Page 48 of One Naughty Night (Single in South Beach)

And was it his imagination, or did he catch a wicked glint in her eye?

He crossed his heart, snagging him finger on the shell in his shirt pocket. “Promise.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to run at the first sign of trouble.” She inclined her head to his chest, her silky hair tickling his chin. “That’s a promise I’ll make you in return.”

Surely he’d never been given such a big gift in his whole life. His train set when he was ten couldn’t even come close to the magnitude of Esme’s trust.

The stranglehold on his heart eased as his blood started flowing again, his whole world opening up with new possibilities.

“I love you, Esme.”

She wrenched her gaze up, startled.

He wound his arms around her, hell bent determined not to let her go. Not mess this up. “I’ve never met anyone I don’t have to shout at to make a point. My whole family talks so much we have to yell just to hear one another. And guys on a construction crew—hell— we take great pride in voice projection and creative cursing. But it’s a totally new experience for me to just talk to you and have you really listen.”

Tears built in Esme’s eyes, convincing him he’d overplayed his hand. Why the hell couldn’t he have waited to heap on his undying love? The poor woman would be running away screaming soon while him and his need to blurt out everything nursed the worst broken heart in Cesare history.

“I messed this up, didn’t I?” He swiped away one fat tear with his thumb.

Shaking her head, she loosened more tears to trail down her soft cheeks. “No. I just can’t believe that taking a chance could have such a fast, amazing payback.”

Renzo ducked to kiss her, taste her tears, her sweet lips and his future.

Her arms coiled around his neck as she stepped closer. Between kisses she murmured in his ear, “I love you, too.”

He hauled her up in his arms, just enough to spin her around, his feet kicking up soft sand while he whirled her through the air.

She laughed. Squealed. Kissed him again until he was senseless from spinning and imagining a future with kick-butt Esmerelda Giles at his side.

“Now that we have that settled, can you tell me how I can make you agree to marry me?” Renzo knew that with Esme’s determined nature, if she said yes now, no power on earth could make her not show up at the altar. “Maybe we can elope and skip the whole noisy family deal. We can do something quiet and romantic and--” He stopped himself midstream, remembering his promise to listen. “Wait. What would you like to do for a wedding? That is, if you care to accept my proposal.”

“Oh, I most definitely accept.” Sliding to her feet, she poked him in the ribs, her lips full and soft from his kisses. “But eloping is out of the question. Since I’ve never had much family to speak of, I intend to soak up the whole brother-sister experience as soon as possible.”

“You have no clue what you’re in for.” But secretly, he was glad as all get-out that she wanted to be a part of his family, that she wasn’t afraid to wade into relationships with his whole noisy, boisterous clan.

She smiled that gentle, knowing Esme grin that made him realize who would always be the real head of household no matter how much he shouted or steam-rolled his way through life.

“I’m hoping it will be a lifetime of love and compromise and family.”

Family. The word took on new and improved meaning when Esme said it like that, with the secretive smile on her face.

“Didn’t your neighbor reserve you a room here for the night?” He suddenly couldn’t wait to get her alone. “We could get a head start on that whole family deal.”

“Only if you promise me no more talk of eloping.”

“Done.” He retrieved her shoes and scooped her off her feet, already wondering where he could build her the perfect house. “And I’m going to carry you over the threshold on our wedding day just like this. I can build a house in six months flat, you know. A good one, too. And you’ll have all kinds of decisions to make— choosing the right bed, the best bedroom furniture, all the sexy extras like a hot tub…” He couldn’t wait to get started.

Heading back toward the hotel, he savored the best night of his life with his bride-to-be in his arms.

That will be nice,” she admitted. “But right now I’m more concerned with one thing.”

He paused, remembering his promise to listen.

Leaning closer, she whispered in his ear. “Make love to me.”

And to hell with walking, Renzo took off for her hotel room at a dead run.

Epilogue

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