Between The Sheets (22 page)

But Rex didn't give her a chance to savor the feeling or question him because he said, “Wilhemina was also very impressed with your work. So was your former boss.”

“People are my downfall. I don't have a problem with computers.”

“As long as you're standing three feet away.” His gaze shot to her unusual computer setup. A corner desk sandwiched in between floor-to-ceiling windows with the monitor on top and a treadmill with a keyboard taped to the instrument panel.

The setup put distance between where she stood and the monitor, requiring her to have a nice-size twenty-one incher that looked like a movie screen and Rex was staring at the screen now. “Is that the letter you were going to send to me?”

She nodded.

“May I?” He didn't wait for an answer, just slid her off his lap and stepped onto the treadmill.

“I already told you everything that I wrote—”

“Not everything,” his eyes were still fixed on the monitor. “You haven't told me you loved me. It's right here in your letter.”

“I do.”

He turned and his melting gaze caressed her, not hiding his pleasure at her admission or hiding what he felt inside.

“I love you, Rex.”

He reached down and swept his hand across her cheek. “I love you, too.”

The moment hung between them so unbearably tender, so rich and hopeful that April felt the darned tears again.

“And you didn't tell me what you wanted for the future. See, that's here, too.”

“I want to be with you.

“I know.”

A rogue tear escaped and he thumbed it away. “You'll trust me to tackle whatever comes up with you?”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. Then he reached for her hand, drawing her to her feet and onto the treadmill as he brushed his mouth against the inside of her wrist, right above the antistatic wristband. “You'll tackle whatever life tosses at me, too?”

She nodded.

“We're a pair, you know, April. I've been barreling right past life and you've been hiding from it.” He laughed softly and met her gaze above their clasped hands. “I'm making a change. I'm making time to enjoy my life and I want you with me. You helped me see how much I've been missing.”

“I'm making a change, too.” She inhaled deeply, summoned the strength to voice her hopes and her dreams aloud, knew that no matter what happened that opening her heart was an accomplishment she could be proud of. “I've quit my job.”

“John told me. He's sorry to lose you.”

“And I'm sorry to go but it's time. There's something else I'd like to do with my life.”

“And what's that?”

“Work for you.”

Rex's smile told her that he wasn't surprised, most likely because she'd written that in her letter, too. But adrenaline
was making her blood pump and her alarm start to head toward the red zone, so she said, “I've got this all worked out and it's perfect. You're a marketing researcher and I'm an investigative researcher. They fit together perfectly, don't you think? You like how I pinpoint potential liabilities and you've got to finish up the analysis on the Sensuous Collection. There's the Swiss Army Set and then the Faux Fur and the Incredible Edible. And those are just the gaming and adventure lines. You definitely need my help.”

“I do.” He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, the incline of the treadmill making her align against him at the perfect height for him to rest his chin on the top of her head.

She absorbed the feel of him against her, the warmth of his strong body pressed close.

“I'm guessing you couldn't have gotten too far starting up your own business in just a week.”

“Didn't even get business cards printed.” She barely got the words past the lump that was back in her throat.

“Good, because you've got the job. It'll always be interesting, I can promise.”

April lost her battle with the tears again. They squeezed past her lashes as she stared into Rex's handsome face, saw the truth there. “That's it, Rex? No contract negotiations?”

He shook his head.

“You're sure? I don't switch jobs that often. I've only had one so far in my whole life.”

“That kind of job history is a plus as far as I'm concerned.” He turned with her in his arms and reached toward the keyboard taped to the instrument panel and typed out one-handed:
Marry me, April.

She noticed he didn't use a question mark. That might have been because he couldn't manage the keystroke with
one arm still wrapped tightly around her. But April thought it was more likely because he already knew her answer.

She brushed his hand out of the way and tapped out the letters to spell
Y-E-S.