Just Another Pretty Face (HT 459) (24 page)

Nikki was the first to stir. She sat up, putting her hands on his shoulders to push herself away from him. "I'd better get dressed," she murmured, embarrassed now by her uninhibited display of passion.

"Not yet," Pierce said, letting her move only so far, and then no further.

"Pierce," she protested softly.

"Not yet, sweetheart." He curled his finger under her chin. "Look at me, Nikki. Come on, don't be shy. Look at me. I have something I want to say to you."

She peeked up at him from under her lashes. "What?"

"Something to ask you, really," he said, hedging.

She lifted her head a little higher. "What?"

"It's not exactly how I'd planned to say it but..."

She looked straight at him. "What?"

He was the one who looked away now. "I wanted there to be champagne and music and flowers. You know, all the trimmings but—"

"Pierce—" she put her hands on either side of his face and made him look at her
"—what?"

They stared at each other for a long intense moment, laser blue eyes gazing into pale, pure green. Eyes full of questions and doubts and fears. And love. Oceans of love. Endless love.

Keeping one arm around her, Pierce reached sideways for the raw silk jacket draped over the chair next to the bed. One-handed, he fumbled for the inside pocket, finally pulling out a tiny velvet box. He flipped it open with his thumb.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

Nikki blinked, looking back and forth between him and the ring. "Oh, Pierce," she said, awed by both. She'd been expecting a suggestion that they continue their affair. Or an invitation to move in with him until it had run its course. But this... She was overwhelmed. "Oh, Pierce."

"Is that a yes?"

"I..." Her eyes were misty as she stared at him. "I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," he ordered.

"But I... you..."

"I... you... what?" he asked.

"You can't mean it."

"What do you mean, I can't mean it?" He was beginning to get irritated. "Of course, I mean it."

"But you're
you.
You're Pierce Kingston, the rich, famous movie star. And I'm... I'm just—"

"You're beautiful and smart and brave," he said, suddenly understanding. His arms closed tight around her. "And you're the woman I love more than anyone or anything in the world. You're the only woman I've ever loved." He stared into her eyes as he said it. "The only woman I
will
ever love."

"Oh, Pierce."

His lips curved into a loving smile. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," she said, before he could ask again. "Yes. Yes.
Yes!"

He hugged her hard and then let go of her to take the ring out of the box. "Here," he said, sliding it onto the ring finger of her left hand before she could change her mind. "Put it on."

"Oh, Pierce."

They both stared down at it, entranced, and then looked up again to smile mistily at each other.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Nikki asked, looking back down at the ring.

"No, what?" he asked, although he knew perfectly well.

"It means I've gone and fallen for another pretty face."

Pierce grinned his pirate's grin. "Just so long as it's the last pretty face you fall for," he said sternly, and wrapped his arms around her to begin the loving all over again.