She closed her eyes and let him kiss her senseless, her emotions running wild at the sensual touch of his lips of hers. Just when she her mind was imagining him naked in her bed, he pushed her away and she was left gasping for more.
"Why are you getting champagne, Katie?"
She sighed. Her nerves were now frazzled and her body was too warm in all the right places. The cellar wasn't the most romantic place to proposition a man, but he had ruined her plans. "I thought we could have dinner at my place tonight."
He grinned, a gesture guaranteed to make her stomach lurch with lust he had already set to simmering.
"If you don't want to, that's fine." She wrenched her arm away from him and headed for the stairs.
"I would love to come for dinner."
She stopped and turned to face him. "Great. That's great." She hurried up the ladder and into the kitchen, her heart beating wildly. Walking to the sink, she rinsed the dust from the bottle before placing it in the fridge. "I'll get it later."
"I can bring it over when I come." Cade walked into the kitchen. "Anything else I can bring?"
"That's fine, thanks. I think I have everything under control." She turned to Essie. "I'm starving. What's for lunch?"
Chapter 36
Stevie lined up with the other parents at the school waiting for Tam to come out of class. His palms were sweating and he toyed with the small box in his pocket. What if she said no? It didn't bear thinking about but the possibility didn't deter him. He wanted this more than anything in his life and if it took a few attempts to make Rooney see things his way, then so be it. He was nothing if not persistent.
"Daddy." Tam came running out of the school grounds and threw herself into his arms. He could get used to do the school pick up if this was what he could expect.
"How was your day?" He held her hand and walked her to the car.
"Good. I have more homework. Can you do it with me?" She gazed up into his face with eyes that mirrored his own.
"Of course I can." He buckled her into the back seat and walked around the front, sliding in. When they were on the road, he looked at his daughter in the mirror. "Tam, I need your help with something."
She listened while Stevie explained what they were going to do when they got home.
Rooney was sitting on the cane lounger on the front veranda when they found her. "Hi, chicken. Did you have a good day?" She held out her arms and Tam ran to her.
"How are you feeling?" Stevie walked over and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Good. I think I could go back to work tomorrow. Not one single panic attack. That's if you'll let me in the surgery." She looked at him expectantly.
"We’ll see. I'm not sure if the boys have finished in there yet."
"Mummy, I want to go for a walk. Can you and Daddy come with me, please?" Tam looked at her, a pleading look in her eyes.
"Sure, I guess so. I've been sitting around all day. A walk would do me good." She let go of Tam and stood up. "Where do you want to go?"
Tam looked at her father before answering. "Down to the lagoon. It's pretty down there."
Rooney glanced between the two of them. "Okay. Let's go then."
Stevie held her hand, and together they walked down the driveway until they got to the stand of weeping willows overhanging the lagoon. He opened the gate and waited for them to go in front of him.
"Oh, how pretty." Rooney looked at the picnic blanket and basket sitting under the tree before glancing at Stevie. "I sense something planned between the two of you here. What's going on?"
"Come and sit with me?" Tam ran over and fell down onto the blanket.
"What have you done?" she asked.
"Go and sit. All will be revealed. I promise." They walked over and Rooney eased herself down to sit with Tam, glancing up at him.
"I know I have a lot to make up for, to both of you." He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to speak. "I know I have. If I hadn't been so reckless, things wouldn't have happened the way they did the night you left. Now you've come back, and I'm not prepared to miss another moment with either of you." He dropped down in front of them on one knee. Taking a small pink box from his pocket, he spoke. "Tamara, would you do me the honour of acknowledging me as your father? From this day forward, I pledge to be there for you, to shield you from evil and to be the man you want me to be."
She giggled as he opened the box. Taking the small gold heart shaped ring, he held it out to her.
"Yes, Daddy."
He gripped her hand and slipped it on one finger, then another until he found one that it fitted.
Tam stood and wrapped her arms around his neck as he fought back a wave of emotion. Looking at Rooney, he saw she was as effected as he was.
Okay, now for the real deal. He took a deep breath and took a small, black velvet box from his shirt pocket. Opening the lid, he turned it to Rooney and saw her eyes widen. "Rooney, I've loved you ever since I realised the difference between girls and boys Earlier if the truth be told. I've made mistakes, I'll accept that. What I won't do is let you go again. I can't bear the thought of living without
