Knowing he was right, and that she deserved to find happiness on her terms, she nodded. She’d wanted to be with him so badly, she’d let love cloud her judgment, even though she knew deep inside such a shallow relationship would never be enough for her. “I know,” she said in a very small voice. “I also love you. I don’t know how to reconcile the two.”
He came closer, carefully setting his mug down next to hers. “You don’t have to. I want to be all that for you, if you’ll let me.”
Disbelieving, she couldn’t speak as he dropped to one knee in front of her, gazing up at her with love plain on his face. “I don’t have a ring—we can pick that out together—but Maria Miranda, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
His wife? Since they’d decided on honesty, she could be nothing but. “Ryan, if you’re serious, what about your prenup? Didn’t you once tell me you could never get involved without that?”
Shaking his head, he kissed the back of her hand. “My darling dragon-lady, being with you has taught me there are a lot more important things than possessions. Even if I were to lose half of everything I own—the houses, the cars, the jets, the yachts—none of that comes close to how much it would hurt if I lost you. I don’t think I could survive that kind of pain.”
His words mirrored the way she felt. Oh, how she wanted to believe. With every fiber of her soul. Yet one more issue—perhaps the most important of all—held her back. “What about children?” she asked softly. “You know I have to get pregnant. More than simply have to, I really want to have a baby. Honestly, I’d like more than one.”
Silence reigned while their gazes locked and held. The sound of her heartbeat mingled with the waves outside, so loud in her ears she wondered if he could hear it.
“Of course I want children. Plural. I’d be honored to help continue the Drakkor species.” His devastating grin, that confident sexiness, made her suck in her breath. “Not to mention how great it would be to have a little mini-you and mini-me running around. I can give them everything, Maria.” He spoke earnestly, clearly aware of how much this meant to her. “The best education, a lovely home, toys. They’ll want for nothing, our kids.”
Our kids. Her heart began to sing. “What about love, Ryan? I know you can give them material possessions, but love matters the most. That’s more important to me than anything else.”
“Love?” Pushing to his feet, he caught her around the waist and pulled her close. His beloved scent, spice and pine and masculinity mingled with the salty air, went straight to her head. He held her, chest to chest, near the wooden railing, while below the sea continue to roll onto the sand. “As much as I love you, how could you even think I’d love them any less? I’d love them equally,” he said. “I’d say maybe even more, but I don’t know how that would even be possible.”
Still, she hadn’t yet told him everything. “Before I give you your answer, there’s one more thing you need to know.” She took a deep breath and met his gaze. The tenderness in his eyes warmed her. “Love is what I needed all along. Female Drakkor can’t conceive at all if there isn’t love on both sides.”
He grinned, sexy and roguish and...hers. “Then I’ll have you pregnant within a week,” he promised swiftly. “Now, please. Put me out of my misery and accept my marriage proposal.”
Now she let go, allowing the joy to sweep through her, so much so that she felt she might burst if she didn’t change to dragon and take to the sky. Later, she would, but for right now she had to give her man his answer.
Wanting to tease him, she bowed her head and pretended to have to consider. Finally, with love and happiness still filling her, she raised her head and laughed. “Ryan, the answer is yes. It’s always been yes.”
He claimed her or she claimed him—later each would tell the other they’d been the one to initiate the kiss. It didn’t really matter, not right then, as their lips and hearts and bodies came together, and laughing, they stumbled back to bed.
It wasn’t until the smoke detectors began shrieking that she realized the quiche had burned.
* * *
The next morning, Maria and Ryan were lounging in bed when Ryan’s cell rang. “Colton Richards,” he told her, giving her a quick kiss on her delectable mouth. “I’ve got to answer this.”
Smiling drowsily, she gave a languid wave of her hand and closed her eyes.
He stepped outside onto the balcony. “What’s up, Colton? Have you caught whoever killed Polacek?”
