Warmth enveloped him as she closed the gap between them, pressing near, her soft contours fitting against him so perfectly it defied words.
‘That’s fair. You’ve had my heart for so long.’
‘Greer.’ The word ached with all the love he hadn’t let himself express before, not verbally. Because he’d feared she didn’t feel the same for him, a man who knew so little about softer emotions.
He wrapped his arm around her, his other hand tugging her hair free so it fell around her in a scented curtain. Anchoring her head with his hand he brushed his lips across hers before tenderly, slowly kissing her with all the reverence and love he’d never been able to share.
Her response was everything he could ask for. His wife—his wife!—was his perfect match. She completed him and she kissed like an angel. No, not an angel, a temptress.
Conall pulled back, his eyes on hers. ‘Tomorrow we celebrate the deal with Lee and our teams. But tonight is for us. We’ll celebrate something more important. Our love.’
He’d always thought her eyes were like gemstones but tonight they shone brighter than any precious stone. ‘Itdoesdeserve celebration. What did you have in mind?’
Conall didn’t hold back his smile. He’d never known such happiness. ‘Let’s see how the evening unfolds. We can start by taking this champagne somewhere more comfortable.’
Her sideways glance under lowered eyelids was pure invitation. ‘Good idea.’ She picked up the glasses. ‘I’ll carry these while you get the bottle.’ She was already walking across the terrace, the gentle undulation of her hips in that pencil skirt going straight to his libido.
He thought of how incredibly alluring he found her impressive organisational skills and quick mind. She was sexy, competent, and she loved him.
He grinned from ear to ear. What more could a man want? Conall strode after her, swiping up the bottle. ‘Lead on, Mrs Abercrombie.’
She didn’t waste time on words, simply smiled over her shoulder as she stepped into the bedroom.
He’d never moved so fast in his life.
Epilogue
‘ORGANISED MAYHEM,ISN’T IT?’ Amy Huang murmured, leaning sideways in the garden seat to make herself heard over the noise.
Greer laughed. ‘I take it as a compliment that you can see it’s organised. I suspect there’ll be a scrum when the food comes out.’
Conall had been right. The rambling garden of their harbourside mansion really was made for children to enjoy.
Ahead, a ragtag group of them squealed with excitement as they raced through the shrubbery in a game that seemed to combine hide-and-seek and chasing. A smaller group, each clutching a balloon, skipped after an elf, headed for the story time bower set out under a huge purple-blue jacaranda tree. Some little ones, supervised by parents, were fishing for rubber ducks in a pond. Meanwhile the line-up for pony rides snaked along the edge of the grass.
This was the second year Greer and Conall had hosted a spring party for preschoolers, their families and school staff.
Last year Grace had been a preschooler. This year she asserted she was all grown up, since she was in big school. Now Logan was the preschooler. Greer had last seen him racing into the undergrowth with a tribe of other kids, grinning from ear to ear. Grace, of course, was waiting for another ride.
‘They’re all going to sleep well tonight. May will probably be out like a light in the car.’ Amy grinned. ‘Joe and I might even have the whole evening to ourselves.’
‘Enjoy it while you can.’ Amy’s second child was due in a month.
‘I intend to. I…’ A shout drew her attention to the fishing pond where her husband and daughter were holding up a rubber duck. She laughed. ‘It looks like May struck lucky. I’d better go and congratulate her.’ She levered herself out of the chair. ‘While I remember, I’ll give you a lift to stretch class next week, yes?’
‘Absolutely.’ Greer smiled but decided to stay where she was a little longer.
It had been a busy morning and it was good to sit for a while. She’d put in more hours than usual at work this week, helping Conall finalise details of another community project, this time a cooking school with residential accommodation for homeless young people. He’d scolded her about her hours but she, like him, felt personally invested in the project.
Next week she’d go back to her part-time hours. Then the week after that the Lees from Singapore were staying with them.
Movement caught her eye and she turned to see a familiar tall figure stride towards her, a little boy with tousled dark hair clinging to him.
Her heart quickened. Her beloved Conall was more handsome with each passing day. In jeans and a pale polo shirt that accentuated his lean strength, he stood out from every man here. She suspected Logan would be the image of his father when he grew up.
Conall caught her eye and his slowly unfurling smile made her melt in all the usual places. But she focused on her little boy.
‘Here she is.’
