“Hey.” His deep voice was like a string of violin playing on every fiber of her being. “I thought you were going to sleep the day away. What’s wrong?”
She shook her head as she came further into the room. “You redecorated.”
“I told you that I would. Do you like it?” He ran the razor over his jaw and watched her in the mirror.
“Let me get back to you on that.”
His eyes narrowed. “You're not going to make me rip everything up, are you?”
“Would you?”
“Amy—” He stopped as she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled in, he put the razor away and waited a beat before turning around to face her. “Hey.” He tilted her chin up and stared at the tears glittering in her dark brown eyes. “What’s going on?”
“I love you,” she blurted out and closed her eyes briefly. “I love you Lance, dammit, and I can't contain it.”
His heart slammed into his chest. “Finally,” he breathed, his hands cupping her face. “There have been so many times that I wanted to tell you how I feel but I didn't want to crowd you. I was waiting for a sign that you felt something for me—” He broke off, pushing back the hair from her face and bending his lips to hers. “I love you, darling,” he told her raggedly. “I've never felt this way about anyone before and it scares me, but I don’t care. I want to give you the world and I would do anything for you, anything. Give up everything if you asked me to.”
“I'm not that stupid,” she told him tremulously. “I remember when we used to hang out together and I realized that you were my best friend. I left here, Lance, and went all around the world and never realized that the man I love, who wasn't only my best friend, was right here, but I just didn't see it.” She brought her hands up to his face and wiped the lather from it. “I want to be your wife and stay here with you and our child. I can work remotely and only travel when you can come with me—”
His hands gripped her face, turning it up to his. “Are you sure? Please know that I'm going to be completely committed to you and you alone and I will do my best to make sure that your needs are out first but I couldn't bear it if you suddenly discover that Shadow Point isn't what you want—”
“I'm not her,” she said, placing a finger over his lips. “I'll always tell you the truth and you know me well enough to know that I would never hurt you that way.”
“I know, and I have something for you.” He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. Amy watched as he went over to the highboy and opened the top drawer and took out a small red velvet box and walked back towards her. “I had it all planned. I was going to do the whole rose petals thing and have champagne cooling. I was supposed to do it last night, but you fell asleep and you were still asleep when I got up.”
“I'm sorry for ruining the surprise,” she said huskily.
“I'll improvise.” He went down on one knee and snapped open the lid, revealing the princess cut diamond nestled in the velvet. “I think I have your size down pat but if it doesn't fit, well, I can have it resized.” He took it out and taking her left hand, slid it on her finger. It was a perfect fit. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” she told him huskily. “I cannot wait to update my Facebook status to engaged to the most wonderful man in the world!”
He got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. “I think that's my line. I'm engaged, and in love with, the most beautiful woman in the world.”
*****
Mason stopped short as he entered the dining room. Even though it was Sunday and he usually spent the day with his mother, he had some things to go over with Lance and he'd been avoiding him. Well, he decided that it was time to beard the lion in his own den! The woman looked chic and coolly beautiful, her dark head bent over her device and a cup of coffee at her elbow. She had on a white sweater that looked great against her dark skin and her face was finely sculpted as if carved from some precious stone. She looked up then and he saw her eyes widen.
He came further into the room and shook his head as the maid came forward. “It’s fine, I'll help myself.” He walked over to the table and held out a hand. “You must be the newest visitor to our town.”
“I must be.” She extended a slender hand. “And you must be the cousin. You look like Lance.”He lifted her hand to his lips, causing her to lift finely arched brows. “A gentleman too.”
“I can be anything you want me to be.”
“And a charmer.” She tugged her hand away from his. “Would you care to join me? Sal left a few minutes ago and neither Amy nor Lance have been down yet. I have a feeling that they won't be coming down any time soon.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice. Would you like a refill for your coffee?”
“I would.” Rosemarie watched as he went to get the coffee pot and brought it over to pour it for her before pouring himself a cup and taking a seat next to her. “It's Rosemarie Lancaster,” she told him, using her maiden name.
“Rosemarie, it's a pleasure to meet you.” He curled his fingers around the coffee cup as he stared at her. “Have you been cooped up in the house since you arrived?”
“Considering that I just arrived last evening, then the answer is yes,” she told him in amusement. He had his cousin’s jet-black hair and the facial features but whereas there was a raw potent masculinity about Lance, Mason features were more defined. And he was not as tall and muscular as his cousin.
“I could take you around, show you the interesting spots,” he offered.
“I would like that very much.”
“How about right after breakfast?”
“I'm sure you didn't come over here just to have coffee. Aren’t you here on business?”
“Business can wait. A beautiful woman cannot,” he told her smoothly.
“I have a feeling that you use that line a lot,” she told him in amusement, enjoying the flirtation. He was very good on the eyes and for the first time since her divorce, she was enjoying a conversation with a man. It was very liberating!
“I've used others but not this one.” He sipped the coffee and let his blue gaze linger on her lips, the look caressing and sending surprising thrills throughout her body. “I promise that the tour will be very good for both of us.”
“I believe you.” Rosemarie cleared her throat noisily. “There's something I need to make you aware of.”
“Such as?”
“I not too long ago came out of a very disastrous marriage with a man who cheated on me with every woman within reach.”
“I would say he's a damned fool,” Mason said softly. “A woman like you deserves to be cherished and loved, very thoroughly, but what can I say? Some men never knew a good thing if it bit them in the rear end.”
Rosemarie let out a startled laugh. “And you do?”
“I'm staring at one right now.” He reached over and took one slender hand in his. “Don’t deprive the rest of us or punish us because one man has been a jerk who didn't deserve a woman like you in the first place.”