Hungry for More (2012) (27 page)

“It was more than that. You
’
re amazing, Bridget. I
’
ve known that for a while now...but I want you to see it too. I want to make you feel-!”

“You do,” Bridget insisted. She smothered the rest of his words underneath a kiss. It would be a long time before she would feel completely worthy of love and attention. Maybe her feelings would never go away completely- but there had to be
something
good about her if a man like Paul wanted her to be his wife.

Chapter 22

The ride to the hotel was short- but they hadn’t quite made it back when the cab screeched to a halt.

“What is it?” Paul asked, poking his head between the seats to speak to the driver.

“Some sort of smash-up,” the man replied. Sure enough, traffic had come to a dead halt.

“We’ll get out here,” Paul said, and handed the man some money. They were beside Hyde Park, leaving them only a block to walk. He helped Bridget out of the cab, and then shucked off his jacket, draping it across her shoulders to protect her from the late-night chill.

“Thanks,” she told him as she snuggled into its warmth, and inhaled the hot, spicy scent that clung to the fabric.

“You’re welcome,” he said, taking her hand and leading her down the street. They walked in silence for a moment, before he blurted, “I’m sorry about tonight.”

“
I
’
m not,” Bridget responded. Sure, there had been some ugly moments, but the ending of their meal had been perfect. She slipped her hand into Paul
’
s and snuggled closer. “Were you really serious?
” she asked him. She knew the answer, but needed to hear it again.

“Serious about what
?” Paul frowned.

“About wanting to marry me.”

“Of course!” Paul froze and the color leached from his face. “D
on
’
t you
want to marry me?”

“Paul!” she exclaimed. “You know I do.”

“Then don
’
t scare me like that!” he said, and then surprised her with a second command. “Give me back my coat.”

“What?”

“I was going to save this for later. I had a cheesy idea of doing it at the top of the London Eye.”

“Doing
what
?” Bridget demanded, her temper nearing its breaking point- until she saw what Paul had pulled out of his breast pocket. She gasped when
he
dropped to one knee.

“I’m not that great with words, Bridget,” he said, regretfully. “But I love you. I want to marry you. Please be my wife.”

Bridget’s eyes began to water as he cracked open the box- displaying the most beautiful engagement ring that she’d ever seen.

“Oh, Paul-!” she gasped, “It’s…it’s so-!”

“Tad helped me pick it out,” he said, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it onto her finger- without waiting for a “yes
.
” Bridget didn’t seem to notice the omission. She was staring at her hands as though she didn’t recognize them. “Actually, there’s something Tad wanted me to ask you too.”

Bridget tore her eyes away from the glittering diamond long enough to meet his gaze. “What?”

“Tad wanted me to ask you if you’d be his mom. His
real
mom. I saw a lawyer about the adoption already.
”

“Oh Paul!” Bridget gasped again.  Tears were now running freely down her cheeks.  “I can’t believe that this is real.  It’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she sobbed happily.  “I never ever thought I’d have a family of my own.”

Paul smiled at her tenderly, rising up off his knee so that he could draw her into his arms.  She fit there perfectly as far as he was concerned.  It was where she belonged.

“So that’s a yes then?” he grinned, beginning to relax.

“Yes!  Yes, of course yes!” Bridget exclaimed.  “Oh I love you so much, Paul,” she gasped, holding onto him tightly. “You were wonderful tonight.”

“Tonight?” Paul winced.  “Ugh- I had no idea your family were so
…
so
…
”

“So horrible?” Bridget asked meekly. 

“I thought it would be such a great surprise for you,” he sighed.

“Well it was a surprise,” Bridget giggled.  She was just too gloriously happy to let anything upset her now.  “And
you
were so amazing, the way you handled them, I’ll never forget it,” she said, positively glowing at the memory.  “And it was adorable of you to ask for my father’s permission too,” she beamed.

“Adorable?”
Paul wrinkled his nose.

“I’m afraid so,” Bridget laughed.  “Just as it was adorable that you took Tad to help pick out my ring.”  She looked down at her finger again, and smiled so much that her cheeks started to ache.  “Did he really want you to ask me to be his mom?” she whispered.  It just didn’t seem possible that her life had become this wonderful!  She was having trouble believing it was all really happening
.

“Yes, of course he did.  He was so excited when I told him that I was going to ask you to marry me,” Paul chuckled.  “I was worried he wouldn’t be able to keep the secret!  Although Dixie worried me more on that score I have to admit.  I meant what I said earl
ier
though, Bridge.”

She blinked at him.  “What did you say earlier?”

“That you’re already Tad’s mom.  That you have been since he was born. The adoption paperwork is just a technicality as far as I’m concerned.”

“Paul-” Bridget choked.  She didn’t want to cry again.  She had only just got
ten
her tears under control, but she was perilously close to bawling again.

“I mean it, Bridget.  You’ve been more of a parent to Tad than Phoebe or me.”

“That’s not true, Paul,” Bridget insisted firmly, but then she visibly seemed to waver.  “Well, not
now
anyway,” she added gently.  “You just needed a little helping hand.”

“I needed
you
,” he said, so decisively that Bridget couldn’t possibly doubt that he meant it.  He took her arm, and they walked side-by-side back to the hotel.  “I can’t remember what my life was like without you in it.”

“Me
n
either,” Bridget whispered, staring up into Paul’s face with a mixture of hunger and devotion.  “I love you so much!”

“Good,” Paul growled, whisking her into the elevator that would take them up to their suite.  “Because I’m never going to let you go.”

“Do you mean that?” Bridget asked breathlessly.

“I mean everything I say to you.”

“I don’t deserve-!”
S
he started to cry, but Paul pressed a finger against her lips and stopped her.

“Don
’
t go there again. You do.  You deserve all of this and more. I
’
m going to spend the rest of my life making certain you get it.”

THE END

I hope that you enjoyed this story
, but even if you didn’t, I am eager to hear what you have to say (okay
, I
admit it
-
I’m less eager for one star reviews than
for
five star, but when you put your work out into the public, I feel like you have to be a big girl and take the punches when they come). Please help me improve as an author by letting me know what worked and what can be improved.

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