The Rogue's Fortune

“Well, I am. For the last two days I’ve been sitting in this empty apartment, thinking about your situation and remembering how it once was filled with laughter and love. It’s a waste of real estate, don’t you think?”

“I guess.” She caught her lip between her teeth and eyed him from beneath her long lashes. “Are you thinking it’s time to sell?”

“I promised Mrs. Myott I wouldn’t do that.”

“So, what are you going to do with it?”

“I thought maybe you’d like to live here.”

Her jaw dropped. “I couldn’t. This place is too much. You don’t even live here.”

“Maybe that’s something else that needs to change.”

“You said you could never live here. That all the memories of your mother reminded you why she died.”

“Maybe it’s time some new memories were made here. Memories that wouldn’t replace the ones I have of my mother, but that would blunt the guilt I feel for how I left.”

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

Had she figured out what he’d just offered her? Roark hadn’t meant to present his proposal in such a roundabout fashion, but teasing Elizabeth was something he enjoyed.

“Then you’ll live here with me?”

“With you?” She leaned back and gazed at him in confusion. “But you’re not staying in New York.”

“As soon as I’ve cleaned up the situation with the Gold Heart statue, that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

She narrowed her eyes. “For how long?”

“For however long you want me.”

“Do you mean that?” She sounded breathless. Unsure.

“When I headed to Cairo on Wednesday, it was the first time I didn’t want to leave New York. And the entire time I was gone, I was miserable. All because of you.”

“You missed me?” Hope sparked in her eyes. Roark was glad to be the one who put it there.

“Terribly.”

“I’m really glad you want to be a part of your child’s life.”

“More than just a part of it.” Roark watched her smile fade as his statement sank in. “Marry me and I swear I’ll be there for you and our children as long as I live.”

“Oh, Roark. That’s the most perfect thing anyone has ever said to me.” She hugged him hard and kissed him softly. Her tears dampened his cheeks. “But I can’t ask you to do that. You’re an adventurer. Seeking artifacts, finding treasure no one has seen for hundreds of years, that’s your passion. It’s what makes you happy.”

“You make me happy. The rest is stuff I did while waiting for you to come into my life and make me complete.”

“I love you,” she told him, her voice fierce. Her joy was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “I didn’t realize how empty my life was until you came along. I guess what I needed was a little adventure.” She kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Are you sure you won’t miss all the excitement of chasing artifacts and tangling with bad guys?”

Roark chuckled as he recalled those three miserable months he’d spent in the Amazon. “Lately I’ve discovered that living on the edge has lost its appeal. I will continue to do the research and let others take all the risks.” It was time to tackle a whole new set of challenges. “From now on, you and our baby are all the excitement I need.”

Thirteen

Elizabeth leaned against the veranda railing, her attention riveted on the gorgeous male emerging from the azure water. Morning sunlight sparkled off his wet torso, highlighting the chiseled perfection of his abs and dazzling her already overstimulated hormones. This was their third morning on the island. The third time she’d enjoyed the spectacle of her magnificent husband returning to her from the sea.

“The water is wonderful,” he announced, mounting the steps to the porch that surrounded their quaint beach cottage. “Why don’t you join me?”

“And miss the view?”