He gave a startled laugh. “Are you joking?”

“No, just fishing for a compliment.” She snuggled into his arms, rather liking sitting on the floor between his legs. She felt surrounded, safe, loved. “But to answer your question, yes, I most certainly do want this. And I want this because I know everything about you that’s important. You’re a damn good man. Scars fade with time. And the ones that never go away, well, they build character, maturity, caution.”

“And you’re an amazing woman.” He kissed the side of her mouth. “Who happens to be fantastic in bed.”

The way he stroked her back, her temples, as he kissed her, with such tenderness and awe, had her longing for physical intimacy to match the emotional closeness she was feeling. She needed to have Damien in her, to see him give up control and succumb to their love. To trust her and her feelings.

“Let’s test how good I am in bed, just to make sure.” Mandy could hear his breathing change then, move from anxious to relaxed to aroused, as she flicked her tongue across his bottom lip. “But first you need to ask me to marry you.”

Damien breathed in her scent, soft and floral. He had never thought he would say the words again, but when he did, they were easy. They were strong. They were hopeful. “Mandy Keeling, will you marry me? I love you with all of my heart, such as it is.”

Her brown liquid eyes were tender, round. “It’s a good heart, even if it’s been kicked around a bit. It’s always been a good heart, that’s why it was so easily bruised. A lesser man wouldn’t have cared as much. So yes, I will marry you. And this baby…”

She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, under hers. “This baby is already our daughter.”

He kissed her then because he had no words. He needed to pour all his passion and emotion and love into her. There was so much feeling, so much emotion, more than he could have ever believed possible. She had given him a life back. She had given him everything that mattered.

Mandy shifted as they mingled hot, wet, tongues, so that she was facing him. “Put your legs down.”

“Why?” Even though he knew why, even as he obeyed her. Their hands were tearing over each other, pulling at clothes, shoving fabric and buttons and zippers out of the way.

“Because I can’t wait for the bed. Just love me, Damien.”

“I do. I will.” Damien skimmed her panties off as she went on her knees and shoved her dress up to her waist. She had already unzipped his pants, and he pulled her forward with a desperate groan.