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Does anyone truly know the moment they fall in love? Yet it happened, and fiercely. He loved Laura Blake, with a ferocity stronger than a hurricane and more intense than an F5 tornado. He loved her kindness and her strength. He loved her intelligence and how she protected Jeanie like a mama tiger. Simply… he loved everything about her.
He wanted the whole package. He wanted Laura, he wanted to be a fulltime father to little Jeanie, he wanted new babies. He wanted to stay in Pine Ridge, where he could enjoy both his business and family. For so long he had been afraid, but he wasn't anymore. He had grieved and mourned, wracked by guilt and blinded by misery, but it was time to let go of the past. Those he loved would always remain in his heart, but it was time to embrace a new destiny. Like in business he would be smart, he would be persistent and he would do whatever it took, but in the end he would get what he wanted. Her family. His family.
Their family.
He didn't want a marriage of convenience, no union based on a child. He wanted the love, the family, the soul mate. He thought he would never love again, that he would walk through life alone. The shadow had been lifted, the curse ended. He loved Laura.
She would be his wife.
That's why he spent the weekend away, preparing for his new family, signing documents to officially acknowledge Jeanie as his daughter, researching the steps to get married. Laura might have objections, and if so, he wanted to get everything in motion swiftly so that before she knew it, the ring was safely on her finger and his last name attached to hers.
He had more to do, but he longed to see her again, to apologize for not listening, to tell her how he truly felt. To pose the life-altering question.
So he came back to Pine Ridge, to the same quiet road, the same small hotel room. That's when she had called. If getting ready took minutes, the ride seemed seconds, before her home came into view. Anticipation and purpose tangled. The next minutes would define his entire life.
He couldn't wait.
The knock reverberatedthrough the entire apartment, strong, commanding and demanding attention, just like the man who wielded it. Laura turned to her father, her firsthero, and he smiled and nodded. It was all the encouragement she needed.
Without a word, she strode to the door and opened it, gazing at the man who had given Jeanie life, the man she loved. Instincts planned her next move. She opened her arms wide.
He embraced her.
Everything around them disappeared – her apartment, her father, the very universe. At that moment, only the two of them mattered. "I've missed you," he whispered.
"I missed you, too."So very much."Aidan, I…"
"No, wait–" He stopped her. "This time I go first." He stood up tall, his deep voice resonating to her very soul. "Laura Blake, you’ve given me a precious gift, a beautiful daughter who has brought light to my life. Jeanie is amazing, a dream come true, and I will always be thankful for her. I know you kept her a secret, but I understand it was only to protect her."
Laura nodded, as sadness emblazoned her. She should be happy he had forgiven her, so they could now form an amicable relationship to co-parent their child. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. "Wait–"
"Hold on a minute, my impatient beauty." Aidan put a finger against her lips in a shockingly intimate gesture. He moved closer, his muscle-bound body towering over her. "But I need more."
She stilled. "More?"
He smiled, sapphire eyes shining with brilliant emotion. "I want a family, I want a wife, I wantyou. Laura, you are my shining star, my love, my heart. You are the most amazing woman in the world, so kind and caring, intelligent and beautiful. You’re an amazing mother, but that’s only part of why I love you. My love for you is separate from Jeanie – it's because of you and nothing else.”
He caressed her cheek with the pad of his finger. “I want to spend forever with you. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to hold you every night. I want to explore the world with you, share my business, share everything. I want to create another perfect life with you, this time the right way. I wanteverything." He retrieved a small blue velvet box from his pocket, opened it to reveal a ring as radiant as the North Star, a twinkling round diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds set in platinum. Rainbow fire danced in its depths, as powerful and striking as the man who held it. Then…
He sank to one knee.
"Laura Blake, you are beautiful beyond compare, inside and out. You are my light, my past and myfuture. You are my heart, and my home. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Elation filled the world with newfound purpose and unparalleled joy. The future was an unwritten path, their destiny a journey of pure love. "Yes. Yes. Yes!" she said it once and then again, sharing all the love in her heart.
With a smile of pure joy, he stood, transferred the ring from its soft home to its new one, where it fit perfectly. Then he embraced her, holding her tight as if he’d never let go. She would never let him.
"I love you," she whispered just before he took her lips. This time, it was even more breathtaking, more meaningful, filled with the promise of endless tomorrows. When they finally broke apart, with the inherent promise of so much more later, brilliance burst through her.
In the background of their kiss, a one-man applause sounded. Laura looked over at her dad. He smiled, and with a whisper that reached the deepest part of her heart, said, "I love you, princess."
After promising that soon – and often – he would return, her father departed, leaving Laura and Aidan alone. There they celebrated their love deep into the night, sharing their worlds and holding each other tight, until they had to prepare for Jeanie's impending return home. Yet still Aidan held her near, as if couldn't bear to let her go.
"I’m not letting you out of my sight." He nuzzled her neck, as they snuggled on the sofa the next morning. The air was fresh and sweet, the world bright and crisp, as the sun shone through the windows, illuminating the world with the promise of a new day and a new life. "Never again.”
“I wouldn’t let you.” She gasped as he brushed a kiss on her neck, its softness belying its tumultuous effect. A shiver steaked through her, sensitizing her. Yet they hadn’t time for more, at the tiny yet rapid knock at the door.
Jeanie burst into the apartment, beaming with happiness, hugging both her mommy and daddy. When Laura told her they were getting married, she clapped her hands and literally jumped for joy. “I told you so,” she announced.
