His eyes widened, then he closed the bedroom door behind him and came across to the bed. “What are you talking about?”
“I can’t stay there any longer, Zach.” She fought hard to hold back the tears her words brought
“Why not?”
Anger rose in her. “You think I can pretend that we have a real marriage? That it’s going to last? I signed that piece of paper. I’m moving out next May. I can’t—”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, a long, deep kiss. a kiss that brought back the lovemaking they’d shared. She wasn’t sure she was breathing when he took his mouth away.
“You’re not leaving, Susan Lowery. Not now and not next May. Not ever. I’ll burn that piece of paper. I’ll eat it myself if I have to. But I’m not letting you leave.” His frown was ferocious as he stared at her.
“Why?” Her quiet question seemed to take him by surprise, but she had to know the answer before her heart burst from hope.
“Because I love you,” he whispered. “I never thought I’d love a woman, but you stormed into my life with your sweetness, your concern, your determination to keep your distance.” He kissed her again. When he raised his head this time, he said, “I can’t let you go, honey. I found you at the Lucky Charm Diner and you’re my personal four-leaf clover. With you, I’ve found happiness.”
“Oh, Zach, I love you, too,” she cried. “But I thought you were planning to end the marriage. That it was just for Gramp.”
He curled his body around her, touching her from her head to her toes. “It was just for Gramp...in the beginning. But I couldn’t resist you, honey.”
Her arms circled his neck. “Zach, it’s been so hard.”
“Tell me about it,” he said before he gave her another soul-shattering kiss.
“I suppose we should go tell everyone we’re married,” Susan said dreamily, her lips traveling over his face.
“Mmm, later,” Zach suggested.
She didn’t argue.
Epilogue
Susan lay against the pillows, listening as Zach talked to the bellboy in the living room. She hoped he’d hurry. She was starving.
The door swung open. “Dinner is served, my lady,” Zach said with a grin. “You know, I think the staff gets as much pleasure out of our anniversary as we do.”
“I doubt that” she said dreamily. This was their second wedding anniversary, and like last year, they’d come back to the Plaza to celebrate.
He rolled the table near the bed, filled a plate for Susan and handed it to her after she piled pillows behind her.
“Comfy?”
“I’ll be more comfy if you come back to bed.”
He brought his own plate with him as he stretched out beside her. Then he set it down to rub her protruding stomach. “How’s Junior doing?”
“I think he’s dancing a jig. It’s my Irish blood”
“I hope he doesn’t have your Irish temper,” Zach teased.
She smiled. He might need an Irish temper to hold his own in their ever-expanding family. Kate had had a little girl in April. Both Susan and Maggie were due in November. Josh said they were having a race, but Susan didn’t care which one delivered first.
“I think Junior is practicing his calf-roping.”
Susan groaned and shifted a little closer to her husband. “I know he is if Paul has anything to do with it. The boy sleeps with that rope you gave him.”
“He’s getting pretty good, too. Gamp says he’s better than me at that age. He’s already planning a rodeo career for Paul.”
“We’ll discuss that latter,” Susan said. “But I’m taking the rope away from him if he uses it on Josie anymore.”
Zach leaned over and kissed her. “Don’t worry. I had a talk with him and Manuel about how a cowboy treats women.”
“They might as well learn from an expert,” she said softly, snuggling against her husband.
“Well, thank you very much, my tittle bride. But I think this cowboy needs more practice. I don’t want to forget how to please you.” He set his plate aside and took her into his arms.
And just as it had been the past two times they made love in this hotel, their dinner was forgotten.
Another tradition for the two of them.
ISBN : 978-1-4592-5936-2
A RING FOR CINDERELLA
Copyright © 1999 by Judy Christenberry
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual know or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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