“We have.” Colton sounded grim. “Turned out, he’s not Pack, after all. He’s a human who once dated Tracey Beauchamp. She broke up with him and he’d been stalking her. When he saw her leave with Polacek, back when she was captured, he assumed they were lovers. It’s a bit strange, but he was out for a stroll when he saw the two of them again on the beach after y’all got back. He says he didn’t think, just reacted. He killed Doug Polacek in a jealous rage. How’s that for irony?”
“Wow.” Stunned, Ryan shook his head. “I assume the Drakkor Council is going to handle this?”
“I think so, especially since we don’t have a body. The Drakkor vaporize when they die.”
“I know. I saw.” Ryan sighed. “At least it’s over. Thanks for letting me know.”
“No problem.” Colton hesitated. “So you and Maria are together again?”
“Yep. As a matter of fact, we’re going to get married.”
“Congratulations.” Colton didn’t sound surprised. “I’m glad the two of you came to your senses.”
“Keep it under your hat for now. I promise once we’ve nailed down specifics, you’ll receive an invite to the ceremony.”
“Thank you.” Colton cleared his throat. “Do you have any idea how Tracey’s doing? The Drakkor have closed ranks around her and I can’t get any info.”
“No, but I can find out. I’m sure she’s recovering. Maria’s been keeping in touch with her, I think. I’ll ask her.”
“Great. And would you mind doing me one little favor? Have Maria ask Tracey if she’d mind contacting me once she’s well. For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind.”
After a second of initial surprise, Ryan laughed. “Definitely, my friend. And best of luck with whatever happens between the two of you. Finding the right person really is a great and wondrous thing.”
They ended the call and Ryan went back to his own right person and proceeded to show her exactly how happy she made him. Later, when he told her about Colton’s interest in Tracey, Maria smiled and said she’d noticed the way Colton had looked at her.
The next several days were a whirlwind of activity. They drove to Houston, where Maria selected a stone and she and Ryan worked with a custom jeweler to create her ring. Ryan paid the man double to complete the work quickly. For himself, Ryan chose only a plain, platinum band.
They discussed the wedding. When and where. He wanted an elaborate ceremony, but she still shrank from the idea of paparazzi and incessant media coverage, and told him she preferred something quieter, with only their families and closest friends. Indulgent, he agreed to her request, though he suggested they have their wedding on a private island he owned in the Bahamas. Stunned, she only stared at him and shook her head.
“We could fly everyone in and that way there’d be no stolen photos, no drones or paparazzi hiding in the bushes or trees,” he told her. “If you want privacy, that’d be our best option.”
She promised to consider this idea, since all her family were Drakkor and could fly themselves. “But the truth is, ever since I opened my wedding chapel, I’ve dreamed of having my own wedding there, here in Galveston,” she confessed. “Maybe that’s silly, and I know it’s not as fancy as it could be on some remote Caribbean island, but that’s always been my dream. That’s really what I want.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Then that’s what you shall have.”
They chose a date three weeks in the future, after Maria checked her schedule and saw her wedding chapel had no
thing booked that day. She confided in Kathleen, who reacted by jumping up and giving her a big hug. “I just knew you two were meant to be together,” Kathleen said, after being sworn to secrecy. “Now let’s get together and plan you the best wedding ever.”
* * *
Three weeks passed in a blur. Even though she’d been staying with Ryan at his beach house, the night before they were to be married she planned to go home to sleep in her own home, telling him it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride right before the wedding.
Ryan hated that idea, but went along with it. Their wedding day was still far enough off, by four days, for him not to think about that just yet. There were other, more pressing worries. First and foremost was the weather.
All the forecasters were talking about the storm, a Category 4 hurricane that might or might not make landfall in Galveston. Already in the gulf, this storm had three projected trajectories. Galveston, Brownsville or somewhere in between. Everyone in Texas prayed for the area in between, a sparsely populated, rural area where the wind and water would do much less damage. While the island had not been formally evacuated, everyone remembered Hurricane Ike, which had leveled parts of Galveston in 2008. All roads heading north were already clogged. Quietly, he began to make alternate plans.
