His heart filled to bursting, and as he turned to face her he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. He swiped them away with his thumb, then took her hand in his.
“I love you, Brenna. And one of the things I came to terms with while I’ve been out here is that you’re worth fighting for. Even if it was you I had to fight with. I was never going to let you go. Because you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. You’re a smart, funny, beautiful, sexy, oh my God, stubborn-as-hell woman, but you’re the perfect woman for me. And my heart will break if I don’t get to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Finn,” she sobbed.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears and releasing the emotion he’d held in check since the last time he’d seen her. God, he loved this woman so much he was never letting her go.
Except for just a minute. “Go on, sit by the fire and warm up. I’ll be right back.”
* * *
• • • • • •
BRENNA HADN’T EXPECTED that Finn would even open the door for her, let alone that the two of them would make up—that he would tell her he loved her, not after all the mistakes she’d made. But she’d told him the truth—she loved him. And she’d keep on telling him that for as long as he let her, because she was never going to make the mistake of letting him go again.
Every word he spoke to her was like magic. She realized how she’d ignored the truth all along, how she hadn’t seen the wonderful man standing right in front of her all this time.
He came back into the room and she stood.
“I’ve been holding on to this,” he said. “Hoping I’d get the chance to give it back to you.”
And then he knelt in front of her and held out the claddagh ring, the one she’d missed having on her finger since she’d stupidly removed it.
“Brenna Bellini. The first time wasn’t real. This time is. I love you—everything about you—the way your smile lights up my day, the way your beauty knocks me off my feet, the way you love your family that’s become my family, too. I love how smart you are and how hard you work. I love your moodiness and your sarcastic wit and the way you challenge me. I love that when we fight you still come back to me, because we belong together. I want to build a future with you, a family with you, forever with you. Marry me.”
Her entire body trembled at his declaration of love. She held out her hand. “My hand was cold and my soul was empty without that ring—without that part of you. I love you now and forever, Finn Nolan. Yes, I’d be honored to marry you.”
He slipped the ring on her finger and stood. “I’ll get you a diamond—”
“You absolutely will not. This is the only ring I’ll ever need. And you’re the only man I’ll ever want. Now and forever. Now kiss me.”
He did, and her heart was full. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, and with the storm raging outside, they made their own storm rage inside as they hurried with removing their clothes, touching each other as if it had been months instead of just weeks without each other.
And when he was inside her, she looked into his eyes and knew she had found her forever.
Afterward, he brought her suitcase into the bedroom so she could put on dry clothes, and then they wandered into the kitchen to make some food.
“How much longer do you have this place?” she asked as she peeled potatoes while he cooked the meat.
“Another week.” He leaned against the counter. “Can you stay?”
She thought of all the work waiting for her at home, and things she’d need to juggle, and then she looked out the window. The rain had ended and she had a clear view of the cliffs and the sea.
Wow.
She looked over at him and smiled. “I’ll e-mail my sisters and my mom and let them know. They can carry on without me. I think you and I could use some alone time.”
He slipped his arm around her and kissed her, and she melted into his embrace.
She could have never imagined that what started out as a fake engagement would end in finding the love of her life.
She would never take this amazing love for granted again. She couldn’t wait to start their future together. It was going to be an incredible life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jaci Burton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Brotherhood by Fire series, the Hope series and the Play-by-Play novels.
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