Vale wanted to marry her?
What rabbit hole had she fallen into and bumped her head? Then the obvious reason for his pursuit hit her.
Why hadn’t she realized? She should have already told him, should have realized that was why he’d kept calling.
“I’m not pregnant if you’re concerned that something resulted from our weekend.”
Surprise filled his eyes. “I didn’t think you were, Faith, but we can rectify that if you’d like to be.”
This time Faith was the one filled with surprise. Was he kidding?
“Quit saying things like that!” Didn’t he realize that his words were like a searing iron to her heart? Words that a deeply buried part of her wanted to believe yet couldn’t.
“Why?”
“Because you don’t mean them.”
His face clouded. “You don’t think I’d strip you naked and make love to you right here, right now, on the table behind you in the hope of making you pregnant?”
Had someone drugged him? Or maybe he’d fallen into a rabbit hole and hit his head. Because, one way or another, one of them was out of their head.
“I’ve repeatedly told you I’m sorry, Faith. Is it so impossible to forgive me? To trust me?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“Because if I forgive you, if I trust you, then I have no reason to stay away from you.” Her eyes widened and her hand popped over her mouth simultaneously at her admission.
“Would that be so bad?” he asked gently, taking her fingers into his and pulling her hand away from her mouth.
She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Quit asking me why!”
“Then I’ll ask you to love me, Faith, because I want your love every day for the rest of our lives.”
She blinked. “Since when?”
“Since you walked out on me and took my heart with you.”
Her face squished into contorted confusion. “What are you saying?”
He smiled down at her. “What I’ve been trying to say since you walked into this room.”
Faith’s heart tapped a wild beat in her chest. Could it be true? Could he be telling her what she thought he was telling her? Could this really be happening? Did she want this to be happening?
And if it was, could she take a chance on Vale? Could she believe he could really love her? Could really want to spend his life with her and wouldn’t leave her? Oh, God, what if he left?
But what if he didn’t ever leave?
What if he really did love her and wanted to be with her for ever? Wouldn’t that be worth any risk?
“Tell me,” she whispered, staring into his eyes and seeing everything she couldn’t quite believe reflected in the way he was looking at her.
“I love you, Faith.” He cupped her face, brushing his thumb along her jaw line. “With all my heart and all my soul and all that I am, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life giving my love to you. Open up and let me.”