Meanwhile, the people of Galveston tried to prepare as best they could.
Those who owned businesses from the Strand to the Seawall began boarding up windows. Homeowners did the same, and plywood sold out in a matter of hours. Everyone everywhere on the island existed in a state of heightened anticipation, dreading that moment when they knew for certain the hurricane would be headed toward them.
Nervous as a sea crab far from water, Maria worried and fretted. She had numerous conversations with her father, the gist of which, Ryan gathered, was Javier trying to soothe her.
The day before the wedding dawned cloudy and windy. The sky and the sea both roiled ominously, and now a mandatory evacuation had been put in place. The hurricane would be hitting Galveston in roughly nine hours.
Chapter 19
Even with the ominous clouds and the angry wind, Ryan could feel the change in the barometric pressure. Both exhilarating and nerve-racking, this almost sixth sense lent an even stronger sense of urgency to their rushed preparations. Working alongside Maria and Kathleen, he nailed sheets of plywood over the windows of her wedding chapel. When they’d finished, Maria grabbed his hand and said a quick prayer that her building would be spared.
“Come on,” he told them. “We’re finished here. We’ve got to see what we can do to fortify your house, Maria. What about you, Kathleen?”
“I live in an apartment,” Kathleen answered. “I’ve already packed my most precious belongings.”
“I closed my hurricane shutters this morning,” Maria added. “That’s about all I can do to my house.” When she turned to face him, she wasn’t entirely successful at hiding the panic in her beautiful brown eyes. “But, though I hate to admit it, we need to start making phone calls and cancel the wedding.”
Pulling her close, he kissed the top of her head. “I’ve already had Timothy contact everyone.”
Her dejected nod had him cupping her chin with his hand, lifting her face to his. Though he’d worried he’d find tears, there were none. “But our wedding isn’t canceled.”
She gasped. “What?”
“I’ve arranged for a different location. Timothy went on ahead to get everything set up. We’re only postponing it one day.”
“One day? But that’s not long enough for people to change their travel arrangements.”
Shaking his head, he brushed a light kiss against her lips. “Your family has let me know they’ve taken care of their own.” Which meant they’d fly themselves as dragons. “As for everyone else, I’ve got them taken care of. Tickets are purchased and all travel is arranged.”
Maria nodded. But then, as the rest of what he’d told her sank in, she narrowed her eyes. “You say you’ve moved our wedding? To where?”
Though she’d find out soon enough, Ryan simply smiled. “It’s a surprise. Now grab your bag. Since Houston’s closed all the airports, I’ve hired a helicopter to pick us up at John Sealy Hospital. It’ll be here in an hour.”
Maria didn’t move. “But...”
“Come on. We’ll stop by your house on the way so you can grab your things. Since I forewarned Kathleen, she’s got her bag with her. Your friend Rhonda will also meet us there.”
“Good. I couldn’t very well have a wedding without my maid of honor. Still, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to what money can do,” Maria muttered, climbing into his Jeep. Then, gazing out the window at the ominous sky, she brightened. “If my Corvette gets flooded, will you buy me a new one?”
He grinned. “Of course. You can even have it painted turquoise if you like.”
Her answering laugh was music to his ears.
Maria grabbed her overnight bag and the plastic bag containing her wedding dress, which she took great pains to conceal from him, then they headed to the hospital. The chopper had already arrived and the pilot waited for them near the door going outside to the heliport.
“I’m glad you’re on time,” he said. “Your other passenger is already here. If we’d waited too much longer the first band of the storm would have made it too dangerous to fly.”
Once they stepped onto the luxurious helicopter, Rhonda jumped up from her seat and gave Maria a hug. “Isn’t this exciting?” she asked.
