“Nah. I get it. I’m not Steph’s real father, but I’m the only one she’s ever had and she’s the only kid I’ve ever had. Biology doesn’t matter when you love someone.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed a line across her knuckles. “She asked me to give her away at her wedding.”

“Oh, Charlie. That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you—for both of you.”

“You know,” he said tentatively, “after all this business with the trial is over and your divorce is final… I mean, it’s probably way too soon and all, but really, when you think about it, we’ve been together a while now. Ah geez, I’m making a mess out of this.”

She turned to face him, surprised to see his normally relaxed expression twisted with unusual tension. “Making a mess out of what?”

“Afterward, when you’re free… I hope you might consider… Well, I’d like to marry you, Sarah. I’d like to live with you and wake up with you every day. I’d like for your family to be my family and for my daughter to be your daughter. Would you, I mean, down the road when you’re ready… Do you think you might want to—”

Laughing and crying, she kissed him. “Yes, Charlie, I will want all of that.”

“You would? Really?”

“Yes, of course I would. The time I’ve spent with you has been the happiest time I’ve ever spent with a man. Until I met you, I didn’t even know there were men like you out there. I was so accustomed to a whole other kind of man.”

“You’ll never have to worry about anything like that again. Not as long as I’m still drawing a breath.”

His fierce assurances were nearly as endearing as his bumbling proposal. “Does this mean we’re engaged?”

“This means we’re pre-engaged,” Sarah said. “Let me get past the trial and get the divorce finalized. Then we can talk about it again.”

He put his arm around her and drew her into another kiss.

Sarah was amazed by how quickly she’d gotten over her hesitancy to be touched by him. In only a few days, she’d become addicted to his kisses and the way he held her. He made her feel safe and protected and desired and loved, all things that were so new to her. Her only other romantic relationship had been violent and unpredictable, so being with Charlie was a revelation in every possible way.

When he began to pull back from her, she curled her hand around his nape, keeping him from getting away. He looked at her for a moment before he continued the kiss, this time running his tongue over her lower lip.