Stand-In Father (Intimate Moments) (29 page)

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Authors: Pat Warren

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Straightening, Megan felt nerves skitter along her spine. “Okay.” She walked around the side and started up the hill, very aware of Alex behind her. She’d rehearsed half a dozen scenarios and discarded them all. Maybe spontaneous would be best. Listen this time, she reminded herself. Don’t talk. Listen.
At the top, Alex studied the rock that was Megan’s favorite, the one where they’d made love just a few nights ago. “I like it up here,” he said, turning to her.
Her face heating at the sensual memory her rock now represented, Megan nodded. “Me, too.”
“Megan, I—”
“No, let me start.” Conjuring up every ounce of courage she could muster, Megan faced him. It was all. right to talk if you needed to apologize. “I’m sorry I judged you so harshly, sorry I overreacted and very sorry I asked you to leave. I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”
No one realized more than Alex how much courage it had taken her to say all that. He stepped closer now that he knew her feelings. “I should be the one apologizing. I should have been up-front with you from day one, but I was worried you’d send me away if you knew who I was right off the bat.”
He knew her too well. “I probably would have.”
“I thought if I waited a while, if you got to know me, you might understand. What I hadn’t counted on was that, when I got to know you and Ryan, I’d be the one falling faster than anything I’ve ever experienced. I readily admit that love wasn’t on my agenda, Megan, certainly not marriage. I’d sworn off both.”
Seeing the sudden concern in her eyes, he reached out to stroke two fingers along her silken cheek. “But love snuck up on me. The night I went out with those two guys, it hit me square between the eyes. They represented the life I used to live, the one I thought I still wanted. But you and Ryan represent the life I want now. A rich, full life over one that was pretty shallow. No contest. Without you two, nothing holds much appeal.”
Megan closed the gap between them, moving closer until they were nearly touching. “For me, too.”
“I love you, Megan. I want you to marry me, and I promise you, I’ll never deceive you again. I’ve learned my lesson. Will you be my wife?”
“Yes, oh, yes.” Rising on tiptoe, she felt his arms close around her as he drew her into a kiss filled with promise, with love, with joy. When they parted, she pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to his heart beat. “I’ve learned a lot myself. You’ll have to be patient with me, though. I’m still not good at trusting, but I’m working on it.”
“I’m going to try like hell not to give you any reason to distrust me.” He eased back, needing to bring up another subject. “I should warn you that I’ll be on medication, a lot of medication, for the rest of my life. The doctors say I can lead a normal life, provided I take a few precautions, but they can’t predict if this new liver will give out one day, as well.”
“Life doesn’t come with a lot of guarantees, Alex. I’m willing to take a chance if you are.”
“Just try to stop me.” He kissed her again, longer, more thoroughly. “Now about this job you have.”
“I quit baking for the Cornerstone last night, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s a start.” He didn’t want her working at the inn, either. Maybe she’d consider putting Grace in charge, moving to San Diego. But making too many requests that sounded like demands would kill the still-tenuous truce they’d just worked out. All in good time, Alex told himself. He was a patient man when it came to something important and he was willing to compromise because he wanted Megan to be happy. “We can hash out the rest later.”
Winding her arms around him, Megan was aware there was much to be settled yet. But with enough love, they’d work things out. She locked her hands at the back of his neck, loving the feel of him. “I missed you so much. I can’t believe how much I’ve come to love you in such a short time.”
“No more than I love you.” This kiss was shorter, but just as sweet. “I think we’d better walk down and find Ryan. He worried all the way here about how you’d react to our plan.”
“The two of you have a plan?”
“Yeah, to get you to marry me.”
Laughing, Megan started down the path. “Your plan should please Grace. She’s really on your side, you know.”
That surprised him. “You’re kidding. And here I thought she felt I was bad for you.”
Pausing at the garden, she turned to him. “I have a feeling she’s been playing devil’s advocate.”
“Aha!” Before Alex could say more, Ryan came bounding out the side door.
“Is it okay? Did you two make up?” His little-boy voice was high-pitched with excitement.
Alex smiled at him. “Yes, things are just fine.”
“Whoopee! Can I go get our surprise now?” He was fidgeting and squirming, anxious to be off.
“Yeah, do it.” Alex looked at Megan. “Now don’t start in telling me that I didn’t check with you first. This is something that needed to be included in our new family.”
Skeptical but too happy to be angry at much of anything, Megan waited. In moments, Ryan came toward them walking carefully, carrying a cardboard box. Before he’d quite reached them, she heard a faint sound. “Oh, no! You didn’t!”
“Look, Mom,” Ryan implored her as he held out the box. Inside was a gray-and-white kitten on a yellow towel, scratching at the side, mewing his need to be free. “Isn’t he great? Alex said I could name him. I’m calling him Harold.”
“Harold?” Unable to resist, Megan ran a hand over the soft little head. The kitten reached around and licked her finger.
“See, he likes you.” Ryan was ecstatic. “Alex said I had to take care of him and I will. I promise. You won’t even know he’s around.”
Oh, sure, Megan thought. “Where’d you think up his name?”
“I like Harold. He just looks like a Harold.” Gathering the box to his chest, Ryan turned. “I have to go show him to Grace. She loves kittens.”
“I’m sure she does,” Megan said, smiling. She raised a brow as she glanced up at her husband-to-be. “Harold, eh?”
“A nice, dignified name, don’t you think?”
She reached up to bring his head down to hers. “What I think is that you’re an old softie. And how lucky I am that you are.” Closing her eyes, she pressed her mouth to his, feeling that finally she held her future in her arms.
 
 
ISBN : 978-1-4592-6557-8
 
STAND-IN FATHER
 
Copyright © 1998 by Pat Warren
 
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 U.S.A.
 
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
 
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
 
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

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