He switched off the ignition and turned to her. ‘What is this?’
‘I—’ She broke off and hauled in a breath.
That wave of tenderness washed over him again, threatening to crush him. He reached for her hand. ‘Are you nervous?’
‘A little.’
‘Of me?’
‘Yes.’
The word whispered out of her and something blossomed in his chest. Hope. And it took firm root. ‘You don’t need to be nervous about me, Mia.’
He was hers. All hers. He didn’t tell her out loud that he loved her, but he pressed a kiss to her palm, knowing that if she wanted to see it his love for her would be written all over his face.
Her gaze travelled over him and her breath snagged, her gaze catching on his mouth. Hunger and need chased themselves across her face. An answering hunger roared through him.
‘Oh!’ Her hand tightened in his. ‘You can distract me so easily!’
The grin inside him built. ‘Excellent.’
‘Before you distract me further, I want to show you something. And then I want to talk.’
‘And then can I distract you?’ He waggled his eyebrows.
She gurgled back a laugh. ‘Perhaps. If you still want to.’
He’d definitely still want to.
Without another word, he pushed himself out of the car and went around to open her door. She took his arm.
‘This—’ she gestured to the building in front of them ‘—is something of a first. Felipe has been prevailed upon to give the people of Newcastle a preview of his up-and-coming Sydney show.’
Dylan’s stared at her. ‘Who prevailed upon him?’
She moistened her lips. ‘Me.’
She had?
Before he could ask what that meant, Felipe came towards them, arms outstretched.
‘Darlings!’ He kissed them on both cheeks in flamboyant greeting. ‘I’m honoured to have you as my guests. Come!’
Dylan’s head whirled as Felipe gave them a personal tour of some of the most amazing photographs Dylan had ever seen—his commentary both entertaining and revelatory.
Dylan glanced at Mia. She’d contrived this for him? Because she knew he appreciated art and photography? His heart gave a giant kick. Nobody had ever arranged anything so perfect for him in all his life. It had to mean something.
‘And this, darlings, is the pièce de résistance! The jewel in my crown.’
Felipe led them around a screen to an enormous photograph positioned on one of the warehouse’s end walls.
Mia!
He took a step towards it and Mia’s hand slipped from his arm. It was the photograph of Mia! Her joy, her laughter and her love greeted him from the wall and he almost stopped breathing.
His every muscle tightened. He swung back to her, hands fisted at his sides. He’d lost the ability to be charming. Everything had been stripped away except raw need. ‘What does this mean?’
Mia glanced at Felipe, who put a key into her hand.
‘Lock up when you’re done.’
She nodded her thanks.
It was only then that Dylan realised they were alone in this magnificent space. The show had been for him alone.
Mia didn’t speak until the clang of a door informed them that Felipe had left. She moistened her lips. ‘Are you cross that I gave Felipe permission to use the photograph in his exhibition?’
‘Cross? No.’ He glanced at the photo again and searched himself. He didn’t feel disappointment either. Only wonder. ‘I just want to know what all this means.’
‘It means I’ve finally realised you were right.’
She moved to stand beside him and gestured up at the picture, though he could only look at her—the flesh and blood woman.
‘That is the person I should become. It’s...’ She met his gaze. ‘It’s the real me.’
Her admission stunned him.
‘I’ve realised that I deserve to be happy. More to the point, I’ve realised I want to be happy. And I’ve realised that being a field officer and leading a quiet life won’t make me happy.’
She glanced at the photo and then at him.
‘You make me happy, Dylan.’
He stared at her, humbled by the vulnerability in her eyes.
‘I... I couldn’t be happy until I forgave myself for my past.’ Her hands twisted together. ‘I know I’ve hurt you, and I’m so sorry for that. Truly. I’m hoping I haven’t hurt you so badly that you can’t forgive me. I’m hoping—’
He didn’t let her finish. He kissed her instead.
The shock of his assault made her wobble on her heels, but he wrapped an arm about her waist and pulled her close, steadying her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
When he lifted his head her eyes glittered and her chest rose and fell. And then she smiled, and it was just like the smile in the frame behind her—full of joy and love.
‘That felt an awful lot like a you-still-love-me-too kiss.’
He stroked his fingers down her face. ‘I will always love you.’
She took his face in her hands. ‘I promise I will look after your heart and be the best person I can for you.’
He stared into her eyes, humbled all over again. ‘Nobody has ever made a more meaningful vow to me. I’ll cherish it forever.’
A cheeky smile peeped out. ‘Good, because I’m also going to ask you to give me a job. I quit Plum Pines yesterday.’
He gaped. She just grinned back at him, so delighted with herself that he had to laugh.
‘I don’t want to be a field officer, and I don’t want to be an events manager either. I just want you to give me a regular office job so I can put myself through a psychology major at university. I want to be a counsellor.’ She lifted her chin. ‘I think I have something of value I could offer to people.’
He ran his hands up and down her back, revelling in the way it made her shiver. ‘How about I gift you the opportunity for full-time study as a wedding present?’
She went very still and Dylan held his breath.
‘You want to marry me?’ she whispered.
Very gently he took his arms from around her and, gripping both her hands, went down on one knee. ‘Beautiful Mia, will you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?’
Tears shone in her eyes. When she nodded, they spilled onto her cheeks.
He rose and she threw her arms around his neck. ‘I can’t think of anything I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you, Dylan.’
He laughed for the sheer joy of it, swinging her around. ‘How does November sound? We have a wedding going begging. We might as well use it.’
She eased back. ‘What on earth are you talking about? Carla and Thierry have made up and—’
‘They flew out to Vegas yesterday.’