The third painting was of the shrubs that graced the property of her family’s home, flowers in bloom, insects in the air, the summer sunshine hazy with coal dust. She was walking away, giving someone a sideways look, another smile, this one filled with mischief.
He’d portrayed her so beautifully, so gently, and so thoughtfully, showing unique aspects of her personality and different views of her body and face.
And he’d painted her with such accuracy that she could have been looking at herself in a mirror. Every curl of her hair, the dimple in her chin, the curve of her shoulder, the way she parted her hair.
How had he done this? How had he replicated her without having her there to pose for him?
Zaira stood breathlessly, taking in the paintings again, trying to make sense of them, trying to understand how Bellamy had been able to create them.
He was still holding her hand and looking at the first painting, his head cocked. “The name of the Dover’s Pond painting isThe Woman I Desperately Love.”
Zaira sucked in a sharp breath.
Bellamy shifted his attention to the second painting. “The name of the Mississippi River painting isThe Woman I Desperately Can’t Live Without.”
Her heart started beating at double the speed. What was he doing?
He nodded at the final painting. “The name of the Shanahan garden painting isThe Woman I DesperatelyNeed.”
Hot tears pricked her eyes.
He met her gaze, his eyes dark. “I painted these over the past week and wanted you to see them tonight so you know you’re a part of my heart and soul and body and that I’ll never, never be able to get you out of my mind. Every aspect of you is seared into my memory. My lifeblood flows with your breath. My heartbeat beats with your name.”
Oh dear heavens, Bellamy was the epitome of romantic perfection in that moment. She couldn’t imagine coming up with better words herself, not in real life and not even in fiction. He was winning an award for the most romantic man on earth.
She opened her mouth to tell him she loved everything he’d just done for her, but before she could, he was lowering himself to one knee in front of her.
She inhaled sharply as gasps resounded throughout the room, echoing hers.
He peered up at her, his expression more serious and sincere than she’d ever seen it. “Zaira, I’ve loved you from the day I first saw you at church and you stuck out your tongue at me.”
She laughed lightly. He’d loved her then? That long-ago day when she’d been just a child enamored with the handsome new boy?
His eyes were glassy. “I loved you all the way through every holiday and occasion that I saw you over the past ten years.”
Her heart was about to burst with the emotion swelling inside, and she couldn’t contain several tears that trickled out and rolled down her cheeks and caught in the lines of her smile.
“I’ve loved you now when we are all grown up.” He cleared his throat. “Even when I tried not to love you, I failed at it utterly, because I can’t cut my love for you out of my life without cutting out my heart completely.”
“Oh, Bellamy.” She was about to swoon with the sweetness of everything he was saying. It was beyond heavenly.
He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up to her. It was a garnet ring that matched the other jewelry he’d already given her. “The moment I saw this jewelry with its flaming red jewels, I knew I had to give it to you. You’re the only woman who could ever wear it. And you’re the only woman I will ever want.”
But what about everything he’d told her that night in the bank?
As if hearing her silent question, his eyes pleaded with her. “I know now that you’re the perfect woman for me and that I’m the one with all the imperfections—”
“No, Bellamy—”
“Aye, I realize I was letting my imperfect past take away from the beautiful future I could have with you. I’m sorry for that, and I’ll always say I’m sorry when I let my imperfections get the best of me.”
She couldn’t stop herself from reaching for his cheek and pressing a hand there. Neither of them was perfect, and theirmatch wouldn’t be perfect either. But maybe they could both learn to forgive each other’s imperfections and in doing so grow stronger together in the process.
“I love you, Zaira Shanahan.” Bellamy was still holding up the garnet ring. “And I will love you all my days until my dying breath.”
“I love you too, Bellamy.” In fact, she loved him more than she could express.
His eyes filled with relief, as if he hadn’t been sure if she could love him in return.
