She couldn’t bear the devastation in his eyes. “It’s not that. I just can’t do what you want me to do. I can’t be what you want. What you need.”
“And what do you think I want?”
“I think you want me to… to sleep with you.” Anne blushed almost painfully at the words.
“Oh no! I want you very much awake. But I do want you in my bed.” His dimples appeared. “I don’t want a one-night stand, I want—”
“I’m sorry, I just can’t,” she choked.
“But I’m telling you—”
“I’ve thought about it.” Anne’s fingers came up to rub her temples. Believe me, I’ve thought about it. But I can’t go to bed with a man I’m not married to.”
“Yes, I know. But I’m not—”
“Don’t you see? I can’t stay here and watch you be with another woman. It hurts too much!” She buried her face in her hands.
“Anne… you’re doing it, again.”
“What am I doing?”
“That thing where you don’t let me finish a sentence. You don’t fight fair. It’s my turn to speak.”
“Okay, but if you—”
He halted her words with a forceful kiss, her shoulders secured in his hands. He withdrew his lips, and she tried to remember what she was going to say.
“You can’t—”
He kissed her again, swallowing her words. His hands moved behind her head, tangling in her hair. This time the kiss lingered. He pulled back gently, his lips lightly caressing her mouth.
“Ready to let me talk again?”
She nodded, licking her swollen lips.
“I do want you in my bed. But I want you there every night for the rest of my life.”
Her heart doubled its pace. “Are you… are you asking me to marry you?”
“Sort of. Part asking, part begging, part demanding. Whatever will get you to agree.” His sparkling blue eyes were full of hope. “So will you?”
“No. Absolutely not.” Anne felt her insides churning as her heart fought against what she knew was right. “I won’t have you making some rash decision you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
He pulled a ring case from his pocket. “I don’t make rash decisions. I told you, I’m a very careful man.”
“You’d ask me to marry you, just to sleep with me? That’s ridiculous! You’d regret it afterward. Heck, I don’t even remember what to do anymore.”
He smiled lasciviously. “I’d be happy to jog your memory. But that’s not why I’m asking you to marry me. Don’t you remember our conversation about this… in Switzerland? I told you exactly what I wanted in a wife.”
He moved his head lower to catch her downcast eyes. “I said I wanted someone I wouldn’t be bored with after six months. And I wanted someone that would be fun to grow old with. Someone who’d help me to be the best man I can be. And someone who needed me as much as I need her.”
He pressed his lips in a gentle caress on her cheek. “That’s you. Don’t you know that? Can’t you see? There’s no one else in the world who’d be more perfect for me.”
“But—”
“Now, the only question is—am I the someone for you?” He peered closely. “Am I?”
She closed her eyes and more tears leaked out.