Page 48 of Island Holiday

“It’s no different.”

“But it is,” she insisted, stepping back. “Your need for space is understandable. My need to go is just…” Wrong. She wantedto be different, to be better, but she couldn’t promise him any success and love or not, she didn’t want to lead him on.

“Your needs are your needs. I mean it, Sonya. I’ll gladly travel with you, but if you want to go alone, you can go with confidence.”

“Because you’ll be tracking me?”

He shrugged, looking unsettled for the first time in a long time. “I can stop that too, if you want.”

She poked at his shoulder. There were two of them in thispotentialrelationship. “What doyouwant, Connor?”

“You.” His voice was raw with the emotion packed into that one word. “I want to build a life with you. I want to love you every day a little bit more than the day before. I want to see you happy. You have the most beautiful smile.” His thumb traced her lips. “I want to fight and make up. I want to grow with you. To thrive together.”

“You only want to fight so we’ll have makeup sex.”

He grinned, owning the charge. “There are worse life goals.”

“Or we could just get along.”

“We will,” he promised. “Most of the time, I’m sure we will. But we both believe in being prepared.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small velvet box. When he opened it, she gawked at the gorgeous diamond she remembered, now circled by rubies and emeralds.

“Whoa.” She fanned her face. “Connor, that’s a full Christmas party in one sparkling ring.”

“I thought so.”

They stared down at the ring for a long moment. “How did you pull this off?”

His chest puffed up a bit. “You’re not the only one with connections.”

She giggled, helpless against the moment.

“Sonya, this is my promise that every day together will feel like a holiday.”

“That’s an absurdly high standard,” she murmured, worried again.

He caught her chin and pressed a kiss to her lips. “As your husband, that would be my greatest achievement. To fill every day with hope and love and peace.”

“You really can be pretty sappy.”

He was undeterred. “I prefer sentimental. And you love it,” he countered.

“You are so right, I do.” She jumped into his arms and held on tight. “I love you, Connor.”

“Is this a yes?”

“It is!” She gave him a smacking kiss. “Yesterday—heck, ten minutes ago—I would’ve said relationships and love weren’t for me. But hearing you say those words… Seeing the love in your eyes.” She cradled his jaw, blinking away joyful tears. “I didn’t know I could feel all this certainty. Have the courage to take this leap. With you.”

“You’re a marvel. Bravest woman I know,” he managed as she peppered him with more sweet kisses.

“What I am, is yours. Today and forever, I’ll always say yes. I truly can’t wait to be your wife.”

As he slipped the ring onto her finger—a perfect fit—she couldn’t wait to tell her sisters that she got a fiancé for Christmas.

They were going to swoon over Connor as much as the incredible tale that led them to this moment. And then the three of them were going to spend way too much time dreaming up a wedding.

Her wedding to Connor.

All of that was exciting and fresh, turning a happy day into a swirl of absolute joy. But the best part was the assurance thatConnor Brady, researcher extraordinaire, would be her husband for all the Christmases to come.

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