Goody Two Shoes (Invertary 2)

“I do, baby. I want you to sign a marriage certificate.”

Caroline blinked at him until her brain caught up. “A marriage certificate?”

Josh reached for her hand. Tingles ran up her arm and straight to her heart. “We’re getting married tonight.”

She shook her head. “I told you. I can’t.”

He stepped towards her. “You told me you couldn’t because you love me. Do you still love me, baby?”

Caroline felt the tears she’d been fighting all day. They flooded her eyes, ready to spill. She blinked furiously. Josh stepped into her space. One hand wrapped around her to press against the small of her back, closing the distance between them. She should have protested. She should have moved away from him. But it felt so good to have his hands on her again. To have him hold her again.

He leaned down to nuzzle her ear. “Do you still love me, Caroline?”

She sucked in a sob. “Yes.”

“Good.” Josh kissed her neck below her ear. “Because I love you, baby.”

Caroline felt every muscle within her tense. “You don’t mean it.” Could he? It didn’t make sense. “You don’t believe in falling in love.”

“Yeah.” He spoke against her neck. “About that. I was wrong. I fell in love with you.” He wrapped both arms around her, bringing his clasped hands to rest in the small of her back. His blue eyes captured hers. “I fell in love with you the minute I opened the door and found Grace Kelly staring up at me. I fell even deeper when you wouldn’t let me make a sound studio in the castle. I fell in deeper still when you got drunk on champagne and propositioned me in the garden. And I fell all the way when you took me to your bed and let me make love to you.”

Caroline’s head was spinning. “You don’t mean this. You’re only saying this to get me to marry you.”

He chuckled. “Hell yeah, I’m saying this to get you to marry me. I want the woman I love to be my wife.”

“What about the arrangement? What about a life of committed friendship and mutual respect?”

“Baby.” He kissed her softly on the lips, stealing the air from her. “We can have that too. But we’ll also have romantic love and seriously hot sex.”

Caroline couldn’t think straight. Her whole body vibrated with hope. But she didn’t believe him. “Yesterday, I told you I love you and you let me walk away because you didn’t love me. How could that change overnight? You don’t love me one day, but you love me the next. It isn’t possible.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “I get that you don’t believe me, baby. But I do love you. It took you walking away for me to realise that I can’t let that happen again. If you leave me, you take my heart along with you. I’ll never love anyone else. You’re it for me, Caroline Patterson. And I would really like to turn you into Caroline McInnes. Say yes. Don’t make me suffer. I deserve it. But don’t do it. Marry me tonight.”

Caroline’s thoughts stumbled over each other. “I thought you were leaving the country tonight.”

“We’re leaving the country tonight. I booked a honeymoon. I wouldn’t leave without you.”

Caroline was terrified to believe him. Her heart was too fragile. She stared at him for the longest time. Josh seemed happy to let her think things through.

“Prove it,” she said at last. “Prove you love me.”

He gave her a long, slow grin. “That’s easy.” He turned towards the gazebo, took her hand tight in his and pulled her along with him. Their family and friends smiled their encouragement. Even Josh’s dad seemed pleased. When they got to the gazebo, Josh turned to her.

“I took a leaf out of my dad’s book.” There was a noise be

hind him as his band appeared from the bushes. “Women want big romantic gestures. Right? Well, the boys are going to help me with that.”

Caroline was confused. “You don’t believe in romance.”

“I believe in it where you’re concerned. You deserve some romance. And I’m only too happy to give it to you.” He turned to the band. “Let’s go, boys.”

The secluded area was filled with music. And Josh began to sing. To her. For her. The words of Etta James’s “At Last” floated around them.

There was no mistaking the depth of feeling in Josh’s face as he sang to her. He let all of his emotions show in his eyes. Caroline’s heart stuttered as tears slid down her cheeks. He gently and lovingly wiped them away for her. When the song ended, he pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “Remember my dad’s little talk? The big romantic gesture is only part of what women want. I’ve got a suit and handcuffs on standby, just in case this doesn’t work.”

A laugh erupted from Caroline. “You really mean it. You love me?” She stared into his eyes, searching for confirmation. And gasped when she found it.

“I really mean it. I love you, Caroline Patterson. All of you. Even the bossy bits.”