The Man Who Has No Sight - Victoria Quinn Page 0,87

was doubt inside my chest. “Deacon…I want to say yes.”

His expression slowly changed, becoming guarded.

“But you don’t have to ask me just because I’m pregnant. That’s not how—”

“I bought this ring six weeks ago, baby. That’s not why I’m asking.”

He would never lie to me, so I didn’t need to check a receipt. I closed my eyes at his answer, knowing that he’d made the decision before he even went to Sweden. When I’d tried to move out and get my own place, he’d shut it down. Now, I understood why—because he didn’t want to ask me to move in. He wanted to ask me to be his wife; he just didn’t want to ask me then.

“You’re gonna marry us, right?” Derek pushed the ring closer to me.

I wiped the tears away from my cheeks and smiled, giving a quiet, tearful laugh. “Yes. I will marry you…both of you.”

Deacon’s expression returned to how it had been a moment ago, like he loved me with all his heart. He took the box from his son’s hand, picked up the ring, and then slid it onto my left hand.

It was the first time I’d looked at the ring. “Oh my god…” It was one hell of a rock. “It’s beautiful…” I wanted to say it was too much, way too expensive, but Deacon wanted me to have it…and I really loved it. I admired it on my hand, seeing the way it reflected the lights from the candles.

Deacon turned to his son. “Derek.”

“Got it.” He got up and moved to the phone dock that connected to the speakers. He opened the screen and hit a few buttons until the music came on. It was a slow ballad, an older song he knew I loved.

Deacon got to his feet and extended his hand to me. “Dance with me.”

I took his hand, let him pull me to my feet, and moved in close, my arms curling around his neck, our heads coming close together. I looked into his eyes as we swayed, my eyes permanently wet for the rest of the night.

Derek opened the patio door then left, like Deacon had asked him to excuse himself once the music was on. He didn’t try to stay like he normally would, so a conversation must have taken place.

Then it was just the two of us.

He led, moving back and forth with me, dancing to the music, the sound of the crickets, the mountain breeze. His hand was tight against my back, and he held my other hand in his, his forehead pressed to mine.

“I didn’t know you could dance…”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “But you have a lifetime to learn it all.”

“Deacon…I love you.” I really loved him, like take a bullet for him loved him, like would remain alone for the rest of my life if I ever lost him. “Like…I can’t live without you kind of love you.”

“I know you do.” He moved his lips to mine and kissed me. “And that’s the way I love you. I’ve loved you that way…for a very long time. I’ve loved you that way since the beginning. I just didn’t know it then. You’re the only woman for me, my mate for life, a mother to all my children…the woman who gave me back my soul.”

“Deacon…”

“You were right when you said science could only explain so much. Because I can’t rationalize my feelings for you. I can’t tell you when I fell in love or why. I can’t tell you why my love is so deep when we have nothing in common. I can’t explain anything, but I know it’s real… I just know.”

I never thought this beautiful man would love me for me, the way I loved him for him. I didn’t think something so good was just a short distance away, that I would get everything I was missing from one person. My world fell apart…and then he fixed everything.

“And I know it’s going to last forever—even after we’re gone.”

I stared into his eyes, knowing how significant those words were since he didn’t believe in anything.

“Because the children we make…will live on after us—and keep our love alive.”

Epilogue

Deacon

Derek stood at the edge of the dock with his pole in the water.

Dex had a plastic version of the rod, but he didn’t seem to care that he didn’t have a line or hook. He was three years old, standing in jeans and a