Mia (11 page)

Several hours later they
laid in bed, Mia listening to the sound of his heart, her body feeling so tired from all that had happened and the way the two had made love, both needing to feel the other.  His mouth dropped to tenderly kiss the top of her head as his hand absently lifted hers, entwining their fingers together.

“What are you thinking
?”, he whispered gently, hearing the small sigh from her.  “Well…I was wondering how long you were planning on staying here?”  Her voice low as she tried not to show the hurt the thought of losing him was causing her.  She felt as he nuzzled the side of her head, his other arm caressing hers.  “Well I had wanted to talk to you about that…but I guess the end of next week”, surprised to hear the sad “oh” from her.

“
I guess I should start looking for a job then”, she whispered, trying hard not to let him hear the heartache in her voice.  He however, stiffened, moving her around to look down into her face.  “Why? What do you mean?”

Paul felt
coldness clutching at him, the realisation that she blamed him for what had happened painful, groaning at the thought of her wanting to leave.  Mia looked back, her large blue eyes holding the old sadness deep within them once more.  “You made it very clear that you were returning alone Paul, and like I said I can’t be your mistress”

To her surprise he
started to laugh softly, Mia frowning, not understanding why he would find her hurt so amusing.  Finally he leant down to kiss her lips so softly, it was as though he just breathed on them.

“
Mia, if you tell me that you do not want to go to New York, then I will stay wherever you are.  If you tell me you want to go to Antarctica then I will move heaven and earth to make sure I am with you”

She
looked at him, her confusion clear as he looked earnestly down at her.  “Don’t you understand? I love you.  I love you with everything in me. I thought I had lost you”   His voice cracked slightly at the memory of seeing her once more at the bottom of the foundation hole. “I thought I had lost you and I just wanted to die.  Do you think that I will ever let you go again?”

Mia’s
hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears that shone brightly as she gave a small gasp.  As he watched a small nervous light entered his eyes, trepidation filling him, before she threw her arms around his neck, pulling herself harder to him. “I love you Paul…I love you so much”, she sobbed, her voice full of happiness.  The two held each other tightly, as she whispered into his ear, “You make me so safe, you gave me hope and you gave me back my life”

Paul
felt the emotions deep within him at her honest words, now so full of love.  Laying her gently back down onto the bed he brushed the hair from her lovely face,  that face full of happiness as was his.

“Does that mean then
…Mia Drake, that you will be my wife?”, his voice gentle, as he smiled down at the woman who had brought such happiness into his life, the woman who had shown him what true courage and forgiveness was.  Truly the most wonderful person he had ever met.  With a smile that lit up her whole face, her eyes radiating happiness she looked back at him, and with no hesitation replied gently, “Yes”

Paul
smiled back down at her as he moved to once more kiss those lovely lips, both again losing themselves in the need for the other, only this time both knowing that they had their whole lives to satisfy that need.