He was strong yet gentle, wise yet innocent. He'd come into her life and turned it upside down in the space of a few short weeks. How would she fill the empty spot in her heart when he was gone? And he would go; sooner or later, he would have to go back and she'd be left with nothing but memories and a broken heart.
"Lainey, what's wrong?"
"I want you to be happy here," she replied curtly. "I want you to feel like you belong. You don't have to agree with everything I say, or do everything I want to do."
Micah stared at her, confused by her irrational behavior. "Lainey, you're angry with me and I don't understand why."
"I'm not angry."
He lifted one brow inquisitively. "Aren't you?"
"No." She brushed a tear from her cheek. "I'm not angry, Micah. I'm just so afraid..." She took a deep breath, willing herself not to cry, not to beg. "I'm just so afraid of losing you."
Not knowing what to say, Micah crossed the floor and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't promise her forever, not when there was a chance that Red Hair might find him, not when Pergith might still be out there searching for him. If Pergith found him, he'd have to go back.
Gently, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He couldn't promise her forever; he could only offer her one day at a time, and hope that it was enough.
"I'm sorry," Lainey said, her voice muffled against his chest. "I don't know what got into me. Too much sun, maybe."
"Too much of me, maybe'?''
"No! I guess I'm just afraid that what we have won't last." Lainey placed her hand over his heart. "When I married Drew, I thought it would be forever, that we'd have children and live happily ever after..." She shrugged. "But it didn't last. He wanted a son, and when I couldn't give him one, he found someone who could."
The tears were coming faster now and she couldn't stop them. She'd thought she'd gotten over the hurt long ago, but now it spilled out in a torrent and she found herself saying things she hadn't even realized she'd been keeping bottled up until now.
"He said I was only half a woman, that I was just a pretty package that was empty inside. And he was right! Oh, why don't you just leave me alone?"
She twisted out of his arms and gazed up at him, her face streaked with tears. "Why don't you just go home and join withAdana ! She'll probably give you a hundred sons!"
"Lainey, stop it! I love you. Just you. I don't need a son, don't you understand that? It's you I want. You I need. Just you." Gently, he drew her back into his embrace. "Only you." He kissed her cheek. "Always and forever, only you."
She shook her head, afraid to believe.
"Lainey, please believe me. I love you. I've never loved anyone else, and I never will."
She looked up at him, wanting to believe, needing desperately to believe, and yet so afraid.
Micah gazed deep into her eyes, feeling her love, her fear of being hurt again, and prayed that she could get past her old hurts, her old fears, and accept the love in his heart.
Tenderly, he cupped her tear-stained face in his palms, his thumbs wiping away the last drops of moisture.
"If I tell you I don't want eggs for dinner," he said, very seriously, "will you believe I love you?"
She couldn't help it. She laughed. "Oh, Micah, can you forgive me for being such a fool?"
"There's nothing to forgive. I love you. I'll always love you. Believe that if you believe nothing else."
"Oh, Micah." She stared up at him, basking in the warmth of his gaze. He was nothing like Drew. Drew had been shallow, selfish, arrogant, everything Micah was not.
Micah took her hands in his, uncertain how to say what he wanted to say.
"Lainey, I... would you... could I be your husband?"
"Husband? You mean get married? You want to marry me?"
"Yes. I want to belong to you. I want you to belong to me."
He'd done it again, she thought, completely floored her. What could she say but yes?
"When?" he asked.
"I don't know." Lainey chewed on the inside of her lower lip. They'd have to go some place that didn't require blood tests, she thought.Las Vegas , maybe, orTijuana .
They discussed it over dinner, deciding they would go to Vegas when it seemed safe.
"Let's go into Chadds Creek