When Staci Takes Charge (Leave Your Shoes On 2)

“Evan—”

“Just listen,” he said quietly, though insistently. “Hear me out.”

Her eyes squeezed shut to keep the heavy drops at bay. As best she could, at any rate.

He told her, “I freaked out over the drastic change in plans this week and the coming months. I’ll admit it. I’ve worked so hard on documenting all of my ideas and theories, and I needed to present them. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

Her eyelids fluttered open. “Then why are you here? You were supposed to present this afternoon.”

“Well, the thing is…” He swiped away a few of her tears, appearing a bit tormented by the sight of them. “While I was in the middle of my lecture in Santa Barbara, it occurred to me that I was searching all of the faces in the crowd, looking for yours. And then it dawned on me that I’ve been spinning my wheels with my prosthesis concepts because it simply isn’t my area of expertise. I have good ideas, but I’m not the one who can take the hodgepodge and turn it into something concrete and useable. So I turned over all of my documentation to the committee for someone better qualified to take my base models to the next level.”

“Evan, I—”

“Staci,” he urged. “I’m completely behind your shoe revolution. That is an area where I can prove invaluable—and I want to. I want to help you.”

“And you came all the way to Paris to tell me that?” She was shocked. Reeling. Confused.

“Actually, I came all the way to Paris to tell you that I love you. Well, to Paris by way of Beverly Hills.”

“Beverly Hills?”

“Rodeo Drive, to be exact. Cartier, to be even more specific.”

“Evan.” Emotion seized her. “What are you rambling about?”

“Staci. I love you,” he repeated with conviction in his eyes. “I think it’s a very clear and distinct case of love at first sight, as a matter of fact. I saw you in that hallway at the Four Seasons in Baltimore and that was it. I couldn’t get you out of my mind…and I certainly won’t ever be able to get you out of my heart.”

“Oh, God.” She choked on a sob.

“So I was wondering…” He pulled a small black box from his pocket and knelt on one knee before her. “If you’d marry me.”

Staci’s heart nearly burst from her chest.

Evan flipped back the lid, and her knees threatened to buckle.

“Jesus Christ!” Her hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes popped. She dropped her hand and said, “Good Lord, Evan. That’s the size of a goddamn skating rink!”

“It was the biggest ring they had in the store. They actually offered me a bodyguard to bring it to you.”

“Evan!”

“I told you I wanted to give you the moon and the stars. You deserve them.”

He’d rendered her speechless.

“Come on, Staci. Stace. Sweetheart. Sometimes life throws you a curveball, and you have to adjust your priorities. I did. I know exactly what I want. You.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Evan said, “Say ‘yes’ already so that I can kiss you.”

“Oh, my God,” she said on a rush of air. “Yes. Evan. Yes!”

He slipped the ring onto her finger, stood, and took her in his arms, laying on her yet another stellar kiss that rocked her to the core of her being.

The crowd around them erupted.

Staci barely noticed…