This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(123)

"Every once in a while you go crazy."

"Phoebe calls them 'incidents.' And today was the last one. I risked throwing away the most important thing in my life, but I won't make that mistake again." Her eyes filled with tears. "You gave up the Stars for me."

"I'd do it again. Although I sincerely hope I don't have to."

She laughed. He smiled, then looked serious. "I know you don't love football the same way I do, but, driving up here, I kept thinking about coming out of the huddle and looking over toward the fifty-yard line." He touched her cheek. "I saw you sitting there just for me."

Molly could see it, too.

"The wind's picked up," he said. "It's getting colder."

The sun shone in the sky as well as in her heart, and she knew she'd never be cold for the rest of her life. "I'm fine. Perfect."

He nodded toward the sweatshirt that was still wrapped around her waist. "You'd better put that on."

"I don't need it."

"You're shivering."

"That's from excitement."

"Can't be too careful." The rowboat wobbled a bit as he stood and drew her up in front of him, where he unfastened the sweatshirt and pulled it over her body. It was so large it came to her knees. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Do you have any idea how precious you are to me?"

"Yes, I really do."

"Good." Quick as a flash he crossed the empty sleeves in front of her like a straitjacket and tied the cuffs in the back.

"What are you—?"

"I love you." He brushed a kiss across her lips, picked her up, and dropped her over the side.

She was so astonished that she took a mouthful, then had to kick furiously to get to the surface. With her arms imprisoned, it wasn't easy.

"There you are," he said when she bobbed up. "I was getting worried."

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting till you're ready to drown." He smiled and eased back down on the seat. "And then I'm going to save your life. Dan did it for Phoebe, and I'm going to do it for you."

"Dan didn't try to murder her first!" she screamed.

"I go the extra mile."

"Of all the stupid—" She caught another mouthful, coughed, and tried to say more. Unfortunately, she was sinking back under.

He was in the water waiting for her when she came up—hair dripping in his eyes, Daphne plastered to his chest, his green eyes dancing with the sheer pleasure of being alive, in love, and having such a good time. There was no woman on earth who could entertain him the way she could. And no woman who would ever love him more.

Which didn't mean she was giving in without a fight. "By the time you save me," she pointed out, "I'll be too tired to do anything but sleep."

Seconds later she watched the sweatshirt sink to the bottom of the lake without her.

"That was fun." Kevin's smile was a mile wide, and his eyes were misty with something other than lake water.

"Not in front of the children." Her eyes were misty, too, as she tugged off his Daphne T-shirt.

They made love in the shadow of the rowboat, holding on to the gunwale and each other, choking and gasping, first one of them underwater and then the other, two daredevils who'd found their perfect mate. Afterward they gazed into each other's eyes, not saying anything, just feeling peaceful and absolutely perfect.





Epilogue


? ^



Found in a notebook tucked under the gazebo at the Wind Lake Campground. Author unknown—although there are suspicions.





All the animals in nightingale woods gathered for the christening. Daphne wore her second-best rhinestone tiara (she'd misplaced her best at a road rally). Benny polished his mountain bike until it shone. Melissa dazzled with a swirly scarf from the rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and her new husband Leo the Bullfrog created a beautiful painting in honor of the occasion.

The ceremony took place under a shady tree. The animals waited until it was over to scurry out from the shadows of the gingerbread cottages and move among the guests, invisible to all but the very smallest of humans.

Victoria Phoebe Tucker blinked down at Benny from her perch on her father's shoulder, her green eyes alive with curiosity. What's up, dude?

"What's up yourself?"

Hey, you look familiar.

"I know your dad pretty well."

Daphne hopped forward. "Bonjour, Victoria Phoebe, and welcome to Nightingale Woods." She cast an admiring glance at the frothy confection of white lace and pink ribbons that enveloped the baby and draped her father's large, tan arm. Victoria Phoebe already had an eye for fashion. "I'm Daphne, and this is Benny. We stopped by to introduce ourselves."

"And see if you wanted to play some football," Benny added.

Victoria Phoebe stuffed a pink ribbon from her christening cap into her mouth. You might have noticed I'm sort of tied up right now.

"Sarcastic like her mother," Murphy Mouse noted.

Victoria Phoebe's father reached up to retrieve the ribbon. She went after his hand and took a few chomps on her favorite teether, his brand-new Super Bowl ring. He kissed her forehead and exchanged a special smile with her mother, who stood at his side. Nearby her Aunt Phoebe gazed happily at the new family that her special talent for deception had helped create.