Maria glanced at Ryan, the corners of her sensual mouth lifting. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
The two women sat next to each other and began chatting. Ryan gathered Maria’s friend was thrilled to have a break from her husband and small child for a couple of days. They’d evacuated and were staying with his family in Fort Worth. Kathleen joined in the conversation, while Ryan merely watched and listened, content.
Despite the buffeting wind, they lifted off without any problems. Once aloft, the first band of the hurricane—monstrous clouds clawing at the roiling sky—could be clearly seen.
“This is going to be a bad one,” the pilot remarked. Maria winced, clearly thinking of her little wedding chapel, not to mention the other businesses on the Strand and near the seawall that had already endured hurricane damage and flooding in 2008. If she remembered right, several sections of beach houses had been obliterated.
“Where are we going?” Maria finally asked, earning conspiratorial grins from the other two women.
Brushing her unruly hair away from her face, Ryan kissed her cheek, loving the delicate way she shivered. “To Austin.”
“Is that where we’re getting married?”
“No.” He shook his head. “My jet is being fueled as we speak. We’re catching a flight out of Austin-Bergstrom to Sea-Tac in Seattle. I’ve got a sweet little place on Bainbridge Island. Since there’s a three-day waiting period, I took the liberty of obtaining the license when I first learned about the storm—that’s what I had you sign the other day when Kathleen notarized it.”
She tilted her head. “I wondered if there was something we’d missed when we got our Texas license. Smart man, to take such a precaution.”
Please by her compliment, he smiled. “Thanks. I know this isn’t where you wanted to have our wedding, but I promise you Timothy will do his best to make everything as beautiful as possible.”
“With only two days’ notice?” This came from Rhonda, watching the interaction between them with interest.
“Money can accomplish a lot,” Kathleen said, sounding satisfied. “Plus I’ve been consulting with Timothy to make sure everything is the way Maria would want it.”
Maria’s eyes widened as she looked from her friend to her receptionist and finally back to Ryan. “You know what,” she declared. “I think I’m just going to try to relax and enjoy everything. I have complete confidence that between Timothy and Kathleen, everything will be perfect.” As they continued northwest, she rested her head on his shoulder
.
Damn, he loved this woman. He kissed the top of her head, amazed that even now her hair smelled so sweet, like tangerines.
“Where are you two going to live?” Rhonda asked. “I know your company is in Austin, Ryan.”
Instead of answering, Ryan decided to see how Maria responded.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about that.” Maria replied. “I know we have to live in Austin so you can run your company, but I’d like for us to spend as much time in Galveston as possible.”
“You know, I’ve got a bunch of trusted employees who keep my company running. If they need me, I can always teleconference if we’re not in Austin.”
She brightened. “So we can live in Galveston? I don’t do well if I spend too long away from the sea.”
He laughed, aware his new bride had no idea yet of how many properties he owned. Houses they would soon own together. “I assure you that won’t be difficult, no matter where we stay. Most of my other properties are near various oceans, except my ranch in Jackson Hole. Besides the island I just bought in the Bahamas, and this waterfront place near Seattle, I recently bought a property off the Maine coast. We can travel anywhere you want to go.”
“What? Nothing in Europe?” she asked. Then she laughed, but he’d heard a note of consternation in her voice.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her as much as he could manage with the seat belts.
“I’m not sure I’ll fit in to your world,” she told him. “I’m just a regular person, not some fancy-schmancy rich socialite.”
Her words made him smile and kiss her neck. “I love you so much it hurts. Maria, you know me. I’m just a regular guy who happened to have worked my ass off to make my money. I don’t hang around phony people, believe me.”
Maria let out a huge sigh. She closed her eyes and, with him still holding her, promptly fell asleep.
* * *
The trip to Seattle passed in a blur. Maria felt a little sad to have to abandon her dream of getting married in her wedding chapel by the sea, but the fact that Ryan had arranged that they’d still be married near the ocean cheered her immensely.
Billionaire Wolf (The Pack 17) (Nocturne) Page 25
