With Me in Seattle Bundle One (32 page)

He takes her hand, and we all watch as he moves her effortlessly across the dance floor.  They are gazing at each other as though they’re the only two in the room.

“Your parents are so in love,” I murmur to Luke.

“Yeah, it gets a bit gross for a kid to watch.”  He shakes his head, but his eyes are full of humor.  “Shall we join them?”

“Sure.”

As he leads me out to the dance floor, I see other couples, including Jules’ parents, get up to dance to the sweet song.  Luke pulls me into his arms, and we glide around the floor. 

“I love dancing with you.”  I run my fingers down his cheek, and his blue eyes light up.

“We should do it more often then.”

“Yes, we should.”  I smile up at him, and his eyes are suddenly so serious.  What’s wrong?  Is he still nervous about the crowd?

“Nat, I…”

Jules sweeps by on the arm of one of Luke’s cousins. “Definitely glad I came stag,” she mumbles to me as she passes, smiles and shrugs, then gives us a finger wave, clearly enjoying her night.

“You were saying?” I ask Luke.

He exhales and pulls me tightly against him, nuzzles my ear with his nose, and whispers, “I love you.”

The evening moves quickly, and magically.  Luke keeps me tucked close to his side all night, glaring at anyone who dares ask me to dance, and I can’t help but laugh at my possessive man. 

No one asks for an autograph, and Luke poses politely for the photographer Samantha hired for the occasion, knowing the photos will be the property of the family. 

“There you are!”  I turn at Stacy’s excited voice and hug her tightly.

“Well, hello, pretty girl!  I told you when we bought it that that dress is a knockout.”  I stand back and admire her beautiful white off-the-shoulder dress.  It fits her body perfectly, and she glows with happiness.

“Thank you.  Yours is stunning, too.” 

Isaac pulls me into a hug.  “Hey, brat.  Thanks for helping Stacy find that dress.  It’s torture.  I have two more weeks before I can touch her, and I think I’m going to die.”

We all laugh at his pained expression, and I pat his cheek.  “Poor boy.  I think Sophie’s worth it.”

“Yeah.” His face transforms into a sweet smile.  “She is.  Hey, dance with me?”

I look up at Luke, and he shrugs and turns to Stacy.  “Do me the honor, beautiful?”

Stacy blushes bright red and takes his hand as he leads her onto the floor.  I know how she feels. He’s a heartthrob.

Isaac isn’t too bad himself.  He’s tall and toned and tan, with dark blond hair and killer brown eyes.  I had a crush on him for years.

“Are you having fun?” I ask him.

“Yeah, Stacy is especially, so I can’t complain.  Luke’s a good guy.  I wasn’t so sure about him at first, but I like him.”

“What brought that on?”

“Dad and I had a conversation with him the other day.”

“What?” Why didn’t I know about this?

“Yeah, you were working, and he invited all of us guys out for lunch.”  He shrugs and smiles like he’s hiding something.  I know Isaac.  The man is like Fort Knox.  If there’s a secret, he won’t spill it.

“Oh.  He didn’t mention it.”

“Didn’t he?” He shrugs again, like it’s no big deal.  “Well, my point is, I like him.”

“Wow, am I getting the big-brother stamp of approval?” I widen my eyes and drop my jaw sarcastically.

“As long as he minds his manners, yes.”

“I like it when he doesn’t mind his manners.” I wink at him and laugh as he cringes.

“TMI.  Jesus, I don’t want to know that.  Are you happy?”  He peers down at me, serious now, and I can’t help but feel loved.

“I am.  He’s a good man, Isaac.  He loves me.  It’s not about what he does for a living, or what I’ve done in my past, or how much money either of us has.  It’s about who I am when I’m with him.” I shrug, a bit embarrassed.  “He makes me feel special.”

“Ah, Nat.  You are special, honey. I’m just glad you finally figured it out.  It’s a pleasure watching you fall in love.”  He winks down at me.  “Now, before I get too mushy, can you babysit one of these nights?  I need some serious alone time with my wife.”

I laugh.  “Sure, shall we say in two weeks?”

“Oh God, yes.  Thank you.”

***

As the evening draws to a close, Luke pulls me out on the dance floor for one final dance.  My feet are killing me, but I can’t refuse him.  I love swaying in his arms.

