Twins times two! (20 page)

"You aren't leaving me, do you hear? I love you, Cara. I love you more than life itself."

He felt her stiffen in his arms and rushed to explain. "I found the crumpled-up letter in my bedroom—"

"No! I—"

Drawing back, Ross placed his fingers over her lips. "Please. Let me say this first—and then you can offer me all the recriminations you can think of, if you want. But before all that, I need to tell you how much I love you, how much joy you've brought into my life. I'm a stubborn fool and I don't deserve you. I know that. I've been falling in love with you a little more each day, and I didn't tell you. I selfishly hoarded the feelings, afraid that if I spoke about them too quickly, I would discover that I didn't have the capability to love that way again. I swear to you, if you'll stay, if you'll give us a chance, I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you that I do love you."

Her eyes filled with tears, and he feared that he

was already too late. She had given up on them and their marriage.

"Please," he whispered, his voice growing choked. "Give us a chance."

She covered his lips with her fingers, then rose on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his own. When she drew back, she whispered, "I love you more than you will ever know." She grimaced. "My brief thought of leaving was abandoned almost as soon as I finished that letter." She bit her lip. "I meant to leave it in your room, but I must have dropped it and—"

He didn't allow her to say any more. She'd already told him everything he needed to know.

She loved him.

She meant to stay with him as his wife.

Bending, Ross kissed her—sweetly, passionately, knowing that he had been close to losing his salvation, his chance at true happiness, his other half. Squeezing his eyes shut, he drew far enough away to murmur in her ear, "I don't want you to think that I'm using you to take Nancy's place. I—"

"I know. The past few weeks have been hard for you. You've had to grieve her loss. But I also know that you have enough love in your heart for both of us."

Ross wrapped his arms around her, holding her

close. "I've been twice blessed. First in having our twins reunited under one roof...but even more by your love." He grinned, rocking her in sheer joy. "I think we should get married again."

"What?"

"Let's get married. This time we need the works—a cake, a reception, a band. That way there will be no doubts that ours is a real marriage, not simply a matter of convenience."

She laughed. "I don't think we need the pomp and ceremony to make things real." She kissed him softly, sweetly, then whispered, "We'll have every morning of the rest of our lives to do that."

Epilogue

Cara smiled, standing on tiptoe so that she could peer out the window positioned over the kitchen sink.

The backyard was a riot of color with children in parkas, hats and mittens running up the snow-covered hillside pulling sleds and inner tubes, or giggling madly as one of the many adults offered to take them for a ride on a snowmobile.

Cara had to give the twins credit. They'd wanted an outdoor birthday party where they could invite everyone they knew. Cara had tried to talk them out of it, citing the cold, but the girls had insisted. As if sensing the importance of the day, the weather had cooperated. The sun shone from a cloudless sky, and the temperatures hovered in the balmy forties.

From somewhere in the other room, a door

246 Twins Times Two!

slammed, and children squealed as kids ran in and out of the family room where they could help themselves to hot chocolate or roast hot dogs over the fire. Balloons had been tied to every available surface and Mom Squad employees distributed ice cream and cake to the guests. Returning her attention to the twins, who were opening presents at the dining room table, Cara smiled as Zoe, Heidi, Becca and Brianne took turns unwrapping their gifts and proudly related to their friends how theirs was a special family just like those in the fairy tales.

Cara blinked at the tears that gathered behind her eyes at the girls' innocent remarks. If she needed a sign that the children were as happy as she, Cara had just been given one.

Returning to the stove, she stirred the pot of hot cocoa simmering on the back burner. She'd been there only a moment when a pair of strong arms slid around her middle.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

She smiled. She would never tire of Ross's open affection—just as she would never tire of his touch.

"Not a thing," she murmured, leaning into his embrace.

"Happy?"

"Incredibly happy."

Ross held her even more tightly against him, and she felt his lips brushing her hair. When his hand dropped to tenderly stroke the soft swell of her abdomen, she smiled.

"Is it time to make our own announcement to the guests?"

Cara blushed in delight and embarrassment, but since the twins had asked them time and time again for a baby brother, she saw no way to avoid the inevitable.

Flipping off the heat on the stove, she was about to join the rest of the guests when Ross turned her in his arms.

Her breath caught in her throat when she caught a glitter of tears in his eyes.

"I love you, Cara," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I never thought I could love like this again. I never thought that I could be so blissfully happy and complete."

Throwing her arms around his neck, Cara clung to Ross, tearfully agreeing. Her life, her home and her future happiness were wrapped up in the heartstrings of her husband and her children. Granted, they'd had a rocky beginning, but she had no regrets for the events that brought them together, only a sweet assurance that they were always meant to be together.

"I love you, Ross Gifford," she whispered.

248 Twins Times Two!

He looked down at her, his eyes radiant and warm. And in that instant she knew that whatever life had in store for them, they would always have this. A love that would last forevermore.

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