Jase had proceeded to make love to her in ways she had only dreamt about, lifting her to a plateau she hadn’t known could exist. He’d created heaven in her life. She knew now that she couldn’t lose him.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He ran a finger across her cheek.
Her lips twitched into what she hoped was a smile. Doubts resurfaced.
He hoisted himself up on his elbow. “You okay?” A concerned frown sprang onto his face.
Debra nodded, chewing her lip.
“Then stop doing that.” He leaned over and captured her lips with his. “Stop hurting that luscious lip.”
Determined, Debra spoke up, albeit in a wobbly voice. “Was it all right?” Embarrassment thickened her tongue and she avoided his gaze. “I’m not very experienced.” She swallowed. “I’m not very good—”
She was thrown onto her back so fast the breath was knocked out of her. “Not good?” His hand stroked the hair away from her face. “Debra, you were amazing and incredible.” He planted a firm kiss on her lips. “If we make love for the next fifty years, I’ll still be wanting you then.”
Debra’s eyes bulged. “F-fifty years?”
His face was sombre as he stared down at her. His look conveyed the depth of his feelings. “I love you, Debbie.” His hand brushed across her hair again. “I love everything about you—your strength, your drive and tenacity, your determination.” Loving fingers traced her jaw line. “Your honesty, your shyness. The uncertainties you try so hard to disguise.”
His lips played with hers. “I’m even growing to love your lousy temper...”
Debra’s heart pounded. Her head spun. She closed her eyes, praying this wasn’t a dream. She opened them to find him still bending over her, still looking at her with love shining from his eyes.
“You’re not k-kidding?”
He didn’t tease her. He simply shook his head.
Excitement bubbled up inside Debra as effervescently as a shaken soda and burst from her. Tears welled in her eyes and overflowed down her cheeks. She clutched at him, holding him as tight as her arms could manage. “I love you, too. I love you so much it’s been killing me to think of your just pretending, just helping me show Chloe, that you were—”
His lips stopped her jumbling words—stopped any chance of speech, or any need for further words. He used his body to convey his feelings and she was more than ready to reciprocate.
Not long afterward Debra found the strength to risk even more. “Jase?” His fingers were circling her bare shoulder. “Can I ask you something?”
In her stomach bats were clawing to escape, her mouth was dry. Nervous anticipation battled with frightening dread. She plucked at the blanket covering their naked bodies.
“Of course.” The lightness of his answer showed complete unconcern. “Anything.”
“Jase?” she stumbled over her tongue and had to start again. The words shot out. “Do you think you could bear to marry me?” The blanket became a lifeline she clung to.
“Bear to marry you?” his hand forced her reluctant face around.
His jubilant expression quietened the bats, returned saliva to her mouth, and produced bubbling champagne back into her bloodstream. He formally relieved her trepidation. “I would be very honoured to marry you.”
Then he chuckled. “Isn’t it generally the man’s role to propose?”
Her apprehension now resolved, Debra quipped back. “I couldn’t wait. I wasn’t sure you’d ever ask. You know, you have all these weird ethical business standards...”
His ability to see through her layers of self-doubt was one of the many things making Jase special. He smiled as he replied. “I did get past the weight of your personality okay, but I will admit your position and the extent of your business is pretty daunting. Not to mention your money—”
“Money doesn’t mean happiness, Jase.”
“I know.” Jase’s poignant tone carried the same certainty Debra felt. She remembered what he’d told her about the children his family fostered. Money would not have spared them a look at the cruel side of life.
Her finger traced the surgical scar across his shoulder. It also hadn’t been able to buy him back a career he’d loved.
“I’m so sorry about your shoulder, Jase.” Her lips wandered to the thin line. “I cried when I read you had to give up rugby.”
Astonished disbelief covered his face.
“I don’t expect you know everything about me, now do you?” Debra scrambled onto her knees then jumped out of bed. Knowing his gaze was glued to her naked figure, she felt no embarrassment. He had removed all her angst with his declaration of love.
It took her some time rummaging around inside her wardrobe before she found what she wanted. She carried a mangled shoe box to the bed and flipped off the lid. Working her way through various treasures she’d assembled over the years she finally extracted a postcard and tossed it across at Jase.
She swallowed a giggle at his gaping mouth. “Wait, there’s more.” Soon evidence of her teenage crush scattered across the bed. Promotional photos of him—at different stages of his career—all annotated with her name in his handwriting and signed by him.
No doubt colour sneaked into her face as she threw him a guilty little smile. “I actually loved rugby. I just stopped watching it so much after...” Her voice faltered and she glanced pointedly at his shoulder. She swallowed as her words dried up.
He gathered up the photos and carefully returned them to her memory box. With the lid back in place, he lowered the box to the floor and settled further down in the bed. His husky invitation to join him needed no repeating.
Sheer joy caused the escaping giggles as she scampered into his arms.
There would be plenty of time to discuss mundane matters like where they’d live and how they’d cope with work commitments. Right now, Debra couldn’t care less about any of that.
As his lips caught hers, a thrill sizzled all the way down to her toes. She knew she had what she’d always dreamed of, a gorgeous man in her arms and the promise of a genuine love-filled future.
A word about the author...
Anne Ashby returns to her childhood home in Southland, New Zealand’s southern-most province to set
THE CEO GETS HER MAN
. While eagerness to travel and a career in the Royal NZ Navy led her away from Southland, this area will always be home for her.
She endeavours to share some of her beautiful country with romance readers everywhere, so New Zealand always features in her stories along with her interests in family issues, genealogy, rugby, and/or snippets from her past military life.
When not reading or writing, she finds plenty to occupy her time with her family commitments. Anne resides in Auckland with her husband and the youngest of their four children.
Other Anne Ashby titles
available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.:
WORLDS APART
DEVON'S DREAM
TIME TO BURY THE PAST
WILDERNESS LIAISON
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