He eased Candy out of his arms and rose to his feet. Crossing to the cabinet, he stuffed a hand in his pocket, glad he’d given in to the impulsive urge to bring the angel Candy had made so long ago with him. In case he seriously needed to grovel. In case she clung to doubts about the place she’d always held in his heart.
He opened the cabinet and gently plucked out the angel he’d given Marie. “I miss her, you know,” he murmured.
“No. I don’t know.” Though her voice lacked censure, her honesty stung.
Mitch pulled in a deep breath. “My father never told me about her death, you know. I hate that I never got to say goodbye. I hate that I wasn’t there for her…for you.”
He turned to find her watching him. A flicker of pain passed over her face before she attempted a smile. It trembled at the corners of her mouth. “I survived… I understand—”
With a shake of his head, he turned to stand in front of her and fished the angel out of his pocket. Keeping his fingers closed around it, he levered himself to both knees in front of her. “No, it’s not okay. Hold out your hand.”
Puzzlement creased her brow, but she extended her hand palm up, fingers open.
“I brought this with me in case you made me beg. If you’d spent just a little more time in my office, you’d have seen it sitting right next to the fax machine. There to remind me of you, what you gave to me, the peace you brought.” He uncurled his fingers and gently pressed the angel into her palm. “It’s always been you, Candy. Will you add this to the collection? Can we make it ours?”
A soft gasp escaped her lips as he pulled his hand away and revealed the childhood trinket. Her eyes lifted to his, tears giving them a bright sheen. Mitch’s heart rolled over, the enormity of feeling swelling behind his ribs making it difficult to speak. God, if he didn’t watch himself, he’d end up in tears too.
He blinked anyway, just to make sure. A chuckle slipped free. “I don’t have anything with me to do this the right way. I figured I’d be lucky if you heard me out.” He laid his palm over hers, trapping the memento between them. “You’re my angel, and I want to build a life with you. Say yes, Candy?” Holding onto her gaze, he willed her to understand the pain, the regret…all the fulfillment she alone could give him.
As tears trickled down her cheeks, Candy nodded, and the vise around Mitch’s lungs let go. He hauled her onto the floor in front of him, wrapping her tight in his embrace, barely making out her whispered, “yes” before claiming her in a hungry kiss.
He’d missed her. Ached for her. Now that she was in his arms, the past no longer a mountain between them, he was certain in a thousand lifetimes he’d never get enough of her sweet flavor. Not even forever could satisfy his need.
Chapter Thirty – Georgia on My Mind
by Jannine Gallant
A mirrored silver ball lowered to the countdown on the TV in the corner of the room. Five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year!
Mitch deepened the kiss, and Candy clung to him, breathless. Finally he released her, and she gasped for air. Longing for this man sizzled through her.
“We could have gone out. Could have joined the masses in Times Square,” he said, pointing at the TV. “It is our first official holiday together.”
She leaned against him and let out a sigh. “I’m pretty happy right where I am. I don’t need pizzazz and hoopla, Mitch. Some of the happiest moments of my life were spent in a cabin tucked away in the woods.”
Stroking the hair back from her brow, his hand paused. “Uh, about that cabin…” He cleared his throat. “I realize your life is here in Manhattan.”
Candy scooted around to face him and took both his hands in hers. “Yes, it is. My company is important to me. But it doesn’t have to be my whole life.” She pressed their twined fingers against her breast. “There’s room in here for more.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
A smile curved her lips. “Did you think I was going to make you give up everything for me?"
“Now that you mention it…”
She punched his arm. “Funny man. Feeling pretty cocky since I’ve said yes?”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Just relieved.” He rolled his eyes. “You have no idea how relieved.”
“Oh, I think I do. I was so certain I’d blown it for good with you. I let hurt get in the way of our happiness.”
“I was a bigger idiot not to trust you.” He grinned. “Just ask Jeb. He’ll tell you.”
“Jeb is a wise man. He knew all along we’d work it out.” She grinned. “I’m actually looking forward to hearing I told you so and getting a big, sloppy dog kiss from Major.”
“Until then…”
He bent his head and kissed her, his mouth claiming hers, stoking the fire inside her. When they broke apart, she let out a shuddering breath.
He pressed his forehead against hers. “It’s after midnight. Time for bed?”
She nodded. “It’s a new year. What better way to start it.”
“I can’t think of one.” Mitch lifted her into his arms and settled her across his lap, his hand sliding beneath her shirt. “A time for fresh beginnings.”
She quivered as his fingers trailed across her ribcage and traced the underside of her breast. “New Year’s resolutions?”
“I have two. The first is to make you happy. Always. The second is to stop hiding from my past. I need to build a life for myself here with you.”
Candy looked into his beautiful blue eyes and saw the glint of determination in them. “At Crawford Industries?”
He shook his head. “I want to go forward, not back.”
“The Wright Way is always looking for new talent.” She smiled. “I can vouch for your creativity.”
He ran his finger along her jaw. “I do want to get involved with your work, but I was thinking more along the lines of your charitable causes.”
Warmth flowed through her. “Really?”
“Yeah. I’d like to give something back. I think it’s about time.”
She framed his face in her hands. “I do love you.”
He rose to his feet with her in his arms, his eyes alight with teasing. “I’m going to let you show me how much.”
She scattered kisses across his face as he headed toward the back of the apartment. “Big of you.”
“Isn’t it?” He hugged her tight, his hand curving to her bottom.
“About your cabin,” she said on a breathless gasp.
He pushed open the bedroom door. “It’ll be our refuge, our place to go when we want to be alone together.”
As she slid down the length of his body until her toes touched the carpet, she looked into his eyes and smiled. “Then we definitely haven’t seen the last of Georgia.”
***The End***
Connect with the Roses of Prose Authors Online:
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Claire Ashgrove
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Laura Breck
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Vonnie Davis
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Christine DePetrillo
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Barbara Edwards
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Jannine Edwards
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Alison Henderson
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Jerri Hines
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Amber Leigh Williams
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Brenda Whiteside
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