Outback Bachelor (19 page)

“Well, I know you love it.” He dropped a glowing kiss on her mouth. “But—”

“No buts,” she said, easing back voluptuously into his strong male body. “Have you forgotten my interest in photography?” she teased.

“Not at all. But how serious is it? I know you have exceptional talent.”

“Why thank you, kind sir!”

“Okay. You know I’ll help you in every way I can. Your happiness is paramount. Everyone marries with the hope of being happy. Not every marriage survives.”

She sat straight. “Listen, what are you trying to do, put me off?”

“God, no!” He actually shuddered. “What a thought!”

“You’re thinking about your mother and father?”

“How could I not!” he replied, rather bleakly. “My parents’ marriage wasn’t a great success. You know that.”

“But the great thing we have in our favour, Keefe, is that I’m Djinjara born and bred. I love our desert home as much as you do. It’s taken overlong, but we’ve finally sorted out the ghosts of the past. You’ve told me your grandmother and Rachelle want our marriage to go ahead?” She searched his brilliant eyes.

“I don’t intend to be wafted off by flights of angels until I see my first grandchild
.” Keefe reported his grandmother’s words verbatim. “Rachelle almost broke my heart asking very tentatively did I think you might allow her to be a bridesmaid.”

“
Wh-a-t?
” Skye was betrayed into saying sharply, then quickly recovered. “And what did you answer?” She modified her tone. Keefe’s family would be her family.

“I’m sure she’ll want you, I said. Did I do wrong?” He gave her a down-bent mocking smile.

“No, of course you didn’t. But that’s only because I love
you
so fiercely.” Skye returned to burrowing her head into the curve of his shoulder. “I’ll love you until my dying breath.”

“Hey, no talk about dying,” Keefe protested. He was still feeling shock waves over Roth. With an urgent hand he swept her hair to one side so he could press kisses down the column of her neck. “You can never stop living. With
me
.”

“So why don’t we get married right away?” She was only half joking. She didn’t think she could bear to be parted from him for another second.

“Okay with me!” he answered without hesitation, then paused, his expression thoughtful. “But not, I think, with all the people who will want to come to our wedding. Anyway,
think
, my one and only love. You can’t possibly deprive me of the sight of my beautiful bride in all her regalia. I will want all the trimmings.”

The depth of feeling in his voice would have made any prospective bride deliriously happy. She was over the moon. The future she had been so desperate about was now set. “And you’ll get all the trimmings,” she vowed, her mind womanlike already running ahead. “The glorious wedding gown—it will cost a fortune—the long veil, the train, the hand-made wedding shoes, something borrowed, something blue, the most exquisite bridal bouquet. Four bridesmaids. Two flower girls.” It was all coming to life as she spoke. Designs, colours. “A magnificent Djinjara setting. Reception in the Great Hall.”

“God, I can’t wait!” Keefe pulled her ever nearer.

“Neither can I!” Her answer was a peal of joy. “Dad is at peace with the news?”

Keefe pressed a kiss to the blue pulse in her temple. “Just like I said. I invited him to come along but he said the two of us wouldn’t need him. He sends his love for now. Finally his Cathy, your mother, has found her rightful place in our lives.”

“Lord be praised!” For a moment Skye experienced in amongst the joy a sharp sense of loss. She would have given anything to have a few beautiful memories of her mother. Even a
single
memory. Very sadly that had not been her lot.

“It hasn’t been easy for you, has it?” Keefe asked gently, as ever reading her mind.

“I always had
you
.” There was a deeply emotional catch in her voice. “The great bond we shared has helped me through life.”

“I feel exactly the same.” That was Keefe’s simple answer.

“Our children will be born out of love,” she said.

“Indeed they will!” He joined his mouth to hers. It was more than an intense kiss. It carried a solemn vow.

“And Lady Margaret is happy we’re
not
first cousins?” she breathed against his lips, unable to resist the sliver of irony.

“Cousins? God, girl, you’re my
twin
, my other half,” he cried. “Believe me, Gran is thrilled. A great burden has been lifted off her frail shoulders. She meant it when she said she was going to stick around until she can hold our first child in her arms.”

