“God, Bette -”
“It’s all right, Paul.” She’d known what he could give her, and she’d risked it anyhow. She’d lost her heart, but by losing it she’d also found it. This time she had to tell him that side of it, too. “I knew … I knew …”
“You knew what?”
“How it would be, but it doesn’t matter now -”
“How what would be? You’re driving me crazy with these elliptical comments, Bette. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but experience tells me I’d hate it like hell. We’ve got to talk. Really talk. That’s why I came down here. To talk to you, to tell you -” He broke off as if suddenly struck by the difficulty of expressing what he was about to say.
“To tell you … things,” he finished lamely. The emphasis he put on the last word indicated it had great meaning, but she couldn’t begin to fathom it.
“Things?”
“Aw, hell. I can’t tell you here. Not with this, and with you crying and thinking what you’re thinking. I know you, Bette, and you can’t tell me you’re not looking seven steps ahead and coming out on the totally wrong path.”
She felt slightly stunned by the spate of words, and more than a little confused. “Now who’s talking in elliptical comments?”
“I am. And it’s going to stop. Starting now, we’re going to take this one step at a time. And the first step is to tell you - No. Better yet to show you.”
“Show me?”
“Yeah. C’mon, I’m going to show you exactly what I have in mind for the first step.”
*
“PAUL, THIS IS the airport.”
“Boy, I sure am glad I didn’t get bus tickets then. We’d have been in a lot of trouble.”
He sounded odd, almost giddy and a little nervous. Not at all like himself.
“Paul. Just this once. Answer me straight. What are we doing here? What’s all this about a first step, and showing me?”
“I’ll tell you. But not until we’re inside.”
She couldn’t sway him from that as they turned in his rental car and made their way to the main entrance to the airport.
“Okay, we’re inside,” she reminded him. “Now tell me what this is all about.”
“See Gate B23?”
She scanned the monitors for B23. “Departing for Las Vegas,” she read.
“Right.”
“We’re going to Las Vegas?”
“That’s right. I bought a pair of tickets for this flight right after I landed here.”
“I don’t understand. You want to gamble?”
“I hope what I have in mind is more along the lines of a sure thing.”
The husky timbre of his voice sent a thrill down her backbone. “What is it you have in mind, Paul?”
“I have in mind getting married.”
“Married?” Her mouth formed the word, but she didn’t think she spoke it. No matter what tricks her respiratory system might be doing, her mind hesitated to accept what she’d heard. “Are you serious?”
“Absolutely. I’m also sure, positive, and certain. A little anxious, but also eager.”
Behind all the glib words, she saw a doubt in his eyes, and when he expressed it out loud she knew she’d cry, right here in the middle of Sky Harbor Airport.
“If you’ll have me. Will you marry me, Bette?”
Twice she tried to swallow the tears. But she couldn’t stop them, certainly not enough to get out any words. Instead, she placed her palm against the faintly bristled curve of Paul’s jaw and stretched to touch her lips against his, even as she continued to cry.
He took her face between his hands and kissed the tearstains on her cheeks, then returned to her mouth. Deep and hot and dark, he still somehow managed to make the kiss tender. And full of promises for the future. Oh, Lord, so full of promises.
They broke apart to gulp in air and smile giddily at each other.
“I don’t have any luggage.”
“That’s okay, I don’t have much myself, only a few things I’d left at my parents’ house. We’ll buy what we need.” The green flecks in his eyes heated, sharing the memory and the anticipation. “After all, we’re veteran shoppers for this sort of trip. But first, I have to know: Is that a yes?”
“Yes, that’s a yes.”
They stood, grinning at each other for a full minute before Paul grabbed her hand and headed for the departure gates. “That’s us,” he said as the boarding of the Las Vegas flight from Gate B23 was announced.
Bette’s head was in too much of a spin to notice much except the compact energy of the man next to her as they passed through security and continued toward the gate. Then, as abruptly as he had showed up at her parents’ front door, Paul stopped.
Two strides short of Gate B23, he pulled back suddenly on Bette’s hand. She felt the smile on her lips freeze as she looked at him. His gaze went from the gate back to her, and she knew what he was going to say before he said it.
“I can’t do this, Bette.”
She pulled in a breath of pure pain.
For an instant she thought she might collapse. But she didn’t. Numbness and pride held her up.
She felt only gratitude that her legs held steady as she pivoted and started back down the corridor. Later, she knew, the numbness would recede and the hurt would be nearly unbearable. But she would bear it.
