Stacy blushes bright red and takes his hand as he leads her onto the floor. I know how she feels. He’s a heartthrob.
Isaac isn’t too bad himself. He’s tall and toned and tan, with dark blond hair and killer brown eyes. I had a crush on him for years.
“Are you having fun?” I ask him.
“Yeah, Stacy is especially, so I can’t complain. Luke’s a good guy. I wasn’t so sure about him at first, but I like him.”
“What brought that on?”
“Dad and I had a conversation with him the other day.”
“What?” Why didn’t I know about this?
“Yeah, you were working, and he invited all of us guys out for lunch.” He shrugs and smiles like he’s hiding something. I know Isaac. The man is like Fort Knox. If there’s a secret, he won’t spill it.
“Oh. He didn’t mention it.”
“Didn’t he?” He shrugs again, like it’s no big deal. “Well, my point is, I like him.”
“Wow, am I getting the big-brother stamp of approval?” I widen my eyes and drop my jaw sarcastically.
“As long as he minds his manners, yes.”
“I like it when he doesn’t mind his manners.” I wink at him and laugh as he cringes.
“TMI. Jesus, I don’t want to know that. Are you happy?” He peers down at me, serious now, and I can’t help but feel loved.
“I am. He’s a good man, Isaac. He loves me. It’s not about what he does for a living, or what I’ve done in my past, or how much money either of us has. It’s about who I am when I’m with him.” I shrug, a bit embarrassed. “He makes me feel special.”
“Ah, Nat. You are special, honey. I’m just glad you finally figured it out. It’s a pleasure watching you fall in love.” He winks down at me. “Now, before I get too mushy, can you babysit one of these nights? I need some serious alone time with my wife.”
I laugh. “Sure, shall we say in two weeks?”
“Oh God, yes. Thank you.”
***
As the evening draws to a close, Luke pulls me out on the dance floor for one final dance. My feet are killing me, but I can’t refuse him. I love swaying in his arms.
I realize that the band is playing Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me, and I turn my startled gaze up to his. He’s smiling down at me tenderly.
“I do believe this is our song. You look as beautiful tonight as you did that night, in the vineyard, in these pearls. You take my breath away, Natalie Grace Conner.”
Oh.
I feel the tears in my eyes as I gaze up at him. I run my fingers through his soft blond hair. “You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Luke Edward Williams.”
His eyes skim over my face as he moves me about the room. I swear, we’re the only two here, and I don’t care who’s watching us.
He leans down and gently presses his cheek to mine. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“For what?” I whisper back.
“For being mine.”
***
When we reach Luke’s house, he leads me inside and shuts the front door. He tugs my hand gently, pulling me into his arms.
“You were wonderful tonight. You charmed everyone,” he murmurs in my hair.
“I had a great time. Your family is wonderful.” I nuzzle his chest and inhale his sexy Luke scent.
“Are you sure you’re okay with us having the family here in the morning for brunch?”
“Of course. I’ll even help you cook.”
He chuckles. “Thank you for your service.”
“It’s a good cause. Let’s go to bed.” I pull away, but he stops me, his eyes suddenly serious.
“Not yet.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m more than okay. I have something to show you.”
“Oh, okay.”
He takes my hand in his and leads me through the room. He stops by the sound system and fires up his iPod, and something bluesy and slow starts to pour out of the speakers. He leads us to the deck, opens the French door, and flips a switch, and I gasp.
The deck has been transformed into soft and romantic. Bouquets of red roses with tiny white pearls tucked in the petals cover every surface. There are twinkling white lights strung back and forth, high along the ceiling of the space, and a small table is sitting by the love seat with a bucket of ice and champagne and two glasses.
I twirl and gaze up at him, my eyes wide. “When did you do this?”
“I had it done earlier while we were getting ready for the party at your house.”
“Luke, it’s magical.” I turn to take in the beautiful space, breathless. He’s so romantic.
He wraps his arms around me from behind and buries his face in my neck. “Do you like it?”
“I love it. Thank you.”
“Come, sit.” He leads me to the love seat, and we sit. My dress floats around my legs as I sit, and it feels soft against my skin. I smile to myself, remembering that I’m not wearing any underwear. Luke will enjoy that when he finds out.
He pours us each a glass of champagne, clinks his glass to mine, and I take a sip.
“It’s nice tonight. It’s not even very cold.” I lean my head back against the cushion and close my eyes, listening to the water that we can’t see in the darkness. Luke lifts my feet into his lap, and I turn my head so I can watch him.
He removes my shoes and starts to rub.
“Oh, sweet mother of God, I love you.”
He laughs. “Feet hurt?”
“A little. Those shoes are worth it.”
“Yes, they are. Did I mention that you look beautiful tonight?”
“Once or twice.” I wink at him and sigh as his thumb pushes down on the arch of my foot. “You’re good with your hands.”
“I’m glad you approve.”
“I could get used to this, you know. All these flowers and foot rubs and champagne and you, my handsome boyfriend.”
He frowns, and my heart stills for just a moment. What did I say wrong?
