“Marry me, Mack.”
She froze.
“God, I didn’t mean to just blurt that out. I love you. Right from the first time, Mack. That’s never happened to me before. I don’t want to lose you.” He saw the tears in her eyes. “I know we haven’t known each other long. Hell, we can even have a long engagement. I just want to know you’re mine.”
Mack gave a tear-filled laugh. “Yes.”
He smiled at her as his nerves from a few minutes ago started to dwindle. He reached into his pocket and produced a ring, then took hold of her left hand and slid the ring slowly on her finger, as he looked into her eyes. “My grandmother took me out of the room to give me this ring. She said it was the ring my grandfather gave her sixty-eight years ago. It had belonged to my great-grandmother.”
He had to take a couple of deep breaths because he was getting all choked up. “She took it off her finger, Mack, to give it to me. She said it had never once left her finger, and that she wanted me to give it to you because she could see the love we have for each other. She also thought it was fitting for the woman who returned her brother to her to wear it.” He leaned in and kissed her lips ever so gently.
Mack had no idea what to say. She was touched beyond words that Eliza would give her engagement ring to Dean for her. No wonder Dean had been all choked up telling her what his grandmother had said.
“Let me look at your finger.” He raised her hand so they both could admire his grandmother’s ring. The square cut diamond was set in platinum and surrounded with small sapphires. He kissed her finger. “It looks amazing, and it’s a perfect fit.”
“Yes, it does, and I think it’s a good omen that it fits perfectly. Hopefully, we’ll have sixty-eight plus years together as well.”
“I hope so. I think we need to celebrate!”
She felt much better so she stood up at the side of the bed and smiled at a surprised Dean. Mack started to unfasten her blouse and placed it on the chair to the side, and then she removed her skirt, all the time keeping eye contact with him.
She turned her back to him and slid her panties down her legs, kicking them toward the chair, followed by her bra. She could hear Dean’s breathing change, as the bed moved slightly, she turned back around to face him, only to discover Dean yanking his clothes off, and letting them fly any which way.
Mack laughed and gave him a wicked grin. “Mmm, you look good enough to eat!”
He groaned with laughter. “You’re going to kill me, Mack.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” she replied, and crawled across the bed on her hands and knees toward a very aroused Dean.
Chapter 40
Mack was standing at Dean’s bedroom window, looking out over the gardens to the back of the house while Dean had a rather heated conversation with his mother on his cell phone in the bathroom. He obviously thought Mack wouldn’t be able to hear, but she could, crystal clear!
She was dreading having to meet his mother again, who apparently was downstairs, entertaining Cynthia and her mother. His mother, once she discovered Dean was home, had phoned him on his cell and asked him to join them for coffee in the conservatory. Dean had declined and hung up on her.
Not five minutes had passed when she was on the phone again, basically telling him to get downstairs. He’d told his mother that he was busy, not wanting his mother to know that he had a woman in his room. Announcing he’d been having sex all afternoon to his mother was not something he wanted to do. Plus, Mack wasn’t sure if it was the way she wanted to start her relationship with her soon-to-be mother-in-law.
God knows how she would react when she discovered they were engaged. At least they had the blessing of his grandparents, which was lovely, and for Eliza to give up her ring for Mack was a wonderful gesture.
The bathroom door opened and Dean walked out, frowning. His hair was all ruffled because he’d more than likely been running his fingers through it.
Mack walked over to him and placed her hands on his chest. “Dean, I know your mother is giving you a hard time about Cynthia.” He looked into her eyes. “The bathroom isn’t soundproof.”
“Hell. Sorry,” Dean replied and sat down on the bed. “My mother wants me to go have coffee with her, Cynthia, and her mother. If you heard the conversation, then you know I told her I’m in love with someone else, and it wasn’t going to change. God, she’s a total pain in the ass.”
“I didn’t hear you say I was here so don’t you think it’s the perfect time to tell your mother you’re off the market since we’re engaged. I’ll make it clear you’re my guy, and mine alone?”
He smiled at Mack. “I love it when you get all huffy!”
“I do not get huffy . . . I get pissed!”
“Christ, come on. You better hold my hand for courage.”
“Dean, I’m fine. I don’t need courage if I believe in what I’m fighting for.”
He grimaced. “I’m the one who needs the courage. After all, it’s my mother we’re talking about.”
“Oh!” Mack laughed, just as Dean pulled her out of the bedroom.