gleaming like the golden ring in the soft light from the ceiling.
“I love you,” he said softly, holding her gaze as he said it.
Her eyes searched his, getting lost in their dark, unblinking intensity. “W-what?”
“I love you,” he repeated. “I didn’t know it until the night I almost made love to you, and even then I wasn’t sure that I could settle down.” He laughed faintly, watching her with eyes that adored her. “But I’m sure now. These past few weeks have been the purest hell I’ve ever known. A dozen times I’ve almost stormed over to your apartment at three in the morning to get into bed with you. I’ve thought about kidnapping you from work and carrying you off into the mountains. But I promised to give you time, and I have. Now I’ve run out of it. If you don’t marry me, so help me, I’ll ravish you where you sit.”
“I’ll marry you,” she whispered. “But—”
“But what?” he whispered back.
Her lips parted as she let her shoulders droop, so that the silky fabric of her dress fell and revealed all of her breasts except the hard tips. “But wouldn’t you ravish me anyway?”
His breath caught. “As if I needed asking…”
His hands finished the job, stripping the fabric to her waist. He sat looking at the soft, pretty swell of her breasts, watching her breathe for a long moment before he drew her toward him and bent his head.
She began to tremble when she felt his mouth on her soft, heated skin. Her hands cradled his head and she wept softly, kissing his hair, whispering to him. “I love you,” she murmured. “I’m sorry I…made a fuss. I thought you were out with some woman, that you didn’t want me…. Oh, Calhoun!”
His mouth had opened, taking almost all of one perfect breast inside to taste, to caress with his tongue. His lean hand was at her back, searching for a zipper, and in the next instant she was on the carpet under him, her body bare from the neck down except for her briefs and her stockings.
“I was in Houston buying a ring. Buying two rings. Your engagement ring had to be sized. It’s a yellow diamond.” He kissed her hungrily. “I got caught in traffic, and since I knew I was going to be late, I rushed back…too fast. But it’s all right now, isn’t it, sweetheart?” He eased his hands down her body, feeling her tremble. “Abby, suppose we make love right here?” he murmured, stroking her gently with his warm, hard fingers.
“Someone might come in,” she whispered breathlessly.
He smiled as he bent. “I locked the door,” he breathed into her open mouth. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m hungry, too.”
His nose nuzzled hers. “Or we could go up to my bedroom,” he murmured huskily. “And lock the door. Even Justin wouldn’t disturb us there.”
“The guests…”
“They’ll never miss us. They’re too busy enjoying themselves. I want you, Abby. I want you for the rest of my life, until I die. And if I get you pregnant…” He lifted his head, searching her warm, soft eyes. “Would you mind having my child?”
She touched his mouth with aching tenderness. “I love you,” she said. “I want to have lots of babies with you.”
He actually shuddered. “You’re very young.”
She smiled. “All the better.” She traced his heavy eyebrows with her finger. “I can play with them.”
He smoothed back her hair, his eyes full of wonder. “Abby…I never dreamed how sweet it would be to belong to someone. To have someone of my own. And a family.” He touched her breasts tenderly. “Ever since the first time I touched you, I’ve felt as if there’d never been a woman for me. You make it all new and exciting. You make me feel whole.”
“You make me feel the same way.” She reached up to find his mouth with hers, kissing him slowly, tenderly. “Justin won’t like it if we go upstairs together.”
“He won’t see us,” he whispered and smiled wickedly. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
“I’m nervous—”
“We’ll be married by tomorrow afternoon. I’ve already got the license. All we need is a blood test, and we can have that in the morning.
“You rake,” she said accusingly.
“Reformed rake.”
“All right,” she breathed.
He searched her eyes quietly. “I need you badly. But I can wait if you want me to.”
“You don’t want to,” she said.
He smiled. “I’ve felt married to you since that night in my apartment, Abby. A piece of paper and a few solemn words aren’t going to tie me to you any more firmly than I am right now. I love you, honey,” he said softly. “That’s the beginning and the end of my life, wrapped up in those words.”
She pressed against him. “I love you so.”
He helped her into her dress and led her out the back door, around through the guest bedroom and to the rear staircase. Then he picked her up, laughing softly, and carried her upstairs. He’d just made it to the landing and was turning the corner toward his own room when they ran headfirst into Justin and almost went down on the floor with the impact.
Abby gasped. Calhoun actually turned blood red. Justin’s eyebrows went up expressively. Then they just stared at each other.
“Tired of dancing?” Justin asked after a minute, his lips pursed mischievously.
Calhoun cleared his throat. “We were going to…”
“…talk,” Abby improvised.
Justin’s dark eyes went over Abby’s face, reading all the telltale signs there. Then he glanced toward Calhoun and stared him down.
“Oh, what the hell,” Calhoun muttered darkly. “You know damned good and well where we were going and why. But there’s something you don’t know. I love Abby. We’re getting married tomorrow. The license is in my pocket.”
“And the ring,” Abby added, faintly embarrassed at being caught in such a compromising situation.
“Congratulations,” Justin said pleasantly. “I couldn’t be happier for both of you. And if I might just add, it’s about time.”
Calhoun shifted Abby. “Thank you.”
“You’ll be a lovely brother-in-law,” Abby agreed.
“The very best,” Calhoun added.
Justin smiled. “It won’t work. I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”
“Damn it, Justin!” Calhoun ground out.
“Twenty-four hours is just overnight,” Justin continued. “Then you can both go to Houston and
