Rumor Has It (21 page)

“No. I knew I cared about you every time I gritted my teeth when you were seeing Theo. I was at your house every time you were done with your dates. I was sabotaging what you had but telling myself that you needed to be let go.”

Happy tears were streaming down her face. “I love you too, Liam, so much. I thought I had caused us to lose it all.”

“You helped me open my eyes. Without you, I’d never have been able to talk myself into believing that you could get the nice little family you’ve always wanted from me instead of someone else, but I want to be considered for the position. Like I said, this is new for me, but I know you and you know me. When I say I’m the man for you, I’ll make sure I damn well can do whatever it takes to do what I said I will do.

“What do you say, Raina? Want to take a chance on a fireman who cares so much about you he’d display his soul for the whole department to see?”

“Liam, you don’t even have to ask.”

They looked around when the audience went wild with clapping and cheering. She realized that they were now the entertainment for the party, and she laughed as he led her to a more private setting to talk about their reunion.

“This is more than I’d ever anticipated. I hope you know that I’m not letting you go. I’ve wanted you to be mine for as long as I can remember. I’ve watched you parade woman after woman before me, and I always wanted it to be me. When it was my turn, I was so afraid the ride was going to come to an end. Last night I thought that was the end of not only the best sex I’ve ever had in my life, but I’d lost my best friend. I wanted to talk to someone about it, but there was no one I wanted to tell more than you. Crazy, huh?”

“Not really. I wanted to talk to you too.”

“So you wanted to talk to me…when? After you finished with the blonde from the bar?”

“I watched you walk out with Ethan to your car. Then I drove by your house to make sure you got home safely. I wanted to see you, but I’d made my own bed, and I figured it was for the best.”

“So no blonde?”

“There’s only been you. Since you broke up with Theo, it’s only been you. I was just too stubborn to admit it.”

“Liam, that was over six months ago.”

“I know how long it’s been.”

“That’s hard to believe.”

“I told myself I wanted to spend more time alone and I wanted to have more time with the fire dogs. The truth is, I was having a good time spending it with you while you were unattached. I never thought you’d pull something like the proposition you hit me with, but you were my haven, my calm, and I enjoyed hanging out at your house.”

“Really? Because it seemed like you always came around as an afterthought.”

“That’s not true. It started when I came to your house the first few times. It was fun, and you were great, but I wanted to loosen you up. You were the same sweet self, but you were uptight and a little nervous around me.”

“Of course. I’d never had a man as beautiful as you come to visit me, and the more you came back, the more nervous I got.”

“Why?”

“Well, at first I thought you were going to come on to me, so I was ready but nervous I wouldn’t be as exciting as the women you’re used to. The more I waited, the more nervous I got.”

“The third time I came to your house, I was running late, and I think you put on the clothes you wear to relax. You had on a lacy pink tank and cutoff sweatpants, and I almost lost my mind. Your whole demeanor changed. You were more relaxed.”

“When you called and said you’d be late, I just knew you weren’t coming. I changed my clothes and got more comfortable. I figured there was no need to sit around looking cute when you weren’t even going to be there.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. You looked so much more delectable when you weren’t sitting around looking cute. You looked like a fresh, clean woman, one I didn’t know then but a woman who wanted to get dirty.”

“I’m still not copping to that.”

“I’m sorry I treated you the way I did last night. I was a stubborn ass, so caught up in pushing you away before you figured out that you should leave me that what you were saying didn’t really register. I got home and tossed and turned thinking about what you said and how badly I was going to miss you.”

“I hate to bring this up, but you should talk to your mother.”

“I already did. This morning, before I got the call from the hospital that you were hurt.”

“How did it go?”

“It was all right. She wanted to make sure you knew how thankful she was, and she was sorry that you had to deal with so much pain trying to help her out.”

“I want to say it was worth it, but the reality of losing you was hard.”

He nodded, took her hand in his, held it to his chest, and continued. “There was a lot that I didn’t know, of course, and a lot of things I misconstrued. She was apologetic, and I’m trying to be forgiving. Especially now that I see how valuable forgiveness means to the one who wants it.”

She looked at the face she loved so much and wondered if he was asking what she thought he was asking. He took her hand and held it against his chest as she looked into his clear green eyes.

“Will you forgive me?”

“For what?” She wanted to be sympathetic to him, but he’d hurt her badly. She had to make sure he knew what he was doing because she couldn’t go through that again.

“I love that you don’t make this easy. You know that, right?”

She shrugged.

“Forgive me for not sharing what I really felt when you told me your story last night. Forgive me for thinking you’d be better off with another man who was whole and didn’t have as many hangups, and forgive me for making you feel like you were one of the million instead of the one in a trillion you truly are.”

“That was a pretty good apology for someone who doesn’t do it all that often.”

“I know how to put in the time and effort when it’s necessary. Will it be necessary?”

