Fearless (26 page)
Sierra rubbed her belly. “It sounds like you’ve had an epiphany.”
Lexi finally understood what people meant when they described a light bulb moment. It was like things were finally starting to come in to focus after spending most of her life in the dark. “Just because Dad was a lousy parent, doesn’t mean we will be.”
Sierra laughed. “I certainly hope not.”
“And just because I trusted the wrong man once, doesn’t mean that I’ll make the same mistake again, right?”
Sierra threw her hands up in the air. “Finally! What the hell do you think I’ve been trying to tell you?”
Lexi smirked. “I didn’t say I was always quick on the uptake, sis.”
Sierra snorted and folded her arms across her chest. “Does that mean you’re finally going to give Josh the chance he deserves? You’re really going to start judging the man on his own merits instead of comparing him to Dad or Chris or...”
Lexi held her hands up. “Enough, I get the message. Yes, I’m ready to see Josh for who he is.”
Sierra looked her in the eye. “I’ll tell you who he is, Lexi. He’s brave, strong-willed, an amazing father, and a loyal friend. He deserves a woman who is going to love him unconditionally. If you’re not that woman, or you’re still having doubts about whether you’re ready for a serious relationship, then I want you to back off. I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
Lexi crossed her arms and knew she looked like a petulant child, but she didn’t care. “You’re my sister; you’re supposed to have my back.”
“I do have your back, and I always will. But Trey and I love Josh like family and I’m not gonna stand by and watch someone do a number on him, not even my own sister.”
Lexi looked up at her big sister and recognized the look in her eyes. It was the same look she used to get when Lexi brought home a C on her report card and claimed the teacher had it in for her. Sierra would glare at her with her arms folded and refuse to back down until Lexi accepted responsibility for the poor grade and vowed to turn things around next semester. It was the fear of disappointing her sister that made her a straight-A student in high school and helped her make the Dean’s list in college.
“I love Josh; I want to be with him.”
“What does that mean, exactly? You want to be with him? You want to date him, live with him...”
“I want to marry him.”
For the second time that evening, Sierra was momentarily speechless. “You want to marry him? You mean it?”
Lexi could feel her heart beating an erratic rhythm against her chest. She knew what she had to do and she would rather jump out of an airplane without a parachute than leave herself vulnerable to rejection. “Do I look like I’m kidding?” She rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans.
Sierra shot her a sidelong glance. “What about kids? You would honestly consider starting a family with Josh?”
“I wouldn’t even consider marrying the man if I wasn’t willing to have a family with him, Sierra. I know how much he wants more kids, and I wouldn’t ask him to give that up for me.”
“What about your dreams, Lex? You wanted to build your business, travel the world...”
“I can still do those things. I have property management companies that handle the day-to-day issues with my rental properties, so I can build my business from anywhere. As for the travel, I can still do that, right? But instead of Caribbean cruises, I may be taking Disney cruises for a while.” She grinned. “I think it’ll be worth the sacrifice, don’t you?”
Sierra opened her arms. “Get over here.” She waited until Lexi was positioned on the edge of the bed and settled into her arms before whispering, “I think you’re making the right choice, sis. He’s the one.”
Josh cut his engine and turned toward Lexi. She looked exhausted, and he had to fight the urge to carry her into the guesthouse and settle her into bed. He had to remind himself that Lexi didn’t want a man to take care of her; she wanted a man who respected her need to take care of herself. He wanted to follow her direction, but deep down he was still a traditional guy who wanted nothing more than to take care of the woman he loved, if only she would let him.
Lexi sighed and rolled her head back against the headrest. “Can you come in for a bit? We need to talk.”
He felt his stomach clench. Her tone sounded serious and he feared she might be about to tell him it was time for him to accept the fact that she was never going to be the right woman for him. “You look tired, Lex. Maybe we should talk tomorrow?”
She opened one eye to look at him. “No way. I’m afraid if I wait, I’ll lose my nerve to say what I have to say.”
His mind started whirling, creating an argument for the living arrangement he intended to propose. But he knew that if Lexi had already made up her mind, there was little he could say to change it.
He opened his car door. “Fine, let’s get this over with,” he muttered. He came around her side of the vehicle, but wasn’t surprised when Lexi was already slamming the door closed behind her. Chivalry may not be dead, but he had a feeling Lexi wished it were.
She opened the door and he stepped in behind her, closing the door behind them. She surprised him when she stepped into his arms and laid her head against his chest. “Thank you for being there for me tonight, Josh. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this night without you.”
He held her tighter, waiting for her to continue.
“I always thought I didn’t need anyone.” She tipped her head back to look at him. “But I was wrong. I need you.”
