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“You’re going to win,” Je
“I do,” he said, suddenly very serious. “This trial is over except for the shouting. Lyle has no defense left. It’s over.”
“Well, yes, I guess it is, isn’t it? You’ll tell the judge and Lyle’s attorney that… Oh, my.”
“So, yes, sweet Je
“It is?” she said, looking up at him with wide eyes.
“Yes, it is.” Evan drew a steadying breath. “Je
“I…I beg your pardon?”
“I love you, Je
Tears filled Je
“Will you marry me? Please?”
“Yes! Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes…”
Evan pulled her close and kissed her until they were both trembling with desire and emotions too deep and complex to give name to. When he broke the kiss, he made no attempt to hide the tears glistening in his eyes that matched those shimmering in Je
“Thank you,” he said, his voice husky. “Thank you for agreeing to be my wife, for making me the happiest man on this planet, for just being you. And, Je
“And I love you and our son so very much,” she said, smiling through her tears.
“I don’t want to leave you right now for anything, but I have to get things rolling about the ring being found. I have a feeling that Lyle, who will be not so smug, will be more than ready to plea bargain.”
“I understand. I’ll go to my apartment and wait for you there. Sticks and I will film the press conference later when you a
“This could take a while. I might be very late.”
“Evan, I’ve waited a lifetime for you. A few more hours are fine. I’ll be there…waiting for you to come home.”
Evan smiled, brushed his lips over Je
“I’ll get there as soon as I possibly can,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Yes, I… No, wait a minute,” Je
“Whip it on me.”
“What dog and cat?”
Their mingled laughter echoed through the big, empty room as Evan encircled Je
“I’ll see you as soon as I can.”
“Yes,” Je
It was nearly nine o’clock when Evan knocked on the door of Je
“You’re so tired,” she said, as Evan sank onto the sofa.
“You should have called and told me you were going home to get some sleep.”
“Not a chance,” he said, tugging on her hand so she’d settle next to him, which Je
“That’s sweet.” She smiled at him warmly. “Now, tell me what happened.”
“His lawyer wasted a lot of time with bluster and blow,” Evan said, yanking the knot of his tie down and undoing the two top buttons of his shirt. “You know, what does a ring prove? Anyone could have been wearing it the night Franklin Gardner was killed to frame Lyle and blah, blah, blah. But anyone didn’t pawn it, Lyle did, and he finally confessed to the whole thing.
“To make a long story short, my Je
“Well, it’s better than having the creep walking the streets.”
“True. Oh, Cecelia was there during the negotiations, which was interesting.”
“Why? What did she say?”
“Nothing. She… I don’t know how to explain it…but she seemed to shrink, turn old before my eyes. I think it finally hit her that all the money in the world couldn’t solve this problem. When we reached an agreement of fifteen years with no parole, she got up and walked out of the room. Lyle called to her, but she didn’t even look at him. Lyle just put his head down on the table and started to cry.”
“My goodness.”
“Chalk up one for the good guys. We won. Justice has been served. But, Je
“You’re going to make me cry,” Je
“No, I’m going to make love to you, with you, if you’re willing,” Evan said, then brushed his lips over hers. “I love you, Je
“And I love you, Evan.”
Evan kissed Je
And it was magic.
Clothes seemed to float away with a mere thought, and the blankets on the bed were swept back by an invisible hand to reveal cool mint-green sheets that beckoned.
They tumbled onto the bed, then stilled, sweeping their gazes over each other in the golden glow of the small lamp on the nightstand. A body soft and womanly, with a tummy just begi
“We’re in love for all time,” Je
“We’ll always have the magic, Je
They kissed, caressed, explored and discovered anew the mysteries of each other, marveling, savoring, memorizing. The desire within them burned hotter, causing breathing to quicken and hearts to race.
When they could bear no more they joined, a soft sigh of pleasure escaping from Je
And now…it was very, very right.
They were flung into oblivion seconds apart, each calling the name of the other, holding tightly through the wondrous journey, then drifting slowly back to lay close, not speaking, just feeling. Remembering. Tucking it all away in private chambers of hearts that wished to keep the memories of what they had just shared.