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“Yes. You were engaged to another man, and I kept hoping that something would go wrong.” Lifting her hand, he kissed the knuckles.
She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “but even after Greg died and you were still coming around…”
“You made it plain that you were not on the market for a relationship, and I could see you were grieving. I did not want to stand in his shadow.”
“Leo.” She felt as if her heart was breaking, and the tears started again.
“Baby, no.” Using the pad of his thumbs, he wiped at the tears. “That’s supposed to be good news.” He added teasingly.
“I can’t.” Moving forward, she buried her face in the warmth of his throat and clung.
“Sweetheart…”
She shook her head, fingers digging into his chest. “I wasted so much time falling for the wrong guy and all the time…,” she lifted her head, her cheeks wet with tears, eyes dripping. “I can tell you it’s hormones, but it’s not only that.” Taking his hand, she laced her fingers through his. “How could you love me all this time and never say anything?”
She could not comprehend it and thinking of how he had stayed faithfully in love with her when she had never given him the slightest bit of encouragement, made her want to curl into him and never let go.
“It seems that when I fall in love, it’s for keeps.” He told her wryly.
“Leo.”
“Baby?”
“I want to be your wife and have children. Maybe three or four. And I want to marry you. I want a proper wedding with all the bells and whistles, even if that means telling my aunt that the first wedding was a sham.
I want the world to know that you belong to me. I am going to flout tradition and make my own wedding cake, one that is going to be spectacular, and I want to go away with you, just the two ofus to some isolated location where I can make up for the time I lost.”
“Sweetheart, words failed him, and he felt as if he was melting inside. His hands cupped her face. “I have not asked you how you are feeling. I left you alone and never called to find out.” One hand drifted to her flat stomach. “How are you darling?”
She told him about the visit to the doctor and shook her head as a frown touched his brow.
“You were understandably mad at me. From now on, we will go to my appointments together.” She eased away the frown lines gently. “I thought the pastry shop was all I wanted, the most important thing to me.
Especially after I found out about Greg. I closed myself off from everything else and focused fiercely on that one aspect. Even when I got close to you, when we made love, I refused to see what was right in front of me.” Her finger traced his strong jawline.
“None of it matters anymore, except you and the baby I am carrying. I love you Leo. I think that I started to fall in love with you when we went to Paris.” She smiled whimsically. “Maybe it was the magic of the city, or it was you, but I love you so much, that I spent the last week pining for you.”
He kissed her gently, exploring her mouth with a tenderness that stole her breath. And then he gathered her against him, wrapping his arms around her possessively. Words failed him again.
He had come home thinking he was going to have to tell her goodbye and here he was, with her in his arms and a declaration of love he had been longing for in what seems like forever. She was his, finally. She belonged to him. His heart had always been hers, but now it was no longer one-sided.
“How about Christmas Day?” His deep voice rumbled against her cheek.
“I think it’s perfect.” She told him dreamily.
“Great.” He shifted so that he could look into her eyes. “Now, if you are not too exhausted, I would like to make up for lost time.”
“I was going to insist on it.”
*****
Michael took in the sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her lips.
“I take it that everything is now coming up roses?”
She nodded. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just on my way to a meeting with my agent and decided to drop by and see how you were getting on.” He followed behind her as she zipped from stove to counter, preparing something that was making the saliva pool inside his mouth.