Her Perfect Stranger

13

She loved him.

Mike hadn't imagined it, had never dared give thought to the possibility. But now his heart was racing, his entire body humming. He could think of nothing else. "Say it again," he demanded.

"I don't think so."

"Please?"

That surprised her, and he realized he hadn't often shown her his polite, gentle, tender side, not unless they were in bed.

That would change, because he intended to make her the happiest woman on earth.

"I think you should go," she said calmly, her eyes alone showing her panic.

"Nope, that wasn't what you said." He cocked his head and smiled, though he was so nervous he could hardly draw a breath. "Try again."

"No, I mean I think you should leave. Now."

He looked at Louisa, who gave a sympathetic shrug. "You have things to discuss," she said. "I'm going to give you some privacy."

"We don't need it," Corrine said quickly, but her mother only put a finger to her lips.

"Listen to him, honey. For once, slow down and listen."

Louisa left, and Corrine stood there looking cornered. When cornered, Mike knew, she came out fighting.

But fight or discuss, calm or agitated, they were doing this. "We can make it," he said softly. "We can make this work, no matter what our jobs are, no matter how different we are, no matter what. Are you getting this?" She studied her shoes. "If we try hard enough, nothing can stop us," he insisted.

"I can think of lots of things to stop us."

"Such as?" He smiled in the face of her fear, even as his heart constricted. "I know it's terrifying." Close enough to touch now, he took her hands in his. "Truth is, I've been terrified since the day I met you, and I didn't realize why until just a moment ago, when I heard you say you love me."

She made a sound of misery and fury, and tried to tug her hands free.

He held on.

She tugged again, but he was quicker and stronger. "I love you back, Corrine. I always have and I always will."

She hadn't so much as blinked. "What did you say?"

"I said I love you back." He waited while that sank in, while her eyes went from heated to glassy with shock. "I want this to work."

"Work."

"Between us. And I want forever. As in the white dress, the minivan, kids…"

"Kids."

"Or not." He shrugged. "I can go either way, unless we're talking about us. Because that's one thing I'm pretty set on, Corrine. You."

"You're set."

He had to smile. "You're sounding like a parrot. Tell me this is good news. Tell me you meant what you said to your mom. That you know we can do this."

She only stared at him.

"Tell me something. Anything."

"You love me."

"Yes."

"You want to get married."

"Yes. Wait, I didn't do that right at all." He dropped to one knee, then reached for her hand.

"Corrine." His heart was in his throat. "You waltzed into my life and changed it forever with your incredible smile and fierce passion. You-"

"My, God. Are you…proposing?"

"I'm trying."

"You'd better hurry, then." A half laugh escaped her. "I don't think my legs are going to hold me."

"Did I mention your bossy ways?"

"Mike-"

"Yes," he said with a laugh, even as his throat burned. "I'm proposing. I love you, Corrine. I want to love you forever. Will you marry me?"

"If it's just passion and a smile you're attached to, I give those to you freely. You don't have to marry me for them."

"I know." He tugged her down to her knees in front of him. "But I want to marry you."

"I'm still ranked higher at work," she warned.

He had to laugh again. "This is not a trick. I actually want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life."

"You've seen me first thing in the morning, right?" she asked with suspicion.

"No, actually I haven't."

"This is not a joke."

"Nope, it's not. The answer is yes or no."

"How can it be that easy?" she cried. "My God, you're looking at me with a straight face proposing m-m-

"Marriage. The word is marriage."

"We have no business doing this."

He cupped her face, waited until her wild eyes settled on his. "Do you love me?"

"This is ridiculous."

"Do you?"

Her hands came up to cover his. "Yes," she said simply. "It's crazy, but I do. I love you, Mike."

"Then everything else is a piece of cake," he said, the fist around his heart loosening for the first time since he'd met her. He could have flown to Mars without a spacecraft. "Be my commander, be my lover, my best friend, my spouse. Be my life, Corrine."

"For better, for worse, and maybe lots of worse?"

"Bring it on. All of it. Marry me."

'I will, Mike. Yes, I will."