There were certain absolutes in life. Not many. A man learned that early on. Still, there were a few things that never changed.
Texas' hot and humid weather was one of them.
Who was he kidding, it's not the weather that's crappy, it was his mood. Riley left three weeks ago and, except for his admittedly wounded pride, he'd forgotten all about her.
He never thought of her anymore.
Never. Never. Nev—
Annoyed as hell he called for Anna.
"Lucas?"
Anna looked scared. Well who wouldn't be, "Do you know where Riley lives?"
"Who?" Anna asked.
"Ms. Matthews. The personal assistant." Lucas raised his eyebrows.
Anna nodded. "I think I wrote it down somewhere."
Lucas smiled. "Do you mind getting it for me?"
X
Riley was not in a very good mood. Even that assessment was generous. She was miserable, horrible, don't-even-talk-to-me mood, and there was no good reason for it.
Life was definitely on the upswing.
She got another job and Maya is finally getting paid as a junior assistant. They even met new friends. This was the best for her.
Yes, life was definitely good and getting better, and if she could just stop thinking about the miserable, arrogant, Texan and all the things she should have said to him and hadn't, she'd be in a much better mood.
She certainly didn't think about him for any other reason. Riley's throat tightened. She blinked; her eyes were suddenly damp. A cold. A damned cold coming on, that was what it was.
X
He, Lucas Friar, had fallen in love with the brown-eyed, fiery tempered woman who'd turned his life upside down. Lucas doesn't believe in love at first sight. But he loved Riley at first sight. Maybe it took him longer than first sight to see it clearly, but looking back, he knew it happened that very first day he saw her.
Lucas strode the length of the hall and met Riley.
"Lucas!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Tell me you're happy to see me," he said hoarsely.
Her chin snapped up. "Why should I?"
"Because I miss you and I want you to marry me," he said.
Her jaw dropped, "Are you out of your mind?"
"No," he said with a sudden feral grin. "I'm jet-lagged, I've been half-crazy thinking about you, I spent over five hours sitting in a board meeting clearing all my schedules, I don't have a ring and I haven't composed any fancy speeches—so if you want diamonds and poetry, you're out of luck. But I do want you to marry me."
"Why? Because instead of chasing after you, I headed in the opposite direction?"
"Because I love you," he said.
Riley gaped at him. "This isn't happening… I'm dreaming and any minute I'm going to wake up all by myself in bed."
Lucas took her in his arms, running his hands up and down her spine; then kissing her, sinking into the kiss until there was nothing else in the world but this one woman. With all her strength, Riley pushed him away.
He captured her hands in his, gazing down into her furious eyes as he put all the conviction of his newfound love into his voice. "My body wants you, the way it never did with other women. Never will. But my heart wants you, too. My heart and soul. And they're what really count.
"Oh, that sounds sort of like poetry to me. How do I make you feel?" Riley asked.
"As though I was born to find you," he said hoarsely. "To need you and to love you. To marry you."
Lucas kissed her again, a kiss fueled by a gratitude as deep and as passionate as his love; and this time he felt her yield. More than yield, he thought in a flood of joy, her response rocketing through him. "Marry me, Riley Matthews," he whispered against her lips. "I'll be as good to you as I know how, I swear I will. And I'll love you as long as there's breath in my body.
"I'll marry you, Lucas."
The End.
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