Deep River Promise (Alaska Homecoming #2) - Jackie Ashenden Page 0,103
was wrong, honey. I was so wrong.”
Astrid’s throat had gone tight, her vision blurring. All she could do was stand there, staring at him as he knelt at her feet. Her beautiful man…
“And you were right.” His voice had gotten thicker, rougher. “You were right about me. Love isn’t finite and I never lost the ability to feel. It’s still there. I was just afraid of it. And I’m tired of telling myself the same old lies. Tired of sucking it up and carrying on. Tired of pretending I don’t feel anything. Tired of having nothing in my life. I want something different. I want something meaningful. I want you.” He stared at her as if she were the center of the universe. “I want to stay here with you and Connor. I want to bring my mom here too. I want a life full of ties and connections and community and friends. And not because of Cal or any other kind of promise. I want it because I love you and my life is nothing without you in it.”
The tear that had rolled down her cheek before was joined by another, and then another. Which was just silly, because she hated crying. And here she was, standing in her hallway, with the most beautiful man in the world kneeling at her feet, and she was crying because she was happy. How stupid was that?
“Damon,” she said in a thick voice, blinking furiously. “Why are you kneeling?”
The smile he gave her was so full of warmth and tenderness she couldn’t breathe. “I’m trying to be a gentleman. And gentlemen always kneel when they ask for a woman’s hand in marriage.”
A hiccup of laughter escaped her. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m not getting up until I get an answer.”
It didn’t matter, the tears. Nothing mattered. Nothing but this man in front of her, who wasn’t leaving after all. Who was here and not for some promise or because he wanted to protect her or look out for her. He was here because he loved her.
Damon Fitzgerald loved her.
Astrid wiped her face. “You hurt me.”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“You broke my heart.”
His blue gaze searched her face, full of tenderness and regret. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Well, someone’s going to have to stay and help me repair it.” That heart of hers was beating very fast and she knew that taking another step toward him would change things irrevocably. But things had already changed. She was in love with him, and nothing would alter that. And she was okay with it. She was more than okay with it.
Astrid took a step and then another, until she was right up close to him. There was love in that blue gaze of his. Love and joy and hope. All the things she’d had small tastes of but never been able to hold on to.
But she could now, couldn’t she? She could have them.
They both could.
“Yes,” she said quietly, looking into his eyes. “I’ll marry you, Damon.”
For a second, he stared at her, as if he wanted to memorize this moment. Then he surged to his feet and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “Oh, honey,” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “I’m never leaving you. I’m never leaving you ever again.”
Astrid put her arms around his neck and turned her face into the warmth of his T-shirt, inhaling the familiar, delicious scent of him. “And I love you,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”
Then his fingers were in her hair, and he was pulling her head back, and he was kissing her, hot and desperate, the salt of her tears mingling with the rich, heady taste of him. And she wanted it to go on forever.
But all too soon he was lifting his head, his eyes blazing blue. “One last thing before I take you into your bedroom and lock the door for the rest of the night. Would you mind if I brought my mother to Deep River?”
Astrid leaned into his heat, loving the hard strength of him. “Oh God, of course not. Connor talked to her, didn’t he?”
“Yes.” Damon’s smile lit up the entire world. “I called her just before I was going to get into my plane and we had an honest chat.” His fingers wound tighter in her hair. “I think I’ve been angry with her ever since Ella died, for leaving me without support. She thought she was protecting me. That carrying on would help.”