Sarah’s heart ached for this man who had been in a big city, surrounded by close to four million people, and had still felt alone. She could empathize very well. She’d probably been the loneliest woman in Chicago. “I felt empty, too. I guess I was just waiting for you.”
“You found me. Now what are you going to do with me?” he asked.
“Love you,” she sighed happily.
“Show me?” he requested in a rare, vulnerable voice.
Sarah pulled his mouth to hers and proceeded to do exactly that for the rest of the day.
EPILOGUE
“She’s coming to the wedding,” Sarah said as she hung up the phone, astonished.
She and Dante had finally come up for air on Sunday, and Sarah had listened to her messages, knowing she had to return her mother’s call. Elaine Baxter had called five times. Sarah had finally picked up the phone to call her back, dreading the conversation.
She couldn’t say that her mother had actually been ecstatic about the fact that Sarah wasn’t marrying a Mensa candidate, but she’d actually agreed to attend her wedding to Dante.
After Sarah had firmly told her mother that she loved Dante, and that she was marrying him, Elaine Baxter had broken down and told Sarah how much she had loved her husband, Sarah’s father, and how badly it had hurt to lose him so young. The conversation had still been stilted, but it was the first time her mother had really told Sarah that she’d loved her father.
“Is her coming to the wedding a good or bad thing?” Dante asked carefully, seated on the couch with Coco on his lap.
Sarah explained the phone call to Dante. “It’s strange, but she almost sounded . . . happy when she was talking about my father. She’s rarely mentioned him over the years. Maybe it was too painful.”
“Are you happy she’s coming?” Dante dropped Coco gently to the floor and swept Sarah into his lap.
“Yes. She might never change much, but she’s my only family. She was never actually abusive. She was just so focused on my education that nothing else ever mattered. I think she thought she was doing the right thing by focusing only on my education.” Elaine Baxter was never going to be a warm and fuzzy mother, but she was her mom. “At least I won’t have to worry about her trying to marry me off anymore.”
“Damn right you won’t,” Dante rasped. “You’re mine now. We’re going shopping for your ring tomorrow.”
Sarah rested her head against Dante’s shoulder with a smile. “She wanted to know when we’re getting married and what your IQ is.”
“Next week,” Dante said emphatically. “And I’ve never been tested. I think you’re smart enough for both of us, sweetheart.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Even a small wedding takes time to arrange.” In a more serious voice, she said, “And I think you’ve taught me a lot more than I’ve taught you.”
“Next month,” Dante grumbled unhappily.
Sarah laughed, delighted that Dante was so eager to get married. “I was thinking about next year. I’d have more time to arrange everything.”
He dropped her carefully on the couch and came down on top of her, most of his weight resting on his elbows. “Try again, woman. I’m not waiting a year for you to be my wife.”
Sarah looked up at his ferocious expression and smiled. “Next year. Early next year,” she compromised.
“Not. Happening,” Dante answered belligerently.
“I’ll talk to Emily and see how quickly we can get it together. But I think she’ll agree with me,” Sarah answered firmly.
“I’ll talk to my siblings and they’ll help me get everything together within a month,” Dante argued. “And I doubt Emily will agree. Grady married Emily within weeks. We Sinclairs work fast when we decide we really want something,” he mentioned arrogantly.
“Do you think all of your siblings will be able to make it?” Sarah asked, concerned. She wanted Dante and his siblings to start connecting again. Obviously, they all needed each other; they just didn’t want to admit it.
“I’ll make sure I pick a time when they can all come,” Dante replied, running a finger down her cheek softly. “I want Hope and Evan to get a chance to meet you.”
“And Jared? Do you think he’ll stay for a while?” Sarah queried curiously.
“Something’s going on with Jared. I just haven’t quite been able to figure out what he’s up to. Something tells me he’ll still be here,” Dante answered cagily.
“What? You know something,” Sarah accused.
Dante shrugged. “Not really. But I think he must have his eye on a woman who isn’t easily persuaded. He’s been here for weeks, and I haven’t once seen him with a female.”
“It hasn’t been that long,” Sarah argued.
“Long enough,” Dante answered mysteriously, leaning down to kiss her into silence.
Sarah forgot everything the moment his lips met hers. She wrapped her arms around Dante’s neck and stroked his naked, muscular back. She had gotten dressed again in a pair of jeans and summer shirt, but Dante had just pulled on a pair of jeans to come downstairs.
He pulled back to gaze into her eyes, and his look was unusually vulnerable and pleading as he said huskily, “Marry me, Sarah. Don’t make me wait.”
Getting married in a month wasn’t reasonable, nor was it sensible. It would be a mad dash to get everything done on time, and she’d need to enlist the help of a lot of people in the community, including Emily, Randi, and Dante’s siblings. No . . . it wasn’t the least bit rational. But when she looked into Dante’s hopeful eyes, she saw her future, a future with the man she loved.