Primal Instincts (30 page)

“It’s not perfect,” she said. “We aren’t perfect. I don’t want us to be perfect.”

“Princess Flare and the Über-Prime?” he asked.

“We aren’t those people.”

“At least not all the time,” he countered.

She laughed. “I love you,” she told him. “When I never thought I’d be able to love anyone again.”

He was equally surprised by her declaration. “You love me? You fell in love with me.”

“Don’t look so smug.”

“I am Prime.”

“Yes, well, we have years to work on that.”

“When did you fall in love with me? Where?”

“You first,” Francesca countered.

“I knew when you busted me over being mean to Kea. You were so righteous, so . . . the woman I loved then and there.”

“Well, damn, isn’t that romantic?”

“For me it was. You?” he demanded now.

“You had me the moment you first called your daughter.”

“What?” He was flabbergasted. “How could you have fallen in love with me then? We hadn’t even had sex yet.”

“Primes.” She stroked his cheek. Her smile was all the light in the world. “You better get to work now, boss,” she told him. “Then as soon as that’s taken care of, I want to get back to work on having your baby.”