love your money or your power. I love the man that you are – the gentle and kind man who would do whatever it took to protect me. That’s all I wanted from you. Just your love.”
“Is that all?” His sudden laughter caught her off guard, and her hands fell away from his face in a mixture of surprise and shame. “Christ, woman, I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember. How could you have doubted that for an instant?”
She shook her head in confusion.
“I was attracted to you the first time I ever laid eyes on you.”
“But how? You didn’t even know me.”
“No, but you were so beautiful and pure. The memory of you on your wedding day, that day that I met you for the first time, was enough to make me fly to Denver when he died.”
“I thought you came for Hannah?”
He nodded slowly. “I did. If you proved to be a bad mother, I was prepared to take her away. But when I saw you again, I saw the real you behind your tough words. You were scared and lonely.”
“That’s true.”
“Everything I did from there, I did to make you see that I would take care of you. I wanted you to know that you would never have to worry about anything anymore. The yacht, the house – it was all for you, Diana.”
“But I didn’t want any of that. All I’ve ever wanted is you.”
“Yeah, I know that now. You had said many times that you were intimidated by my life, but you have to realize that I felt the same. Sure I have money and everything I could buy, but you had the most precious thing of all – a family. Money can’t buy family. When I realized that, I started to fall in love with you.”
“You never said anything,” Diana sputtered.
“Well, neither did you.”
“But I assumed that you knew.”
“As did I.”
They stopped talking and stared at each other. Suddenly Diana laughed nervously. “Such a silly mess. What should we do about it?”
“I don’t know,” he said softly, his jaw hard. “This lack of communication has caused a lot of pain.”
Diana stared up at him. Her face was hopeful but guarded. “I’m so sorry, Devlan. I never meant to hurt you.”
His lips compressed to a thin line. “I want to believe you.”
“Please do,” she said quickly. “I was hurt and frightened. That’s all.”
“But how do I convince you that I love you? How can I prevent another misunderstanding like this one from happening again? What’s to stop you from running away?”
“Tell me,” she breathed. “Tell me you love me. If you really do, say it out loud.”
“I love you, Diana.”
She smiled brightly, her white teeth flashing him. “I love you too, Devlan. Not a day has passed that I didn’t think of you, miss you, or stop loving you. Seeing you today just brought it all back.”
His hand rose up to cup the back of her head, and he drew her to him. His soft lips brushed hers, once, twice, three times before he deepened his kiss. She accepted him eagerly, her heart pounding in her chest. When he broke away, his voice was rough with emotion.
“There hasn’t been and never will be a woman that could ever mean as much to me as you do. You and Hannah brought me so much joy in the time we spent together, and I still can’t understand how you would ever think otherwise.”
“I love you, Devlan. Please believe me. These past few months have been pure hell.”
“Then you never should have left. What you did was stupid, Diana. Next time you believe these rumors, I want your word that you’ll talk to me before jumping to conclusions. Remember the first rule of being in the spotlight?”
She grimaced. “Never believe everything you hear.”
“That’s right,” he agreed. “Roxanne had her own selfish motives, but I swear to you that I was telling the truth from the start. You’re a smart woman, and I’m sure you can see that.”
“Next time someone shows up at the door and tells me about your wedding plans when I think you’ve been avoiding me for a couple of weeks, I promise I’ll ask you first,” she conceded.
“There won’t be any other women showing up at the door, Diana. There has never been another woman in my life – ever. You are the only woman I have ever loved.”
She smiled. “I hope you can find it in your heart to give me another chance because I love you so much.”
“There’s not a chance of that happening until you are ready to commit to me, and I mean all the way. Marry me, Diana. Tell the whole world you love me by becoming my wife.”
“Yes,” she breathed without hesitation. “Yes, yes, yes!”
“I have your word?” he asked sternly.
“Oh yes, Devlan.”
“Then we’re not leaving Arizona until it’s done,” he announced.
She nodded in complete agreement.
“And first thing tomorrow I’m getting you a cell phone. No more assumptions and miscommunications.”
“Okay,” she said with a small laugh.
“Even better, I’ll just take you with me when I go out of town, at least until my retirement is squared away.”
“But Hannah has school,” she paused. “Wait a minute. Retirement?”
“I can’t leave you and Hannah again. It damn near killed me being apart from you both. I’m doing this all the way, Diana. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
Family, that beautiful word that meant so much to them both. Diana’s heart melted as she glimpsed that powerful emotion called joy. “Oh Devlan,” she breathed.
“I’m serious,” he responded roughly. “This is it. Be prepared for everything or nothing at all. You’re agreeing to me full-time.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said adamantly.
Finally giving in, Devlan gave her a blinding smile and swung her up into his arms. She wrapped her hands around his neck and clung to him as tightly as she could, hoping to never have to let go. Devlan strode purposefully to his bedroom, and Diana smiled against his neck.
“Remember one thing,” she warned. “I do have a midnight curfew.”
“Midnight?” he asked, frowning.
“I have to get ho
me to Bryce.”
“But you’re all mine until then? We still have a lot to talk about, Diana,” he said sternly. “After we make up.”
She nodded again. He deposited her on his bed and turned around to kick the door shut behind him.
“I have a son, I have a son!”
One last cry of surprise escaped through the closed door, along with the muffled sound of laughter as they came together again.
In love.
The End
About the Author
…
A lifelong writer and storyteller, Collette began her first novel at the age of eight. Since then, she has obtained her bachelor’s degree in literature and master’s degree in education while squeezing in her writing whenever she can. The New England native now resides in Arizona with her husband, three children and multiple family pets.
Hannah’s Blessing is Collette’s second novel, the follow up to Forever Sunshine, a novel of hope and survival. To view more information about Collette, including her current and upcoming titles, please visit http://www.collettescott.com.
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