Chapter 9

Surprise flashed in his eyes as they widened in astonishment. Blinking in disbelief, his jaw slackened and his lips parted in amazement. He was speechless.

Did she just say what I thought she did? He asked himself.

She saw his look of surprise and amazement. "Rick? Say something," she urged, standing in front of him cupping his face in her hands and looking into astounded and now happy blue eyes. She knew he hadn't expected that revelation. "I…love…you," she proclaimed again.

"You do?" he asked, his breath trembling in excitement as he gazed down at her. She nodded her head as a smile spread across her lips and a rosy flush crept up her cheeks.

"Yeah!" he breathed in exuberance and relief as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist and snagged her closer to him in a tight, lingering hug. "Oh Kate, just when I think I've figured you out, you write in a twist I don't see coming. You never cease to amaze me."

Pulling back from the hug and gently caressing the side of her face with his big hand, he smoothed several locks of her hair down and behind her shoulder letting his hand linger on her arm. Their eyes locked and held in a tender, sparkling, and sensual dance. She marveled in the caring and tenderness she saw flickering through the softness of his eyes.

Her heart pounded and fluttered as she felt the sparks of desire flaring between them like the flames of a dancing fire and her belly flittered like it was full of hovering butterflies.

"Oh Kate," he whispered.

"No more hiding and running," Kate confessed shaking her head. "I know you've made your stand with me and now I'm making mine with you." Her face lit again with a beautiful, radiant smile and her eyes burned with the fire of love.

He smiled back at her and gazed into her eyes. "So now what," he asked in a husky voice.

"Hmm, I don't know. You're the writer," she teased, her smile growing playful as she cocked a brow and pursed her lips in amusement.

"I'm your writer," he said amending the meaning of her words, but then paused a moment as he briefly lost his emotional equilibrium in the soulful depths of her eyes. "Do you remember what I said when you were shot?" he asked in a more serious tone.

Kate looked back at him with a look of remembrance on her face. "I do," she nodded as her eyes grew moist from the memory.

"I meant it with all my heart. I love you Kate. I have from the very beginning."

"You know, I hated that first day we met and thought it was one of my worst, but turns out it was one of my best. Even the day I was shot," she stammered, "was ironically, one of the best and worst days of my life. All because of what you said…you saved me."

She slipped her arms up around his neck and hugged him tightly and then letting her hands trail up and tangle in his hair she clutched his head and shoulders. After a minute, he pulled back to look at her and she let her arms slide more down his shoulders and rest with her wrists touching behind his neck.

"Would you like a replay of a certain kiss?" he whispered with a sexy gleam in his eyes.

She drew herself even closer to him by slowly and provocatively sliding her arms further again up his shoulders and draping them behind his neck. Her eyes grew sultry and darkened as a sensual and ornery flash of desire raced through their depths and a small, sly smile wove its way across her lips.

"Yeah…" she drew out in a smooth, husky whisper that sounded like warmed honey. Leaving her full and rosy lips parted in invitation she darted her look from his eyes down to his lips and then back up to his eyes. He needed no more tantalizing clues.

Slowly moving his head forward he narrowed the gap between their faces. Kate's breathing quickened in anticipation of finally feeling his lips again on hers and she felt shaky with the delighted expectation. She felt his chest rise and fall faster in excitement as he pulled her body tighter to his by wrapping his arms around her waist and enveloping her completely in the warm circle of his embrace.

Kate felt the masculine planes of his body molding into her soft, voluptuous curves and sighed in satisfied pleasure. Feeling her gently tangling her fingers more in the thickness of his hair he sighed and languidly closed his eyes in contentment. Sighing as he reveled in her sensual touches, he opened his eyes after a moment as he was compelled by his desire to see the woman he loved returning his affection.

Passion danced in their eyes as their looks held each other in a sensual embrace. Sliding one arm up and across her shoulders, he pulled her in closer, pressing her breasts against his chest while his other arm moved down to the small of her back and then he slid his hand down on her rear pushing her hips into his. She felt the strong muscles of his chest against her breasts, the firmness of his stomach on hers, and his growing arousal low against her belly. Rick's face blurred in her vision as he finally and completely lowered his head to her face. Her eyes closed and she felt his light and quickened puffs of breath on her lips. She sighed and he felt it on his opened mouth.