She scooted back, higher against the pillows. Keeping her gaze fixed on Jackson, Casey tried desperately not to let a small bubble of hope become so big that its popping might destroy her.
“I missed you. I missed looking at you, listening to you laugh with Mia. I couldn’tsleep, ” he added with a shake of his head, “because you weren’t there to hog the blankets.”
“I don’t—”
“When I closed my eyes, I saw you. When I walked down the streets in Paris, all I could think was, I wished you were there.”
As if he couldn’t stand still another minute, he pushed off the bed, walked across his old room to stand beside the window. Moonlight fell on him and Casey couldn’t tear her gaze from him.
He turned his head to look at her. “I didn’t want to fall in love, Casey. Never planned on it. Never was interested. Love makes life messy. Gives the one you love too much power over you.”
She held her breath, waiting, hoping.
“The thing is,” he said, “I fell in love anyway. You slipped up on me. You came into my life, knocked it all around, and it shocks the hell out of me to know I like it better that way. I don’t want to go back to my old life, Casey. I want a life with you. With Mia and with our new baby.”
Joy rippled through her with such staggering force, Casey thought for a moment she must still be dreaming. Surely it was impossible to be this happy. To have everything she’d ever wanted right in front of her.
Walking back to her side, Jackson sank onto the edge of the bed beside her and looked deeply into her eyes. “Marry me, Casey. This isn’t a merger—I’m not trying to build my fortune here. You, Mia and the babyare my fortune. The only one I’ll ever need.”
“Jackson…”
“It isn’t convenience, either,” he said, talking faster now, wanting to say it all. “This is love, Casey. I can’t live my life without you in it. So maybe it’s simple after all. I love you. I need you. And if you don’t marry me…”
“You’ll what?” she asked, already moving toward him, a smile in her eyes.
“I’ll…keep asking. I’ll tell you I love you every day. Until you’re so sick of hearing it you’ll marry me just to shut me up.”
“I’ll never get sick of hearing it,” she assured him, sliding onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, trailing her fingers through his thick, soft hair. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
“Again.”
He buried his face in the curve of her neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Jackson. So very much.”
He held her fiercely, squeezing her until she lost her breath and didn’t care if she caught it again.
“So is that a yes?” he demanded.
“It’s a yes, Jackson.” She grinned at him, her heart whole, her soul singing. Everything was just as it should be. She was in Jackson’s arms and the future looked bright.
“Of course it’s a yes. I love you.”
“Thank God,” he whispered and held her even tighter.
“Welcome home, Jackson,” Casey said, losing herself in the magic of love.
Epilogue
Eight months later…
They named her Molly.
She looked just like her big sister. Just like her cousins.
And her mommy and daddy couldn’t have been happier.
Jackson leaned down, kissed Casey and released a breath he felt as though he’d been holding for months.
“You’re amazing,” he said, smiling down at the woman who had made his life absolutely complete.
“As long as you keep believing that, honey,” she said, cupping his cheek in the palm of her hand, “everything’s going to be great.”
“After seeing what you did in here today, I’m convinced,” he said. He looked tired, but then, they’d been in labor and delivery for the last nine hours. He’d never left her side and Casey couldn’t believe how much easier everything had been because she’d had the man she loved with her through it all.
The King brothers and their wives had already been by, cooing over Molly, promising to keep Mia happy until her parents came home. And now, it was just Casey and Jackson. Molly was asleep in the hospital nursery and the glow of having accomplished another miracle was riding high in Casey’s heart.
“I love you,” Jackson said, amazement still shining in his eyes as he pulled a small, blue velvet jeweler’s box from his pocket.
Casey eyed it warily and even managed a smile. “The last time I saw a box like that, it caused all kinds of trouble.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, gorgeous,” he said with a grin just before he bent down and dropped a kiss on her mouth. “I’m a married man, desperately in love with my wife.”
“Well, in that case…” She took the small box from him, flipped the lid open and gasped. A huge, square-cut sapphire glittered on silk and from either side of the deep blue stone two diamonds winked at her. “Oh, Jackson!”
He took the ring from the box, pushed it onto her right-hand ring finger and said softly, “The sapphire is because it reminded me of your eyes. The twin diamonds are for our girls. The gold ring…that’s eternity. With you. Thank you, Casey. For finding me. For loving me.”
She lifted her face for his kiss and felt, as she did every day of her life, that her dreams had finally come true.