“Stop it, Lacy! Put your big girl panties on and face the situation head-on,” Penny said firmly. “He is not going to bite you.” He pounded the door harder and Penny grimaced. “At least I don’t think he will.”
“Penny!” Lacy wailed.
Penny opened the door just as Tyler fist was raised to bang on the door again.
“Penny!” he exclaimed. “I had no idea you were here.”
“I am just leaving. Come in. Lacy wants to talk with you,” Penny said cheerfully.
“Thank God!” he responded.
“I’ll see you later, Lacy. You too, Tyler,” Penny smiled.
She waved then exited the apartment. Tyler closed the door and moved purposely toward Lacy. As Tyler advanced Lacy pushed herself into the corner of the window seat. She wanted distance between them but his approach made it clear that there would be precious little of it.
“Say what you have to say and then leave,” she said with as much bravado as she could muster.
He sat next to her on the window seat. His muscled thigh brushed hers; it was warm and tantalizing. She had to clutch her hand to keep from touching it.
“Before last night I hadn’t seen or heard from Lydia in almost a year,” he began. “I definitively ended our relationship ten months ago. She went to Rio de Janeiro and I pretty much forgot her existence.”
“So that’s what she meant when she said Rio,”
Lacy murmured.
“Yes. Lydia tries to be ultra-chic and never refers to any place by its full name,” he explained.
“Or either I’m extremely gauche.”
“No. Do not think of yourself in those terms,” he said hastily. “You are the most refreshing, easygoing, well-balanced person I know. And I am so happy that I have come to know you.”
Lacy grimaced.
“That description will hardly boost a woman’s ego.”
He smiled.
“But that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing you,” he chuckled. “Remember the day that we chatted in Allen’s office. You had just been assigned as my assistant.” She nodded. “You described your vision of the skyline with so much clarity and depth. I knew there was a lot more to you than anyone suspected. You are intelligent, observant, humorous and competitive as hell. But you are also a lady that has captured my heart; something I never thought would happen.”
Lacy looked up at him sharply.
“Captured your heart? What nonsense!”
“It’s not nonsense in the least,” he murmured. “I have fallen in love with you Lacy Bagby. Completely, utterly, irrevocably in love with you. Loving you has caught me by surprise but it’s a revelation that makes my heart sing with joy and my blood run hot when I think of you.”
Lacy looked at him with disbelief.
“Lydia acted like she’d been reunited with her long-lost lover.”
“She would. She loves to put on a show. And doing so served her purpose to drive a wedge between us,” he said. “She saw us together and knew I was besotted. I think everyone there knew that I was madly in love with you; everyone but you.”
“So Lydia was just trying to come between us?” she said in a small voice.
“Yes. But she is nothing to me and never will be,” he promised.
“I guessed I over reacted.”
“You think?” he sighed heavily.
“Well, she was very convincing and you didn’t deny what she had said,” Lacy defended.
“I didn’t know what she had said,’ he countered. “And before I could find out you ran off like a bullet out of a gun.”
“I realize that I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. My lack of self-confidence raised its ugly head and I doubted that you could like me,” she said softly. “I really do need to work on that.”
“You have nothing to be insecure about. You have a rockin’ body, a beautiful face and a personality to match,” he complimented. “You don’t realize how many women are pea-green with envy of you.”
“Do you really like me?” she murmured.
“Did my kiss not tell you how much I like you?” he teased. “I poured my heart into that kiss; and I know I felt you respond.” She ducked her head and he put his forefinger under her chin to lift it. “I dare you to tell me that you didn’t love it.”
She knew she couldn’t accept his challenge for she had wanted that kiss to go on forever. She smiled at him cheekily.
“I refuse to answer for it may incriminate me,” she giggled.
He saw the playful light in her gorgeous hazel eyes. He narrowed his own golden eyes.
“You loved the kiss and you love me. Say it,” he demanded.
“You’re being very autocratic. Bossiness is not a good look on you. I think you—
“Say it, Lacy!” His hand cupped her cheek and his thumb caressed her lips enticingly. He then bent his head to nuzzle her neck. Lacy caught her breath at the longing that flooded her body. He nipped her ear then glided his tongue around its edges. Lacy was almost lost with desire. “Tell me, sweetheart. Tell me you are crazy in love with me.”
Lacy could not hold off any longer. The words were ready to burst from her lips.
“I love you, Tyler. I think I fell in love with you the day you offered to take me to lunch; after working me nearly to death,” she giggled.
He looked at her innocently.
“I would never do such a thing.”
“You would and you did but I didn’t mind. It provided me more time to spend in your company. And when you insisted to take me to lunch, I was overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity,” she said softly. “You didn’t have to do it but you did. And your sincerity touched my heart.”
“All I had to do was kiss you in the rain and you had my heart forever,” he smiled.
“That was a magical day. I enjoyed your kisses so much but I didn’t know how to handle the situation so I took off,” she whispered. “I was in over my head.”
“You are inexperienced. Oddly that was one of the qualities that drew me to you.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that my naiveté would be a turn on for you,” she smiled wanly.
“You will learn that innocence can be a great stimulate; especially in bed which is where I want to take you right now,” he said hoarsely.
Lacy lifted her face to him and he captured her mouth in a ravaging kiss. Lacy was transported to the stars when he kissed her. She loved him so much and wanted to show him in every way. She pulled back from him and stood. She smiled and extended her hand to him. He grasped and pulled her onto his lap. She laughed delightedly as she looped her arms about his neck.
“There’s one more thing that we need to discuss before we adjourn to her boudoir,” he grinned.
“Oh? And what would that be?”
“Will you marry me, Lacy? Be my wife in name, in bed and at work. I want the world to know whom I’m in love with and who loves me. Will you marry?” he asked softly.
She looked into his beautiful golden eyes and knew she could not live without him in her life.
“Yes I will marry you. I love you, Tyler forever and a day,” she swore solemnly.
He kissed her deeply as he rose from the window seat. He carried her down the hall and paused.
“Which room?”
She pointed to the one on the right.
“This one,” she whispered.
He went through the door then kicked it shut. Laying her on the bed he stood back and stared at her. Her hair was loose and it spread over the pink satin pillow. He recalled his vision of her in such a setting. She was more exquisite than he had ever envisioned and she was all his. He knelt on either side of her and bent to kiss her. He couldn’t wait to make her his wife; this woman who had captured his heart forever.