Candy Kisses (12 page)

She batted back the tears that stung her eyes. In the shadows, others emerged. Her mother and Peter. Claire Banks and her husband. There were others and she assumed those were his brothers and sister.

Preston held out his hand to her when she reached him. “What’s going on?”

“You asked me to marry you and that just wasn’t right.”

She nodded and the first tear fell and was warm on her cheek.

Preston brushed it away and then knelt down on one knee in front of her. She lifted her fingers to her lips and tried to keep them from trembling, but it was no use.

“Tabitha Knight, I believe in tradition. I believe in love at first sight. Falling madly in love with the first kiss, and I believe in the man proposing on one knee.” He took her hand and kissed it gently. His eyes met hers and she sucked in a breath as he smiled and his eyes shimmered in the dimly lit room. “Will you marry me? Right here. Right now in your favorite place with your favorite people surrounding us?”

The word was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t make a sound. All she could do was nod.

Preston stood and cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll never leave. I’ll never fall out of love with you. And I’ll never stop wanting to give you candy kisses.”

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she looked beyond him to their families looking up at them wondering if they understood his last statement.

Never in her wildest dream would Tabitha ever have imagined that she’d be marrying a man after knowing him only two weeks. She looked at her mother whose smile was brilliant. Finally, Tabitha decided, she was as happy in love has her mother had always been and looking back at Preston she finally believed in happily ever after.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bernadette Marie grew up obsessed with pens and notebooks, each one filled with lists and ideas for stories. Not much has changed. This wife and mother of five sons has a passion for writing stories about falling in love, finding love where you left it, and strong families.

Bernadette Marie is an accomplished martial artist who holds a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do and she is a chronic entrepreneur. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Colorado Romance Writers.

Visit her website at
www.bernadettemarie.com
for news on upcoming releases, signings, appearances, and contests.