I realize that the band is playing Norah Jones’
Come Away With Me
, and I turn my startled gaze up to his.  He’s smiling down at me tenderly.

“I do believe this is our song.  You look as beautiful tonight as you did that night, in the vineyard, in these pearls.  You take my breath away, Natalie Grace Conner.”

Oh.

I feel the tears in my eyes as I gaze up at him.  I run my fingers through his soft blond hair.  “You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Luke Edward Williams.”

His eyes skim over my face as he moves me about the room.  I swear, we’re the only two here, and I don’t care who’s watching us. 

He leans down and gently presses his cheek to mine.  “Thank you,” he whispers.

“For what?” I whisper back.

“For being mine.”

***

When we reach Luke’s house, he leads me inside and shuts the front door.  He tugs my hand gently, pulling me into his arms.

“You were wonderful tonight.  You charmed everyone,” he murmurs in my hair.

“I had a great time.  Your family is wonderful.”  I nuzzle his chest and inhale his sexy Luke scent.

“Are you sure you’re okay with us having the family here in the morning for brunch?”

“Of course.  I’ll even help you cook.” 

He chuckles.  “Thank you for your service.”

“It’s a good cause.  Let’s go to bed.”  I pull away, but he stops me, his eyes suddenly serious.

“Not yet.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m more than okay.  I have something to show you.”

“Oh, okay.” 

He takes my hand in his and leads me through the room.  He stops by the sound system and fires up his iPod, and something bluesy and slow starts to pour out of the speakers.  He leads us to the deck, opens the French door, and flips a switch, and I gasp.

The deck has been transformed into soft and romantic.  Bouquets of red roses with tiny white pearls tucked in the petals cover every surface.  There are twinkling white lights strung back and forth, high along the ceiling of the space, and a small table is sitting by the love seat with a bucket of ice and champagne and two glasses.

I twirl and gaze up at him, my eyes wide.  “When did you do this?”

“I had it done earlier while we were getting ready for the party at your house.”

“Luke, it’s magical.” I turn to take in the beautiful space, breathless.  He’s so romantic.

He wraps his arms around me from behind and buries his face in my neck.  “Do you like it?”

“I love it.  Thank you.”

“Come, sit.”  He leads me to the love seat, and we sit.  My dress floats around my legs as I sit, and it feels soft against my skin.  I smile to myself, remembering that I’m not wearing any underwear.  Luke will enjoy that when he finds out.

He pours us each a glass of champagne, clinks his glass to mine, and I take a sip.

“It’s nice tonight.  It’s not even very cold.”  I lean my head back against the cushion and close my eyes, listening to the water that we can’t see in the darkness.  Luke lifts my feet into his lap, and I turn my head so I can watch him.

He removes my shoes and starts to rub.

“Oh, sweet mother of God, I love you.”

He laughs.  “Feet hurt?”

“A little.  Those shoes are worth it.”

“Yes, they are.  Did I mention that you look beautiful tonight?”

“Once or twice.”  I wink at him and sigh as his thumb pushes down on the arch of my foot.  “You’re good with your hands.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“I could get used to this, you know.  All these flowers and foot rubs and champagne and you, my handsome boyfriend.”

He frowns, and my heart stills for just a moment.  What did I say wrong?

“Hey.” I pull my feet out of his lap and move toward him, lying across his lap.  He wraps his arms around me, holding me to his chest, and I cup his face in my hand.  “What is it?”

His eyes are on mine, intensely blue and serious, and I know that something important is on his mind.

“Talk to me, baby.”  I continue to caress his face, and he turns his head to press a kiss in my palm.

“I don’t think I want to be your boyfriend anymore.”

What?

I still and narrow my eyes at him.  “Okay, I’ll get my things.”  I move to get up, but he tightens his hold on me, clenching his jaw and his eyes closed tightly.

“No, that’s not what I mean.  I’m not breaking up with you.”

“What are you doing?” I whisper.

“I’m fucking this up.”  He opens his eyes, and I see fear, and longing, and love. 

What’s this?

“I’ve wanted to do this all night, but I couldn’t find the right time, and I’m glad I didn’t because it should be here, while we’re alone.”  He swallows and takes a deep breath. “Natalie, since I’ve known you, my world has changed.  I found something with you that I didn’t know I was missing, but that I wanted very much.  You are such a beautiful woman, inside and out.  You beguile me.  I can’t keep my hands off of you.  You are so sexy and fun and smart.  Your sassy mouth makes me crazy.”  He smiles down at me and runs his fingertip along my lower lip.

