Secret Billionaire's Stormy Lover (The Secret Billionaires 2)

“Didn’t we talk about this? I did have my pick of girls and I picked you.” He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “Does that help?”

“Hmmmmm. Touch me some more please. I like the feel of your hands.”

He cupped the back of her head and brought his lips down on hers. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he tightened his hold on her. She gave with a sigh. She couldn’t help but kiss him back. She poured everything into the kiss.

When he pulled back, she rested her cheek against his chest where she could hear his heart beating. “Do you think I over planned this?”

“Given that we have a time table with everything marked down to the second, there’s a good possibility.” He held her away from him. “But this is your day, sweetheart. It’s supposed to be the bride who is the star, right?”

She bit her lower lip and looked up at him. “I know, but…” She glanced out the window again. “I didn’t think it’d be this nerve-wracking. Any chance we could skip this? Elope?”

He laughed. “Okay, maybe it’s not that much your day. My brother would kill me, my sister-in-law would probably skin you, and our guests would probably sulk, get drunk and maybe burn down the hotel.” He touched the tip of her nose with one finger. “Are you really having second thoughts about this? I mean it’s only taken me three years to get you to the altar.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down for another kiss. “Mike, the truth is I think you had me from the first day you showed up, soaking wet from the storm. You grabbed my heart before I knew it, and changed everything for me. I don’t know what my life would be like without you—in fact, I don’t ever want to know what life would be like without you. I love you, Mike.”

“You’re not going to have to know. I plan to make sure of that. I love it here, more than I ever thought I would. And it’s not like I need to head back to the states more than once or twice a year. Besides, who’d be your handyman if I wasn’t around?”

She gave a laugh and pulled away. “I’ve got something for you.” Walking to her dresser, she picked up a small box. She put it into Mike’s hand. “It took some time to get it reworked.”

He opened the box. A golden oval glinted from the box. He pulled it out and Karen watched, her breath held, as he studied the golden links—large and suited for a man—with the locket set into one link.

“It’s a bracelet,” she said, rushing the words. “Well, a man’s bracelet. And the locket—my dad had it made for my mom, but he never had time to give it to her. I didn’t want that to happen with us.”

Opening the locket, he looked at the picture. “These are you folks?”

“I wanted them to be part of the ceremony—at least a small part. Dad…Dad always said I’d find peace here. That I’d be happy. I wasn’t sure I could ever be after I lost them, but…I am happy, Mike. And…and it feels like my folks might be watching over us. I never thought I’d find a love like they shared, but I did.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Yeah, I think they’re here, too. I’ve also been think our kids will be happy here.”

She blinked. “Kids? You really want kids?”

“Two or three. Or maybe five. Hey, we’ve got to have someone around who can run this place when we get too old to do that.”

She punched his arm.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. “And now, my wild cat, will you please come outside and make me the happiest man alive? Will you share each sunset and sunrise with me as long as we live? Karen Whitaker, will you marry me in front of my brother, and sister-in-law, and with your parents looking

down, and the whole island here. And will you be my wife? Without of course, the obey part, which you took out.”

She gave another soft laugh, her throat thickening and her eyes stinging. “You’re going to make my makeup run.”

Grabbing her hand, he started to pull her with him. A distant rumble shook the windows and Mike stopped. “Oh, no. No way. Not another storm coming.”

Tugging on him, Karen pulled him for the door. “So what if there is. We can face anything. Come on, handyman. Come and make me your wife…your love. Make me yours forever.”

END OF BOOK 2