A Prince Of A Guy

15

ASLEEP! Sitting on his heels, Sean had to let out a choked laugh. He’d just poured his heart out for the first time ever, telling a woman his true feelings, and she’d slept through the entire thing.

Definitely tough on the ego.

Carly was on her side, facing away from him, but he couldn’t miss how exhausted she was. It showed in every line of the body he’d missed so much.

She wasn’t well, and no matter what she said, it worried him. There were shadows under her eyes, marring her pale skin. One of her hands was tucked beneath her cheek. The other covered her belly in a protective gesture that told him she must have a stomachache. Probably the flu, the poor baby. Her breathing came deep and slow, her mouth in a stressed frown that tore at him.

He was dying to know what had brought her back. Had she missed him? Was it possible? Or had his ad brought her here? But everything would have to wait.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, leaning close to softly kiss her temple. “Sleep. Get better. Everything else can wait.”

At that, she let out a shuddering sigh, and her entire body relaxed. Then her hand, the one clutched to her belly, unfisted as she fell into deeper sleep. And out of her fingers fell a folded piece of paper.

He unfolded the torn, dog-eared piece of newsprint, and his heart caught yet again.

It was his ad.

CARLY AWOKE SLOWLY, purposely lying completely still, having gotten used to her world spinning out of control for those first few shaky moments of awareness.

Then she remembered. She wasn’t at home in her own bed, where she could reach for crackers and feel the overwhelming loneliness that life had brought in the past few weeks.

She remembered the ad, remembered grabbing nothing more than her purse and racing for the airport. She remembered calling Francesca from her cell phone with a brief explanation and being cheerfully told to “go for it”.

She remembered having to make several connections, fearing she’d never make it. It had been a nightmare. She hadn’t been able to eat properly, and all the stress had sapped her strength.

By the time she’d shown up on Sean’s doorstep, she’d been only a moment away from passing out, and humiliating as it had been, she’d never been happier to see anyone in her entire life.

Then she’d fallen asleep on him.

She’d been all set to woo Sean, to do whatever it took to make him happy about the baby, and what had she done?

Passed out cold.

She groaned, and a firm, warm hand slid over her cheek. “Ah, she lives,” his deep voice was very close.

She could hear relief, anxiety and something more, so she opened her eyes to be sure, and yes, he was smiling at her, but she didn’t know if it was because she was there, or if he was just happy she hadn’t thrown up on him.

Then she realized she was in his spare bedroom, and the wee light coming through the windows looked suspiciously like early morning light. Had she-

“Yep. Slept all night,” he told her. “Just like a baby.”

Her gaze jerked to his. Did he know?

“I made you some tea because I didn’t know if you’d want to eat. The flu, I’d guess?”

She could eat a horse, she was so ravenous. And if she didn’t eat soon, she’d turn green again, and maybe throw up on him, after all.

“Have you been sick long?”

“No,” she said, her voice husky from the first good night’s sleep she’d had since she left California.

He hadn’t taken her to his bedroom last night, she noticed, which made her wonder if she’d somehow missed the meaning of his ad.

How to tell him? Where to start? The love part, she decided, she’d start with the love part. Holding her breath, she stared at him, hoping she wouldn’t ruin everything by blurting it out, that he wouldn’t feel trapped. “Sean…”

“Carly.” A teasing light came into his eyes. “We remember each others’ names. That’s nice.”

When she didn’t return the smile, his faded. “I’m sorry. I make stupid jokes when I’m nervous.”

She gaped at him. “Why are you nervous?”

“I’m thinking that any second here you’re going to tell me you’ve got to go.”

It was the opening she needed, and she fumbled for the newspaper clipping she’d been holding, but it wasn’t in her hands or by her bed.

“Is this what you’re looking for?” He held out the tattered ad.

She took it, though she had the words memorized. “You asked me to come back,” she whispered, clutching it to her chest.

“Yes.”

“To be the caretaker of your heart and soul.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, Sean. I can’t keep this in anymore.” She spoke at the speed of light before she could lose her nerve. “I was dying for you. I know you never wanted another commitment, but I’ve never been as happy as I was taking care of Melissa and being with you. I don’t want to scare you off, or ruin anything, and I don’t know why you wrote that ad, but the truth is-” She drew in a long, hard breath. “I love you.” The air whooshed out of her, and though it was hard to talk without breathing, she couldn’t draw another breath. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

He reached out and cupped her face. “Oh, Carly.”

She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t keep it in any longer, even if you don’t feel the same way. And that’s not all, Sean, I’ve-”

“I love you, too,” he said, eyes shining. “I told you so last night, sweetheart. If you hadn’t fallen asleep on me, you would have heard it yourself.”

Her heart surged painfully against the walls of her chest. For a second she was afraid she’d heard him wrong, but his smile was different, special, and those eyes of his were wet. “You love me,” she whispered, touching his face.

“Yes, with all my heart and soul. I’ve been trying to reach you. You’re harder to get ahold of than the President.”

“Is…is that why you placed the ad?”

He stretched out beside her, pulled her close. “Pretty desperate, huh?”

“I loved it.” She had to laugh. “I can’t believe it. The most wonderful man in the world tells me he loves me, and I sleep through it.” She pulled back. “There’s a reason I was so sleepy, Sean.”

“You’ve been sick.”

“No. Well, yes, but it’s not what you think.”

He sobered quickly, and if she thought his eyes brilliant before, it was nothing to what happened now. “What’s wrong?”

“Sean, I want to live with you.”

“Yes. God, yes.”

Her breath caught at the vehemence in his voice. “Here, in Santa Barbara.”

“I want to marry you, Carly. I don’t care where. I just want to be with you. Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“I miss Melissa,” she blurted. “She should be here.”

“We’ll call her. And someday we’ll have our own family. Now tell me what’s the matter.”

She covered her mouth as a laugh escaped, then swiped at her sudden tears.

“Carly, you’re terrifying me.” With a gentleness that only caused more tears, he slid his thumb over her cheek, catching a tear-drop. “Please, tell me.”

“Well…about that someday child thing.” She meant to laugh but cried instead. “It’s not so far down the road.”

His hand went still on her face. “You mean…”

“Yes.” Taking his other hand, she placed it on her belly. “We can have it all right now,” she whispered, her voice cracking at the look of utter love and heat and fascination in his gaze. “Heart and soul.”

“Heart and soul,” he repeated, kissing her hard. “Heart and soul.”