Kade rubbed his jaw and then the back of his neck. "Jesus, Brodie."
"I'm sorry. For everything I said because I was so damn scared." Brodie stared at her red ballet pumps. She turned her head and looked at Kade. He seemed gobsmacked and, she had to admit, not very damn happy at her proclamation. She'd been too late. She'd lost him.
Brodie forced her rubbery legs to walk toward the door. She scooped up her bag as she walked past the bed.
"What do you want from me, Brodie?" Kade intercepted her and placed both his hands on her upper arms.
Brodie shrugged. "Nothing you can't give me, openly and honestly. I just want you in my life, any way I can get you. With or without the baby, I love you. It's taken me a while, but now it's suddenly simple. It's fine that you don't love me. I still want you to be my friend, to co-parent with you, to be our baby's dad."
Kade cupped the side of her face with his big hand and she finally saw the beginning of a smile. "For a bright woman, you can be incredibly dense on occasion."
What did that mean? What was he trying to say?
Kade's thumb drifted over her bottom lip, down her chin. "I can love you. I do love you."
Brodie felt her heart expand, fill with a warm, bright light. Before it could start dancing around her rib cage, she grabbed it in an iron fist. "In what way?"
"In every way that counts. " Kade kissed the corner of her mouth. "And more. A lot more."
She loosened the hold on her heart. "Meaning?"
"Meaning I love you, too. I will always love you. I never expected this to happen to me, not like this. We met again and I feel like I've been riding a hurricane and I've loved every minute. You drive me nuts, you turn me on. I think about you all the damn time." He swallowed some emotion and Brodie blinked back her tears.
"I imagine the family we can have, the fun we'll have," Kade continued, "I dream about the love that will color our lives."
Brodie smiled slowly, her heart dancing. She placed her hands on his pecs and rested her forehead on his chest. "Oh, God, I feel light-headed. I am so relieved." Kade's hand cupped the back of her head. "While I was running away, I realized I'd so rather be scared with you than be without you. I'd rather stand in an electrical storm with you than be safe by myself. You're my it, Kade-the blond, big man my eleven-year-old self recognized so long ago."
"Brodie." Kade's arms tightened around her and easily lifted her so her mouth aligned with his. "Welcome home, baby. Don't run away anymore."
"Thank you for giving me another chance," she murmured against his lips.
"I've missed you." A mischievous smile crossed his face as humor and relief chased the last residue of hurt and disappointment from his eyes. "So does this mean I have to get rid of the girl in the bathroom?"
* * *
Brodie tapped on the door to Kade's office and popped her head in. It was the end of the day and her man sat behind his desk, his fingers flying across his keyboard. He looked up and the frown on his face disappeared as his smile reached his eyes. They'd been back together for a month and the butterflies in her stomach were still going mad, occasionally accompanied by a tiny flutter that was all Baby Webb.
"Hey, gorgeous." Kade leaned back in his chair as she closed the door behind her. She walked over to his desk and plopped herself into his lap, lifting her face for a thorough, very sexy kiss. Kade pulled away and placed his hand on her round tummy. "How's my other girl?"
"Your boy has started to play ice hockey in my womb," Brodie replied. "We have a doctor's appointment next week."
"I haven't forgotten." Kade looked at his watch. "As much as I love the idea of you surprising me at work, I thought you had a late meeting."
"I did but I canceled." She was about to add she forgot to wear her fake engagement ring but she knew that might prompt Kade to suggest he buy her a real ring. She knew a proposal was coming but she wanted to do something different...
Hence her visit to his office.
Brodie climbed off his lap and sat on the edge of his desk so she could see his face. "So, Wren called me and told me she's posted the final blog on our endeavor to find your happily-ever-after."
"You're my happily-ever-after." Kade placed a hand on her knee. "I told her to take that nonsense down. It's silly to have it on the site when everyone knows we are together, a couple, in love and that we are having a baby."
"Still-" Brodie tapped her finger on the screen of his laptop "-take a look."
"You've seen it?" Kade asked, sitting up.
"I approved it. I hope you do, too." She licked her lips and watched as he double-clicked the icon on the screen to bring up the Mavericks' website. He went to the relevant page and started to read. Brodie tucked her shaking hands under her thighs and read along with him.
There was a photo of them in the top right-hand corner with the words Kade's future as a title.
As a matchmaker, I have matched many couples and it gives me great pleasure to play a small part in helping people find happiness in love. I have, in the process of trying to find Kade's life partner, found the same happiness and nobody was more surprised than I was when I realized Kade was mine.
I never thought that love, permanence and commitment would be a part of my future again but I am honored and thrilled to have found it with Kade.
He and our child are my future, my joy, my heart. So, sorry, ladies of Vancouver, but Kade Webb is officially and permanently off the market.
Yours,
Brodie
Brodie found her courage and said the words she'd been practicing for the past week. "So, my mom's engagement ring is very real and I'd like to wear it. Are you game, Webb?"
Brodie watched as Kade slowly turned and sent her his charming, emotional, full-blown smile. He leaned back in his chair and linked his hands across his stomach. "You proposing, Stewart?"
Brodie lifted one shoulder. "It's a suggestion..."
"I like your suggestion," Kade softly answered her.
Warmth coursed through her, relaxing and rejuvenating her at the same time.
Kade gestured to the screen. "Why this, Brodes? It's a pretty public declaration."
That was the point. Brodie attempted to explain. "I know, it'll be the only time I'll ever do or say something about us on social media, but I needed to. I've lived in the shadows for so long. I've protected myself so well, I wanted to show you exactly how committed I am to you, to us. I wanted you to know I'm still scared but I'm not going to run away." She stared at her shoes. "Maybe it was just me breaking through my cocoon."
Kade stood and tipped up her face. "Thank you." He placed his hands on the desk and dropped a sexy, sweet kiss on her mouth. "I love you so damn much and I can't wait to marry you. Hand the ring over and I'll do the bended-knee thing."
Brodie grinned. "I can't wait to see you on bended knee and I love you back."
Kade smiled against her lips. "First and last time. Now that our future is sorted, let's talk about the important stuff."
"Where we're going to live-your loft-and when we're going to get married? I was thinking the sooner the better."
Kade's eyes glinted. "Actually, I was talking about the really important stuff, like how soon I can get you naked-"
The door burst open and they broke off their deep kiss and looked around to see Quinn standing in the doorway.
"Oh, for God's sake, do you two do anything other than grope each other?" he demanded, slapping his hand over his eyes.
"Not really, no." Kade scowled at his friend. "What do you want, jerkoid?"
"Rory's on her way to the hospital, she's in labor. We're going to have our first Maverick baby!"
Kade grabbed his jacket and Brodie's hand. "We're right behind you." At the door he kissed Brodie again and tucked her into his side. "The future looks good, babe."
Brodie sighed and placed a hand on her stomach. "It really does."
And this time, for the first time in far too long, she was convinced of it.
* * * * *
Pick up the first book in the FROM MAVERICKS TO MARRIED series, TRAPPED WITH THE MAVERICK MILLIONAIRE and these other sexy, emotional reads from Joss Wood
TAKING THE BOSS TO BED
YOUR BED OR MINE?
THE HONEYMOON ARRANGEMENT
MORE THAN A FLING?
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Keep reading for an excerpt from CONTRACT WEDDING, EXPECTANT BRIDE by Yvonne Lindsay.