A Convenient Arrangement(71)

“You really hurt me,” she finally whispered.

Her words stabbed him with the sharp pain of remorse. His heart shredded. God, he had. He had really hurt her. The pain was evident in her eyes, even if her face, that beautiful face with sapphire eyes that saw through to his soul, held the most stoic of expressions.

He shut his eyes. Took a long, deep breath. Could she forgive him? Would she forgive him? He certainly would never deserve this woman, but could he convince her, could he show her, could he find the words to make her understand that he wanted a lifetime to prove how much she and the children he desperately wanted only with her meant to him?

He grasped her hands, her fingertips cold. “I’m sorry.” The words came out broken and grave. He’d wanted to sound strong, sincere, but rasping need wove through his voice. He swallowed, fighting back the lump in his throat. He’d never choked up with a woman before this very moment. An unfamiliar heat burned in his eyes. Wow, so this was love? This aching horrible feeling of vulnerability and want? The knowledge that with one denial, Gwen could send his world, his future, careening into the abyss. Yes, but also knowing that with one yes his heart, his life, would soar to the highest of heights.

“I love you and I’m sorry. I will spend every moment of the rest of my life proving to you how much I love you if only you’ll let me.” Please God, let her want to let me. He squeezed her hands and pulled her closer. Rested his forehead against Gwen’s. Her scent filled his lungs and an overwhelming need for her exploded through his heart. “You’re the only woman I want in this entire world. Please Gwen, let me spend a lifetime making you happy.” His gaze searched hers. “Please Gwen, please tell me that you’ll be mine.”

Her gaze flickered up to meet his. Her stoic expression had cracked. Her bottom lip trembled, and her eyes, those big beautiful eyes, were filled with tears…

Leo’s heart ached. Oh no. No. His Gwen was not going to tell him what he wanted to hear.

“I don’t know how…I don’t want this to be because you miss me. This has to be about a life that you see yourself having. An experience that you want to have for its own sake, not just because you miss us. I miss us too, but I want each of us to be happy.”

“We will be happy. It’s bigger than just me, bigger than you, bigger than us. I didn’t, I don’t want this experience of building a life and a family with anyone else. I didn’t think I ever would want that life, but neither did Justin or Anthony until they met the right woman. Gwen, it takes the woman of your dreams to make a man realize what he’s missing. It takes love to show us what we really need.” His lips were so close to hers now. Please let him be able to kiss her again—how he’d missed kissing her. “And you, you’re the woman of those dreams for me.”

Her trembling lips, those lips he wanted to spend a lifetime kissing, turned upward into a smile.

His heart nearly burst from his chest.

“I love you, Leo Travati,” Gwen said as the tears streamed down her face. “I really do love you.”

“And I love you too.”





Chapter 21




Gwen didn’t need a wedding at The Plaza Hotel. She didn’t even need a bridal brunch or giant reception or a bachelorette party. She’d planned and celebrated enough of those big events to know what she needed and wanted. And Leo? He didn’t care as long as her plans involved them getting married as soon as possible. So Gwen and Leo’s wedding was a small and intimate affair—a minister and immediate family only. Aubrey and Justin hosted the wedding luncheon afterward. As the party wound down, Gwen sat with Adrianna in her arms, the baby sleeping soundly after the stimulation of the day.

Leo walked toward her and sat by her side. “Want me to take her?”

“Sure.” Gwen gently slipped her niece into Leo’s arms. “You’re getting pretty good at that.”

“Well, I better, right? What with the twins coming in four months.” He nodded toward Shelly and Anthony. “And Aubrey and Justin talking about more.”

Gwen nodded and smiled. “Absolutely. The Travati family is growing by leaps and bounds.” She sipped her water. “Lots of children to play with each other. Loads of cousins. Big Christmases and holidays. Sounds like a nearly perfect world for our baby to be born into.”

“I’d agree,” Leo said. He nodded and kissed his niece’s head and she snuggled deeper into his shoulder. Then he froze. His head whipped up and his eyes widened. “Wait…what did…did you just…are we…Gwen…are we going to have a baby?”