Covering her face with her hands, she wept, all the emotions of the day spilling out in a rush.
Dylan pressed her head against his chest, kissed her hair. "I hope that's not an answer," he murmured, his fingers trailing gently up and down her back. "Because it's not great for my ego."
Sabrina laughed through her tears. "And I hope that incredible speech wasn't your way of trying to divert me from the fact that you promised to cook me dinner. No matter how eloquent or spectacular you are, I want that linguini in white clam sauce."
"What about the chef? Do you want him, too?"
She raised her head, gazed at him through wet eyes. "You've turned my entire life upside down."
"Ditto," he said softly.
"I knew who I was. I knew where I was going. I knew what I wanted." She dragged a hand through her hair. "God, I'm such a mess. A new life, a new identity, and a man who makes me feel things I never counted on feeling."
"What t
hings, Sabrina? What is it I make you feel?"
She swallowed, hard. "You want the words."
"Damn right I want the words."
Two tears slid down her cheeks. "Dylan, it's only been a few weeks...."
"It only took a few minutes. We both know it. We both feel it. Now say it."
"Okay." She wasn't about to fight this one. It was a losing battle. She could deny it till the cows came home, but she was head-over-heels in love with this man. And he deserved to know. "I love you," she said in a quavery voice. "I don't want to take it a day at a time. I don't want to do without commitments or expectations. The truth is, if you ever look at another woman, I'll choke you."
His lips twisted into that sexy, crooked smile. "Thanks for the warning. But the risk is nil. No one exists for me but you." His expression intensified again. "What about the rest?"
"The rest?"
"Marry me. Have my children. Build a life with me."
"Dylan, I want to say yes." She struggled for a semblance of sanity. "But there's so much going on now. My life is on overdrive. I don't even know which end is up."
"I do," he said in a husky, teasing voice. "Want me to show you?"
"Be serious."
"I am." He sobered, slid his palms over her shoulders. "The way we feel about each other is the only constant in all this insanity. As for the rest—planes fly from New York to Manchester in a little over an hour. Telephones and e-mails reach everywhere, all over the world, in a matter of minutes. We can live in two places, merge our two lives, do any goddamned thing we want to. We can work it out—if we want to badly enough. Say yes."
She reached up, caressed his jaw. "You have a way of making me believe anything's possible."
"Doesn't that tell you something?"
"Um-hum. It tells me that I already have my answer. And now, so will you. Yes. My answer's yes."
"Finally." He turned his lips into her palm. "I'm crazy about you. I lose my mind when we're together. I guess that means I'll be losing it for good."
Sabrina laughed softly. "Any complaints?"
"Not a one."
He was already starting to get that smoky look in his eyes. And much as Sabrina wanted to make love with him again, there was something important they needed to discuss first. Something she needed to make him understand.
"Dylan?" She rose to her knees, wrapped her arms around his neck, and held his gaze. "Before—when you were inside me—I wouldn't have stopped you. I wanted the same thing you did. It's just that..."
"You don't need to explain," he interrupted. "You're not ready. I understand. I was a careless jackass. My only excuse is that I'm so in love with you I lose all touch with reality."