Kelly's Man (19 page)

She did not conceal her eyes. They were easy to read, she knew, but even that no longer seemed to matter. 'Because I love you,' she said huskily.

'Kelly ...' The break in the vibrant masculine voice was infinitely moving. 'My darling, you mean that?'

She gazed at him as if in a trance. Had she only imagined the implication in the endearment, in the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice? And then his arms were around her and his lips were on hers, demanding, passionate, staking a claim to which she had given him every right, and there was no imagining the depth of his desire.

'I wondered sometimes if I was mad to urge Mary and George to take a holiday,' Nicholas said a little later, as he caressed the tumble of curls which lay against his chest, bare where the buttons of his shirt had been parted.

'A holiday?' Kelly jerked upright, her eyes wide and startled.

'George was discharged from hospital two weeks ago. He could have come back then, but I ordered Mary to take him off to the sea to recuperate.'

'Why?' Kelly stared up into the stern features of the man she loved more than she had ever thought possible.

'To give you time to get to know me. To realise your engagement to Gary was a mistake.'

'I'm not engaged. I haven't been for days.' A quick movement and then the ring was off her finger. 'But Nicholas, what about Serena?'

'The kiss you saw was a goodbye. After the day we spent together at Pinevale, I knew that I had to have you with me always. Serena came for supper and later we had a long talk.'

'Was that why you were so distant?'

His eyes narrowed slightly. 'You noticed?'

'Noticed?' A small sob. 'I couldn't understand what had happened. I... I was so hurt.'

'For the last time,' he promised. 'Kelly, you'd turned my world upside down. You weren't the girl I'd imagined. And I loved you so much. I had to think, come to terms with it all...'

'Oh, Nicholas! Darling ... have I been very foolish?'

'Very. But so was I.' Strong arms drew her back on to his chest, and his lips probed a bare shoulder. 'I love you, Kelly. And I want you. And the Andersons need their bedroom back. When will you marry me?'

'Next week?' she ventured mischievously.

'Tomorrow,' he said firmly. There was no time to argue the point as strong lips pressed down on hers. And moments later any wish to talk had vanished.