She opened the door and a twentyish man with short brown hair handed her a large plate with a silver lid. She thanked him and set the plate on her bed while she relocked the door. Turning to face the plate, she stared at it as if it were the enemy. Maybe this could be the day she turned over a new leaf. If she could resist this piece of chocolate pecan pie, it would show she had willpower. She could change to a healthy diet and exercise every day. And these goals would just be the start...
From this day on, I’m a new person. I’ll get a new job. I’ll start exercising and stick with it. I’ll only eat organic food. I’ll read a non-fiction book every month. I’ll floss my teeth every night. And some day, when I run into Finn Anderson again, he’ll wish he hadn’t turned me down.
Without looking under the lid, she shoved the entire plate on the floor under her bed. Pulling her covers back, she climbed onto the crisp sheets and pulled the blanket up to her neck.
A knock sounded on her door. The room service man’s voice again. “Ma’am?” Another knock. “Ma’am.”
“What do you need now?” she called, refusing to get out of her bed.
“Have you eaten your pie yet?”
“No. I’m saving it for tomorrow,” she snapped. “Thank you. Good night.”
Another set of knocks. “Ma’am? If you wouldn’t mind eating it now, I need to take the plate back.”
Frustrated, Laurie threw back the covers and crawled out of bed. She snatched the pie from the floor and stepped over to her tiny trashcan. Before she could change her mind, she lifted the silver lid and dumped the pie into the trash.
Only it wasn’t a piece of pie… it was a pile of diamonds.
The plate slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor. She didn’t even realize she was screaming until loud knocking and excited shouts broke through her consciousness.
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Open the door.” Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. “Open the door.”
With trembling fingers she opened the lock, wondering if she would be accused of stealing the diamonds. Strong arms wrapped around her, stroking her hair.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wanted it to be a fun surprise.”
Somehow, Finn was there, holding her in his arms. Laurie knew she was in a dream. But it was a nice dream, so she didn’t want to wake up. She kept her eyes closed and let herself enjoy the sensation. Never mind that it wasn’t real. Her dream even smelled like Finn—his heady, intoxicating scent. She burrowed against him, humming in her sleep.
“Laurie? Are you okay?”
The arms released her and hands seemed to cup her face, lifting her chin. Her mind was trying to wake up, but she resisted, squeezing her eyes tighter.
“Laurie? Say something.”
Warm lips brushed her eyelids. It felt so real, her eyes popped open.
“Finn? Is that really you?”
His mouth curled into his classic lazy grin. It was Finn, in the flesh. And he was on a train, filled with more germs than you can imagine.
She pushed away from him. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you wearing a mask?
His grin widened, dimples deepening. The pupils dilated in his crystal blue eyes.
“Because… if I’m wearing a mask, I can’t do this…”
His hands rose to tangle in her hair. His head dipped toward her, his mouth kissing a lazy trail from the top of her forehead, down the side of her face and under the edge of her jaw, setting off a chain of goosebumps that reached all the way to her toes. Playful lips slid over to tease the corner of her mouth. She held her breath as he edged his way to the center of her lips, brushing lightly over the sensitive skin.
Then it was as if he couldn’t hold himself back. His lips took possession of her mouth—demanding, claiming her. Eyes closed, she was back in her dream—weightless, floating through the air, with only his arms to keep her bound to the earth. The galaxy flashed inside her eyes, eclipsing all her senses. Nothing existed but Finn and his kiss.
When she looked up, she saw love written in his gaze, and it brought tears to the surface.
Is it real? Or am I seeing what I want to see?
“Please, don’t cry,” he begged, kissing the tears from her eyes, cinching his arms around her like a prison. “I should’ve told you I loved you, but I was afraid. Tell me I’m not too late. Tell me you still love me. Tell me you still want me.”
“I tried all day to drive you out of my system. It hurt so bad.” She took a shuddery breath. “I’m sorry, Finn. I don’t think I can handle any more pain.”
He covered her face with kisses. “Tell me you love me, and I’ll promise never to do that again. I’ll buy you new diamonds every day, so you’ll know I love you. You’ll never doubt me again.”
“I don’t want diamonds,” she whispered, nothing but air in her voice. “I never wanted anything from you, but you.”
“You have me,” he said, his eyes shimmering with tears. “I’m yours, if you want me. I’m nothing, if you don’t. Please say you’ll marry me. I can’t guarantee many years, but I’ll give you every last second of my life.”
“I can’t believe it’s real.” She tasted her tears in the back of her throat. “I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and this’ll all be a dream.”
“It is a dream,” he said, dropping to one knee and stretching out his hand, a small black box open on his palm, a gargantuan diamond ring tucked in the velvet folds.
“Cripes! Is that the one? The Avanza? From last night?”
“It is!” His smile split his face. “And the others are in the trash, I think.”
Her heart wrenched in her chest. “But you didn’t need to spend that kind of money on me! I don’t need that. All I want is you.”
“I used to think I would never share my life with someone. That it would be negligent for me to marry.” His mouth flattened into a determined line. “Jerome told me, if you love someone you have to show them what they’re worth. This ring is my way of telling you you’re the most precious thing on this earth. That I want to be with you, even though I won’t have a long life. That it would be irresponsible of me not to marry you.”
“Jerome told you that?” A light wind would’ve knocked her to the ground.
