A Dangerous Arrangement (30 page)

His gaze slanted towards the door. ‘I was going to invite you to watch the fireworks from the bow, but you were inside so long, and—I see you have other plans.'

It was her turn to be honest. ‘Only with my orchestra mates. No-one as important as you.'

She stepped closer, raised her hand and trailed her fingertips over his stubbled jaw. ‘I love you, but I accept why we can't have a future together. But I want you in my life, Dean, at least until you find the right person. When that happens, I don't think I could bear seeing you …' Her words ended on a sob.

His hands came up to cup her face, and she tried turning away so he couldn't see the anguish in her eyes, but he held her head steady, breathing hard as he made her look him in the eye.

‘I've found the right person, Marina,' he said gruffly. ‘It's you. Do you think I would bare my soul like this to someone I didn't love and trust? I know we're different, but I love that about us. You let me live on another dimension, you're the dream I never knew I had. Every day we were apart, I looked at the photograph I took of you in the gondola and it ripped my guts to shreds. If you'll have me, we'll
make
it work.'

It was New Year's Eve—and the whole world went silent.

‘I do.' She breathed the words. ‘I want you so much.'

He lowered his head, slowly, eyes burning into hers with a love she'd never, ever doubt again. She parted her lips, and let her eyes drift closed, gave herself up to the wonder and joy gathering inside her. And as his lips met hers, the first of the pyrotechnics exploded over the Harbour Bridge.

They jumped, pulled back, laughing.

He winked. ‘I always had good timing.'

‘Happy New Year, Dean.'

Before he could answer, Eli was there, handing her the Marina roses and glancing at Dean. ‘I thought you might want these.'

‘Oh, thank you, Eli.' She leaned over and kissed the younger man on the cheek. ‘Can you just take all the other stuff? Give the flowers to the girls, and share out the drinks.'

She slipped her free arm around Dean's waist, put her head on his shoulder and smiled up at him. ‘I have everything I want, right here.'

As Eli beat a hasty retreat, Dean took the flowers from her hands and dropped them at her feet. Then he wrapped his arms around her, and with the strains of Auld Lang Syne drifting across the harbour they watched the brilliant colours explode in the skies above them.

‘I've started sketching the Logan Mach VI,' he whispered in her ear.

‘Already?' Marina shivered at his touch, turned her cheek into his lips. She couldn't wait to be alone with him, but this was a special moment in time, one to savour.

She'd waited four months. She could wait a little while longer.

‘I've already named her.'

She stilled, drew back a little. ‘Not … the
Marina
?'

He smiled, shook his head, buried his nose in her hair and put his lips against her ear. ‘Close. She's called the
Virtuoso
.'

And then his wonderful mouth claimed hers, and he crushed her to his chest. As the pyrotechnics continued to explode from the top of the Opera House, this time they didn't break apart.

And as tears of joy seeped from the corners of Marina's eyes, she thought of the old saying ‘What you do on New Year, you do all year'.

And she couldn't have been happier with that.

THE END

 

 

Thanks for reading
A Dangerous Arrangement
, the first book in my Dangerous Arrangements series. I hope you enjoyed it.

If you'd like to know more about me, my books, or to connect with me online, you can visit my webpage
www.leechristine.com.au
, follow me on Twitter
@leechristine59
, or like my Facebook page
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You can also follow me through my publisher's page here
www.escapepublishing.com.au

Reviews can help readers find books, and I am grateful for all honest reviews. Thank you for taking the time to let others know what you've read, and what you thought.

If you liked this book, there is more info on my other books over the page.

This book was published by Escape Publishing. If you'd like to sample some more great books from my fellow Escape Artists, please turn the page.

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