A Spanish Engagement (17 page)

Max reached out a tender hand and brushed her tears away, a look of rapture on his face. ‘Up until a few moments ago I hardly dared hope that you would ever say that to me…’ Then he bent his head and his lips found hers in a possessive kiss that made all rational thought disappear. The sensation of pure need that instantly sprang to life inside her was shockingly intense.

She kissed him back with long, lingering, intense pleasure.

‘This feels like a dream,’ Carrie murmured unsteadily as he pulled back.

‘For me too,’ Max murmured. ‘Last night when I held you in my arms it was the most wonderful night of my life, and I longed to tell you exactly how I felt, but I didn’t dare in case I scared you away.’

‘And I thought that last night meant nothing to you…’ Her voice lowered as she remembered the pain of those feelings. ‘I thought it was just a casual fling as far as you were concerned.’

Max shook his head. ‘I’ve never felt this deeply, this passionately about anyone in all my life. When I hold you in my arms, when we kiss it’s the most wonderful feeling. I had to force myself to leave you this morning because I knew if I stayed in your bed I’d end up pouring my heart out and I didn’t think it was what you wanted to hear. I’ve kept telling myself that I have to be patient. That you have been hurt in the past and I need to take things slowly.’

‘Oh, Max, you are not just saying all this, are you?’ she asked him tentatively, scared because these were all the things she had wanted to hear.

He looked down into her eyes, so wide and filled with hope. ‘I know you think I can tell lies with glib ease, but I assure you, Carrie, my feelings for you are genuine. Yes, I have been worried about my father’s health and I’ve wanted to reassure him of my intentions, but I have never said anything to my parents—or to Carmel and Bob, for that matter—that I haven’t felt deeply…’ he caught hold of her hand and placed it over his heart ‘…right about here.’

‘You really love me?’ She looked up at him wonderingly. There was no doubting the depth of sincerity in his voice, in his eyes.

‘Deeply and madly.’ He smiled at her, a crooked half-smile that sent her senses spinning wildly with happiness.
He pulled her close, holding her in a bear-like hug. ‘You mean everything to me,
querida
. And if you will just give me a chance I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you…’

She cuddled closer to him, breathing in the scent of his cologne; the pleasure of being held, of hearing him saying such wonderful things, was incredibly intense.

‘Just a few moments ago I truly believed that you were still holding a torch for Natasha.’

Max pulled back from her slightly and looked genuinely startled at that. ‘Natasha is a dear friend, Carrie, but I have never felt about her—or anyone else—the way I do about you. Natasha and I didn’t love each other enough—there was no real spark. We kind of just drifted together because it was expected of us. That’s why our engagement didn’t work.’

‘But I was watching you as you talked to her about her pregnancy and you seemed almost wistful…’

‘If I was wistful it was because I was thinking how much I’d like to have a baby with you. For you, me and Molly to be a real family.’

‘Oh, Max…’ She wound her arms up around his neck, pressing her body close against his…so close that she wanted to melt into him. ‘That’s what I want too.’ Her voice broke huskily, and then suddenly they were kissing again, fierce, urgent kisses as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. Couldn’t get close enough.

‘You don’t know how often I’ve dreamt of you saying that to me.’ His voice tickled against her ear as he kissed the side of her neck and then her cheek before capturing her lips again. ‘My beautiful, darling Carrie…’

He lifted her off her feet and spun her around. ‘Tell me again that you love me,’ he demanded in a laughing yet fiercely possessive tone.

She buried her head against his chest, feeling dizzy and light-headed, but it wasn’t from the way he was spinning her around, it was with sheer happiness. ‘I love you with all my heart, Max. In fact I think if I loved you any more my heart would burst with pure overloaded joy,’ she said breathlessly.

He stopped spinning her around and tipped her chin up to look gently into her eyes. ‘And I adore you, and that is the way it will stay,
querida
.’

‘Auntie Carrie, Uncle Max!’ Molly interrupted them, her little voice filled with excitement. ‘Look what I’ve won in the games.’

It took a moment for them to pull apart and look down at the little girl. She held up a doll to show them, her eyes bright with happiness.

Max turned and with one swoop lifted her up into his arms. ‘That’s wonderful, sweetheart. And I’m glad you are here because Auntie Carrie and I have something to ask you.’ He reached out and pulled Carrie closer, so that the three of them were enclosed tightly in their own little circle.

‘How would you like to be a flower girl at our wedding?’