“I’m glad he’s gone back to Louisiana,” she murmured, thinking of her father and how old and sick he had seemed. “I feel as if I never really knew him. When I was a child, I used to dream about him. When I finally joined him, I was so proud of him. He seemed to be everything wonderful—a rich, powerful man greatly respected by his peers.”
“Maybe he started out that way.” Steve’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “He just got too confident, then too greedy.”
Turning, she pressed closer to Steve, and gazed up into his face for a long moment. Long lashes briefly obscured his eyes before he slid her a sidelong glance, his lips crooking into the slanted smile that never failed to make her heart beat faster.
“What’s on your mind, green-eyes?”
“You. Us. The future. Are you sure you still want to marry me?”
“For the third time? I’ve heard the third time is the charm.”
His teasing made her smile. “It better be. Our children expect it.”
His lean fingers tangled in her loose hair, gently drawing her head back so that he could see full into her eyes. “I expect it. So does my grandfather. And Señora Armijo will be quite irritated if we don’t show up at our wedding. She’s organized a grand fiesta, with twenty tables of food, and even had ice brought down from the mountains. I’m not brave enough to ruin her plans.”
“Is that the only reason you’ll be there this evening?”
He grinned. “Oh, I can think of another reason or two.”
“Then share them with me. Just so I can decide if I want to stand in front of the priest with you.”
Dragging his hand over the arch of her throat, Steve’s smile vanished to be replaced by an intent expression, his eyes a very dark blue as he held her gaze.
“I love you, Ginny. There’s never been another woman I’ve really loved. There never will be. You’re all I want. And this time, our wedding vows are forever.”
Her breath caught at the intensity in his tone and his eyes. For a moment, she could not speak. Then she said, softly, “We’ve never had a honeymoon, Steve.”
“We will this time, my dearest. I’ve made arrangements for Laura and Franco to be escorted to the Hacienda de la Nostalgia. They’ll be waiting there for us when we return.”
“Return? From where? Where are we going now?”
“Eden.”
Eden. The little valley on the property he’d bought from Hearst. Their own private paradise.
Winding her arms around his neck, she lifted on her toes to press a lingering kiss on his mouth. His hands tightened on her back, sliding down her spine to rest upon her hips. A sultry smile curved her lips as she whispered, “I love you, Steve. For all eternity. Today is the beginning of our forever.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6426-0
SAVAGE DESIRE
Copyright © 2000 by Rosemary Rogers.
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