She'd found a solution. Blown the threat to her family and their future out of the water. And earned the respect of Adam and the board in the process. She'd even been offered a real role in The Bellucci Winery. One she was perfect for. She should be walking on air.
Without Cade, none of it mattered.
From the top of the dune, she saw him sitting on the beach.
He stood and brushed the sand from his jeans.
He didn't turn as she walked across the sand toward him. The story she'd recited to her grandmother repeated in her head. You thought your romance was over. You thought your dream was over.
Her grandmother's slow smile as her features relaxed into joy at the memory.
He was standing at the same magical spot they'd always halted at. The one where her grandfather had fallen on his knees and proposed.
Melo's legs trembled as he turned.
Cade's eyes widened.
"Hi," Melo whispered.
"Hi, yourself."
He made no move, but his eyes … his eyes hid nothing. "I've missed you," he said, his voice deeply husky.
Melo stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans to stop from reaching for him. Her whole body tingled from the heat in his gaze, the raw honesty of his words.
"I had to go," the words tumbled over each other in a rush. "I … "
"I don't care about any of that." Cade took a step. He ran his hands over her shoulders. Down her arms. "All I care about is that you're here." Slowly, deliciously, his mouth came down to hers.
When they finally came up for air, Melo's chest was rising and falling rapidly, just as Cade's was. At some stage while they kissed, her arms had snaked around his waist. Locked around his back. She should pull away so they could talk. But her body wasn't listening. It had what it wanted. There was no way it was letting him go.
She rested her cheek against his warm chest. "I missed you too," she confessed. "I have things to tell you, about the beach … "
"I've drawn up the papers. I won't argue with you any more, Melo. Except about one thing. I'm buying the beach, and I'm giving it to you."
Melo pulled out of his arms. "What?"
"I don't want it," Cade said. "But I want you to have it. It was always yours."
"So-What? You're going to save me, and then give me my beach back?" She frowned. "Haven't you learned anything?"
To Cade's shock, her mouth stretched into a wide smile and a warm laugh tumbled from her lips. Confusion and anger battled for supremacy. She was the most infuriating woman he'd ever met.
Eventually, she got hold of herself, hiccupped, and laid a small hand palm flat against his chest. "I'm sorry," she forced out. "It's just … " she smiled. "You always think you have to save me. Why is that?"
"Because I love you."
It wasn't how he'd meant to tell her. He'd worked through this moment again and again in his mind over the past few days. And in none of those imaginings had he thought he'd just bloody blurt it out.
Melo's eyes widened. "You love me?"
"Yes, I love you, you damned infuriating woman."
Her hands snaked up his chest, slipped to his nape to pull his head down to hers. And she kissed him till he saw stars.
The wind was picking up. The sky darkened, heralding the imminent arrival of rain. Melo pulled out of Cade's embrace. "We better get out of here."
"In a moment," Cade replied. "First you're going to explain why you were laughing at me."
Melo traced a finger over his lips. Her eyes softened. "I was laughing because you won't be buying the beach, Cade. Because we no longer need to sell it."
Cade stood silent as she recounted the story. It was finished then. The whole damn mess was sorted out, and she didn't need any grand gestures from him. She didn't need him.
She looked so happy-lit by an inner glow. And she'd kissed him. He'd always looked after those he cared about by banishing their demons with the sword of money. Now, they stood, facing each other in this silently beautiful place, souls naked.
He'd told her he loved her. But she hadn't responded.
A rumble of thunder heralded the arrival of rain. One fat drop fell on Cade's arm.
He held her hand, got down on one knee.
"I'm proposing again," he said. "And if you don't want to get completely soaked, you'll put me out of my misery and say yes before-"
"Yes."
Melo's fingers touched her lips. Her eyes darkened. "Kiss me."