This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(122)

"There's a sport called parapenting. You parachute off a mountain peak—"

"Unless you're going to write my name in the sky on your way down, don't bother."

His eyes lit up.

"On second thought," she said hastily, "you'd probably misspell it. And the closest mountains are on the other side of the state, so what about the here and now? Okay, maybe I do love you, but truth is, champ, all this Iron Man stuff might impress the guys in the locker room, but it won't get you babies and home-cooked meals."

Babies and home-cooked meals! A family that was all hers. And a man who satisfied her to the very depths of her soul.

Just like that, the fire alarm went still forever.

"So we're going to play hardball," he said.

Kevin understood her better than anyone on earth. He understood her so well that he still hadn't thrown up his hands and stomped away. She listened to the glorious silence inside her and wanted to weep with the joy of knowing that this man's love didn't have to be earned with perpetual good behavior.

"I was willing to give up the Stars for you," he reminded her, his expression shrewd. "But I guess that's not good enough…"

"Oh, yes… " Kevin without the Stars was unthinkable.

He didn't take his eyes off her. "So I'll have to give you something more."

"Not necessary." She smiled her love at him. "You passed the test."

"Too late." He grabbed her hand and began pulling her back toward the campground. "Come on, sweetheart."

"No, really, Kevin. It's all right. I was just—It's the fire-alarm thing. I know it's neurotic, but I wanted to be sure you really loved me. I—"

"Could you walk a little faster? I'd like to get this over with so we could start working on one of those babies you mentioned."

A baby… And this time it would be all right. She realized he was pulling her toward the beach. "You don't have to—"

"We'd better take one of the rowboats. Not that I don't trust you in a canoe, but let's face it, you've got a spotty record."

"You want to go out on the lake? Now?"

"We have unfinished business." He led her onto the dock. "You're still looking for that great romantic gesture."

"No I'm not. Really! I've already had the most romantic gesture you could possibly make. You were willing to give up the Stars for me."

"Which didn't impress you."

"More than you can imagine. I've never been so impressed."

"Could have fooled me." He stepped down into the rowboat tied to the end of the dock, then pulled her in with him. "Apparently I still haven't met the Dan Calebow Standard."

"Oh, but you have." She sat on the seat. "I was just being… careful."

"You were being neurotic." He untied the line and picked up the oars.

"That, too. So do we really need to take to the high seas?"

"Oh, yeah." He began to row.

"I didn't mean it. When I said I didn't love you."

"You think I don't know that? And you can tell me how romantic I am when we get to the middle of the lake."

"I'm not being critical, but I don't imagine you'll be able to do anything too romantic out there."

"That's what you think."

She loved him so much that it wasn't hard to humor him. "You're right. Rowing us to the middle of the lake is a very romantic gesture."

"I do know my romance."

He didn't have a clue about romance, but this sweet-talking son of a preacher man knew everything there was about love. Daphne rippled on his chest with the movement of his muscles as he rowed. "I like your T-shirt."

"If you're right about your sister—which I hope you are, even though I swear I'm going to report her to the commissioner—I'll have them made up for all the guys on the team."

"Maybe not your best idea."

"They'll wear 'em." He smiled. "I'll make a concession to the defense, though, and put Benny on theirs. And congratulations on saving your books. Lilly told me all about it over the phone. I'm sorry you had to sell your place, but it would have been too small for both of us anyway."

Molly thought of the big old Victorian farmhouse on the outskirts of Du Page County she'd heard Phoebe mention was up for sale. It would be plenty big enough.

"I think we're about in the middle," she said.

He looked behind him. "Just a little farther. Did I tell you how deep it was out here?"

"I don't think so."

"Really deep."

She could feel her smile spreading all over her face. "I'm hopelessly in love with you."

"I know that. It's my own hopelessly-in-love feelings that are in question."

"I promise I won't ever question them again."

"Let's make sure of that." He shipped the oars, and they drifted for a while. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back.

Her heart felt as if it had somehow gotten lodged in her throat. "You're the most steadfast man I've ever known, Kevin Tucker. I can't imagine why I thought, even for a moment, that I needed to test you."