Page 109 of Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness

It almost looked like preparations for a wedding, and a wedding reception.

“You wouldn’t?” she said again, staring at Merrill with accusation.

“Let me explain,” he said, trying to make his way to her through a crowd of guests who were attempting to ask him more questions.

That’s when she bolted from the room, almost knocking over Long John Gorilla, a keg of grog, and two palm trees.

That’s when she realized that Merrill Good had pulled off the ultimate interference in her life.

That’s when it was all over.

There were many ways for a man to sway a woman to his way of thinking, but the best way was . . .

Merrill had his work cut out for him in the damage control department.

Rushing after Delilah, he caught her heading toward the back of the house. She was in the hallway just off the kitchen when he pulled her into the butler’s pantry. Yeah, they had butlers in the days when this old mansion had been built.

She backed up to the window at the far end of the galley-like room. There were marble-top counters on both sides, one of which had a sink for washing the fine china and sterling flatware that would be stored there. The cabinets, top and bottom, were a dark cherry with an aged patina. “Leave me alone.”

“Not until I have a chance to explain.” He moved closer.

She put out a halting hand. “You interfered again!”

He ignored the halting hand, and reached out with his own right hand, cupping her cheek. “I did, for the best possible purpose.”

She bent her face away from his hand. “And that would be?”

“Because I love you.”

“Bullshit!” she exclaimed, and he could tell that she didn’t like that she’d let that foul word slip, but she was too proud to take it back.

“I do. I love you so much I can’t think straight.”

“Were you thinking straight when you planned a surprise wedding for me?”

“Probably not. But in my defense, I just started the process and it kind of got out of hand.”

She leaned left when he tried to kiss her neck.

When that didn’t work, he went directly for her mouth.

She ducked down and under his arm, heading for the door, which he’d fortunately locked behind him. He yanked her back and held her tight in his embrace until she stopped struggling.

“I love you, Delilah,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“You don’t even know me. You don’t know anything about why I was in prison.” She was speaking against his neck, and her breath felt warm and sexual.

But he couldn’t go there. Not yet. “What I discovered over the past twenty-four hours, after behaving like a cowardly jackass, is that love doesn’t set any barriers. It’s unconditional. It either is or it isn’t.” He had her pressed against the door, and his hands were cupped around her buttocks, rubbing softly against the silky fabric.

Instead of shoving him away, she sighed and arched her hips against him just at that spot which was showing the biggest sign of his affection at the moment.

He saw stars.

“You say that now, but what if . . .” she continued.

How was it that women could turn a guy’s brains to a testosterone blob and still carry on a conversation? “See, you’re looking for roadblocks, and I’m looking to take them down.” That didn’t sound so bad for a guy who was drowning in blob.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”