Summer of Love by Marie Ferrarella (easy to read books for adults list .TXT) 📕

‘I seem to have created havoc,’ she began, then stopped when she spotted a figure running towards them. Her eyes widened in shock when she realised it was Daniel.

‘What are you doing here?’ she began, but he didn’t let her finish. Sweeping her into his arms, he stared down into her face and she was stunned to see the fear in his eyes.

‘Are you all right, Emma?’

‘I’m fine,’ she told him shakily.

‘Are you sure?’ He glanced at her car and she saw the colour leach from his face when he saw the state it was in.

‘Quite sure. Aren’t I, guys?’ She glanced at the paramedics, who added their endorsement to her claim. Daniel took a deep breath and she felt him shudder.

‘Thank heavens for that. When Ruth told me you’d been in an accident …’

He couldn’t go on but she understood. He’d been as terrified about her as she’d been about him the night before. All of a sudden the doubts she’d had melted away. Daniel loved her, he really and truly did. It was the most glorious feeling to know it for certain once more.

Reaching up, she kissed him lightly on the lips. It was no more than a token but she could tell he understood what it meant when she saw his eyes blaze with joy. Emma could feel the same sense of happiness and wonderment bubbling inside her as they thanked the ambulance crew. A couple of the other drivers helped Daniel push her car off the road so that the traffic could start moving again. Once that was done, Daniel phoned the local garage and arranged for the car to be collected.

‘That’s it, then. Let’s get you home.’ He put his arm around her waist as he led her back to where he had left his car part way up the lane. Emma slid into the passenger seat, smiling as he bent and dropped a kiss on her lips.

‘Mmm, what have I done to deserve that?’ she teased.

‘Nothing. Everything.’ He kissed her again then closed the door and walked round to the driver’s side. He started the engine then turned to look at her. ‘I love you, Emma. I know you were hurt this morning when I told you why I had ended our relationship. I did what I thought was right, although now I can see that I shouldn’t have made the decision all by myself. I just hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me.’

‘There’s nothing to forgive. You were trying to protect me, Daniel, because you loved me.’

‘Yes, I was. Maybe I went about it the wrong way but it was the only way I could think of at the time.’ He took her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘You meant the world to me then, Emma, just as you mean everything to me now.’

‘And you mean the world to me, too, so let’s not waste any more time.’ She leant over and kissed him softly on the cheek. ‘From now on any decisions about our future shall be made together. Agreed?’

‘Agreed!’

He gave a whoop of laughter as he planted a kiss on her mouth then put the car into gear. They headed back to the surgery and it felt to Emma as though they were floating on a cloud of happiness rather than doing anything as mundane as driving. Daniel refused to let her help him take evening surgery and dispatched her straight to the house with orders to put her feet up until he got back. Emma didn’t protest because she wasn’t sure she was in a fit state to be seeing patients while she was functioning at this level of euphoria.

She let herself into the house and waited for Daniel to return, knowing what would happen when he did, and it was just as she had expected. They made love to each other with a joy and intensity that brought tears to both their eyes.

‘I love you, my sweet Emma,’ Daniel told her as he held her against his heart. ‘I want to be with you for ever, if you’ll let me.’

‘It’s what I want too,’ she told him honestly. ‘Although I’m not sure about the logistics of it, with you working in London and me in Scotland.’

‘Trivialities,’ he assured her airily. ‘We have far more important things to worry about, like when we’re getting married.’

‘Married?’ She sat up straight and stared at him.

‘Married!’

‘Uh-huh.’ He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her slowly, grinning wickedly when he heard her moan. ‘That’s what couples do when they’re in love. They get married and live happily ever after.’

‘So this is a proposal, is it?’ she said when she could summon enough breath to speak.

‘I suppose it is.’ He suddenly rolled to his feet and knelt by the side of the bed, smiling up at her as he took her hand. ‘I’d better do it properly so there’s no mistake. Will you, Emma Roberts, do me the honour of becoming my wife?’

‘Yes,’ she whispered then repeated it much louder so there would be no mistake about her answer either. ‘Yes, I will!’

EPILOGUE

Three months later …

EMMA stepped in front of the mirror and studied her reflection. It was her wedding day and she wanted everything to be perfect, even though it had been a rush to get things organised in such a short space of time. Now she smiled as she took stock of the dress she had chosen.

Made from pure silk in the palest shade of cream, it fell in soft folds to the floor. The cream rosebuds that the hairdresser had pinned into her hair that morning exactly matched the colour of the fabric. More rosebuds had been hand-tied to form a posy which she would carry up the aisle. She knew she looked her best and hoped that Daniel would think so too. They had waited so long for this day to come and she wanted it to