Other People's Business
Page 26
L.J. dragged a hand over his face. He gave some more thought to what Autumn had just said. Maybe she was right. They were still in the everything-is-wonderful phase of their relationship and although they had overcome some trying times, they had a lot of growing to do as a couple. Their love was real, their commitment to each other rock-solid, but they hadn’t been dating long. The corners of his mouth turned up slowly. There was nothing sexier than a woman with the confidence to tell him what he didn’t want to hear. “You win, Autumn. We’ll do things your way.”
“Don’t sound like that,” she said, returning to her rightful place in his arms. “You’re making me feel guilty. Is it so bad that I want to know everything there is to know about you?”
“I guess not,” he mumbled.
When his mood remained grim, she kissed him softly on the lips. When they separated a few seconds later, she smiled mischievously at him. “L.J., if you still want to marry me in six months time, I’m all yours. Now, how does that sound for a deal, Mr. Mechanic?”
L.J. chuckled. “It sounds absolutely wonderful, Ms. Reckless Driver.”
The banging in the kitchen stopped. Autumn and L.J. laughed together. He swept a strand of hair off her face, an adoring gaze fixed on her. Autumn was willing to accept him flaws and all, and for now, that was enough. One day soon she would be his wife and the next time he popped the question, he would do it right. He would spare no expense showing her just how much he loved her.
Autumn knew her parents were listening in and watching from the kitchen, but she went ahead and kissed the man she loved with passion and warmth. She kissed him with everything she had. And when L.J. folded his arms around her and slipped his tongue inside her mouth, it was like coming home. “You’re an incredible woman,” he praised once they broke off the kiss. “It feels good having you back in my arms. I missed holding you like this.”
She had missed it, too. There was nothing better than being in his arms. Autumn put her head on his chest. As she inhaled his scent, a smile broke out over her face. He smelled even better than she remembered. “I love you.”
L.J. couldn’t withstand teasing her. “I love you, too,” he said, “even though you shot down my proposal and broke my heart.”
Autumn hit him playfully in the arm. Her face lit up like a million stars at the sound of his childlike laugh. She returned her head to his chest. “Don’t think of it that way. Waiting will give us more time to date, get to know each other’s families and decide where we’re going to live because something tells me that’s going to end up being a major issue.”
L.J. could stay in this spot for the rest of the night, holding the woman he loved, discussing their indubitably bright future. He pressed tender kisses on her cheeks, over her button nose and on her forehead. “What’s there to decide? Mark my words, baby, after spending a couple weeks with me in Hotlanta, you’ll be just itching to move!”
“We’ll see,” she said lightly.
But when he kissed her a half second later, her mind was made up. Wherever he was, was where she wanted to be. He could pick up and move halfway around the world, and she would be hot on his heels. Her love for him ran deep. She felt safe in his arms and the security of his love, and could only imagine how wonderful their lives would be once they became husband and wife.
If they decided to live in the South, Autumn would have no fears about leaving Washington behind. Moving to Atlanta was a small sacrifice for having the friendship, respect and unconditional love of her soul mate. She could find an accounting job anywhere and with her parents semiretired and Isaac settled comfortably into family life, she had the freedom to do as she pleased.
Her eyes welled with tears of happiness. They were going to make it. She was going to spend the rest of her life with L.J., living with him and loving him. This was more than she could have ever imagined, but the love they shared was predestined. For fate, which had brought them together in the most unusual of circumstances, wouldn’t have it any other way. And neither would her mother.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0061-0
OTHER PEOPLE’S BUSINESS
Copyright © 2007 by Pamela Sadadi
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