A Woman's Heart (28 page)

Authors: Gael Morrison

BOOK: A Woman's Heart

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His words struck her heart. She hugged them there, savoring them, taking from them their strength.

"I was afraid once too," he went on, "afraid our love would turn out to be like that of my parents. I couldn't bear the thought, didn't dare take the risk. I prayed that once I returned to Boston, I wouldn't want you so much."

"I didn't think you did want me," Jann said, shivering at the memory. "When I turned up at your house, your face told me you wished me gone. You couldn't wait to get away to take your phone call."

"When I saw you," he said, "I realized for the first time that it was already too late. I knew then that I needed you more than the earth needs the sun."

He kissed her again, so thoroughly this time she thought his lips had become hers.

"Those feelings terrified me," he whispered, when at last he pulled away, "and when you told me you intended to take off on a world tour, I felt my worst fears had come true, that I'd lost you." For an instant bleakness once again engulfed his eyes.

"Not a world tour," she denied. "Not even a trip at all. I made it up, didn't want to seem pitiful."

"I couldn't bear to lose you again." His arms tightened around her waist. "When I realized how I felt, I couldn't let you go."

Her heart soared at his words.

"Even if we argue sometimes," he continued with a smile, "even if you make my blood boil."

"Even if," she agreed.

His smile deepened, a smile so full of love it pierced Jann's doubts and dispersed her fears.

"There was something I didn't take into account before I left Honolulu," he said, becoming grave. "When you love someone, you don't have a choice anymore. I could no more stop loving you than stop the world from spinning."

"When you asked me in Honolulu to come with you and Alex, I thought you wanted me simply for Alex's sake."

He leaned closer, his lips brushing hers. "I love you," he said, "in a way quite separate from all I feel for Alex. And strong," he went on, "oh, so strong." With that he captured her lips and sealed his words with a kiss.

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"Then you have to take a chance." He stared steadily into her eyes. "Risk everything, Jann, to gain everything."

"I love you," she said again, the words humming down her throat and vibrating in her heart.

Then all sound seemed to die.

But the light still shone down on them more brilliantly than before, filtering the air like a sprinkling of fairy dust.

It was a long moment before Jann could say anything more. It was enough just to hold and touch and join her heart with his.

"Be my wife?" he asked again.

His question resounded from her soul to her heart then echoed back her love.

"Yes," she said firmly, glad of the light, the honest, piercing light, and the crystals that spun it for her heart to see. Catching hold of Peter's hand, she turned and faced the light, finally knowing her heart's future with glorious certainty.

The End

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MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT

Excerpt from

Meet Me at Midnight

Gael Morrison

"This isn't necessary," Sam muttered.

"We have to eat," Nate replied. He speared a prawn with his fork and dipped it into a bowl of spicy red sauce.

"I thought you'd be upset."

"I never liked blind dates."

"She might show up yet."

"Then we'll pull up an extra chair."

"If you didn't want a date," Sam asked tersely, "why ask me to get you one?"

"God knows," Nate said cheerfully. He popped the prawn into his mouth. "Do you want me to be upset?"

"I want you to care. Time's running out."

"I've stopped looking at the calendar." Nate glanced at the sunshine glittering off the turquoise surf and splashing in the picture window at them. "It must be the weather."

"It's
your
marriage!
Your
wife! You've got to take some interest! You can't leave it all up to me."

"It's not my job,
mon
," Nate replied, intoning the phrase scrawled across the tee shirts in the market.

"Your business is!" Sam said sharply. "Are you willing to let that fall apart from lack of trying?"

"Relax." Nate stabbed a scallop next from the seafood platter and moved it toward her mouth. "Open wide," he instructed, holding his other hand beneath her chin to catch the butter dribbling from the delicacy.

"I don't want—" Too late. The morsel was already past her lips and landing on her tongue in an explosion of taste sensation.

"Good?" he asked, his hand poised to repeat the process.

"Good," she admitted, but covered his hand with hers, determined to stop its upward movement before he could touch her again, before her body could react as it had before, with a spiralling rush of heat and heightened senses.

Perhaps she had simply sat too long in the sun, or drunk too swiftly of the excellent Chardonnay, but Sam suddenly felt relaxed, more relaxed than she'd felt since beginning this voyage, so relaxed, in fact, that it bordered on out of control.

She tried to sit straighter, tried to draw away from Nate's reach, but given her swiftly vanishing resolve and the intimacy of their window alcove, she found the task impossible.

Nate seemed to feel what was passing between them also, for he suddenly raised his hand and motioned for the check. When he turned back to her, his eyes were serious.

"So what's next?" he asked. "Shall we go back to the boat or scour the city for my so-called date?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to forget the whole thing."

"We can't," she said miserably.

"No. But we're not going to miss out on seeing San Juan just because some woman decides to stand me up."

"I'm sure—"

He abruptly stood and pulled out her chair. "Come on," he said, throwing some bills on the table. "There's something I want to show you."

Meet Me at Midnight

Gael Morrison

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Meet Me at Midnight

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