His To Keep (31 page)

Biting her lip so she didn’t make any embarrassing whimpers, she let herself take him in. His expression totally blew her away. He looked unsure yet determined. As if he thought she’d reject him.

“I’ve only ever wanted you, Nic. You have to know that.”

His doubt wiped away, leaving only sharp relief. “Then I want you to marry me. Annie, will you please marry me?”

She opened her mouth but he placed finger over her lips before she could answer. “I know I’m not the easiest guy to get along with and I know I haven’t treated you as well as I should have. But I figure if I tell you I love you enough, that’ll make up for the rest of the conversations we won’t have. And after all this time, you should be able to read me pretty well. You…” Now he smiled, a full-out devastating grin that nearly knocked the air from her lungs. “I’m constantly amazed by you. I don’t think there will ever be a time that I’m not in awe of you.”

Then he did something that made her heart stop. He dropped to one knee and pulled something out of his pocket, something shiny and sparkly that she couldn’t see very well because her eyes flooded with tears.

“My grandmother left this ring to me but she made me promise to give it to the only girl I’ll ever love. That’s you, Annie. Please marry me and put me out of my misery.”

“Dominic.” His name was her answer as she extended her left hand, felt him slide the square-cut emerald solitaire on her finger. “Oh, Nic. I love you. I always have. I always will.”

She thought she felt his fingers shake as he grasped her hand to bring it to his lips and kiss it, and his eyelids closed briefly before he stood and pulled her into his arms and made everything fall into place in her world.

THE END

HIS TO KEEP

Book 2 in the DeMarco Investigations series

SEX, LIES & SURVEILLANCE

Book 1 in the DeMarco Investigations series

Available from Carina Press

http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Lies-and-Surveillance-ebook/dp/B00699MAH2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_4