He was afraid to breathe, afraid anything he said or did would scare her away.
“You’re an amazing guy, Josh. I’m so lucky to have you in my life...”
He knew there was a ‘but’ to come, a logical reason why the kind of relationship he wanted would never work. He had to head her off at the pass. “Before you say anything else, I’d like to say something.”
She looked wary as she stepped out of his arms. “Okay, what is it?”
“I know you don’t want a relationship, I get that.”
“But...”
He held his hand up to silence her. “Please, just let me finish. I know you don’t want a committed relationship, so I was thinking that you could just move in with me, say for a month or so on a trial basis. If we’re both happy with the arrangement, great, but if it’s not working for you, you could just walk away, no questions asked. What do you say?”
She reared back. “Is that really what you want?”
He was surprised by her body language. The crossed arms and set jaw told him he had said something to piss her off, but he had no idea what that might have been. He thought he was giving her what she wanted, an easy out. “Isn’t that what you want?” he asked.
She sighed and pulled her hands through her hair. “God, what a mess.”
He started to panic. This was not going at all how he had planned. He thought his offer to compromise would make her happy, not angry. “Are you saying you don’t want to live with me? If not, I’m okay with that. We could just date, see where it takes us.” He raked his hand over the stubble on his chin. “Ah, not that I’m expecting it to take us anywhere. I mean, it would be nice if it did, but I’m not pressuring you for a commitment or anything because I know how you feel about...”
She smiled and touched her fingertips against his lips. “Josh, you’re rambling.”
He sighed and leaned his head against the door. “I know, but I can’t help it. I just don’t wanna screw this up.”
She took his hand and led him into the living room. “Let’s have a seat and relax. Can I get you a glass of wine?”
He shook his head. He didn’t want wine. He didn’t want to sit down, and he didn’t want to relax. He just wanted to know where they stood.
“I have an even better idea,” she said, grinning. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”
He paced the small room, waiting for her to return. He was rehearsing his argument when she finally came back in the room carrying two champagne flutes.
“What’s this for?” he asked, accepting one of the glasses.
“I appreciate your offer, but I don’t want to move in with you, Josh.”
He closed his eyes. He half-expected her rejection, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept. “May I ask why?”
“Because I don’t want to live with a man who isn’t willing to make a commitment to me,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I want a man who’s willing to give me everything I need.”
He felt his pulse pounding as he tried to comprehend her words. She was telling him she wanted a commitment? “What does that mean?” he asked.
“I want a man who wants to be my husband, a father to my children.”
He feared the crystal flute would tumble to the floor if he continued holding it in his trembling hand, so he took hers and set both glasses down on the coffee table. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
She looked up at him. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”
His scrambled brain tried to find the words to express to her how much she meant to him, how much he needed her in his life. He finally took both of her hands and trusted his heart to guide him. “Lexi, you’ve been an important part of my life for a long time.”
She nodded, her eyes pooling with unshed tears.
“I didn’t even realize I was in love with you until I started to create this list in my head of who my ideal partner would be. I was shocked when I realized that person was you. You had all the qualities I was looking for, baby. You’re beautiful, smart, and strong. You call me out when you need to, and you’re always there to support me. I’ve considered myself lucky to call you my friend, but I’d consider myself the luckiest man in the world if I could call you my wife.” He dropped down on one knee in front of her. “Lexi, will you marry me?”
She seemed to consider his proposal. “That depends.”
He knew she was baiting him, drawing out the sweet torture. “On what?”
“On whether you intend to come through for me...”
He dropped his head. He just wanted to hear the one word that would seal their fate. “Just tell me what you want. Anything, just name it.”
She dropped to her knees and looked him in the eye. “I want your baby. Is that still something you want?”
He didn’t think it was possible to love this woman any more than he already did, but she’d just proven him wrong. He cupped her face in his hands and slid into the familiar sweetness of her mouth.
She pushed against his shoulders when he tried to deepen the kiss. “No, you don’t. I’m waiting for an answer.”
“So am I.”
She smiled and they both whispered, “Yes.”
THE END
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Ruthless
Book Three in the Nashville Nights Series
Marisa Turner has wanted Luc Spencer forever, but she also wants a baby, and it seems Luc isn’t up to the challenge. She has to choose between the man she loves and the family she hopes to have. Fortunately, there’s another man waiting in the wings who would love to make her baby fantasy a reality.
Luc is tired of hearing about marriage and babies. He loves Marisa, but he’s not a forever kind of guy. After two years together, she tells him it’s over. He’s not worried. He believes she’ll be back, but what will happen when he finds out there’s another man waiting to take his place?
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