Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

he wanted to truly surprise her. It was the least he could do after all he’d put her through.

It’d be easy to back out, to hide behind the truth that he’d let her down and was too protective to ever be comfortable with what she did for a living. But she, and he—they—deserved more. Their love deserved every iota of effort and work, no matter how difficult. Because love like this came about once in a lifetime, and he was tired of living his life without her.

He hoped she would still have him. She’d kept up a constant stream of encouraging texts and voice mails over the past fourteen days. It was difficult to not respond, but he wanted—no, needed—for her to see that he’d changed, too. He would have her any way she agreed to be with him.

Nerves made his palms slick on the steering wheel, so unlike him. Yet it was nothing compared to how he’d perspired in abject fear as Dominique had lain vulnerable on that pier, under the threat of vile Jimenez.

Let. It. Go. If he allowed the memories of that day to rule his actions, he’d never forgive himself.

Pulling into the de la Vegas’ driveway felt like coming home. They were as much his family as his own and had been since he had first dated Dominique. Her car was already in the driveway, but if their plans were on track, she had no idea that anyone was here.

The hands that waved at him and gave him a thumbs-up through the garage windows made him smile. The family was all hiding, waiting for his signal to burst back into their own home.

He walked to the porch and rang the bell.

* * *

Running behind. Be there within the hour.

Dominique stared at Soledad’s text, annoyance at her twin flaring. She fired back her own.

What do you mean you’re running late? Where is everyone else?

She thought that it was going to be family pizza night, but when she’d arrived at her father’s home, no one else was here. Even Rosa and Rita were nowhere to be found.

The doorbell rang and she paused. It was past delivery time, and it was a Saturday night, so it wasn’t the postal service. Maybe her dad had ordered the pizza since everyone seemed to be late, and hoped someone would be here to get it.

When she looked through the door’s side windowpanes, she paused. The profile was one she’d memorized, one every inch of her being recognized.

Stanton.

Opening the door, she looked him over from head to toe.

“Where’s the pizza?”

“No pizza. But I have these.” He brought out from behind his back the largest bouquet of red roses that she’d ever seen and handed them to her. “Can I come in?”

“I don’t know. Is this going to be an easy conversation, or a difficult one?”

“It all depends on you, Dom.” His eyes were brighter than usual and her breath caught.

“Stanton, please don’t get upset.”

“I’m not upset, babe. I’m in love. And I’m lost. I’m nothing without you.”

She moved aside. “Come in, then.” The roses were heavy in her arms, arms that only wanted to hold Stanton, and never let him go. But they gave her shaking hands something to grasp as she watched him enter the house and close the door, walk the few steps to where she stood in the foyer.

“Did you get my texts? My voice mails?”

He nodded, his gaze never leaving her face. As if he was memorizing every millimeter of it. Hope blossomed under her rib cage but she stood still, wanting him to have his chance to say what he wanted to say, to know she wasn’t going anywhere. Never again.

“I did. And I read them, and listened to them, at least a hundred times each.”

“Why didn’t you reply?” She sounded like the breathless woman in love that she was.

“I had to get things right in my head. It was my fault that you were alone with Jimenez and Blanchard at the resort. I know what you’re going to say, and you know what? It doesn’t matter. I still got to you in time, because I helped you learn all those spectacular defensive maneuvers. See? I listen to you, I do. Always. Between you knowing how to handle yourself and me shooting, along with everyone that was there that day, we got through it. We make a great team, Dominique. I’m in love with you, always have been, always will be. And I’ll be next to you in any way, shape or form that you’ll take me. It’s your call, Dom. No more wedding bell pressure from me.”

“What if I want to marry you?”

His head did that tiny tilt that melted her heart. “Do you?”

She nodded. “I do. If I’d been more mature the first time you asked, I would have stayed, worked things out with you back then. But you’re right, I was so into my job that I was missing everything. My family, a life outside of work, and most important, you. Being with you, working together these past weeks, has taught me that I can have both. I can be with you and be me. In fact, I’m the best me when I’m with you. I’m in love with you, too, Stanton. I love you and I’m here, whenever you want to marry me. If you still do.”

He took the few steps needed to be face-to-face, and leaning over the roses, kissed her with such reverence that her stomach quaked as her heart blossomed. When he lifted his mouth from hers, he grinned.

“What is it, Stanton?”

“Give me the roses first.” He opened his arms and she handed him back the humongous bouquet, which he placed on the living room sofa. But instead of walking back to her, he turned toward the kitchen.

“Okay, everyone, come on out!”

The garage door opened and Dominique watched in delight as her sister and dad, aunts and uncles, along with the dogs, poured through the door, filling the kitchen and living