Page 44 of The Tycoon's Diamond Demand

He had Maja exactly where he wanted her, in a white dress, standing at the altar, telling him she loved him, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to give her more, to give her everything. And that meant putting their future in her hands. ‘Are you sure that this, being here, is what you want to do,min kjære?’

Maja laughed as she gripped the material of Jens’s shirt and twisted her fingers, pulling the fabric tight against his chest and him a little closer to her. ‘Jensen Nilsen, are you determined to give me a heart attack?’ she asked, a wide smile on her face.

Jens placed a kiss on her temple before pulling back, his hands on her bare shoulders, his expression sincere but determined. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going anywhere. You told me you love me so you’re not getting rid of me now.’

Too right she wasn’t!

Jens spoke before she could, his hand coming up to cradle her face, his thumb on her lower lip. ‘I just don’t want you to feel pressured into marrying me. I know the last two months have been crazy and maybe you need some time to make sense of everything. We don’thaveto get married.’

What rubbish! She knew exactly what she wanted, and she’d tell him if he’d just give her a chance to speak.

‘I’m happy to go out there and tell everyone the wedding is off. We can go home, or to myhytte, anywhere you like, and talk it through,’ Jens suggested. ‘We can take as long as you need.’

She knew a way for them to be together, and it was pretty damn simple. ‘Or we can get married, right here and right now,’ she suggested, looking up at him.

Excitement and relief fought for dominance in his lively blue eyes. ‘Are you sure?’ he asked her, moving his hands to her hips. Maja was glad he held her as she wasn’t sure she could stand upright on her own.

‘I’mpositive, Jens. I want you in my life. I’vealwayswanted you in my life. From the moment I saw you, twelve years ago and in the gallery a few weeks ago, I knew you were the one.’

Jens untangled her fingers from his shirt to lay her palm flat on his chest, above his heart. Through the thin fabric, she picked up its rapid beat. ‘I felt the same. My heart knew it, but my mind, and my pride, needed some time to catch up.’

She lifted an eyebrow. ‘Some time?’

He half winced, half smiled. She met his eyes and, within those gorgeous navy-blue depths, saw her future. She wasn’t alone any more. Jens was going to be with her every step of the way. He’d run the risk of being jilted and put himself in a vulnerable position for her. Then, after telling her he loved her, he loved her enough to step back, to give her time to think. He’d relinquished control, and that was such a big deal for Jens. That, more than anything else, reassured her.

‘Uh...folks...?’

They both whipped around at the interruption. The priest stood at the entrance of the gazebo, his hands clasped behind him and his expression worried. Maja felt Jens’s arm around her waist, and she leaned into him, happy to soak up his strength.

‘Do we have a problem?’ the priest asked gently. ‘Because I have a congregation who needs to know whether to stay or to go.’

‘Just a minute more,’ Jens told him.

Jens opened his mouth to speak but Maja put her finger on his lips. ‘My turn, darling.’ She smiled, happiness rolling over her in warm waves. ‘I love you.’ She stroked his jaw with her thumb and shuddered with love-tinged desire. ‘Will you marry me, right here and right now, Jensen?’

Jens covered her hand with his. ‘It will be my absolute pleasure.’

He ducked his head to kiss her, then pulled back at the last moment, choosing to lay a long, open-mouthed kiss on the side of her mouth. ‘No, the next time I kiss you, you’ll be my wife.’

Jens loved her, they were going to get married, and they were each other’s future. Right, what now? Should she stay here, or walk down the aisle again?

Luckily, her clear-minded, but equally happy-looking, fiancé took charge. He motioned to the priest to take his place, picked up the bouquet she hadn’t realised she’d dropped, before straightening a rose behind her ear. ‘Ready?’ he gently asked her, his mouth quirking in that sexy smile.

Maja nodded. ‘For you? For this? Absolutely.’ She shook out her dress and stroked her hand down the bodice. ‘Shall I walk down the aisle again?’

Jens smiled and shook his head. He took the hand he held and pulled it under his muscled arm. ‘No, just stay with me, side by side.’

Side by side...

For ever together. Starting right now.

EPILOGUE

MAJALOOKEDATthe huge image on the gallery wall in Soho and wrinkled her nose. She’d captured Ben, their two-year-old son, jumping in a rain puddle, his grin, so like his father’s, as wide as the sun. The photograph, the only one of Ben she’d allow to be exhibited and definitely not for sale, was the inspiration for her current collection, calledSunshine and Joy.

It was the opening night of her first major exhibition since Bergen and she was as nervous as a shocked cat. She was convinced the critics would hate her photographs and nobody would buy anything. Maja was pretty sure she was going to be a one-hit wonder.

She turned to look at Jens, who stood by her side, his big hand rubbing her lower back. ‘What was I thinking?’ she demanded, keeping her voice low. ‘Giving up my pseudonym, thinking I could exhibit again?’

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