“He’s right, nurses work terrible hours…” Joyce touched her mouth with her fingertips. “He wants to take care of me. He’s just protective, that’s all.”
Charlize’s muscles contracted. “No he’s not—he’s possessive. There’s a difference. One has confidence, the other is childish.” Her breaths quickened and conviction shot through her nerves. “A real man doesn’t need to prop up his ego by diminishing or controlling you.”
Joyce’s hand moved from her mouth to clasp the base of her throat. She flinched.
Charlize softened her tone. “A real man can share you with your friends, your family and your job…he knows his needs aren’t the only ones that count. He sure as hell doesn’t need to be jealous, because he knows you’re always coming back to him.” Her voice drifted off and Connor’s face swam in her vision. “The one you want will do what it takes to keep you safe but can watch you talk to another man without feeling threatened, because he damn well knows he earned your heart and deserves to keep it.” Her chest warmed and she continued. “He’s always got your back no matter what. He believes in you—even when you don’t believe in yourself.”
Things he’d said, things he’d done, the box sitting quietly in the bottom of her wardrobe, they all clicked into place. She knew what Connor had been trying to show her all along. She didn’t need to be someone else to be a success. The only expectations holding her back were her own. He believed in her—the real her.
“You’ve just worked out the person you’re talking about is Connor, haven’t you?” Joyce said.
Charlize’s vision focused and she saw the tears on her cousin’s cheeks. “Yeah.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Charlize gazed down at her dress. “I’ll start by wearing purple.”
Chapter Eighteen
Connor stood at the top of the steps of the grand entrance, hands clasped behind his back and tension rippling through his shoulders. Vehicles lined at the entrance. Couples emerged from cars like buzzing bees, humming with chatter.
But no Charlize.
He should have picked her up instead of asking Jason to drive her before taking the rest of the night off. A limousine moved forward and a black car rolled up to the entrance. Jason’s car, thank fuck.
The door opened and Jason unrolled his oversized body from the vehicle. He glanced up and raised a hand. Connor tipped his head in response. Jason moved to the back door and tugged it open. People moved past and Connor stretched, gaze fixed on that door. One high-heeled foot touched the ground then another, the rest of her obscured behind the door and the man holding it.
Then the door closed and she emerged.
Heat flared through his body, winding its way into his chest. She walked to the bottom step. Violet fabric flowed over her skin like liquid—made her hair shine blacker, her skin whiter, her lips redder. Then she gazed up at him.
He saw her for the first time—Charlize. The woman he loved, wearing the dress. The one he’d bought for her, the one her heart wanted. And that, more than the stunning picture she made, froze the breath in his lungs—made him tingle down to his fingertips. And damn if his throat didn’t ache with emotion, as if he was watching his bride walk toward him.
In a way he was. Even if the dress didn’t tell him, the look on her face did. No more hiding. No more holding back. They were all in. He took the steps one at a time but his knees jerked. He reached the bottom, reached her.
They stared at each other and all he could do was put his hands on her waist, remind himself they were in public. She grasped the lapels of his jacket and tipped back her head.
Her lips trembled. “I love you, Connor.”
She leaned up and kissed him, hard and open-mouthed and heedless of who might see. He kissed her back, crushed her to him but kept hold of the passion tempting him to give it to her in full view. He pulled away and rested his forehead on hers.
“You better prepare yourself when this thing’s over and I take you home. It’s going to be out-of-control.”
She laughed softly. “You mean the other times haven’t been?”
“Not like this will be.” He straightened and rubbed his thumb against her chin. “I love you, Charlize, like nothing I ever have before.”
Her chest rose and she smiled so wide he could count her teeth. He fell harder.
She linked one arm through his and whispered, “Let get this thing over with then.”
* * * * *
Charlize looked through the crowded room and caught sight of Connor chatting to—how predictable—the security. Not in a way that made her worry something was wrong, his movements were light and friendly. Perhaps he was doing some schmoozing of his own. Crap, it only made her love him that much more.