And she would love Paul Monroe despite the pain.
“No! Bette, wait.” He caught her after two steps, none too gently pulling her around to face him. “You misunderstood!”
“What did I misunderstand, Paul? Your proposal? Did I take it too seriously? Was it a joke? Were you teasing, was that it?”
“God, no, I wasn’t teasing. And I wasn’t joking. Look at me, Bette. It’s a basic matter of believing. No time to make a list or keep to a schedule or create a seven-step master plan. You either believe me or you don’t. Right now.”
His demand allowed only instinct, no thought. “I believe you.”
Some of the tension went out of his hold on her, but none of the intensity. “Good. Because I meant every word I said. You’re in my life for good, whether you like it or not, and I want to be married to you, Bette Wharton. But not Las Vegas style. We can’t get married that way. It’s not the right way for us.”
“I … I don’t understand.”
“I’ve sworn to stop doing what my grandfather wouldn’t have wanted and start doing what I do want. Eloping to Vegas was reflex action. But it’s not what I want and - Hey!” His eyes lit up with something a shade hotter than laughter before his voice changed. “You were really willing to elope with me, weren’t you? No plans, no schedule, just hop on a plane and go get married.”
“Yes.”
The single word said more than all her explanations could have.
“What do you know about that?” His grin tilted. “That’s the nicest thing you could ever have done for me, Bette.”
He caught her closer.
“But I want the whole damn thing with you, Bette. I want to go back to your parents’ house and be introduced as their son-in-law to-be. I want to take you home to Lake Forest and watch my parents’ faces when we tell them the good news. I want to hear Judi squeal. I want to get congratulated by Grady and Michael. I want to go looking for the perfect house for us to buy - together. And I want to marry you in a church, with a minister and flowers and a veil and pictures and a cake and one hell of a reception. I want as many of our friends and relatives as we can cram in to be there when we make those promises about forever and ever.”
“You do?”
“I do.” She watched his eyes acquire a familiar glint, and she realized that her love for this man might never stop growing. “See, I even know my line already. ‘I do.’ “
She laughed. She couldn’t help it. It was one of the things she loved about Paul Monroe, this ability to make her laugh. Because, his joy in making her laugh, in drawing that out of her, was one aspect of his love for her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you for making my fantasy come true, Paul,” she whispered against his lips. “My whole fantasy.”
His arms tightened across her back, almost fiercely. But his voice was soft.
“Any time, Bette. Any time.”
Their mouths met with a tenderness that belied the desire trembling in their bodies. The desire that would be as much a part of their lives together as the tenderness. And the laughter.
Paul rested his forehead on hers, though he couldn’t resist dipping to take her top lip between his in a caress that evoked memories and promises between them. Then he loosened his arms enough to meet her eyes.
“You kiss me like that again, Bette Wharton, and you better be prepared to tell me you’ve had fantasies about airports.” Her chuckle was still a little frazzled, and his brows rose above suddenly hopeful eyes. “Have you?”
“No!” This time she laughed outright.
His disappointment sighed deep and long, and he pressed a quick, hungry kiss to her lips before settling his arms more comfortably around her waist.
“So, how long do you think it’ll take you to plan a wedding like that?”
“Oh, so I’m going to do the planning?”
He grinned. “I’m learning to enjoy thinking about the future, but would you really want me to plan a wedding? With schedules and deadlines and stuff?” He seemed to take her wrinkled-nose grimace as a no. “I bet you could get my mother to help. And I’ll consult. So, how long will it take you to plan a big wedding like that?”
“I don’t know. Nine months, a year maybe?”
“A year!”
“I really don’t know, Paul. I haven’t done it before, you know.”
“I tell you what, since you’re a rookie at this, I’ll give you eight months and a little time to spare - say the last weekend in August.”
“I feel a ‘but’ coming.”
His grin sent a deliciously hot shiver through her.
“But -” he drew out the word as he ran his hands up her arms and along her shoulders “- the honeymoon comes first.”
The pads of his thumbs reached lower, skimming the points of her collarbone, stirring her body to recognition of the sensations those thumbs could create if they strayed lower, and lower still. She felt a small shudder ripple through her, and saw from his eyes that he felt it, too, had wanted to feel it, had been trying to create it.
“We’ll turn in these tickets to Vegas and see how far that’ll get us toward the most exotic, most romantic, most sun-drenched, most secluded place we can get to with the least possible delay,” he said.
