Always a Warrior(69)
A soft sigh shuddered from her and her heart melted all over again. Round cold metal slid over the third finger of her left hand. She forgot to breathe. She lifted her lashes slowly to stare down at her hand resting on his chest. His hand covered hers, leaving her fingers pale against his black T-shirt.
On her finger, the ring gleamed bright in t he glare of the kitchen light. Small diamonds glittered and twinkled around the shiny emerald. The platinum band set it off perfectly. Emerald green sparkled and winked at her.
“I ….” Emotion clogged her throat, robbed her of speech.
She lifted her hand to the curve of his jaw, the emerald winking against his tanned skin as she met his hungry gaze. It was stark desire tempered by love.
“Like it?” he asked lightly.
Unable to speak, she leaned closer and covered his mouth with hers as the tears flowed.
She had never been this happy in her life. Her lips moved over his, her tongue tracing his lips slowly, erotically, before slipping inside to savor the mingled tastes of coffee and Damien. She finally drew back, lifted her gaze to his and gave him tremulous smile.
“I guess you do like it,” he surmised gently, his eyes tender. He glanced at the ring then back at her. “I love you—always.”
ALWAYS A WARRIOR Patricia Bruening
101
Winding her arms around his neck, she snuggled closer and replied huskily. “I love you—always.”
Her heart soared but her brain wondered what Damien would do without the SEALS.
* * * *
Two days later, Laurie stood in her front yard and waved at Damien as he left on his motorcycle. Stacy ran up and tugged impatiently on her hand.
“Is he really coming back?” she demanded with the exuberance of the very young. “And be my Daddy?”
“Yes, Stacy.” Laurie looked down at her very excited daughter and laughed softly. “He’s really coming back to be your Daddy.”
“Good. I never had a Daddy before.” Stacy’s eyes sparkled with pure delight.
Laurie banished the slight twinge of guilt and smiled. “You’ll have one now.”
She led Stacy back into the house, her thoughts already focused on the hundreds of things she needed to do and plan in the next few weeks. Ecstatic, she hugged herself tightly. She was in love. She was getting married. She would finally have the real family she had deep down wanted since she was younger than Stacy.
She couldn’t wait to see the look on her mother’s face. Marjorie had badgered her for years to find some nice, rich young man and get married. Laurie knew, however, that her mother would not approve. In fact, she would be appalled. But even her mother’s predicted disapproval did not lessen the anticipation. Laurie settled into her recliner with pen and notepad to plan her wedding.
Damien had left the details to her but agreed to her suggestion of a small, intimate, informal gathering rather than a big splashy affair that would not suit either of them. After scribbling a very basic list, she gave in to her urges and dropped the notepad. She grabbed the nearest phone and dialed her mother’s number. Since her mother, naturally, did not answer the phone, Laurie was forced to leave a message. But she took a perverse satisfaction in imagining her mother’s shock when she heard the message. Grinning, Laurie returned to her wedding plans.
As expected Marjorie Crawford was not at all pleased. She thought her daughter a fool to marry a man like Damien. She declared as much the next day when she entered Laurie’s house as though it was her own.
“After all, he’s only a soldier.” She sniffed haughtily as she perched on the edge of the sofa.
Laurie barely managed not to squirm under Marjorie’s cold disapproval. She refused to allow her mother to spoil her happiness.
“The military doesn’t pay much,” Marjorie continued sternly, her eyes like glaciers. “No, I think you had better change your plans. Tell this McAllister the wedding is off.”
Laurie clamped her lips together to keep her jaw from dropping. The very notion that Marjorie expected her to drop her plans, and Damien, just because she ordered it was positively ludicrous.
“You’re kidding, right?” Laurie choked on sarcastic laughter. “You honestly expect me to call off my wedding just because you say so?”
Marjorie stood up, looked down her nose until her arctic glare met Laurie’s. Laurie shifted uncomfortably in the recliner.
“Of course I do,” Marjorie stated as though the issue was settled. “Since you finally want to get married, I’ll introduce to several suitable young men who will be well able to take care of you and Stacy.”