by Judy Duarte
He was amazed at her unconditional support. Flattered by it. Relieved, yet overwhelmed.
Damn. His feelings were bouncing and ricocheting around his chest like a couple of chrome balls in a pinball machine.
“I won’t let you down,” he told her, “but just the thought of dragging you through the muck and mire of my past makes my gut knot up. I wish there was a way to protect you from it.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be protected. Not if it means facing the future without you.”
His heart took a final tumble right there and then. Nothing meant more to him than this woman’s love, than her faith in him, her willingness to stand by him no matter what.
“I love you, Diana. And I’ll be happy to wait until my parole is over to marry you. You can call the shots.”
She reached up, cupped his bristled cheek with her hand. “No way. I don’t want to wait any longer than we have to. And as for calling the shots, we’ll have to figure out a way to compromise, like other husbands and wives.”
Zack’s heart damn near burst out of his chest, and he took her in his arms, drawing her close, savoring the homey blend of floral-scented bath soap and the hint of fabric softener in her freshly laundered robe.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” he asked.
“You took a chance on love. And on us.”
Then she slipped her arms around his neck, tiptoeing and drawing his mouth to hers, sealing their love with a kiss.
But this one was different from the rest. And not because it held the hint of peppermint-flavored toothpaste.
This kiss was strong and bold, full of vows and promises, each one singing of faith, hope and love.
The world lay before them, and nothing could stand in their way.
Diana was the one to end the kiss, blessing him with a pretty smile. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”
“What about the girls?” he asked. “Should we set the alarm so that I can get out of here before they wake up?”
“In the morning, we can tell them that you’re going to be my husband and their new daddy. And that you’ll be with us every morning and every night from now on.”
He took the hand of the woman he loved and led her to the bedroom. There, he slowly began to undress her, allowing her to do the same to him.
The clock on the bureau told them they had hours before dawn and all the time in the world.
He loved her the only way he knew how—with everything he had, his body, heart and soul.
Their joining brought on a star-spinning climax that caused them both to cry out, proclaiming their love for each other.
Once upon a time, Zack’s life had been filled with one disappointment after another. But now?
How could one man be so lucky?
He glanced down at the woman in his arms, as they lay amidst tangled sheets, and pressed a kiss upon her brow.
Diana’s love had offered him something he never thought was possible.
A one-way trip to heaven and a happy ever after.
And boy, was he going to enjoy the ride.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-2487-2
THE MATCHMAKERS’ DADDY
Copyright © 2005 by Judy Duarte
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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*Bayside Bachelors