She went into his arms without hesitation. “Just like a kid, wanting dessert first.”
-The End—
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Bette and Paul request the pleasure of your company as they celebrate their wedding (and play matchmaker for Michael) in Wedding Party, Book Two of the Wedding Series.
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Dear Cupid by Julie Ortolon
Copyright © 2001, 2012 Julie Ortolon
Cover Credit: Julie Ortolon
Cover Photo: Yuri Arcurs
Kissing in the Dark by Wendy Lindstrom
Copyright © 2005 Wendy Lindstrom
Cover Design: Kimberly Killion
Cover Photo: Conrado
Lost in Temptation by Lauren Royal
Copyright © 2005, 2012 Lauren Royal
Cover Credit: Kimberly Killion
Kiss the Cook by Jacquie D’Alessandro
Copyright © 2012 Jacquie D’Alessandro
Cover Design: CJD Designs
Prelude to a Wedding by Patricia McLinn
Copyright © 1991 Patricia McLinn
Cover Design: Melissa Cannizzaro
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Meet the Summit Authors
The Summit Authors are eight of today’s most successful, innovative independent authors. All of our members have written for top New York publishers and achieved national and international recognition. Our bestselling, award-winning novels include contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance, women’s fiction, and mysteries. To keep up with all of our latest books and exciting new projects, visit www.summitauthors.com
Judith Arnold is a USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 90 novels, with more than 10 million copies of her books in print. Her writing has been called “enchantingly charming,” “quietly lyrical,” and, according to Publishers Weekly, “scrumptious.”
Wendy Lindstrom is a RITA Award-winning author of “beautifully poignant, wonderfully emotional” historical romances. Romantic Times has dubbed her “one of romance’s finest Americana writers,” and readers rave about her enthralling characters and the riveting emotional power of her work.
Julianne MacLean is a USA Today bestselling author praised by readers and reviewers alike for her “smart, thrilling, sizzling” writing. Her 15 historical romances have been published internationally by three major New York publishers.
Patricia McLinn is a USA Today bestselling author of 30 “powerful, compelling” contemporary romances cherished by readers worldwide for their memorable characters, sensuality and emotional intensity. There are more than 4 million copies of her books in print.
Julie Ortolon is a USA Today bestselling author who has earned raves from Publishers Weekly and Booklist for her sparkling romantic comedies filled with passion and heart. Her novels regularly appear at the top of the ebook bestseller lists.
Patricia Ryan is a RITA Award-winning author known for breaking boundaries with her “fresh, swift and sexy” page-turners that blend romance, history and suspense. Her 28 books have been published in more than 20 countries.
Kathryn Shay is a USA Today bestselling author and has more than 5 million copies in print of her 47 published novels. Her contemporary romances have been serialized in Cosmopolitan magazine and featured in The Wall Street Journal and People magazine.
Shelly Thacker is a RITA Award finalist and national bestseller who has earned lavish praise from Publishers Weekly, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Detroit Free Press and The Oakland Press for her “innovative, addictive, erotic” historical romances.
If you enjoyed these stories, check out these other great books featuring Good Guy heroes:
Chocolate Kisses by Judith Arnold
One Good Turn by Judith Arnold
Trust Me by Judith Arnold
Found: One Wife by Judith Arnold
Safe Harbor by Judith Arnold
Shades of Honor by Wendy Lindstrom
The Longing by Wendy Lindstrom
Lips that Touch Mine by Wendy Lindstrom
Sleigh of Hope by Wendy Lindstrom
The Grayson Brothers (boxed set) by Wendy Lindstrom
Almost a Bride by Patricia McLinn
A Stranger in the Family by Patricia McLinn
Principal of Love by Patricia McLinn
Lost and Found Groom by Patricia McLinn
The Games by Patricia McLinn
Falling for You by Julie Ortolon
Lead Me On by Julie Ortolon
Don’t Tempt Me by Julie Ortolon
The Perfect Trilogy by Julie Ortolon
At Last by Julie Ortolon
Heaven’s Fire by Patricia Ryan
Meant to Be by Kathryn Shay
Someone Like You by Kathryn Shay
After the Fire by Kathryn Shay
Michael’s Family by Kathryn Shay
Taking the Heat by Kathryn Shay
After Sundown by Shelly Thacker
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Good Guy Heroes Boxed Set Page 140
