Paris or Bust!

seduce him. “What’s this?” he said, opening the file.

Inhaling deeply, she clasped her fingers in front of her. “It’s a proposal.” She took a step closer, nearly tripped on her heels, swore roughly, then forced a smile. “For you.”

Watching this rough and tumble woman trying so hard to be soft and sexy made him want to both laugh and grab her. Grabbing her won out, and he reached for her, but she stepped back. “It’s a proposal,” she repeated. “For the very thing you’ve wanted.”

Blankly he stared down at the file, remembering only that he wanted her. But Kylie wouldn’t fit into this file.

“I’ve learned something about myself these past weeks,” she said quietly, her fingers turning white as she twisted them together. “I need people in my life. I need you in my life. And I’m ready to admit it out loud.”

Shocked, he stared at her. Was she saying what he hoped she was saying? “You…need me?”

“I need your expertise, I need your business savvy. I need you, the airport needs you. I’m just sorry it took me so long. So…” She drew another deep breath. “Will you buy into the airport as you’ve wanted? Will you become my business partner?”

When he didn’t answer, Kylie let out a slow breath. “Did you change your mind?”

“On what, Kylie?”

Why was he looking at her like that, she wondered, his eyes all dark and inscrutable? His mouth grim? His body language looking as if maybe he wanted to strangle her? “On…being my business partner.”

“Yes. Yes, actually, I did change my mind. I don’t want to be your business partner.”

What? What? How could he do this to her? Taking the last step between them, she stabbed his chest with her finger, hard. The sinewy strength of him didn’t give an inch, so she stabbed harder. “You’ve been after me all year for a piece of this place, and now, suddenly, when I’m the one asking, you don’t want a part of it?”

“Kylie-”

Oh, but she wasn’t done. She stabbed him again. “You wanted this. You said so-”

“Now,” he said, and grabbed Kylie. He settled his hands on her waist and whipped them both around so she was the one backed to the closed door. “We were discussing something very important.”

“No, I was discussing and you were rejecting.”

“Not rejecting. Negotiating.”

“What kind of negotiation is no, Wade?”

“I don’t want to be just your business partner,” he said, still holding on to her, still making her yearn and burn with just his hands and his eyes. “I want to be your husband.”

“You…” The air whooshed from her lungs. Her heart stopped. “Oh my God.”

“Yeah. So…Kylie Birmingham, will you marry me? For better or worse, through sickness and in health, through grumpy moods and business deals and meddling relations?”

Kylie opened her mouth, then shut it. Then opened it again. “You never said anything about marriage,” she managed to whisper through the terrible burning in her throat.

“I just did.”

“Yeah.” She cleared her throat, then lost her breath when Wade ran his hands up her body to cup her face.

“I love you,” he said quietly. “Does that help?”

It did, if the hope and joy and heart-thumping desire pumping through her meant anything. “I think so.” Suddenly feeling light and carefree, she slid her arms around his neck. “Know what?”

A small smile curved his mouth. “What, baby?”

“I love you back.”

His eyes softened, and so did his mouth as he gently, tenderly set it to hers. “So the answer is yes?”

She opened her mouth, but someone pounded on the door.

“Go away,” yelled Kylie.

“But that’s what I need to tell you, I have to leave early!”

At Daisy’s voice, Kylie rolled her gaze heavenward. “Mom, I’m a little busy, can’t you give me a few more minutes here?”

“Honey, I just found out I didn’t win the trip to Paris.”

Oh, damn. “Mom, I’m really sorry,” she said through the door. “I know how much it meant to you, but-”

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter. That’s what I wanted to tell you, I just found a hell of a deal on a travel site on the Web. Your grandma and I are leaving today. Can we have two weeks off?”

Kylie looked into Wade’s laughing eyes. “You know what? Go for it.”

“We’ll wait until they get back to go on our honeymoon,” Wade whispered, and her heart soared.

“You’re taking me to Paris on our honeymoon?” she whispered back.

“Is there anywhere else?”

Laughing, Kylie leaned away from the door and hugged him. They were still hugging and kissing when the door opened behind them.

“Oh my,” Daisy said. “I’m sorry.”

“Mom, we’re getting married.”

“You’re…” Daisy looked faint. “Can you say that again?”

Kylie grinned, feeling a little faint herself. “We’re getting married.”

“You wouldn’t tease an old woman, right?”

“You’re not old, and I’m not teasing you.”

Daisy looked to Wade for confirmation, and he nodded. She hugged them both, sniffling loudly. “So you can take care of my baby while I’m gone,” she said to Wade.

Kylie shook her head. “Mom, I can take care of myself.”

“I’ll be glad to take care of her,” Wade said, squeezing Kylie gently.

The reporter was behind Daisy, with tears in her eyes. “That’s so beautiful.”

Kylie thought so, too. She looked at Wade. “You know, that all happened so fast…do you think you could ask me again? Just so I can hear it one more time?”

The reporter lifted the tape recorder. “Oh, no need! I got it all on tape. You can listen to it whenever you want. In fact, you can listen to it all the way to Paris.”

EPILOGUE

Contest Winner Announced!

Margaret Milford of Buffalo, N.Y., the mother of two-year-old quadruplets, has been chosen Family Voyager’s Mother of the Year! She wins a trip for two to Paris, along with a five-thousand dollar shopping spree.

“My husband and I are dancing the macarena!” Mrs. Milford said after being notified of her selection. She was picked by the editors of Family Voyager from among nine finalists.

A tenth finalist, Jody Reilly of Everett Landing, Texas, withdrew after marrying FV publisher Callum Fox-click on Wedding Festivities to see photos of their hometown ceremony.

Mrs. Milford said she’s planning to leave the quads, Mary, Max, Molly and Manny, with her mother-in-law. “Sam and I want to rekindle our romance on the trip. We might also catch up on our sleep, although I wouldn’t count on it.”

FV photographers will accompany the couple to Paris. You can follow their adventures on this Web site, and read about them in our print edition.

Congratulations to the Milfords!