His Instant Heir(31)

"I said things I shouldn't have, too. I was just so mad," she admitted.

She tipped her head to the side and stared up at him, and he saw tears  in the corners of her eyes. "I love you, too. I want us to be a family,  but I don't know how we can do that with the feud still going on."

"I agree," he said, cupping her face in his hands and using his thumbs  to wipe away her tears. He hugged her close. "Business first so you can  stop worrying about that. Kell, Allan and I have agreed to give your  sisters a chance to prove they should keep their positions in the  company. It's no guarantee for their jobs, but it's better than nothing.  And Kell has agreed to be more civil from now on."

"That's a start," Cari said, wrapping her arms around his waist and  resting her head on his chest. And finally he felt like there was a  chance he might be able to really win her back.

"Did you mean it when you said you loved me?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, I did. I know you thought I didn't have a heart, and you're right.  I don't have a heart because it belongs to you," he said.

"I love you, too, Dec. All those hearts that led the way to you … thank  you for that," she said. "No one has ever done a big gesture like that  for me. You make me feel special."                       
       
           



       

He leaned down and kissed her. "You are so special to me. I'm afraid to  tell you how much you mean to me. I don't want you to have that kind of  power over me, but no matter if I say the words or not, you still have  it."

The tears were back in her eyes and she hugged him so fiercely that he felt the strength of her love.

"I want you to be my wife. I want to get married as soon as we can and start to live like a real family."

"I want that, too," she admitted. "It's the one thing I've wanted since  we had dinner that first night you were back. I didn't want to believe  that you could be the man of my dreams, but you are that and more."

"I hope I can live up to that, Cari," he said. "I'm going to make every  effort to be that man. In fact, after we eat breakfast I have a surprise  for you."

"Another one?"

"A few more," he said with a smile. He led the way to a table set up for  breakfast for the three of them and when it was over he led them off  the yacht to a Porsche Cayenne-a family-style SUV that was the car of a  man with a family, not a man who rode alone.

"This is my new car," he said, gesturing to the vehicle and the baby car  seat in the rear bench. "I'm serious about sticking around and sharing  my life with you."

She believed it. And she learned something else about the man she loved.  When he made up his mind about something, he did it all the way. No  half measures for Dec. He drove through the morning rush-hour traffic to  Beverly Hills but wouldn't tell her where they were going. He stopped  to send a text message, and they sat in the car holding hands while he  waited to get a response. When it finally came he put the car in gear.

"Close your eyes," he said.

When she did as he'd asked, he turned the car down a residential street  and a few minutes later he put the car in Park. "Don't open them yet."

She heard him get out of the car, come around to get DJ out of the backseat and then open her door.

He held her hand and helped her out of the car. "I've got DJ. You stay right here for a moment."

He left her standing in the midmorning sun; she thought she heard voices but couldn't identify them.

Dec was back by her side, alone, and he lifted her into his arms. He  kissed her long and slow and when he lifted his head, he said, "Open  your eyes."

She did, and saw a huge mansion with a banner tied to the front. For her  and for all the world to see, it read: Cari, Please Help Me Fill This  House with Love and Make It Our Home.

She hugged him close and buried her face in his neck, just breathing in the scent of this man she loved so very much.

"Yes, I will do that," she said.

"Good. I've already started by inviting our family over," he said.

Her eyes widened with surprise. She wasn't sure he'd really said what  she thought she'd heard, but as he carried her over the threshold she  saw that Kell, Allan, Emma, Sam and Jessi were all there, along with  their son. Their families didn't look like bosom buddies, but they were  all being civil.

DJ clapped his hands together. "Mama, Dada."

He crawled over to them as Dec put her on her feet. Cari bent down to  pick up her son, knowing she'd gotten everything she could have wished  for in love and life.