Rapture
Page 24
He led the way into the office two doors down from his own. Dale closed the door and positioned himself behind it, barring her in. His gaze skimmed over her. Avril seemed more mature than when he’d last seen her. Even her hair was elaborately coiled, pinned and clipped with a few spiral curls left to dance their way across her caramel-brown face in a style he hadn’t seen before.
Dale adored the picture of her in front of him. With only a thin layer of make-up and gloss to prevent her lips from chapping with the cold October weather, she had that fresh-faced fragile-boned look he’d seen on her when she’d first entered his law firm office. But her wanting to talk to him when she seemed in such control of herself at that moment left him feeling unnerved and edgy.
“It’s nothing serious,” Avril immediately told him on seeing the worried frown branded across Dale’s face. “I didn’t see you this morning because you stayed over at your place.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Dale confessed. “I didn’t want to keep you up all night anticipating the newspaper headlines. I was just too excited at the verdict.”
“I know,” Avril replied, understanding his euphoria. “It’s just that I need to tell you something before I lose my bottle.”
“Go on,” he prompted.
Avril inhaled gracefully. Here goes. “I love you,” she breathed out. It was no delusion. She had discovered that she was in love and it was extraordinary.
Dale’s heart trembled on her admission. “Avril…” A breath of relief left his lips.
“And if the offer still stands for a roommate at your house,” she continued, looking deeply into his eyes. “I’d be more than happy to take you up on it after I’ve finished working this project with Reuben Meyer.”
Dale walked over and put his arms around her. Together they quietly held each other. “I intend to make sure you never regret telling me that,” he whispered in a shaky voice. “We’re going to have lots of special moments, children—”
“Children!” Avril laughed.
“And a home,” Dale added. “With pets.”
Avril chuckled. “Not scurrying hamsters?”
“That will be up to the pitter patter of tiny Lamberts,” Dale answered. “But first, I’m taking you to Florida to meet my folks.”
Avril felt daunted. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about my family,” she began nervously. “Are you fine about what’s happened? We’re good people, but—”
Dale laughed. “Wait until you meet my folks,” he said, squeezing her reassuringly. “My sister Lauryn collects dolls and has a house full of them. Elyse works my mother’s blood pressure because she simply doesn’t know how to wear clothes.” On seeing Avril’s confusion he added, “I wasn’t going to have her embarrass me in London so I gave her money to go buy a cocktail dress. And my uncle Seamus—”
Avril laughed with him, understanding that she was on the verge of a new life. “I’d love to go,” she told him.
“What do you say we go visit them at Christmas?” he asked, moments before he dipped his head and claimed her lips. In the middle of the kiss, Philippa’s office door opened. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she gasped, startled. “I didn’t know I had two love birds in here.”
Avril and Dale looked at each other and started laughing, still encased in each other’s arms. “I’m in love,” he proclaimed, glancing over at Philippa. “Please give us a moment.”
Philippa smiled. “I’ll come back later,” she whispered discreetly and disappeared.
Dale’s chocolate gaze deepened. “You’ll have to watch my uncle Seamus under that mistletoe. He’s sixty-eight years old, but has a penchant for younger women.” He lowered his voice and whispered, “His new wife is twenty-eight years old.”
Avril shook her head. “You’re kidding me.”
“Nope,” Dale said on an oath. “It was an Indonesian affair.”
Avril pulled him toward her, elated and happy. “Kiss me,” she demanded.
Suddenly, nothing else mattered to Dale except reclaiming the lips of the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Parissa, my beautiful daughter.
You continue to keep me smiling.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-7061-2
RAPTURE
Copyright © 2006 by Sonia Icilyn
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