She thought that had been pretty well borne out by the way he had disappeared from her life after she had told him she intended to pursue the lawsuit.
“Didn’t you?”
“Yes.” He saw the anger flash in her eyes and raised his hand to fend it off. “But it’s not what you think.” He wanted to pace, to get rid of this restlessness that was eating away at him. But he was afraid that if he moved, she’d bolt. He forced himself to remain where he was. “I wanted you in my bed. That was my ulterior motive. I thought that once I had you, it’d be over, just like with all the rest.”
His blunt statement surprised her. It took her a moment to recover. In that moment, she realized that there was more.
“And?”
He shrugged, helpless. He was a prisoner of this feeling and there was nothing he could do about it, except make the best of it, perhaps even allow himself to enjoy it. But that all depended on her.
“I was wrong. The more I had you the more I wanted you.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “You’re under my skin, lady, and in my blood. I thought a little time away from you would clear all that up. You know, the way you’re supposed to rest when you have a fever.” He laughed at himself. It had been a delusion. “I was wrong there, too. The fever only got worse. The longing got worse.”
Amanda stared at him, afraid to reach any conclusions, afraid of being hurt because she misunderstood. She wanted everything spelled out. “That’s why you haven’t been around? To get over me?”
He leaned a hip against the doorjamb. “That, and because I figured having me around was messing up your mind. You didn’t know whether you trusted me or not, whether to go through with the case or not.”
So he had seen through her. “You acted as if you didn’t want me to,” she reminded him.
“Only because I didn’t want to see you battered on the stand by one of the station’s lawyers. I didn’t want your name dragged through dirt, or to see you painted as some sort of a neurotic woman trying to cut a bit of fame for yourself. Lawyers are very good at twisting things.”
“Yes,” she said quietly, thinking of her father, “I know.”
“But in the end, I knew you had to do what you felt was right. I couldn’t stand in your way, especially not with all those doubts between us. So I thought the best thing I could do for you was to leave you alone.”
You thought wrong. Amanda crossed her arms before her. “I see. And now?”
“And now it’s all resolved and I don’t want to leave you alone anymore.” He shoved his hands into his front pockets, fighting the need to touch her. The look in her eyes was still veiled. He didn’t know whether she believed him or not. In her shoes, he wasn’t certain if he would, either. He knew what his reputation was. In part it was exaggerated, but in part, it was justified.
All he could tell her was the truth and hope it was enough.
“This is hard for me, Mandy, really hard.”
Amanda couldn’t offer him a word of encouragement. He had to do this on his own if it was to be worth anything. If she was to believe him the way she wanted to.
Pierce blew out a breath. “I’ve always wanted to be free. Free of Georgia, free of my past. Free to face anything alone. Every woman in my life always took from me. They drained me. Of my birthright, of my childhood, of any illusion I might have had.”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, he trailed his fingertips along her cheek. He saw the pulse in her throat jump and quicken, just as it always had before. Maybe it was going to be all right after all.
“The only thing you took from me was my sanity, my peace of mind.” His mouth curved in a smile. “Everything else, you gave. I’ve never met anyone like you, Amanda—outside of that little nun in the Ukraine.” He laughed shortly. “And she was already spoken for.”
So where did that leave them, now that she’d taken away his job? Amanda allowed herself to lean into his hand, to absorb the feel of his flesh. Emotions she had blocked off tore free.
“I’m sorry about the way things turned out. Sorry about taking your job from you,” she said.
He shook his head. He moved his hand to cup the back of her neck. God, but he’d missed her—missed the contact, the sight of her smile. Missed everything about her. “You’re not taking my job.”
She didn’t understand. “But—“
He thought she knew. “You’re taking Ryan’s job.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Ryan’s fired?”
He laughed softly. She was concerned about the peacock. The scope of her heart amazed him. “Ryan’s leaving. He had a call from New York. The station there wants him. He couldn’t pack his hair sprays and his mousse fast enough.”
Pierce drew Amanda to him and saw, with relief, that there was no resistance. Her body curved comfortably into his.
“You’re going to be taking his place, not mine.”
Suddenly, the sun seemed to come out inside her windowless dressing room to fill up every available corner of her soul. Amanda smiled up at him. “So we’re going to be co-anchors.”
“Looks that way.”
Amanda slipped her arms around his waist. “And what else?”
His hands framed her face. He had finally come home. After all these years of wandering aimlessly, he’d come home. Why had it taken him so long to realize that? “Anything you want.”
Amanda cocked her head, wondering how far he was willing to take this. “And if I want a wedding ring?”
For just one moment, he tried to keep a straight face. “Jewelry stores are full of them. What kind would you like?”
She would have accepted a string around her finger if that was what it took. “The kind that attaches me to you and vice versa.” It had to be a two-way street, or not at all. She needed it all spelled out. Now, not somewhere down the road.
Pierce lowered his head to hers, his lips close enough to brush against hers when he spoke. “You don’t need a ring for that. You’ve already got me.”
Her eagerness broke her patience in half. “Say it, damn it, say it.”
He laughed, and then grew serious. “I love you, Amanda. That’s got to be the most frightening word to say in the English language, because it carries such a responsibility with it. So much weight.”
He looked into her eyes and knew that it was going to be all right. It gave him the courage to continue.
“I didn’t even say that to my ex-wife. I’ve never said that before to anyone at all, ever.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she could feel the emotion radiating from him.
“I love you, Amanda, and I want you to marry me.” He shook his head, unable to believe that this was happening. Yet there was nothing he wanted more, except to have her say yes. “I must be crazy to do this, but I know I’d be even crazier not to, crazier without you. These last two weeks have been pure hell. I don’t want to be in hell any longer, Mandy. I’ve served my time there. I want a piece of heaven.”
Amanda said nothing. Instead, she eased out of his arms. For a moment, he thought he’d been mistaken, that she was going to turn him down after all. It was the darkest moment he’d ever experienced.
And then she turned and slowly locked the door. There was a smile on her face when she looked at him, a smile that reached her eyes.
She came to him and slid her arms around him. “One slice of heaven, coming up.”
Marie Ferrarella
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The Women's Contemporary Originals from Marie Ferrarella--Read them all!
SAPPHIRE AND SHADOW
"A look at the grit beneath the glitz and one woman's triumph over both"--Nora Roberts
SAPPHIRE AND SHADOW is a vivid and compelling story of heart break and betrayal, of facing the death of dreams you've built your life on, of picking up the pieces and learning to live again. Johanna Whitney somehow draws f
rom deep inside to find the strength to triumph in the end.
CHOICES
Shanna Brady has spent her whole life living in the shadow of her family, from her mother the socialite to her father the senator to her husband the aspiring politician. When she finds her husband in bed with his secretary, she vows to stand on her own. But a brilliant speech writer desperately wants to stand beside her. .
FLASH AND FIRE
She's smart, she's tough, she's beautiful. But can she type?
Never mind. Amanda knows what she's doing and she doesn't need the incredibly annoying Pierce Alexander, who thinks he's the world's gift to women, trying out his latest seduction techniques at every turn. But there he is, getting under her skin, being adorable with her baby, befriending her nanny, and ambushing her at the supermarket. She gives in--just a little--only to find him taking over her job when her main antagonist at the television station where she's an anchor sets her up for dismissal. Can she fight them all on her own?
Just watch her!
Marie's Originals
USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author Marie Ferrarella is releasing her three hard-to-find women's contemporary novels written in the tradition of Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber. Finally available again, these heart-tugging stories explore the tangled emotional lives of three women. Buy them now.
Flash and Fire Page 31
