Page 51 of An Heir For Her Enemy

Then Logan fell silent. All eyes were on Delaney now, waiting for her reaction, but she hardly saw them. She only saw Logan.

Thanking her past self for choosing comfortable shoes, because she was sure she would have tripped in nervousness otherwise, Delaney walked towards Logan. The crowd parted to offer her a clear path. In front of the painting, Logan handed hismicrophone to the man beside him. His eyes were still fixed on Delaney’s, and he wore a more vulnerable and hopeful expression than Delaney had ever seen on his handsome face.

Delaney passed through the parted crowd and walked up to him. She stopped in front of him as he leaned closer, speaking just for her now.

“I love you, Delaney. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I’m sorry that I acted like such a jerk because of it. I know you probably don’t feel the same way, but it would mean everything to me to have a place in your life. Any place you’re willing to make for me.”

“What about our baby?” Delaney asked, her voice soft. “It hurt me when you walked away from me, but it would hurt a child more. If you’re in this, I need you to be in it for real. For good. No more running when things get tough.”

“No more running.” Logan shook his head. “I swear, Delaney, if you’ll have me, I’ll never walk away from you again. I’ll never walk away from our child again. No matter how hard things get.”

Tears pricked at the back of Delaney’s eyes, even as hope surged in her chest. Still, she couldn’t let herself believe.

“I thought you weren’t the type for relationships.”

“I didn’t think I was. But you showed me that I was wrong. I realized that no one is perfect at love right off the bat — it always takes hard work. The same kind of work I put into my business. And with you, that work doesn’t feel hard. It feels right.”

Delaney stepped closer, a tiny step. She could feel Logan’s warmth across the mere inches that separated them. She reached for his hands, and he enveloped hers with his own.

“You’re sure about this?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly.

“I’ve never been surer of anything. I love you, Delaney. I always will.”

“I love you, too.”

Logan’s gray eyes lit. “You do?”

“Of course I do.” Delaney smiled up at Logan. “Even when we didn’t agree on everything, I’ve always found you amazing. And the time we’ve spent together has been some of the best of my life. I tried to forget that I loved you, because I was hurt and I didn’t think we had a future, but now…”

“We have a future. We have any future you want.” Logan leaned closer. “As long as we’re together.”

Finally, Delaney let her walls down. She flung her arms around Logan, and he embraced her, lifting her off the ground so that he could pull her closer. He was so strong, and he smelled like aftershave and hope. When he set her down, it was only so that he could tilt her head back and kiss her with the kind of passion Delaney had never expected to feel again.

It was the kind of kiss that was more than just the meeting of lips. It felt like a promise — and Delaney knew it was. In that moment, her future seemed to rewrite itself to include Logan. To include love. As he pulled her flush against him, applause rang out through the exhibit hall, and Delaney suddenly remembered that they weren’t alone. She broke the kiss, blushing furiously, and Logan took her hand.

“Are you still going to Rome?” he asked softly.

“Not anymore.” Delaney didn’t ask how he knew about that. It didn’t seem to matter.

“Good.” He grinned, an expression of pure joy. “Now, bow.”

“What?” Delaney giggled nervously.

“Bow.” He swept her hand up, then bent forward at the waist. Delaney followed, giggling openly now, as the applause swelled.

“I’ll leave Patrick to unveilThe Cherished Infant,” Logan announced. “I hope you can all enjoy the full significance of that painting — as I now can. Goodnight!”

Together, they hurried through the crowd, still hand in hand, waving like celebrities as everyone cheered. Delaney giggled, Logan chuckled, and it felt like they were running through the rain again. It felt like they were free.

As they burst through the doors and strode past darkened exhibits, then down the steps of museum and onto the streets of Manhattan, Delaney had the feeling that they were running into the future. Their future. Her heart had never felt fuller than it did in that moment.

“I love you, Delaney,” Logan said, spinning her around and pulling her to him right there on the sidewalk. The few brave souls still out at that time of night in such chilly weather parted around them, but Delaney had eyes only for Logan.

“I love you, Logan.”

And once again, under the gentle glow of a streetlight, Logan swept Delaney into his arms and kissed her.

EPILOGUE

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