Make Me Over_ Getting Real - Leslie Kelly [71]
When they parted, she gazed up at him, wanting to ask a bunch of questions, not quite knowing where to begin.
He beat her to the punch by answering the most important one. “I know about the show.”
She watched him warily.
“I know you were all supposed to try to get me to fall in love with you.”
“Sukie?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Jacey.”
That surprised her for only a moment. Then it made sense.
Frowning in concern, she asked, “Are you okay?” Not waiting for his answer, she hurried on. “Of course you’re not okay. It’s awful and embarrassing and humiliating and I’m so sorry I ever had anything to do with it.”
When she’d finished babbling, he said, “You could have won.”
She nodded.
“You walked away.”
Another nod was all she could manage.
“Because you love me.”
He wasn’t asking. The man was stating a fact. Relief flooded through her whole body and she smiled, wanting to jump up and down and shout loud enough to wake up the whole hotel.
He understood. And miracle of miracles, judging by the loving way he was looking at her, he believed.
“I do,” she finally said, her voice breaking with emotion. “I love you so much, and I’d never in this lifetime want you to think you were nothing but a dollar sign to me.”
“A million dollar signs,” he pointed out.
“Don’t remind me,” she said with a light groan. Then she cupped his cheek in her hand. He instantly covered her cold fingers, protecting her skin, warming her.
“You’re worth it, Drew. I wouldn’t risk losing you for every penny on this earth. I love you with all my heart.”
Lowering his mouth to hers again, he kissed her deeply, hungrily, as if wanting to taste the words she’d just said. When they finally parted, sharing a few icy cold breaths, he whispered, “I love you, too, Tori Lyons. Sassy race-car driver and lady of them all, I love you for everything you are.”
Smiling gently as tears rose in the corners of her eyes, only to freeze there, she said, “And that is the most perfect Christmas present I will ever get.”
“It’s not Christmas yet.”
“Soon.”
“Will you spend it with me?”
She nodded. “Have anything special in mind?”
“Oh, yes. Very special. In New York.”
She suspected she knew what he meant. He wanted to walk into that ball on Christmas Eve with her on his arm. To let the producer and the director and the TV crew—and all those watching—that what they’d found, what they’d learned, had risen above everything and everyone around them.
The TV show couldn’t cheapen their relationship ever again.
She could think of nothing more wonderful—more perfect—than to spend the evening with the love of her life, and the wonderful friends she’d made. Sukie. Robin. Jacey. They’d be there, she felt sure. The final four contestants had been invited to attend, to watch the winner be crowned. The rest of the world could think whatever they wanted. Those who knew her would understand completely if she arrived with her real prize. Drew.
“That sounds like a perfect way to spend Christmas.”
“And you’ll spend every one hereafter with me, too?”
“Was that some kind of proposal?”
“A lousy one,” he admitted, his voice starting to shake with the cold. “But if I drop to one knee I’m afraid my pants will freeze to the steps and I’ll never be able to get up.”
She giggled, realizing that in spite of being warmed by love, it was frigging frigid out here.
“I’ll give you a proper proposal when you’re ready. After you figure out where you’re going and what you want to do.”
Grabbing a fistful of his coat, she pulled him close. “Just don’t you stop making love to me in the mean-time, mister big-shot professor.” Kissing the tip of his icy nose, she added, “And my future is with you.” Almost unable to contain her excitement, she rattled off all the plans and dreams that had been spinning around in her head for days. “I want to go to school, and live with you, and make babies with you, and be a mechanical engineer, and teach our little ones to read, and marry you, and go on trips with you to the Amazon, and see every museum and art gallery in