I’m speechless, which is good because he doesn’t seem to be finished.

“I can’t ever imagine my life without you.  You are the center of my world, Nat.  I want to love you, protect you, fight with you, make babies with you and spoil the shit out of you for the rest of my life.”

He takes a deep breath and pulls a small Tiffany-blue box out of his pants pocket.  I feel my eyes go wide, my heart rate spike and my breath catch.

My eyes search his as he holds the tiny box in his beautiful hand.

“Natalie, be my wife.  Marry me.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Oh. My. God.

My eyes are locked on his face, and all the breath leaves my body.

Marry him! 
Marry him?
 

It’s so soon.  We’ve only known each other, what, less than two months?  Two incredible months.

His worried eyes are gazing deeply into mine, blue to green, and I know in my heart that the answer is yes.  After everything we’ve been through these past two months, everything we’ve shared, I can’t imagine life without him either.

And I don’t have to.

He wants to marry me!

“Baby, you’re killing me here.”  Luke moves to open the little blue box, but I put my hand over his, stopping him.  He turns startled eyes back to mine, but I smile reassuringly.

“I just have a couple things to say.”  I am now giddy and jumping up and down on the inside, my heart in my throat, but I’m amazingly calm on the outside. 

“Go ahead,” he murmurs and still looks a bit scared and uncertain.

“When I see my future, Luke, I see you.  I see
you
, not your money or what you do for a living, or who you know.  I love and respect you for the kind, giving, loving man you are.  I want what my parents had, what your parents share.  I would be honored to be your wife, give you children, and make a life with you.”

As I speak, tears run unchecked down my face.  Luke’s eyes soften, and his arms tighten around me.

“Is that a yes?” he whispers, and I giggle tearfully.

“Yes.”

“Thank God.”  He brushes his lips across mine softly, and I cup his cheek in my hand. 

“You had me worried there for a minute,” he whispers against my lips.

Oh, I love whispery Luke.

I just love Luke.

“You surprised the hell out of me.  I think I forgot to breathe.” 

“Can I show you this now?” He holds the ring box up and grins down at me.

“By all means.”

He sits me up on the small couch and kneels in front of me.  Oh my.  Seeing my sexy man, disheveled blond hair, bright blue eyes, in a black suit with the tie loosened, kneeling before me, holding a little blue ring box, is an image I’ll hold in my head forever.

“When I saw this, I knew it was yours.  I’ve had it since the day I bought your pearls.”

I gasp, my eyes widening.  He’s wanted to marry me since the night at the vineyard!

“I didn’t think you were ready then.”  He chuckles as I shake my head.

He opens the box, and cradled in the velvet is diamond perfection.  The center stone is princess cut and large, but not crazy big.  It’s nestled in platinum, with two lines of smaller diamonds on either side that twist around each other to meet at the center stone.

Tears prick my eyes again as he takes it out of the box, places it on my left hand and kisses it there.

“Thank you.  It’s perfect.”

“Like you.”  He leans up and kisses me, passionately, and I wrap my arms around him, pulling him to me.

He gathers my long skirt in his hands and pushes it up around my thighs, skimming his hands along my thighs and up under the skirt to grip my hips.

“Jesus, I love this new habit you have of not wearing any underwear.”  I smile against his lips.  “We’re writing that into the vows.  No underwear for you.”

I let out a belly laugh, and then gasp as he pulls my hips forward and pushes me back against the soft cushions of the love seat.

He pulls in a shaky breath as he gazes down at me, exposed to him from the waist down, my black skirt hiked up, in my pearls.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now?”

“You make me feel beautiful.”

He sits back on his heels and pushes one finger inside me, his eyes locked on my center, watching his hand.  “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life, baby.”

I moan as he continues to torture me with that finger.  My breath hitches, and I start to pant.  Jesus, what he does to me with just one finger.

“Luke, I want you.”

“Oh, trust me, you’ll have me.”  He pulls his now wet finger out of me and sucks on it.  “You taste good.”

He bends down and pushes my thighs wide with his palms, spreading my labia in the process.  I grip the cushions of the couch, preparing for the incredible invasion of his mouth, and buck my hips when his mouth covers me, his tongue pushing between my lips.