Nate kissed her long and hard, pushing her back down against the floor in the mess of papers. He'd meant only to quiet her, but the pa.s.sion took over and soon she was moaning and he was nudging her legs apart. As he settled against her body, he found her breast with his hand.

His voice was hoa.r.s.e as he whispered into her throat. "And exactly how do you think I'm giving up anything? When we have this?"

Her hands came up and covered her eyes. "I hope I don't wake up now. I hope this is actually happening."

"I want to marry you."

She dropped her hands to the floor and laughed. "I really hope this isn't a dream."

"I'm serious."

Frankie looked up at him. Her eyes were full of tears again, but instead of pain, they were glowing with love. She reached out and touched his face.

"Truly?" she said, as if afraid to believe it.

"I want you to be my wife. Right now, as a matter of fact. You know a justice of the peace?"

She smiled. "Actually I think the plumber's one in his spare time. And given the number of hours he's spent here lately..."

"So we're engaged?"

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling his head down. "Yeah, we're engaged."

"Good." He mouth found hers, but he was gentle this time. "I love you. G.o.d, I just want to keep saying that."

She broke the sweet contact. "Nate?"

"Hmm?"

"I know who I want to be my bridesmaid."

"Joy will be thrilled."

"Well, yes, but I want another one." She laughed. "I want Lucille to be at our wedding. Because if she hadn't broken down, you never would have walked through my back door."

Nate grinned, feeling as if everything in his life had fallen into place. "You know something? That car's going to look wonderful in a taffeta skirt."

ISBN: 978-1-4268-4545-1BEAUTY AND THE BLACK SHEEP.

Copyright 2005 by Jessica Bird.

end.