“And the one after that,” Skye said, her happiness absolute. Her vision had such clarity. The two of them making their journey hand in hand through life. Partners. Full partners. In every way. It filled her mind with glory. “I suppose it would be too much to hope Scott can get his act together?” She briefly sobered.

“You said it, Sky-Eyes.” Keefe’s answer was laconic. “Scott’s a man in charge of his own future. I guess he has a perfect right to go to the devil if he so chooses. We’ll just have to make do with the entire McGovern clan plus most of the Outback.”

“Wonderful!” She was floating high again on emotion. “Only you haven’t officially asked me to marry you.”

“Watch this!” Before she knew what he was about, he tumbled her off his lap, falling to one knee on the plush rug, taking her hand. He turned it over, spread her palm wide. Then he bent his raven head to press an ever-deepening kiss into her palm. It sent little electric jolts all over her highly receptive body. “How old were you when you first asked me to marry you?” There was devilment in his eyes. “Five, wasn’t it?”

She gave a little laugh, her expression both tender and alluring. “I was always a precocious child and you were always my prince. You used to call me ‘little buddy’.”

“You
were
my little buddy then. Now you’re my woman, soon to be my wife. I can love you and take care of you better than any other man on earth.”

“You’d better!” she teased, exhilaration in her eyes.

“Oh, I will.” He leaned forward to kiss her lips, luscious as strawberries, taking his own good time. Slowly…very slowly…drawing the tip of his tongue over the pillowy contours, tracing the outline…all the while feeding her hunger….

Her arms draped themselves around his neck. “You’re the best kisser in the world,” she exulted. “The
best
!”

“And we’re not finished yet,” he said with thrilling ardency. “Skye Catrina McCory, will you do me the great honour of becoming my bride?” He stared into her eyes, thinking them the most beautiful blue he had ever seen. His daughters simply
had
to have eyes like that. “Would you please raise your left hand?”

“Right hand for the Bible.” She tried to laugh, but there was a decided shake to it.

“Left hand for engagement rings,” he pointed out.

She threw her head back in surprise. “You haven’t
got
one surely?”

“Not on my person, no. But give me a moment.” He sprang up with characteristic litheness, moving across to where his jacket was folded over an armchair.

“Quickly, quickly!” She gave in to a helpless moan. “The suspense is killing me.”

He came back to her, and then with an exaggerated courtly flourish knelt at her feet. “I had hoped things would go more perfectly tonight—”

“Don’t you dare speak about Gordon Roth,” she cried, love and longing rising high in her breast. “I’m not going to allow a miserable creature like him mar our great moment.”

“I should think not!
Voilà
!” He opened up a small box covered in dark blue velvet. “Name me one beautiful blue-eyed woman who doesn’t have—or should have—a magnificent sapphire?” he challenged. “You think it’s beautiful?” His gaze, earnest and intense, sought her approval.

“Oh, Keefe!” She made a little sound of awe and heady delight. “It’s
so
beautiful. I’m going to need all night to tell you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you awake so you can,” he promised, silver eyes glinting. Gently he slid the exquisite sapphire and diamond ring down over her knuckle into its resting place. “With this ring I seal our pact. Together we walk through life hand in hand. Man and wife.”

“A big amen to that!” She answered on a prayerful breath. The high sense of occasion was accompanied by overwhelming emotion, blocking her throat with tears. “It’s very scary, loving you so much,” she confessed.

He answered with raw emotion. “My darling, you scare me, too. That’s what comes of loving so intensely.” He reached for her hungrily, drawing her down onto the rug beside him. Gently he settled her on her back, loving the way her honey-blonde hair fanned out around her flushed, excited face, pulsing with light. “I want to look at you. I want to love you.” For long moments he placed his hands on either side of her head, staring down at her.

“Now can’t be soon enough!” The heat of passion was making its blistering path from her head to her toes.

“So what do you think?” His voice was as smooth and rich as molten honey. “Will I make love to you here, or will I carry you down the hallway to bed?”

For answer Skye threw up her slender arms, ecstatically locking them around his neck and drawing his beloved head down to her. She was literally thrumming with love and desire.

“Here is
perfect
for me,” she said.