Seize the day…the thought had instantly leapt into Ethan’s mind.
Keith had just given him the family’s stamp of approval. That barrier in Daisy’s mind had to be down. If he acted now, before she could get herself in a twist about something else, he should be able to clinch the real deal.
‘Yes. Good idea!’ he shot at Keith with a huge man-to-man grin.
He grabbed Daisy’s hand, pulled her up from her chair, and swept her out to the front porch, his heart drumming him into the battle he was intent on winning. The moment the door was closed behind them, ensuring privacy, he scooped her hard against him, one arm curling possessively around her waist, his free hand cupping her chin so she couldn’t look away from the intensity of purpose shooting from his eyes to hers.
‘There’s no more to prove, is there?’ he fiercely challenged. Without waiting for a reply he plunged on with vehement conviction. ‘We’re fine together, Daisy. Doesn’t matter who we’re with or where we are. The world is our oyster if you’ll just open up to me and admit that I’m the right man for you. The right man in every respect. Because I am. I know it. And you’re the right woman for me. No question. We could build a great future together. Have a family like yours. Nothing should stop us. Nothing!’
The right woman for him…
He meant it.
It was in his voice, in his eyes, and at last Daisy could let herself believe it. All the doubts that had plagued her disintegrated under the forcefulness of Ethan’s insistent claims. A huge welling of emotion brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t speak. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him, pouring into passion the hopes and dreams he had just turned into incredibly ecstatic reality.
He was the right man for her. In every respect. Her heart and soul told her so, and her body exulted in the passion he returned with its promise of always being there for her—no time limit—for the rest of their lives, not the rest of this year.
‘Now that meant something,’ he muttered with certainty as his mouth broke from hers.
A sublime joy bubbled into laughter. Her eyes danced total agreement with him as she sobered up enough to say, ‘I love you, Ethan Cartwright. I just didn’t know if you’d ever think we’d be fine together.’
‘Thought it from the first day we met,’ he answered, his eyes sparkling with delight in her open admission.
‘You didn’t even know me,’ she protested.
‘Knew it instinctively. Convincing you of it was the problem.’
She shook her head at him. ‘You only wanted me.’
‘Very badly. And once I had you, Daisy Donahue, I very quickly knew I never wanted to let you go. I love everything about you. Absolutely everything.’
It was what she had secretly yearned to hear and it was happening.
It truly was.
Ethan cocked an eyebrow enquiringly. ‘Does your father expect me to ask him for your hand in marriage?’
‘You haven’t asked me yet,’ she reminded him.
He laughed. ‘Shall I go down on bended knee?’
‘No, I like you better up here,’ she said, swaying her body provocatively against his, revelling in the freedom of being able to express her love for him without any inhibitions at all.
‘Will you…’ he kissed her forehead ‘…be…’ he kissed the tip of her nose ‘…my wife?’ He brushed his lips over hers.
‘Yes,’ she breathed against his mouth and they kissed again, celebrating the soul-deep satisfaction of knowing they were, indeed, right for each other.
They stayed out on the front porch for quite a while, not wanting to break the marvellous sense of solid togetherness. It seemed to Daisy they had come on a long, long journey to this point, and there was much to talk about—the inner turmoil that had constantly infiltrated her part in their relationship, the moves Ethan had made to give himself the best chance of winning her over to what he wanted, the reasons why he’d decided she was the right woman for him, his realisation that her integrity was rock-solid, that there was no intention of taking him for anything beyond what had been agreed—so many feelings to be expressed, explained, understood.
And a future to be planned.
Ethan wanted to fill the house at Hunters Hill with children, to play games with them, to sit down to family meals, which matched Daisy’s dreams perfectly. They would make it happen together. They were one in mind, one in heart—soul mates for ever.
It was the most blissful day in Daisy’s life and, wonderfully imbued with the absolute confidence he gave her, she knew with Ethan there would be many more to come.