Chapter Twenty-Nine

 

Dakota kissed Brian on the cheek and skirted out of the café. Until she’d seen him at the celebration, she didn’t recognize how the anger over their split had chomped at her spirit.

She wrapped her bright yellow scarf around her neck and hurried to Bookends. “He’s here?” she asked when Jennifer looked up.

“Yeah, he’s been hanging around all morning. Will you please put that man out of his misery?” Jennifer drew her mouth into a tightened frown. “He’s in the back.”

Dakota took a deep breath to compose herself before finding him.

“I want to apologize for the things I said the other night. I was probably a little more vocal than I needed to be.”

He put up his hand. “Don’t worry. I understand.”

Without moving any closer, she looked him over, as if seeing him for the first time. Could she have a life with this good looking man who held her heart? “Don’t you want to know what we were talking about over in the café?”

He stood up and reached for her hands. His long fingers closed over hers and he held them tight. “I only want to know if you need to tell me.”

“I guess some people would call that closure. The things he wanted to say that weren’t on the tape along with all my responses.”

“Do you feel better?” He held her gaze.

She nodded. “I do. I didn’t know I needed to have that conversation until we started talking.” She paused. “You said you needed to talk to me. What about?”

Bishop moved to the tall wingback chair and crossed his legs.

“What are you reading?” She took the seat in front of him.

He closed the book and read the binder. “‘100 Best Love Poems of All Time.’” A slow smile graced his face.

“Why in the world are you reading that? Are you trying to impress me?”

“Is it working?”

She didn’t answer right away. Everything about him amazed her. He didn’t need to change one thing, but his effort made her heart race. “Yes, it’s working just fine.” She removed her coat and scarf.

He pulled her into his lap and placed his mouth over hers before pressing his tongue into her mouth. She captured his tongue and deepened the kiss. After several minutes, she pulled away to catch her breath. Instead of releasing her, he continued to cradle her in his lap. “Did you come back to the store for me?” His eyes signal this was a big question for him.

“I don’t know where we stand. I know you like being a playboy and having lots of women, but…” She stopped. Fear churned in her stomach. “I’m falling in love with you, Bishop. It wasn’t supposed to happen. I tried to control myself. But…but…”

“I love you, Dakota.” He stared at her. She drew back to see his full face.

“Do you know what you’re saying? You don’t have to say you love me, just because I said it to you. I’m a big girl.”

“If you know nothing else about me, you should know I’ve always told you the truth. I’m a Contee and this is just as surprising to me as it is to you. But I’ve changed. Being with you has changed me. I only want to spend my time with you. You’re the person who matters to me now.”

She dropped her head on his chest and placed her hand over his heart. “Are you sure?”

“I just poured my heart out to you and that’s all you have to say? I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

“I love you too,” she whispered.

“Are you just saying that because I just opened my heart to you?”

She whacked his chest with a playful swat. “You wish. You just might be in trouble now. I might stick to you like glue.”

“Glue is good.”

“Does this mean we’re a couple now? Dating seriously?”

“No, this means you just agreed to marry me.” He held her forearms while waiting for her to reply.

She opened her mouth, but snapped her lips shut again. Between the pounding of her heart and the whirling of her brain, she swallowed. “Marry?”

“You already agreed, so you can’t take the words back.”

“Did I say yes?” She could barely hear her own voice.

He pushed her sweater up and ran his index finger across her left breast. “You crossed your heart.”

“And I would never go back on my word.”

He stood and lifted her into his arms. “Let’s go in your office. The doors lock.”

“I have a better idea. Let’s go back to my place. This might take a little time.”

§§§

Bishop pushed up on one elbow to look down at the woman he’d just proposed to. How he could have fallen so quickly for her still surprised him. But every thought of her made his heart clutch into overdrive. Chasing women seemed silly now that his perfect match was nestled beside him, sleeping.

With the lightest touch he could manage, he ran his finger along her jaw, down her slender neck to the base of her throat. His finger settled into the dimple where her collarbones met.

She opened her eyes and snuggled closer to him. Her arm encircled his waist. “What are you doing awake?” The sleepy sound of her voice was sexy.

“Watching you.” He enjoyed the warm softness of her skin.

“Is that all you want to do?”

“For now. Give me a minute and I’m sure I’ll think of something.” He massaged her breasts as his body readied to devour her.

“Should we think about setting a date?” he asked.

“You only asked me a few hours ago.” She pushed up in the bed, allowing his hand to drop between her legs.

“Do you want a big traditional wedding with lots of attendants and even more flower girls?”

“I’m not pomp and circumstance. We could get married right here, if you could pull a minister from under the bed.”

“Not while I’m making love to you. That wouldn’t be appropriate.” He slipped his finger into the moist folds between her legs. Her eyes were half closed as she threw back her head.

“We won’t get much planning done if you continue to do that.” She reached for his erection and ran her index finger around the rim of his swollen member.

After a full minute, he released her to grab her hand. Disappointment registered in her eyes. He pecked her on the check.

“You’re right. Let’s focus.” He sat up in the bed. “I don’t want to wait a year. I don’t want to wait months. Do you think we can get married in a few weeks? I feel like I’ve dallied away enough time.”

“All we need is a place, a cake, and some flowers.” She tried to grab his member again, but he shifted away from her.

“Focus, Dakota. Family or no family?”

She hesitated for a moment. “I have to have my sisters there.”

“Okay, your sisters and my sister. But not the whole family tree where we have aunts and uncles and long-lost cousins.”

“That’s fine with me. What about your parents?”

“My mother is a fan of yours, so I’ll fly my parents in. Church or no church?”

“Church, definitely. I don’t want my parents and grandparents to turn over in their graves.”

“Babies or no babies?” He dropped his hand between her thighs again. She lifted her hips and parted her legs.

“What does that mean?” she asked as she pulled him closer.

“Do you want to start making our family now or wait until later? I might as well warn you, I want lots of children. Three, maybe four.” He bent down to pull her nipple into his mouth.

She slid down in the bed. Before taking his hardened rod in her mouth she said, “We’d better get started then.”