Her heart pounded hard inside her chest. “You won’t get bored? Miss your old way of life?”
He rubbed his thumb over the pulse point in her wrist. “You are my life. Together we can do things we’ve never dreamed of alone.”
That much was true. It was Mike’s strength and belief in her that had gotten her through the last month, even though he wasn’t there. She rose and went into the bedroom. When she returned to face Mike, she held out a white box that contained her heart, all wrapped in one package.
He opened the box and pulled out her manuscript, handling it as if it was fragile glass. “You did it.”
She nodded, watching from a few feet away as he began turning the pages. On page two, she held her breath.
The dedication was burned in her heart and soul. To the man who told me that passion and love are healthy human emotions. And then set out to prove it.
Slowly he raised his gaze to meet hers. The golden flecks danced in his eyes. “Thank you,” he said softly.
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t have done it without you. You were right about me... about a lot of things. This is my way of saying thanks.” She pointed to the stack of white pages in his hands.
He placed the manuscript back in the box.
“That copy is for you. I hoped... well, if you came back, I wanted you to have it. You can read it if you want,” she said, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “There’s a lot of me in there.”
After meeting with her parents, she’d spent the next two weeks in front of the computer. The heart of the manuscript, the elusive something that had been missing, had miraculously found its way onto the screen. The results had been therapeutic.
“I’ll read it because I want to. I already know you.”
Afraid to speak because of the lump forming in her throat, and because she was afraid she’d break down, she merely nodded. He had always known her, even when she hadn’t known herself.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and left her past behind. She looked the man she loved in the eye. “I’m not running anymore either,” she whispered.
A harsh groan echoed from deep inside him as he reached for her, pulling her down to the couch with him. He winced but wrapped his arms around her anyway. Lowering his head, his lips met hers. His kiss was wet, hot, everything she remembered and more. Her heart kicked into high gear under the intensity of his kiss.
She lay back on the couch and he followed, bracing his arms on either side of her head. She could see the exertion it took for him to move. “Now tell me,” he said, his voice hoarse and disbelieving.
“I love you, Mike. I always have.”
“God, I love you too.”
Carly grinned. “Good. Now get up slowly and march into that bedroom. I’m taking care of you.”
He groaned.
“Someone has to make sure you don’t do too much too fast.”
He cupped her chin in his hand. “I’m glad that someone is you. Tell me something: When did you realize passion and love were good things?”
“It’s silly, really. The night you left and we didn’t make love. It just took me a long time to understand what you’d taught me.”
He nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m glad it worked, because it was hell being with you, so close to losing you and walking away without...” He trailed off.
“I understand. When Peter said you were in the hospital and I didn’t know what was wrong... I thought I’d lost you without ever having had the chance to tell you that I love you.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m like a bad penny.”
She brushed a kiss over his lips. “As long as you keep turning up, my life is complete.” Carly paused. “The question is, is yours? I don’t want to wake up one day to find you resent me, that you gave up your career because you thought it was what I wanted... the kind of life Peter would have given me.”
He shook his head. “Look at those pictures. You wouldn’t have been happy with Peter’s kind of staid life. As for me, I lost my parents, remember? Do you really think I’d want my kids to suffer the same fate?”
She blinked and tears rippled down her cheeks. “Kids,” she said softly.
“And a dog, and a white picket fence if you want one.” He brushed a lone tear aside with his thumb. “I’m through running, sweetheart.”