Ryan's Place - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,73
she left.
She turned and winked at him. “This night’s been a long time coming.”
“It’s been a long day. You must be exhausted,” Ryan said when he joined Maggie upstairs.
“Ryan Devaney, don’t think you’re getting out of making good on your promise downstairs by turning all sweet and concerned. I’m not so tired that I can’t listen to what you have on your mind.”
From the moment he’d seen Sean that morning, Ryan had felt as if he’d discovered a piece of himself. He’d also realized that the only way to make himself completely whole and give Maggie the kind of man she deserved was to go all the way and find the rest of the family. He hadn’t planned on officially proposing to her until he’d taken care of all that. But the way events had unfolded tonight had pretty much turned that plan on its ear. That didn’t mean they had to rush into marriage, though.
“Shall I make a pretty speech, then?” he teased her. “Or do you know what’s on my mind?”
“I think I know,” she said, sitting there with her hands folded primly in her lap. “But I want all the pretty words.”
“You know I love you,” he began.
“I’ve had an inkling about that for some time,” she agreed.
He regarded her sternly. “Do you intend to keep interrupting? If so, I may never get through this.”
“Sorry,” she said without much evidence of remorse.
“You’re the most amazing, exasperating woman I’ve ever met. You’re beautiful and strong and intelligent…and before you say it, I know I put that backward. It’s because I get all tongue-tied just looking at you.”
“Ryan Devaney, you’ve never been tongue-tied a day in your life,” she said.
“I am now,” he insisted. “I’m terrified I won’t find the right words to convince you to spend the rest of your life with me.”
She rested her hand against his cheek. “Any words will do,” she told him quietly.
“Okay, then,” he said, feeling an irresistible urge to make her laugh before things got too serious. “Will you marry me and keep the books for the pub for the rest of our days?”
As he’d anticipated, she began to chuckle. “So it’s a bookkeeper you’re really after, not a wife?”
He cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. “I’m not sure I know what to do to keep a wife happy,” he said with total honesty.
“I don’t know about any other wife,” Maggie said, regarding him seriously. “But all you need to do with me is love me for the rest of our lives.”
“That I can promise you,” he said.
She held out her hand. “It’s a deal, then.”
This time Ryan was the one laughing. “No, you don’t, Maggie O’Brien. This is the sort of deal that can only be sealed with a kiss.” He grinned at her. “And perhaps a bit more.”
Hours later, when the deal was well and truly sealed, and Maggie’s warm body was curved against his, he sighed with a feeling of pure contentment.
“Now all that’s left is finding the rest of my family, and then we can plan our wedding,” he murmured against her hair.
She shot up and stared at him, looking as if he’d announced a delay in the arrival of Christmas or any other cherished holiday. “You want to find them first?”
“Well, of course. Don’t you want that, too?”
“Absolutely not,” she said fiercely. “Don’t get me wrong. I want you to locate each and every one of them for your sake, but that could take a long time, and I’m not waiting.”
Ryan’s heart sank. “You won’t wait for me?”
“I won’t wait to get married,” she corrected. “Then we’ll find the rest of your family together.”
He stared at her. “You’re asking me to marry you now?”
“Actually, I’m insisting on it. The sooner the better.”
He grinned, but she noticed he wasn’t arguing.
“Pushy woman, aren’t you?” he teased.
“When I have to be,” she confirmed with evident pride.
He pulled her back into his arms. “You’re really sure you’re willing to take me on without knowing everything there is to know about me?”
“I already know all the important stuff,” she insisted. “For instance, you’re a great kisser.”
He regarded her with amusement. “Am I really?”
“Really great,” she confirmed. “And a fantastic lover.”
“You think so?”
She hesitated. “Come to think of it, I do have a couple of nagging little doubts. They could probably be wiped right out if you were to take me downstairs and make love to me there.”
He laughed. “You’re really not going to be happy till