After lunch, Jennifer and Jonathan drove a little farther up the coast to a particular spot that Jonathan had in mind. Again, they fell into comfortable conversations and companionable silences. Morro Bay wasn't more than a couple hours north of Santa Barbara, but Jonathan stumbled upon this little gem on the coast a few years ago and knew that he wanted to come back some day. Today was that day. He and Jennifer wandered through the town and down to the bay. As they walked they got on to the subject of former romances.

"So, a few dalliances in your day but never anything serious?" Jonathan looked down at Jennifer as they walked with her arm tucked around his.

"Not really, no." He stopped for a minute to look down at her and stroke her cheek. "In fact, you are the first woman I've ever asked to stay with me overnight." They resumed walking. "There are a few ladies out there that I think fondly of from time to time, but no one that I wanted to keep in my life as more than a friend." "Until now.", but he kept that thought to himself for the time being. He wanted to hear Jennifer's story. "How about you?" He let Jennifer collect her thoughts, as he sensed that there was a bit of a story here. Finally she looked up at him, stopped, and looked out at the water.

"I'm not very good with relationships." She paused for a beat. "I've been in a few, but only one serious one." She turned to him. "I told you about my last one – the one where I kept cancelling our dates. Andy was probably tired of me anyway." Jonathan crooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes.

"I can't imagine any man getting tired of you." She gave a half laugh.

"You'd be surprised. I don't seem to be what they want. That used to bother me, but I like who I am now and won't change just because someone else has a problem. " She turned back to the bay, and Jonathan moved so he could wrap his arms around her from behind. Jennifer leaned back into his strong embrace.

"I met Elliot Manning when I spent some time in London a while back. He was the first man I was really serious about, and I gave everything I had to the relationship, thinking he might be the one. I had all these romantic notions like you do when you're young and think you're in love. While I wouldn't say I was naïve, I definitely didn't see some of the early warning signs. I found out he was cheating on me, and I decided to end the relationship. He said some fairly ugly things to me, and basically told me it was my fault that he had to look for intimacy elsewhere, which proved his mean streak I saw once in a while." Jennifer gave a wave of her hand. "Anyway, after that, I threw myself back into my writing and didn't really pay too much attention to dating. I guess I'm too intense and focused for men to really look at me as someone they might want to date. Maybe I scare them off because I'm too independent, but at this point in my life, I am who I am." She gave a tiny shrug of the shoulder and felt Jonathan's lips graze her neck. Her knees went a little weak as he turned her toward him. He had a way of mesmerizing her with those blue eyes.

"Those men are all idiots." He punctuated each sentence with a kiss. "I'm enchanted by you." "One of the first things I noticed about you was your independence." "I also recognized your spunk, determination, curiosity, sense of humor, wit, and everything else wrapped in this gorgeous package." "You are one in a million, Jennifer Edwards, and Elliott Manning was a fool to throw away what he had with you." Jennifer's head was spinning from his kisses, and she wanted to look away so he wouldn't see her blush, but she couldn't resist his gaze. Just then she heard a plane soaring overhead, and she turned toward the bay and the sky that glowed orange as the sun shifted toward the horizon. A small, single engine plane flew low over the water with a banner waving behind it. She pointed to it.

"Oh, look. I wonder what they're advertising." As it got closer, she read the words out loud. "Will you marry me?" She laughed and looked at Jonathan. "How sweet. I wonder who it's for." She looked up and down the surf. "There isn't anyone else on the beach." Jonathan glanced down at her, a mischievous twitch on his lips.

"Care to repeat what the banner said?" She looked up at him and laughed.

"Will you marry me?" He looked at her in all seriousness and her stomach did a little flip-flop.

"Yes, I will." She tilted her head as she tried to figure out what was really going on.

"Jonathan, did you set this up?"

"Will you say yes if I did?" She watched as he took a box out of his pocket. Inside was a diamond ring that caught the radiance of the setting sun and flared to life when he lifted the lid. "I bought this diamond a few years ago and had it set with the smaller stones. I knew that the woman I gave it to eventually would have to be as multifaceted and fiery as the center stone. I can't imagine anyone but you wearing it. Marry me, Jennifer. Please." He ran his thumb over her cheek as his gaze drew her in, again. Her eyes answered him before the word came out of her mouth.

