His Christmas Virgin (14 page)

Jonas's mouth firmed. ‘Non-existent,' he acknowledged. ‘But that could be a good thing,' he continued
encouragingly as he reached out and grasped both Mac's hands tightly in his. ‘It means that I don't have any past relationships, any lingering feelings for another woman, to complicate things.'

That tidal wave of hope grew bigger still as Mac easily saw the lingering uncertainty in Jonas's eyes. ‘Complicate what things?' she prompted.

‘Ah.' He winced. ‘Yes. I need my overcoat from the hallway.' Jonas released her hands. ‘Your Christmas present is in the pocket—'

‘Family rule, no presents to be unwrapped until Christmas morning!' Mac protested before Jonas could leave the sitting-room.

He turned in the doorway. ‘It already
is
Christmas morning, Mac,' he pointed out dryly. ‘Besides, this present isn't gift-wrapped,' he added confidently.

Mac had no idea what was going on. Just now Jonas had seemed on the point of—well, on the point of something. And now he was totally preoccupied with giving her a Christmas present instead.

When the only Christmas present Mac wanted was Jonas himself!

Jonas returned from the hallway to find Mac still standing where he had left her. His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he walked over to join her, two folded sheets of paper in his hand. ‘I'd like your input on this before I submit it for planning approval.' His expression was strained as he handed her the top sheet of paper.

Mac gave him an uncertain glance before she slowly unfolded the sheet of paper, a frown between her eyes as she looked up at him. ‘I— It appears to be a building plan of the new apartment complex, one that rather tastefully incorporates my warehouse into the grounds…'

A nerve pulsed in the tenseness of Jonas's jaw. ‘It
is
a building plan of the new apartment complex that—hopefully—tastefully incorporates your warehouse,' he confirmed huskily.

She refolded it carefully. ‘And the other one?' She looked at the second sheet of design paper in Jonas's hand.

Jonas's fingers tightened perceptibly. ‘These are some alterations to the original plan that don't include your warehouse in the grounds.'

Mac looked at him accusingly as she thrust the original sheet back into his hands. ‘And
this
is the present you drove all this way to give me?' she exclaimed. ‘You're unbelievable, do you know that, Jonas?' She looked thoroughly disgusted. ‘You've come all this way just to have yet another attempt at trying to talk me into selling my home!' She moved away restlessly. ‘The answer is no, Jonas. N. O. Is that clear enough for you?' Angry tears glistened in those smoky-grey eyes as she glared at him.

Well that went well, Jonas—
not
! he told himself, wincing. Self-confident to the point of arrogance usually, he had known before he came here tonight that he was somehow going to bungle this. Because it was more important than anything else had ever been in his life before. Because it mattered to him more than anything else ever had in his life before!

‘I haven't asked the question yet…' he murmured softly.

‘You don't need to,' Mac fired back. ‘Just leave, Jonas. Go away and never come back. I never want to see—'

‘Mac, will you marry me?'

‘—or speak to you
ever
—' Mac abruptly broke off her tirade to stare across at him incredulously. ‘What did you just say?'

Jonas swallowed hard. ‘I asked if you would do me the honour of marrying me,' he repeated gruffly as he moved hesitantly towards her, the intensity of his gaze searching the paleness of Mac's face as he stood in front of her.

Exactly what she had thought he'd said!

She looked closely at his face, finally seeing the anxiety in those blue eyes, in his tensely clenched jaw and cheeks. ‘Why?' she breathed.

Jonas gave a huff of laughter. ‘Most women would have said, “No, thank you, Jonas,” or, “Oh, Jonas this is so sudden.” You, being you, ask me
why
!' He gave a rueful shake of his head.

Mac gave him an irritated glance. ‘Well, it
is
rather sudden.'

‘Not to me.' Jonas sighed. ‘The two weeks since we were last together have been—' He shook his head. ‘Hell, is the only fitting description I can think of,' he decided heavily.

‘Why?'

‘Again with the why!' He briefly raised his gaze to the ceiling. ‘Mac, I didn't
want
to fall in love with you. It's the last thing I ever wanted! But you—' He sighed. ‘You are the most infuriating, provoking, stubborn, irritating—'

‘Do you think we could go back to the “I didn't want to fall in love with you” bit…?' Mac interrupted, her heart beating so loudly, so erratically, she was sure Jonas must be able to hear it too.

‘—fascinating, warm, arousing, wonderful woman I have ever met!' Jonas finished. ‘How could I not fall in love with you?' He shook his head as he once again reached out to grasp both Mac's hands in his.

Mac felt hot and cold all at the same time. ‘You really love me?' she breathed dazedly.

‘It's worse than that, I'm afraid,' Jonas muttered. ‘Mac, this past two weeks I've come to realise that I want it
all
with you. Love. Marriage. Children. I want to be your last lover as well as your first. I want to wake up and find you beside me for the rest of my life. Most of all I want to be the man you deserve. The man you can love. Will you at least give me the chance to show you that I can be that man?' He looked down at her anxiously.

Jonas loved her! Wanted to marry her! Have children with her!

Mac released one of her hands from his to reach up tentatively and cup one hard and chiselled cheek. ‘Are you sure about this, Jonas? Absolutely sure? Love, marriage, children—those things mean for ever to me, you know…'

His fingers tightened painfully about hers. ‘I wouldn't settle for anything less!' he assured her fiercely. ‘Mac, you totally misunderstood my motives for those two new sets of plans. The first one leaves the warehouse standing, yes, but the second one shows a completely different layout to the penthouse in the apartment complex.'

‘Show me,' she encouraged huskily.

Jonas unfolded and smoothed out the second set of plans. ‘You see here?' He pointed to the diagram. ‘That wall is now completely glass, as is the ceiling in that room. It's a replica of your studio, Mac,' he explained gruffly. ‘I went to see my parents because I love you. Because you were right about my needing to confront that situation, to deal with those ghosts from the past, before I could move on with my own life. You are my life, Mac. I'm asking you to give me the chance to show
you that, to prove to you how much I love you. To show you how I will always love you, and only you. Exactly as you are,' he added emphatically.

‘No dressing up and being a trophy on your arm, then?' she teased a little tearfully.

Jonas really did love her!

‘As far as I'm concerned you can live in those damnawful dungarees and never set foot outside the apartment again as long as I can be there with you. Mac, just give me the chance to show you how much I love you, to persuade you into falling in love with me, and I promise you won't ever have reason to regret it!' he vowed.

‘Oh, Jonas,' she groaned.

He gave a pained wince. ‘Is that a “no, thank you, Jonas,” or a “Let me think about this, Jonas.”?'

‘It's an “I already love you, Jonas,”' Mac assured him emotionally as she moved into his arms.

‘You
love
me?' There was a look of stunned disbelief on his face.

‘So much that I really don't care where I live any more, either, as long as it's with you! Jonas, I love you so much that these past two weeks have been hell for me too. I love you, Jonas!' she repeated joyfully.

His arms moved about her like steel bands. ‘Enough to marry me?'

‘Enough to spend for ever, eternity, with you!' she assured him happily.

Jonas looked down at her searchingly for long, timeless minutes, his eyes blazing with his love for her as he saw that emotion reflected back at him. He buried his face in the perfume of her silky hair as he groaned. ‘I can't believe that I let you walk away from me two weeks ago. That I almost lost you!'

‘Just kiss me, Jonas,' Mac encouraged breathlessly.

‘I intend to kiss you and love you for the rest of our lives,' he promised as his mouth finally claimed hers.

The rest of their lives sounded just perfect to Mac…