Page 55 of Defying Her Arrogant Boss

He ran his hand over her belly, his eyes softening. ‘They won’t be too much younger than their cousins; heaven help they won’t be influenced too badly by those toads.’

Lissa’s smile broadened, the doting uncle all too apparent.

‘They’ll love you, Lissa, don’t worry about that.’ Suddenly he sat up. ‘There’s something I need to do. Something I need to rectify.’

She waited while he reached down the side of the bed and scrabbled for his trousers. Her heart thudded as he pulled out a small black velvet box from the pocket.

He looked up with an intent expression.

Emotion threatened to overwhelm her. ‘You don’t need to do this Rory.’

‘I do.’ He smiled at her. ‘I do.’

Her eyes filled again. Damn hormones.

‘What am I going to say when our kids ask about our marriage? That I just said to you, “Right, that’s it, we’re getting married.” You deserve a proposal, Lissa. You deserve to be asked properly.’ He paused, a humorous light in his eye. ‘Just make sure you give the right answer.’

She smiled away the tears. ‘And what am I going to say to the kids when they ask where this beautiful proposal took place? Not some fancy restaurant, or some scenic mountaintop. But in bed with your father, both naked in the middle of the afternoon?’

He shrugged. ‘Beautiful things happen in bed with you, Lissa.’

He knelt in front of her, his light-hearted look replaced with a sincerity she felt in her soul. ‘Lissa, I love you and will to my dying day. Will you marry me?’

‘Yes, I will, Rory, because I love you too.’

He opened the box and held it out to her. ‘I know lots of people go to choose a ring together, but I saw this and knew it was right.’

Not right, perfect. The ring was beautiful. A large brilliant cut diamond flanked on either side by two golden topaz. All three stones glittered.

‘They remind me of your eyes, the golden lights in them and your hair. There are two, one for each baby. But the diamond is you, Lissa. You’re the prize for me.’

The tears flowed again as he lifted it from the box and slid it down her finger, home.

‘You really thought about this.’

His smile was one of the sort that really knocked her sideways. ‘Like I said, it was right.’

‘It is. When did you get it?’

‘I picked it up this morning, I knew it couldn’t wait any longer; I needed to tell you how I was feeling. I knew you were unhappy and it was my last shot.’

‘And then you came and found me headed to the airport.’ She felt terrible.

His smile vanished. ‘Yeah, that was a real low point.’

‘I’m sorry. I could never have done it, you know. I thought I could, but I just couldn’t.’ She took his face in her hands, smoothing away the grim recollection.

He bent his head, kissing her with such loving tenderness the tears in her eyes spilled over. He kissed them away gently. Her heart felt complete. He lifted her onto his lap and she pushed closer to him, onto him, and together they increased the rhythm, creating the most exquisite friction. Passion overrode the tender tranquillity and they clung to each other with quickened breathing. At last she knew the joy of loving and being loved. Wholly. Elation soared through her.

Some time later he spoke again. ‘There is one other thing I have to tell you.’

She raised her brows; he sounded guilty.

‘I’ve booked the honeymoon.’

‘You have?’

He nodded decisively. ‘Florence. I promised you I’d take you—remember?’

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