Forever Grace (28 page)

She took a deep breath and braced herself.

“When?” she asked. “When have you had time to think about it, Sean? About any of it? We’ve known each other for a week. We haven’t had time for—”

He put a single finger across her lips. His bottle-green eyes glowed with intensity. Absolute certainty. Bottomless love. Grace inhaled a soft breath.

“From the time Luc called me today until the time you took that bastard down,” he said, his voice quiet, “I lived a hundred thousand lifetimes, Grace Daniels. I saw what my world would be like without you, without those kids, and I died a little inside. I died a lot. I love you. I love
them
. And I want nothing more than to spend every waking moment of my life showing you just how much. So yes, I meant it. Every single word. Understand?”

A hundred different emotions swamped her. Relief. Gratitude. Contentment. Overwhelming love. Sheer, unadulterated joy. She slid her good arm around Sean’s back, clinging to him. Lifted her face. His head descended, his lips touched hers…

Another tap came at the door.

Sean drew back with a muttered curse as the nurse poked her head through the opening, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, but I gave you as long as I could. We need the plaster room for another patient.”

Grace felt impatience thrum through Sean. Then he gave her a wry smile and nodded to the nurse. “Of course. We’re coming now.”

He shifted back onto his crutches. “Are you okay to walk?” he asked.

Grace snorted as she slid off the exam table. “Asked the man on crutches.”

Sean looked from his own cast to hers, then followed her through the door the nurse held open for them. “We do make a fine pair, don’t we? Talk about the halt and the lame.”

Grace skidded to a stop and turned horrified eyes on him, the reality of their situation sinking in. Him on crutches, her in an arm cast, and four kids…

“How in heaven’s name will we manage?” she asked.

Sean grinned and planted a kiss on her lips. She blinked at him.

“What was that for?”

He kissed her again. “You said
we
. As in you and me. How will
we
manage.”

“Oh. I guess I did, didn’t I?”

“Does that mean yes?”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, you’ll marry me?”

“I—” Grace paused. “Wait. Is that a proposal?”

“I suppose it is—unless you want me to wait until I can go down on one knee and ask properly.”

She hesitated. Thought about it. Smiled. “The answers are yes, no, and no,” she said. “Yes, I would be honored to marry you. No, I don’t want you to go down on one knee.”

“And the other no?”

“I don’t need time to think over, either.” She stood on tiptoe, balanced carefully against his chest, and placed her lips beside his ear. “I love you, Sean McKittrick. Now, let’s go say goodbye to our kids and then check out that hotel, shall we?”

“Why, Grace Daniels, you can’t possibly be suggesting…” Sean looked down in such shock that Grace laughed.

“Am I suggesting we figure out how the heck we’ll get it on with both of us half-encased in plaster? Absolutely. You have a lot of dreams to answer for, you know.” She started down the corridor toward the waiting room, and their waiting kids.

Sean caught up to her just before the double doors. “Dreams?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She slanted a sideways glance at him. “Shockingly creative ones, I might add.”

He grinned, a wicked gleam entering his eyes. “Do tell.”

“Oh, I will,” she promised, pushing through the doors. “In great detail.”

Then the kids were there, and Annabelle was delivering kisses-better, and Sean’s cousin was hugging her, and the comfortable chaos of family—their family, hers and Sean’s—closed around them.

And as her good arm pulled in as many people as it would hold, Grace felt the brush of her sister’s presence, saw her smile, heard her words.

“Together always,” Julianne said.

“Together always,” Grace whispered to her family. “I promise.”

Sean’s hand settled onto her shoulder and squeezed.

Gwynneth Ever After

Forever After (novella, e-book only)

Sins of the Angels (Grigori Legacy #1)

Sins of the Son (Grigori Legacy #2)

Sins of the Lost (Grigori Legacy #3)

LINDA POITEVIN IS THE AUTHOR
of both contemporary romance and dark urban fantasy (respectively referred to by her spouse as her light and dark sides). In her other-than-writing life, she walks a giant dog and is minion to the world’s cutest kitten. She’s also a wife, mom, friend, coffee snob, gardener, and avid food preserver (you know, just in case that whole Zombie Apocalypse thing really happens).

She loves to hear from readers and can be contacted through her website at www.lindapoitevin.com.