Page 59 of Truth and Temptation
“What?” Wyatt’s eyes are wider than I have ever seen. “No. You can’t say that.” His hand runs through his hair as he steps away from me, and an icy chill starts to creep through my veins. He looks back at me, curses, and closes the distance between us, immediately kissing me. “Get out of your head, baby. I love you. I want to marry you. I even have a fucking ring waiting for us back at the hotel.”
“You do?” I manage to find my voice, blinking rapidly at him. I feel the chaotic swing of my emotions, from pure love, to abject terror in the face of his perceived rejection of my proposal, back to love. He chuckles and cups my face in his hands.
“Yes, you crazy woman. I was going to propose to you tomorrow at dinner. I had a whole plan in place, your friends helped me figure it all out.”
I choke out a laugh as the realization hits me that my single most spontaneous action of my entire life ruined his careful planning. “I would say I’m sorry, but I am afraid I’m not. You helped me unleash my capacity to love and feel passion, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m showing you my love and my passion and my unending desire to be with you for the rest of my life.”
Wyatt pulls me into his arms, and my hands come up to rest on his chest. “Paige, I want nothing more than to be with you for the rest of our lives. You are both the most tempting woman I’ve ever met, and the truest love I never expected to find.”
I lift up onto my toes and kiss him deeply. But his hands move to my waist and he gently sets me down.
“But if you think you’re going to deprive me of proposing to the love of my life, you are wrong.”
I smile cheekily up at him, my heart bursting with more love than I ever thought possible.
“You can propose, on two conditions. First, as long as you accept my proposal. And second, as long as you remember, I asked you first.”
Wyatt’s eyes are shining. For a man whose heart was so closed off for so long, he is full of emotion and love. “First, of course I accept. And second, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this moment.”
This time our kiss is sweet, a promise of a future filled with more love than I ever imagined possible.
“I love you,” he murmurs against my lips.
“And I love you.”
And there, surrounded by literary history, my future begins.
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Chapter twenty-six
Serena
“Miss Serena, look at me!”
I inwardly wince as little Rosie Duncan spins on her toes, wobbling and almost losing her balance. She’s adorable, no doubt. Graceful and coordinated? Not at all.
“Lovely, Rosie, I can’t wait to see you in class next week.” My teacher smile is pasted on my lips as I wave at Rosie’s parents while simultaneously handing out a flyer with my class schedule to another person.
“This ‘downtown business open house’ is such a genius idea.” Ashley’s familiar voice has me sagging in relief. “Finn and Pierre were thrilled to be invited, even though the winery isn’t exactly downtown. He’s getting tons of traffic to his booth asking about winery tours and lots of people are signing up for the new wine club.” She drops a paper bag down on the table in front of me. “And here is your very late lunch — or is it dinner by this point?”
“Who the heck cares, I’m starved. You’re an angel.” I tear open the bag and pull out the salad from our friend Mila’s café. I haven’t had a chance to get my hands on any food for most of the day, so she’s not wrong about the timing of this. I’ll call it lunner.
I sit down gratefully and eat my food quickly as Ashley smiles at people walking past. I cast a gaze over the crowd, searching out people who might be interested in dance or yoga classes. The sad truth is, I’m already looped in with all the parents, so it’s slim pickings for new students. It’s a problem that’s increasing over time as kids decide they’re too old for dance or want to try other activities. Living in a small town has plenty of perks, but a small population that doesn’t grow is one of the downsides for a dance studio like mine that depends on children to fill the classes.
“Excuse me, have you got any classes for really little ones? Three years old?”
I look up from my salad to see a woman I recognize from around town but certainly don’t know well. Standing up, I set aside my food and give her my biggest smile. “Yes, I run a tiny tot program for two- to four-year-olds, but it’s parent participation.”
