Page 61 of Bride By Committee

A tender light appeared in his eyes and it gave her hope. “What is it, honey?”

“I love you.”

“It took you a long time to figure that out, didn’t it?”

“Far too long. Is it too late? For us, Imean?”

“How can you even ask me that?” His mouth closed over hers in a kiss of such passion she prayed it would never end. “I love you, Madison. Ifell in love with you after reading the first few words you wrote in your journal. And I fell even harder when we sat in a stuck elevator and I held you in my arms.”

“Despite the fact that I’d trashed your book?”

“Maybe because of it. Iknew that if you hadn’t read it, you couldn’t have been influenced by it. What you’d put in your journal had to have come from your heart and soul. Ialso knew that I wanted the woman who’d written those words because they echoed my own thoughts and dreams.”

“I have another confession to make,” she admitted.

“And what’s that?”

“I think I fell in love with you that first day on the elevator.”

It was so good to see the humor return to his eyes. “Love at first hearing?”

“At first hearing, at first touch. But most of all at first kindness and first kiss.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I believe in you, Harry. Ibelieve in your book and in your integrity and your love.”

He released a bone-deep sigh of sheer contentment. “Does that mean you’re not afraid to make a commitment, anymore?”

“Commitment?” She grinned. “Piffle. No problem at all. To quote a very intimidating man, ‘I want to start at once-upon-a-time with you and go straight through until we reach happily-ever-after.”’

“In that case…” He lifted her into his arms. “We’d better get started right away. Because I have a lot of once-upon-a-time to work through with you.”

She snuggled close. “Then I suggest a brief detour to the dining room. Ihave more leaves to pluck.”

“Palm fronds, my love. Palm fronds.”

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