“If you’re willing to work with me, then I am full of forgiveness.”

She had taken off the microphone before they walked away from the podium but had remained on the stage, in full view of the party guests. He kissed her in front of the whole party, and the applause was deafening.

“You look so beautiful.”

“Now that you know that I’m all right, why don’t you go home and change?”

“Leave my girlfriend all alone at a ball? Never.”

“You mean you don’t mind walking around in the getup you have on?”

“It means I’ve already sent someone to pick some clothes up from the firehouse. I thought of taking you home with me, but we both know we wouldn’t have returned.”

“You have a nice outfit at the firehouse?”

“Honey, I have half of my life there.”

He followed her out to the stage and helped her attach her microphone.

“It seems a lot of you have been following the drama of us at a distance, but I wanted to let everyone know so there are no rumors floating around. Raina and I have gone from a friendship ’us’ to a committed ’we.’” He used his fingers as quotation marks around his words.

“It’s about damn time,” said one loud member of the audience.

“I’m sure there were a lot of you who were looking forward to getting to spend this evening with the beautiful Raina here, but she’s off the market.”

The applause and catcalls from his fellow firemen were deafening. The good-natured boos were mixed with laughter, and it was good to see them all having such a good time and to see Liam in such good spirits.

“All right, ladies, last auction of the night. Come on up here, Brody,” Liam said, then turned her to face him as Brody walked from the farthest part of the ballroom. “Why did you let them talk you into being in the auction if you didn’t want to do it?”

“I thought maybe it would take my mind off you not being in my life. I was stressing about it since I agreed to it.”

“Did it take your mind off of me?”

“You know there is nothing that could take my mind off you.”

“I love you so much, Raina. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to show you how much.”

The tears she was trying to stop were coming faster than she could blink them away.

“I love you too, Liam.”

He kissed her like they were the only ones in the world. She couldn’t believe he had turned this far. He’d committed in front of the people he worked with—this was his whole life, and she’d been invited to share it with him.

Epilogue

“I heard a rumor.” Liam looked over and watched her sweet whiskey eyes light up. No matter how many times that happened—and he was lucky it happened a lot—he was always awed by that sight. He sat watching her as she searched the Internet for ideas for her events. She was wrapped up in whatever she was looking at.

“Really?” She continued scanning the web page but sent a quick glance and smile his way. “Whatever news you want to share must be good, since you don’t do gossip.”

“You’re right about that.”

“And it’s about me?” Raina sat looking over the last bit of information she needed to put together a smoking presentation for her latest client. Liam refused to move in officially, but that didn’t stop him being there whenever he wasn’t working.

“Uh-huh.”

“Well? What was it?” She sat back, giving up work on her project, and presented him with a smile that felt like a kick to his heart. It took him a minute to catch his breath. She was beautiful. The outside, of course, but in so many other ways. What had he been thinking, overlooking her for so long?

“I’d heard you were going to be busy all throughout the month of September and the first week of October.” Her face fell a little, but she pulled out her calendar and skimmed through it.

“Really? For this year or next year?” She pulled out her smartphone and looked at the calendar. “If it’s for next year, I don’t think I have anything booked for that far.”

“I know. That’s because I want you for another event.”

“You want to hire me for an event? I thought the original planner was coming back to take over her duties.”

“For the Fire Ball?”

“Yes, I talked to her a few weeks ago. She does an excellent job of putting it together. It practically ran itself.”

“You’re right. She does do a good job.”

“O-kay…”

She turned to put her calendar and laptop away, and he made sure he was in position by the time she turned around. He was on bended knee in front of the couch.

Her gasp filled the room, and her mouth opened a bit, but it was her eyes that had him mesmerized. They were sparkly and bright.

“I wanted you to do me the honor of becoming my wife. I want you to share my life, since you already own my heart and just got my soul out of layaway.”

“Yes.” She extended her left hand, and he placed the princess-cut diamond upon her finger.

She got on the floor with him so she could seal this deal with a kiss.

“I’ve loved you so long and so hard I didn’t even know about it. I’d be proud to be your wife, but I’m even more excited to spend my life with my best friend.”

“So you like that rumor.”

The End

Loose Id Titles by Leela Lou Dahlin

A Haught Date

Rumor Has It

Leela Lou Dahlin

At a very young age Leela Lou Dahlin started reading the romance novels her grandmother left around the house during her summer vacations. She learned early that she enjoyed the type of story that could make you feel like you had fluttering butterflies in your stomach and bring tears to your eyes. Leela tries to create the emotional and endearing stories she adored as a child and continues to love to this day. She resides in SW Pennsylvania working as a RN Case Manager during the day and spinning her sweetly sexy stories by night.

Links to reach Leela Lou:

Main Web site:
http://leealou.wordpress.com

Blog:
http://nicegirlswritingnaughty.wordpress.com

Email:
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