“That being said… take care of her or you’ll answer to me.”
Beside him Phoebe laughed softly. “Not to worry, Edward, James is a model husband. Perhaps one day he can give you some advice on the subject.”
They all chuckled and after a few more pleasantries went their separate ways for the night. Hand in hand, James and Phoebe descended the bluff and ambled along the beach toward the Witherspoon home.
“What a beautiful night,” Phoebe murmured, drawing to a halt and facing the ocean. “I wish we could stay here forever.”
James couldn’t agree more with the sentiment and stepped behind her to slip his arms around her middle. He caressed the swell of her belly with his palms, and dropped his face into the sweet smelling expanse of her hair. “We should find a place for your horse farm by the seaside.”
Phoebe slid her palms over top of his hands, and rested the back of her head against his chest. “Do you mean it, James? Have you thought more about my idea?”
“I have. I can picture us living in a quiet seaside village, raising a brood of children and horses. Now is the perfect time for me to retire,” he went on. “The war is over, and I’m on extended leave because of my injuries. I’ll start the process to resign my commission tomorrow.”
“I can see it now,” she murmured. “You can spend your days riding and training your horses, and I’ll have a little studio to paint in. I want to build a real home for our children.” She turned in his embrace, and curled her arms around his neck. Her beautiful eyes locked with his and James knew that he could spend the rest of his life in this one moment... bathed in her eyes. “I love you,” she whispered.
Those soft words spiraled straight to his heart, and he took her mouth in deep kiss that told her without words how much he loved her in return. As horrifying as the events of the day had been, the last of the barriers between them had been knocked down once and for all. Love now lived where mistrust and anger had ruled. So much had been forgiven and now their future was bright.
“You know,” James murmured after the kiss ended, “this is where we met.”
Phoebe shivered. “It is also the place where you saved my life earlier today.”
Gently he took her face in his hands. “No, Siren, this is the place where you saved my life.”
Confusion twinkled in her eyes. “Saved your life?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand…”
“My life changed the moment I laid eyes on you all those months ago.” He pressed another quick kiss to her lips. “Before you my future lay at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. I had no plans for my life beyond dying on the battlefield. When I first saw you gliding down the beachfront I thought you might be an angel, and that first day when I chased you across the sand I had no idea how right my initial impression was. At the time I was drawn to your siren’s beauty, but sirens lure men to their doom where angels are their salvation. It was my good fortune that you are as good as you are beautiful, and that you were willing to take a chance on a lost soul like me.”
Phoebe gazed up at him with tears sparkling in her eyes. “Oh, James… I-I don’t even know what to say.” She beamed up at him, emotion shining from her. “Perhaps that is what we should name our baby… Chance.”
“Chance.” James mulled the name. “I suppose it is rather fitting, but haven’t I warned you about giving our children unusual names?”
A mischievous grin tugged at her lips. “I suppose that’s a chance you’ll have to take.”
END
Books by Melissa Lynne Blue
Forget Me Not
Light to Valhalla
Bewitched
Love Lies Traitors and Spies
Journey of the Heart Anthology featuring Winter’s Rose
Langston Brothers Series:
Edge of Time
Cadence
11th Hour Rose
Fool’s Gold
The Soldier’s Christmas: A Langston Brothers Novella
The Christmas Ghost: An 11th Hour Rose Novella
Also by Melissa Blue from Entangled Publishing
Confessions of Love
Siren Page 20
