“Marissa.” He squeezed her hand, his gaze so tender that she’d felt brave enough to pour out her heart even though she hadn’t meant to. “I should have fought for you that night, but it hadn’t sunk in that you were really planning to leave. I guess I thought right up until you walked away that I’d somehow make you change your mind.”
“I try so hard to be practical when it comes to relationships and things between us just felt so out of control. So many feelings, so fast.” But she didn’t want to be practical anymore. She wanted to take a bold chance with a man worthy of the risk.
“I’ve got something for you that might help put your mind at ease.” He dug into his pocket and slid a folded sheet of vellum across the table.
She recognized the crisp stationery from her office.
“A matchmaking questionnaire?” She remembered asking him to fill one out. One of her many deflections when he’d tried to get close to her.
“I thought it was time I wrote down everything I wanted in a relationship so you could see it on paper.” He unfolded it for her and smoothed it out, then moved the candle closer so she could see the writing. “Maybe then you’ll see how well we fit together.”
He dragged his chair closer while she read aloud.
“Three most important qualities in a potential mate.” Her finger followed the prompt to his neatly written answers. “Loyalty. A generous heart. Wears glasses.”
She smiled, a warm glow filling her heart.
“Keep reading,” he urged, pointing to the next question, his expression giving nothing away.
But by now, she guessed she was going to like what she saw.
“Are you emotionally available for a relationship, one (lowest) to ten (highest).” Again, she traced her way along the paper with a finger that now trembled. “You wrote in your own response, ‘I am only available to Marissa Collins.’”
“See?” He took the paper from her and read a few other excerpts to her. “I’m also a sports enthusiast, but don’t care if my potential mate goes to every game. I marked that I have a big family and only want to be with someone who understands the importance of family.”
He paused and put the paper down. “That’s you all over.”
She nodded, speechless and overwhelmed, but in a very good way.
“Marissa, I want you by my side as my equal.” He took her hand again and folded his fingers around hers, looking up at her in the glow of the candle and the stars. “If you can’t go on the road with me, we’ll find extra time to be together when I’m at home. If you want to come on the road, I’ll make sure you fly home as often as you want. As often as you need to. I’m compensated too well for the job that I do and I’m happy to share that with someone who does a job as unselfish as yours.”
“Kyle—” She gulped back a little yelp, so happy she still couldn’t quite get the words out. She’d never expected such an outpouring from Kyle, the man who’d staunchly denied that he wanted a relationship when she’d tried to talk him into trying her matchmaking services. “That’s so romantic.”
“But it’s practical, too,” he insisted. “You weren’t sure how it could work between us, but I’m willing to work hard and make plans to show you how it could happen so we’re both happy and together as much as possible.”
Marissa didn’t have the eloquence that he did. So she laid her hand on top of his and took a deep breath.
“Yes.” Once she got that much out, it freed the rest. “I want that, too.”
The next thing she knew, she was in his arms, wrapped up tight, his strength and warmth all around her.
“You won’t be sorry, Marissa. I promise.” His whispered words in her ear sounded as happy and as relieved as she felt.
Nearby, a handful of players burst into wolf whistles and cheers. Axel Rankin whooped it up like a frat boy, jumping onto the stage with the band to take the microphone.
“Congratulations, Murph!” Turning the mic back over to the band, he left the stage and the pianist broke into the familiar strains of “At Last.”
Marissa could hardly take it all in. Stacy jumped up and down beside Isaac’s shoulder, shaking the camera he was trying to keep trained on Marissa and Kyle.
“Did they all know about this?” she asked, her face buried in Kyle’s white tuxedo shirt, his jacket long gone. He smelled so good, so familiar and so sexy. She couldn’t wait to be with him. To begin a life together on their own terms.
“No. But I did tell Axel that I hoped to make up with you tonight. Possibly the rumor spread a little from there. It hasn’t exactly been a secret how miserable I’ve been without you.” He rose, bringing her to her feet along with him, his arms sliding around her waist.
“Your shots did look a little off without me around,” she teased, liking the idea that she could take care of him and he’d take care of her back.
Just like it should be.
“It’s tough to play when your heart is broken.” He lifted one hand and kept the other around her waist, twirling her around while the lead singer belted out the romantic song.
“We’re going to fix that,” she assured him, her fingers skimming his chest.
“We’re also going to have everything you want and more, including a guest house for your mom when she stops by to stay with us on her next cross-country tour.”
“I’d like that.” She prayed that would happen. The rehab staff had been really supportive of her idea for a new environment for her mom, helping Isaac find ways to tailor the three-dimensional images to the treatment center room.
“But I don’t want you to sell your mom’s house just for the sake of the medical bills. And if that means I have to buy it, I will.” He twirled her again, giving her a moment to process the idea.
“Thank you,” she said simply, accepting the gift for her mother’s sake as much as her own. She knew in her heart that this was going to work. She and Kyle wanted a future together too much to fail now. “Thank you so much.”
Their song ended and a few of the partygoers whistled. Kyle and Marissa remained on the sidelines of the gathering, but Kyle lifted her hand in victory, claiming her in front of all his teammates. His coach. His brother.
“So I have tonight off,” he said, turning to her again and pulling her flush up against him.
The warm rush of heat through her body was a heady feeling that—just a few days ago—she’d feared she might never feel again.
“Are you sure you don’t need to go to bed early and rest up for a game?”
“Positive.” He captured her chin in his hand and tilted her lips to his. “I want to spend the night with you.”
“That can be arranged.” She could almost taste him. “I know this great little spot where we can park the car and make out.”
“What if I want to do more than kiss you?”
“I know a bed where you can have me any way you choose… .”
And that’s when the speed and strength of her superstar hockey player really paid off. He swept her off her feet, barreling through the crowd, to have her all to himself.
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459225831
Copyright © 2012 by Joanne Rock
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