"Yes." Jonathan's lips came crashing down on hers and any other thoughts in her mind vanished. When they finally came up for air, his mind moved to practical things. He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed it before asking his next question.

"Are you hungry, Darling?" She smiled at him.

"Starving." He took her hand as they walked.

"I saw a little diner a ways back." As they ate, they lost track of time talking. When Jonathan checked his watch, he realized it was well after 10:00 pm. "Jennifer, if we're going to get back to LA, we should think about getting on the road. The drive is a little over three hours."

"Darling, are you sure you're going to be all right to drive that far? We've done a lot today, and we just split a bottle of wine."

"To be honest, I would rather stay here tonight and drive tomorrow. Are you sure that's all right?"

"Of course." Jonathan paid the bill and drove to a great little inn he knew. He parked the car and helped Jennifer out before he grabbed the duffel bag out of the trunk. Jennifer gave him a sideways glance.

"You just happen to have a bag in the car?" He gave her a most endearing smile.

"I wanted to be prepared, in case it got late like this and we didn't feel like driving home." He wrapped an arm around her. "Let's go book a couple of rooms." Jennifer turned to him and the look in her eyes had Jonathan's heart hammering in his chest.

"We only need one room." He placed his hand on her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

"Are you sure?" She turned her head slightly and kissed his palm.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be tonight than in your arms." Jonathan threaded his fingers through her hair and brought her mouth to his for a scorching kiss.

On the way to the room, Jonathan stopped to give Max a call while Jennifer headed down the hallway.

"Hey Max, how was the poker game?"

"Mr. H., Poker was not my friend today. How's your day?" Jonathan decided the story of Sandy could wait until they got back to LA.

"It was great. Jennifer and I ended up in Morro Bay, and since it's so late, we're going to stay overnight."

"Morro Bay, huh? Did she say yes?" Jonathan shook his head in surprise.

"You remember that conversation?" Max took a puff of his cigar.

"Of course I do. You'd been up there to recharge and told me all about it. You told me that the next time you went, it would be to ask the woman you loved to marry you. You even showed me the ring you had made. So, did Ms. Edwards say yes?"

"She did, Max. Jennifer actually asked me first, but I'll tell you that story when we get back. The soon to be Mrs. H., might tell it a little differently. We'll see you tomorrow."

The Sunset Suite at the Estero Inn was theirs for the night. Jennifer was feeling a little warm, so she wandered over to the balcony and stepped out. Jonathan came in shortly after her, laid the bag on the bed and joined her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and trailed kisses behind her ear.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jennifer laughed softly and turned into Jonathan's embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and swayed with him in the darkness."

"My thoughts are everywhere right now." Jonathan tipped her face up.

"Darling, if this isn't the right time, I can go book another room." She shook her head.

"No, it isn't that." She took a deep breath and tried to explain what she was feeling. "I never believed in that instantaneous Romeo and Juliet kind of love. I thought it was only something found in books and movies, not real life, but then I met you Friday night and my world turned upside down." She glanced over his shoulder, held her hand up to look at the ring on her finger, and smiled. "When did you know?"

"The moment I saw how you handled yourself with the drunk. I fell completely when you laughed at something while we were dancing." He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. "You have the most enchanting laugh." He threw her question back at her. "When did you know?"

"When I saw the look in your eyes as you talked about Max, but the last brick crumbled when I read the note you left in the flowers." He kissed her again.

"So, you liked the flowers?"

"You are quite the romantic, Darling." He took her hand and led her back into the room.

"Why don't you let me show you exactly how romantic I can be?" He pulled a rose out of the duffel bag and handed it to her.

"Now I know the Jonathan Hart magic is real." He smiled at her and pulled her to him. With his nose touching hers, he told her what he'd wanted to tell her within minutes of meeting her.

"I love you, you know." She closed the gap for a soft kiss.

"I love you, too." He smiled the smile that made her heart stutter. It didn't regain a regular rhythm until much later in the night.