Page 59 of Temptation at His Door

“Do you think you can ever love me as much as you love her?” she whispered.

Ronan released a curse as he jumped to his feet, his expression revealing his distress. And at that moment, Joa understood. His expression told her that it wasn’t a more or less kind of thing. It was equal but different and maybe she had the edge because she was, obviously,here.

Ronan cupped her face in his big hands. “Oh, Ju, not for one minute did I mean for you to think that it was a matter of levels. I just need you to understand that although I’ve put her away, although I’ve moved on because you stepped into my life, I am, occasionally, going to think about her. But I promise this won’t be a three-person relationship. This is you and me.”

“And the boys,” Joa added, covering his hands with hers.

“Yeah, them,” Ronan teased. “Do you understand? You will be my priority. I won’t live in the past when I have you in my present.”

“Ro...” Joa lifted her face, leaning on her toes for a kiss. Ronan’s lips covered hers and Joa finally, finally felt like she was home, that she was part of something bigger and better than herself.

Then Ronan stepped back and his hands left her face to rest on her shoulders. His intense eyes bored into hers and Joa knew their conversation wasn’t over, that it was her turn. Her man—so self-assured and confident—needed to know where he stood, whether he was as important to her as she was to him.

Joa held on to his wrists and briefly closed her eyes. Pulling in all her courage, she gave him the words he needed. No, the words she needed to say.

“I’ve been on my own for so long and I knew I wanted a family but I kept falling in love with unavailable men. Because I was scared of the one thing I wanted most. Scared of being happy, of being loved, scared of losing that love. It’s easier to be on your own, you know?”

Ronan squeezed her shoulders. “I do. Falling in love is terrifying.”

“But I’d rather be scared with you than lonely on my own,” Joa confessed. “I love you. I’d love you even if you didn’t have those two monsters.”

“Good to know,” Ronan said, smiling. “Make you a deal?”

Joa tipped her head. “I’m listening.”

“When you’re feeling scared and overwhelmed, tell me and I’ll remind you how much I love you. Look, Ju, I’m old enough to know that it’s not going to be all roses and dancing on clouds. We both have a lot of baggage. But that’s life. We’re two strong people and I like us that way. But if we try to communicate, if we’re brave enough to tell each other how we are feeling,whatwe are feeling, we can love each other through anything.”

Joa felt the burn of tears, the warmth of happiness. She wound her arms around Ronan’s neck and buried her nose in his neck. “I love you so much.”

Ronan pulled her into him, one hand on her butt, another on her back. She felt safe and secure in his arms, like no one could touch her, like she’d never have to be alone again.

She had Ronan, Sam and Aron, and hopefully in a year or two, a child of her own. She jerked back, thinking she might as well start practicing her rusty communication skills as soon as possible. “I want a child,” she said, her words rushing out. “Not today, or tomorrow, but sometime in the future.”

Ronan didn’t blink. He just pushed her hair behind her ears and nodded. “Sure.”

Wow, okay. That was easy. While she was on a roll, she thought she’d raise another subject. “And I’m going to head up the foundation. I mean, I intend to help you raise Aron and Sam, but I want to work, Ro. It’s important.”

Ronan nodded. “I assumed so. That’s why I hired Abigail. She starts on Monday.”

Joa grinned at him. “So, no dinner tonight?”

Ronan’s grin turned seductive and Joa felt the special place between her legs heat up. “Oh, there will be dinner. And you’re on the menu.”

“Really? That sounds interesting.”

Ronan’s lips curved as his mouth descended toward hers. “Mmm, I need to practice making babies.”

Joa laughed, happiness a new, foreign and completely wonderful feeling “Yeah, I think you’ve proved you can do that, Murphy.”

“Boy babies, maybe. Girl babies take a little more practice.”

Ronan led her up the stairs and then up another flight of stairs. He paused outside his bedroom door, his eyes green and gold and blue. He cupped the back of her neck with his big hand and rested his forehead against hers. “I want you in my bed, Ju. Just you and me, a blank page, the start of a new chapter. Will you come inside with me?”

Of course she would. She would go anywhere with him. Because, as she knew, as he’d just proved, fairy tales could come true.

EPILOGUE

Murphy International often held a presale cocktail party the evening before an important auction and the world’s foremost collectors of Fabergé were present, peering through glass cases to look at the items going on the block the next day.

---