‘I’ll be happy wherever you are,’ he said softly, lifting a hand and brushing her hair away from her face. ‘Melissa and I were totally wrong for each other. If I’d loved her or she’d loved me, I would have followed her to London or she would have followed me to Cornwall. We would have wanted to be together. But the pull wasn’t strong enough. I know that now. I didn’t know what love was until I met you, but you taught me.’
She slid her arms round his neck. ‘And what is love, Dr Sullivan?’
He cupped her face in his hands, lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently. ‘Love is what I feel for you.’ He muttered the words against her mouth, his touch warm and seductive. ‘Love is wanting to be with someone and build a future together. Love is about creating a family and family traditions. Every Christmas from now on I will be home to carve the turkey. And every Christmas we will have a walk on the beach, just the two of us.’
She chuckled, her body trembling from his kiss. ‘We won’t need to. We won’t have Alice every year.’
His mouth still hovered above hers. ‘No, but it’s the only way we’ll get any peace from our five children.’ His dark eyes gleamed. ‘It was five, wasn’t it, Louisa?’
She felt emotion welling up inside her. ‘And a dog, Mac,’ she said softly. ‘Don’t forget the dog.’
As if on cue, there was wild barking and Hopeful came loping across the sand towards them.
Mac glanced over his shoulder and raised his eyes to heaven. ‘Somehow I don’t think I’m going to be allowed to forget the dog. What does a guy have to do to propose in peace?’ He turned back to her, laughter in his dark eyes. ‘Quickly. Before he gets here and does something that requires another visit to the vet. Will you marry me?’
Hopeful bounded up to them, leaping and jumping, his tail wagging so hard he almost lost his balance.
Suddenly the world seemed perfect.
‘Yes.’ A smile spread across her face. ‘I’ll definitely marry you. Merry Christmas, Mac.’
‘Merry Christmas.’
And he bent his head and kissed her.
* * * * *