“Hey.” I pull my feet out of his lap and move toward him, lying across his lap. He wraps his arms around me, holding me to his chest, and I cup his face in my hand. “What is it?”
His eyes are on mine, intensely blue and serious, and I know that something important is on his mind.
“Talk to me, baby.” I continue to caress his face, and he turns his head to press a kiss in my palm.
“I don’t think I want to be your boyfriend anymore.”
What?
I still and narrow my eyes at him. “Okay, I’ll get my things.” I move to get up, but he tightens his hold on me, clenching his jaw and his eyes closed tightly.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m not breaking up with you.”
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
“I’m fucking this up.” He opens his eyes, and I see fear, and longing, and love.
What’s this?
“I’ve wanted to do this all night, but I couldn’t find the right time, and I’m glad I didn’t because it should be here, while we’re alone.” He swallows and takes a deep breath. “Natalie, since I’ve known you, my world has changed. I found something with you that I didn’t know I was missing, but that I wanted very much. You are such a beautiful woman, inside and out. You beguile me. I can’t keep my hands off of you. You are so sexy and fun and smart. Your sassy mouth makes me crazy.” He smiles down at me and runs his fingertip along my lower lip.
I’m speechless, which is good because he doesn’t seem to be finished.
“I can’t ever imagine my life without you. You are the center of my world, Nat. I want to love you, protect you, fight with you, make babies with you and spoil the shit out of you for the rest of my life.”
He takes a deep breath and pulls a small Tiffany-blue box out of his pants pocket. I feel my eyes go wide, my heart rate spike and my breath catch.
My eyes search his as he holds the tiny box in his beautiful hand.
“Natalie, be my wife. Marry me.”
/>
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Oh. My. God.
My eyes are locked on his face, and all the breath leaves my body.
Marry him! Marry him?
It’s so soon. We’ve only known each other, what, less than two months? Two incredible months.
His worried eyes are gazing deeply into mine, blue to green, and I know in my heart that the answer is yes. After everything we’ve been through these past two months, everything we’ve shared, I can’t imagine life without him either.
And I don’t have to.
He wants to marry me!
“Baby, you’re killing me here.” Luke moves to open the little blue box, but I put my hand over his, stopping him. He turns startled eyes back to mine, but I smile reassuringly.
“I just have a couple things to say.” I am now giddy and jumping up and down on the inside, my heart in my throat, but I’m amazingly calm on the outside.
“Go ahead,” he murmurs and still looks a bit scared and uncertain.
“When I see my future, Luke, I see you. I see you, not your money or what you do for a living, or who you know. I love and respect you for the kind, giving, loving man you are. I want what my parents had, what your parents share. I would be honored to be your wife, give you children, and make a life with you.”
As I speak, tears run unchecked down my face. Luke’s eyes soften, and his arms tighten around me.
“Is that a yes?” he whispers, and I giggle tearfully.
“Yes.”
“Thank God.” He brushes his lips across mine softly, and I cup his cheek in my hand.
“You had me worried there for a minute,” he whispers against my lips.
Oh, I love whispery Luke.
I just love Luke.
“You surprised the hell out of me. I think I forgot to breathe.”
“Can I show you this now?” He holds the ring box up and grins down at me.
“By all means.”
He sits me up on the small couch and kneels in front of me. Oh my. Seeing my sexy man, disheveled blond hair, bright blue eyes, in a black suit with the tie loosened, kneeling before me, holding a little blue ring box, is an image I’ll hold in my head forever.
“When I saw this, I knew it was yours. I’ve had it since the day I bought your pearls.”
I gasp, my eyes widening. He’s wanted to marry me since the night at the vineyard!
“I didn’t think you were ready then.” He chuckles as I shake my head.
He opens the box, and cradled in the velvet is diamond perfection. The center stone is princess cut and large, but not crazy big. It’s nestled in platinum, with two lines of smaller diamonds on either side that twist around each other to meet at the center stone.
Tears prick my eyes again as he takes it out of the box, places it on my left hand and kisses it there.
“Thank you. It’s perfect.”
“Like you.” He leans up and kisses me, passionately, and I wrap my arms around him, pulling him to me.
He gathers my long skirt in his hands and pushes it up around my thighs, skimming his hands along my thighs and up under the skirt to grip my hips.
“Jesus, I love this new habit you have of not wearing any underwear.” I smile against his lips. “We’re writing that into the vows. No underwear for you.”
I let out a belly laugh, and then gasp as he pulls my hips forward and pushes me back against the soft cushions of the love seat.
He pulls in a shaky breath as he gazes down at me, exposed to him from the waist down, my black skirt hiked up, in my pearls.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now?”
“You make me feel beautiful.”
He sits back on his heels and pushes one finger inside me, his eyes locked on my center, watching his hand. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life, baby.”
I moan as he continues to torture me with that finger. My breath hitches, and I start to pant. Jesus, what he does to me with just one finger.
“Luke, I want you.”
“Oh, trust me, you’ll have me.” He pulls his now wet finger out of me and sucks on it. “You taste good.”
