by Lucy Clark
Alex was here! He was here! Her heart sang with elation as she glanced at him. He was wearing a pair of denim jeans and tatty old running shoes. An open-necked shirt and a sports jacket almost testified to him having left home in somewhat of a hurry.
‘Here,’ Jed said as he all but dumped Jordanne onto Alex. ‘I think she belongs to you.’
Alex had no option but to hold Jordanne in his arms and at the simple touch of his body against hers Jordanne stiffened, the signals finally getting through to her knees. She stood and glared at him for another moment.
She was aware that a few people around them had started watching, taking in Alex’s appearance with amused smiles. As all the other males in the room were dressed in tuxedos, he did look a little out of place.
‘You look…breathtaking,’ he whispered, his gaze travelling the length of her long white satin gown. It had diamanté straps and a long split in the skirt that went from her ankle almost to the top of her thigh. Her hair was loose, its dark, rich colour beautifully complementing the dress.
He didn’t look so bad either. In fact, Jordanne had never thought him more handsome than he was at this particular point in time.
‘So you decided to come after all,’ she said, amazed at how calm her voice sounded because she felt far from calm.
‘Jordanne, we need to talk.’
‘Huh. The last time you said that, you broke my heart.’ Anger prevailed. Jordanne spun on her heel and started walking from the dancing area. Alex reached for her hand. ‘Wait, Jordanne,’ he said, but she snatched her hand free. ‘Jordanne?’
She knew she was being stubborn but she didn’t want to talk. Not again. She wanted action.
‘Will you just stop!’ he yelled impatiently, and everyone around them did as he suggested. Even the band stopped playing. The entire room was plunged into silence and Jordanne looked slightly startled.
Alex, however, seemed oblivious to everyone in the room except her. ‘Jordanne,’ he said with a hint of warning in his tone. ‘We need to talk.’
‘Why?’ she answered carefully, her gaze captured by his.
‘Because I’ve made a mistake.’
Her heart breathed a small sigh of relief but she remained outwardly unmoved. ‘Yes.’
‘I’m going insane without you. I need you, Jordanne.’
‘Why?’ she whispered, tears blurring her eyes, her breath caught in her throat. It seemed as though the rest of the room held their breath as well, waiting for Alex to say the words that Jordanne so desperately needed to hear. ‘Why, Alex?’ she urged when he was silent for a long moment.
‘Because I love you and I need you beside me for the rest of my life.’
Jordanne closed her eyes, unable to keep the tears from spilling over. The next thing she felt was Alex’s hands cradling her face before his lips were pressed against her own. ‘I love you,’ he said again between kisses.
Jordanne opened her eyes and looked up at him through her tears. Tenderly he kissed them away. ‘I love you, Jordanne.’
The room was still in a stunned silence as Alex took Jordanne’s hand in his and got down on bended knee. ‘My life is meaningless without you, Jordanne. Please, come and fill it with the sunshine that radiates from deep within you. Marry me?’
Jordanne brushed the tears away from her face, not caring about ruining her make-up. Her head felt light and was spinning with complete happiness. Alex had come. Alex did love her. Alex wanted to marry her. The fact that he was here, on bended knee—surely that meant he was willing to have tests, to pursue the dream of a family with her?
She glanced down at him and felt the room begin to lurch and spin. She looked up quickly at the smiling faces all around her—her parents, who were holding hands, her siblings and her friends.
The room spun again and as Jordanne looked down at Alex the tension and emotional roller-coaster she’d been riding for the past seven days appeared to catch up with her. She closed her eyes and raised her hand to her temple before she pitched forwards, her mind going blank. The last thing she recalled was Alex’s strong arms around her.
‘She’ll be fine,’ she heard her mother’s voice saying as someone applied a cool cloth to her forehead.
‘I never faint,’ she mumbled, and received a rich laugh in reply.
‘Well, honey, you just did.’
Jordanne opened her eyes in a dimly lit room—her parents’ bedroom. It made sense. All the other bedrooms were upstairs.
‘I’ll leave you two alone,’ Jane McElroy said and made a discreet exit.
‘How are you feeling?’ Alex asked with concern.
‘Tired,’ Jordanne answered with a small smile. ‘You’re here,’ she said, reaching out to touch his cheek.
‘Yes. I’m here.’
‘I didn’t think you were coming.’
‘Neither did I, hence the way I’m dressed. Yesterday when Jed said you were miserable, the knowledge started gnawing at me because I knew I’d been the one to make you miserable. I wasn’t planning on attending, but as I prowled around my house for the umpteenth time all I could think about was you. The way you made us coffee, helped me with the dishes, showered in my bathroom and slept in my bed.’ His gaze darkened as he said the last and Jordanne shivered with excitement.
‘Everywhere I looked there were reminders of you and I couldn’t stand it any more. I realised that children or no children—I need you. I called the airport, managed to get the last seat on a flight to Sydney and then it took almost longer than the flight to get from the airport to your house. I think the taxi driver thought I was a lunatic until I told him I was on my way to propose to the most beautiful woman in the world.
‘When I arrived at your parents’ door, I realised I probably should have changed my clothes before I came, but I just wasn’t thinking straight.’
Jordanne was happy that he was here but they still had issues to resolve. ‘What about children, Alex? What are we going to do?’
‘We’ll go through the tests. You were right about medical technology. The chances of childless couples conceiving are now quite high. I want to take that chance, Jordanne, and I want to take it with you.’
‘And if we can’t have children?’
‘It doesn’t matter, Jordanne. I need you. I’ve changed a lot since I was twenty-five, and although the ache of not being able to have a family is for ever present in my life, not being able to have you by my side for the rest of my life isn’t worth even contemplating. How about you? How would you feel if we can’t conceive?’
‘I honestly don’t know, Alex, but I do know one thing. With you by my side, I feel as though I can conquer anything. We draw strength from each other, we give to each other and the past week of thinking about a life without you has almost destroyed me.’
‘I know,’ he said. ‘And I’m sorry.’
‘Shh,’ she said, and placed a finger over his lips. ‘Kiss me, Alex.’
‘With pleasure,’ he replied, and bent over the bed to press his lips to hers. ‘I love you, Jordanne. Without you, I’m only half a person. Make me whole. Make us whole. Marry me.’
‘Yes,’ she whispered as she levered herself up and straightened the straps on her dress. Alex plunged his fingers into her hair before burying his face in her neck. ‘Yes, my love.’
‘I don’t think I’ll ever get over how incredible you feel or smell or taste.’ His breath fanned her neck. Jordanne giggled, feeling goose-bumps encompass her body in a tidal wave.
‘This is how it will always be,’ she prophesied. ‘We’ll always be in love.’
‘That we will.’ Alex helped her to her feet. ‘Are you sure you’re feeling all right?’
‘I’m fine.’ Jordanne smoothed the white satin down over her midriff.
‘You’re incredibly sexy,’ Alex growled before he claimed her lips once more. ‘Even more so in that dress. After we’re married, I can see we’re going to have trouble going out to dinner.’
‘Why?’
�
�If you continue to wear these seductive outfits, we’re never going to be leaving the bedroom.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ she whispered, and pressed her lips against his. ‘You are so perfect for me, Alexander Page.’
‘And you for me, Jordanne McElroy.’
‘I think we have some explaining to do,’ she said, gesturing to the door and the party beyond.
Alex tightened his hold on her and kissed her neck once more. ‘I think…’ he kissed his way up towards her mouth ‘…that they can wait…’ his lips said against her, ‘for a bit longer.’
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5674-6
THE SURGEON’S SECRET
First North American Publication 2001
Copyright © 2001 by Lucy Clark
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