Where There's Smoke (26 page)
Lauren was still smiling after the visit with Sandra when she turned the corner to see Seth's truck parked in her driveway. She slowed when she wanted to speed up, parked in front of her house. On the porch steps, Seth climbed to his feet.
Why hadn't he gone in? He still had his keys, still had his code. Did he think she'd changed it?
She almost wished he'd gone in, given her a chance to gather herself before facing him. He looked so good in his t-shirt and shorts. She shouldn't notice that, but she hadn't seen him in a month.
For the second time that day she took too long getting out of her car. She walked slowly up the slope of the lawn, legs shaking. For the second time that day, she waited for an Escamilla to make the first move.
"The month's up,” he said.
She locked her knees. He'd come for the money. She forced her expression to remain impassive, her voice not to waver. “Shall I write you a check, or do you want me to drive you to the bank?"
He took a step toward her. “I told you I didn't want your money."
"I don't bet what I can't afford to lose,” she said, the muscles in her jaw aching.
He shook his head, a smile twitching his lips. “You never could bluff worth a damn, Lauren. You bet it all."
"And I lost.” She lifted her chin. “So I'll pay."
He moved closer, reached up. She should move away, but she couldn't. She turned toward his touch as he stroked her hair back. “I don't want your money. I want you."
She froze. If she couldn't bluff, Seth could. She looked into his eyes for the truth. As well as she knew him, she couldn't read him now.
"If you wanted me, you wouldn't have stayed away a month,” she said, having trouble keeping her voice casual.
"I didn't want to win you as part of a bet. This is too important.” He stood so close he had to look from one eye to the other, so close his breath washed over her face. “Besides, there were some loose ends to tie up. How did it go with my mother?"
She moved back a little. “You set that up?"
He shrugged. “One of the loose ends."
"And if those ends refused to be tied?"
He grinned, one of the dimpled ones that had her knees melting. “Someone might trip on them. But not me. Now that I see what I want, I can be pretty surefooted."
"What?"
He stepped back, dropped his hand away. She followed the path of his hand as he raised it again, this time with something in it. “Lauren, you know how I said that I've always looked for something better to come along when I was in a relationship?"
She gave a dry laugh. “Oh, I remember."
"It took me till now to realize what it was I was looking for. It was you. You were the something better, and you were there all along."
She looked from the box to his face and her jaw dropped, probably not the loveliest picture to present to the guy offering her an engagement ring. Her heart fluttered with surprise and happiness—good thing he had EMT training.
"Will you marry me?"
She couldn't find her voice, only opened and closed her mouth. So he kept talking.
"You know how I don't want to be like my dad? Well, I'm going to do something about it. I'm going to marry the woman I love the first time. You aren't getting away from me."
Tears blinded her and her face started to crumple. Again, lovely. She held her arms out and he pulled her close, burying his face in her hair, fitting right against her.
"A month was too long, Lauren,” he whispered into her hair, his hands roaming her back, pressing her closer. “I'm never going to go a day without seeing you, touching you, kissing you."
"I haven't said yes yet."
He stiffened. She should feel bad about teasing him, but he'd really made her suffer. Okay, she wouldn't be that mean. She drew back, took his face in her hands and looked into his beautiful brown eyes.
"Yes, Seth, I'll marry you."
He smiled as if he'd never doubted it, then kissed her, deep and soft, nearly bending her backwards in his enthusiasm. She broke the kiss, laughing.
Most of M.J.'s earliest memories involve books and writing. You can ask her father about the backseat full of Trixie Belden books on a road trip to California, some of them in tatters from use. Or you can ask her grandmother about the weekly trips to the dime store to buy Harlequin Romances (usually ones with horses on the covers). Or ask her uncle about reading her first effort when she was nine years old, a mixture of Grease and One on One. M.J. has finalled in the Golden Heart four times. She is an active member of San Antonio Romance Authors and is also a member of The Golden Network. She is a member of the Wet Noodle Posse, and also has a blog, The Bandwagon. In the years she's been writing, she's written everything from epic contemporary to short and sexy, even trying her hand at futuristic and paranormal. M.J., a fourth grade teacher, has lived her whole life in San Antonio. She shares her computer (sometimes) with her patient husband of 20 years and her brilliant 16 year old son.