Page 68 of Richard

I love him.” Her smile brightened. “And I have been asking the Lord to give him a few more years so that I could show him how much I really love him.” She laughed softly.

“He tells me like it is. He does not coddle me one bit, and we have arguments which usually end up with us going to bed.” Tears clouded her eyes. “I have been given a second chance. It still hurts that I am never going to have a child, but I have Lenny, and that’s enough. Do you believe me?”

Collette smiled at her sister. She recalled years, months gone by when she could not bear to be in the same room with her. Now, her life was filled to capacity with a man who adored her and was not afraid to show it. She could forgive anything.

“Of course, and I am happy for you. Is he going to marry you?”

“We are waiting for a little bit, but yes. I am so happy, Collette, and I never thought I would be.”

“Neither did I.”

*****

She dismissed the housekeeper as soon as she reached the loft. The euphoria she felt after receiving the long-awaited and anticipated news followed her through the day.

She had gone back to the agency and had scarcely been able to concentrate on the accounts. She now exclusively handled all her husband’s accounts, much to Babs’ delight. She had also told him firmly that she would not accept any handouts.

“I don’t want you to be handing me the job just because I am your wife.”

He had taken offense to that and reminded her that he was a shrewd businessman.

“I wouldn’t be handing you the job if I knew you were not competent enough.”

And she believed him. He had been true to his word. When it came to business, he dealt with her like any other employee. They had had some clashes over the ideas she had put forward, but nothing ever interfered with their relationship.

They left work at the front door and became husband and wife when they were home. She loved that about him. Her husband was incredibly busy and awfully good at what he does, but he always finds time for her. One Friday he had come home and suggested that they fly out to New York to take in a play that a friend of his had produced.

Afterward they had dinner at Balthazar and then spent the night at a hotel he had shared in.

Flying upstairs, she took a leisurely soak in the tub before donning a new emerald green robe that left nothing to the imagination. Brushing her hair until it shone, she left it loose around her shoulders and went downstairs to prepare the shrimp salad.

A bottle of non-alcoholic wine was resting in a bucket of ice. She had grabbed some flowers, gardenias and baby’s breath from a florist on the way home and put them in a vase that was in thecenter of the table.

He had called earlier to say that he was on his way home.

Stepping back, she pressed a hand over her flat stomach and she studied her effort critically. She did not get the opportunity to cook for her husband and felt a thrill in doing so now.

Her heart leaped into her throat when she heard the doors swinging open. Deciding to stay where she was, she turned to face the open doorway and waited for him to come to her.

“Ah, here you–”his voice trailed off into silence as he caught sight of her. She was standing in front of the warm glow of the fire in the hearth, and the thin material she had on revealed the outline of her body.

Richard felt his knees going weak and the blood rushing and settling in one area of his body. He had removed his tie, which was a good thing because he felt as if the air was being cut off from his throat.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

“I might.” He had to clear the huskiness from his throat. “What’s this?” He gestured toward the table, giving himself time to recover.

“I made dinner.”

“Is Ms. Hall ill?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I wanted to cook for my husband, anything wrong with that?”

“No. Do I have time to go and take a quick shower?”

“Barely.”

He stood there for a few seconds as if not knowing what to do next before turning around and bounding up the stairs.

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