Page 79 of Tempting Taste
A slow-growing smile replaced the apprehension on her face. “That we do.” Then, like the sun coming out from under a cloud, she threw back her head and hooted. “You hear that, Deplorable Dora? You ‘retire early,’ we swoop in and buy your building, and my man’s about to be a TV star!”
“Okay, let’s not get carried away,” he cautioned her. He might be bolder with risks, but he was still, well,himself.
“A star!” she shouted, flinging her arms out. Then she dropped them and cocked her head. “Hey, you’re gonna marry me someday, right?”
His heart stopped, then started up in double time. “What if I crash and burn on-air?”
“Then you’llhaveto marry me so I can support us both.”
She tossed her hair, all Josie Ryan sass, but he saw the there-and-gone flash of nervousness in the quiver of her lower lip.
Well, that wouldn’t do. He took her by the shoulders and walked her to the far wall of the kitchen, the one where he’d hung the framed napkin sketch that had started this all. Below it was the small wall safe where he kept cash and other important paperwork. Without a word, he spun the dial, reached inside, and extracted a velvet box.
He opened and held it out to her. “I’ll marry you tomorrow if that’s what you want.” He’d been waiting for the perfect moment. Why hadn’t he realized that every moment with her was perfect?
“Yes, please,” she whispered. With a tremulous smile up at him, she dashed a stray tear from her velvety brown eyes and ran a finger over the single diamond embedded in the gold band. Then a flash of teeth showed against her lower lip. “But… let’s put it away until then. No sense having dueling engagements tonight. It’s Finn and Tom’s day.”
He raised his brows in surprise, and she sighed. “I guess it actuallyisn’talways about me.” Then she sobered and said almost to herself, “I can’t believe I’m going to have your big blond babies.”
He laughed and wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. “Yep.” He pulled her against his chest once more. “And?”
“And I love you,” she said, melting against him.
His smile turned wicked, and he bent to nip her earlobe. “Say it.”
His growled command had her shivering. “I love you, Man Bun.”
Maybe, in the end, he was a little bit of a nickname guy after all.
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