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bore right into her heart.
    Pete walked around the table and knelt down in front of her.
    “God you’re beautiful,” he said reaching his hand to her hair.
    “Pete, what’s going on?”
    “I’m admiring you.”
    Avery swallowed hard. “You’re starting to scare me.”
    He smiled, the gleam in his eyes only getting brighter. “Don’t ever be scared of me.”
    Moving so his body pressed to hers, he wound his hand into her hair and took her under with a kiss. They’d made love already and yet his kisses could make her head swim.
    He lingered his hand on her cheek as he pulled back.
    “I wanted to wait on this. I really did.” He looked down at the box. “But when your heart knows what it wants—it knows.”
    He handed her the box.
    “What is this?”
    Pete chuckled. “You’re supposed to open it.”
    Avery’s hands shook as she pulled the tie from the box. When she lifted the lid and saw a ring box inside her heart nearly exploded in her chest.
    Pete reached for the box and pulled the little box out. “I wanted to wait until the baby buzz wore off the family. And then Spencer could tell everyone about him and Julie.”
    “They are engaged?”
    “I’m still sure they are, aren’t you?”
    She nodded.
    “Anyway, I got to thinking that I’ve been in love with you all my life. There hasn’t been nearly but a few days when I haven’t seen your face in all these years. And I’m not sure I’ve gone a day without talking to you.”
    “Pete…”
    He looked up into her eyes. “I don’t want to wait another minute. Avery, will you marry me?”
    He pulled open the little ring box. Winking up at her with a sparkle was a solitaire diamond, which must have been at least a carat.
    Pete took out the ring and set the box on the table. “I couldn’t find a ring that quite mirrored your beauty.”
    Taking her hand he held it in his. She felt it shake against his fingers.
    Shouldn’t she be crying? This was the biggest moment in her life and she was nearly frozen with fear.
    He looked up at her as he poised the ring on the tip of her finger. “I love you. I always have loved you. So what do you say?”
    What did she say? Hadn’t she spoken? No—no she hadn’t. There was only one thing to say. She loved this man more than she’d ever admitted. Perhaps, when she thought about it, it had always been him. Why else hadn’t she held on to any of those other men in her life? Now she knew the answer. It was because she was in love with Peter Grant.
    “I say yes.”
    His smile widened and she noticed the tear that shimmered in his eye as he pushed the ring onto her finger.
    “I’ll make you happy. I promise to always make you happy.”
    In one quick motion, he’d scooped her under him and laid her back on the couch. His mouth was on hers, taking her breath away.
    Mrs. Peter Grant.
    Somewhere she’d written that in a notebook. She remembered now. They were going to be married and live happily ever after in France.
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Avery woke in his arms, again. Certainly she’d never tire of that.
    She looked down at her finger where the ring he’d put there sparkled. They were getting married.
    As much as it was surreal, it felt just right. This was where that lifetime of friendship had led them—right into each other’s arms.
    Once she’d said yes to his proposal, they’d been locked on to each other. They’d made love all night and now woke to the new day—engaged.
    Pete’s alarm on his phone chimed and he groaned as he rolled to turn it off.
    She studied him, rugged from sleep and smiled. “Good morning, fiancé.”
    He hummed and smiled, his eyes nearly closed. “I sure do like the sound of that.” He lay there near her for a moment. “I suppose I should get home and get ready. I only had one suit.”
    “You came to propose and didn’t pack a bag?”
    Pete gave her a small shrug. “I was too excited to get over here after yesterday. I just didn’t think about it.”
    Avery propped