He bends down and pushes my thighs wide with his palms, spreading my labia in the process. I grip the cushions of the couch, preparing for the incredible invasion of his mouth, and buck my hips when his mouth covers me, his tongue pushing between my lips.
“Oh my God!” My hands dive into his hair, my hips circling. He grips my ass, tilting my pelvis higher, and he continues to make me wild with that talented mouth. He rubs the tip of his nose against my clit, and I give in to my orgasm, convulsing and shuddering, calling out his name.
He nibbles my inner thighs as my body calms.
“Holy shit, you’re good at that,” I pant and run my fingers through his shaggy blond hair.
“Mmm, I’m glad you approve, baby. Stand up for me.” He rises gracefully and takes his suit jacket, tie and shirt off, discarding them on the floor of the deck.
“After what you just did to me, my legs are jelly. I don’t think I can stand.”
He takes my hands and pulls me into a standing position and wraps my arms around his bare shoulders. “Just hang on to me.”
“Happily,” I murmur in his neck as his hands glide to my back, unzipping my dress. I lower my right arm so he can pull my dress off, and he lets it billow to my feet.
“God, no bra either? It’s a good thing I didn’t know this earlier. I would have locked us in a bathroom at the club and kept you naked all night.” His hands smooth down my back to my bottom.
“You’re not naked.”
“Oh, did you want me to be naked, too?” he asks innocently, and I bite his collarbone.
“Get. Naked.”
“Demanding little thing, aren’t you?”
“Why aren’t you naked?”
His hands roam from my bottom, up my back and begin taking the pins out of my hair, letting it fall around me.
“I love your hair,” he murmurs and watches it fall, one strand at a time.
“I love your hair, too.” I push my fingers through it, and he smiles.
“I know.”
When my hair is loose, he takes my hands in his and kisses them, one knuckle at a time, his eyes on mine. He steps away from me, and the cool night air swirls around me, sending a shiver through me, making my nipples pucker.
“I love your body. I love that you’re curvy, yet strong and fit.” His eyes glide greedily up and down my curves.
“I’m glad.” I smile shyly. “You’re still not naked.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Impatient?”
“I want my fiancé to make love to me,” I whisper, and his eyes dilate.
“Say it again,” he whispers.
“Make love to me,” I whisper back.
“No, the other part.”
A small smile spreads across my lips. “My fiancé.”
“God, you said yes.” He swallows, his eyes round, and then he smiles, a heartbreaking, wide, joyous smile, and I fall in love with him all over again.
I nod and glance down at my beautiful ring. I can’t wait to get a ring on his finger, too.
“Did you think I’d say no?”
“No, I just…” He runs a hand through his hair. “I was just really nervous.”
I close the distance between us and kiss his lips softly. “You have no reason to be nervous with me. You’ve had my heart for quite some time. Now, my gorgeous fiancé, please take me to bed and make love to me.”
He sweeps me up in his arms and carries me to his bedroom, kissing me softly the whole way.
***
“Hey, beautiful, wake up.” Luke nibbles my earlobe, and I turn sleepily to face him.
“You kept me up really late,” I murmur, not opening my eyes. I hear him chuckle.
“I’m sorry. But we have to get up and start getting brunch ready.” He kisses my cheek and then my nose.
My eyes flutter open, and
I palm his cheek in my left hand, and my ring catches the morning light. I smile brightly at him, and he grins and kisses me softly.
“Let’s stay in bed all day and make love.”
“As good as that sounds”—he pulls back and rolls away—“everyone will be here in about two hours, and we have stuff to do. Coffee’s on the night table for you. Go ahead and grab a shower, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
“I love you.”
He flashes a cocky grin at me. “I love you, too. Get up. I’ll see you downstairs.”
He leaves the room, and I sit in the bed for a minute and grin stupidly, gazing at my ring. I finally shake myself and grab my coffee, making a beeline for the shower.
***
“Okay, what can I do?” I ask as I stroll into the kitchen.
Luke is at the stove, a white kitchen towel slung over his left shoulder. He’s wearing a white linen button-down shirt with faded blue jeans and bare feet.
Yum.
“Here, cut up some fruit.” He pulls melons, strawberries, grapes and peaches out of the fridge, and I grab a cutting board and sharp knife and get started with my task.
“So, Isaac mentioned last night that you took the guys out for lunch the other day.” I grab a cantaloupe and cut it in half, pull the seeds out and begin cutting it into wedges.
“He did?” Luke frowns slightly and mixes some pancake batter.
“Yeah, that’s all he would say, other than he likes you, as long as you mind your manners. I told him I prefer it when you don’t.” I smirk and begin pulling stems off the strawberries.
“I wanted to ask them all if it was okay if I asked you to marry me.”
I twirl at his words, my mouth gaping open. He shrugs and pours the batter on a griddle on the stove top.
“Why?”
“Because they’re your family. They love you and protect you, and it’s tradition.” He takes a sip of coffee and eyes me speculatively.
Wow.
“What did they say?”
“I proposed, didn’t I?”
“What if they’d said no?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I would have asked anyway.”
He flips the pancakes, and I wander over to him with a strawberry, holding it up to this lips.