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He shook his head, hating having to ad Money had never seeh to keep a roof over his head and to be able to buy the hardware he needed for his research and development

"I went to Allen and asked him for a loan, one that would, hopefully, be an advance on profits When he asked why I needed the money, I told him I had fallen in love with you…and that I wanted to ask you to , but you could have put a dier and I would have loved you just as much"

"I know you don’t need fancy jewels, that you must have a hundred already, but that’s not why I wanted you to have it A diamond," he said softly as she splayed her hand across his chest, right over the heart that would always beat harder when she was near, "is nearly impossible to break, no aze to his "Just like us"

Chapter Twenty

For the next several hours, Mary and Jack went fro questions not only about why the Pocket Planner was the ift of the year but also about their ind roh of their human-interest story

Noin co the one

Mary told the journalists how she’d set eyes on Jack in Union Square at as supposed to be her final photo shoot and had instantly known she’d fall in love with him But what she didn’t say to anyone was how sure she’d become over the years that she would never find a hout the hours, Jack continued to hold on to her hand She wondered, did he realize how much he touched her as he spoke? Her face, her hair, his forehead pressed against hers as they laughed together He was so free with his affection, so unafraid of giving too much

She’d learned so iveness looked like

A faht about heron her daughter’s finger, at last Of course, Mary knew that her hter was ood man Such a solid ht She’d call hoood news And even if her ive, Mary told herself it would be enough just to know their engageed to hear

When the last journalist finally left the boardroom, Jack’s eyes arm as he smiled at her "We should probably es up another twenty journalists"

They gathered their coats, and she felt like a little girl again, trying to sneak out of her roo a nap

Mary was used to this kind of intense photo-and-interview schedule, but considering it was all new for Jack, she thought he’d held up re launch was the following day, and Mary kneould be even busier But Mary had no problem with hard work, especially when the ht them both before they could escape out the side door "You tere marvelous today I’ rather pleased that your engagerin

Earlier that h every part of her But not anymore Not now that she finally believed that the love she and Jack shared was real

"I’d love to take both of you out to dinner, if you’re not too tired from the interviews," Allen offered

Mary appreciated the offer, but after giving a long day to the caht before they started all over again to with the launch-day festivities Because while they’dat him, she very much wanted to show hi his love…and that she never would again

"Thanks for the invitation, Allen," Jack said, "but I’ to take Mary hoain for getting behind the Pocket Planner in such a ht and early at the launch"

Even though Mary was easily strong enough to keep fro swept away by a powerful , his large hand on the small of her back

He hailed a cab outside the corporate offices and when he slid in beside her, she couldn’t wait another second to do what she’d been longing to do since theher hands on his gorgeously scruffy jaw, she brought his face down to hers and kissed him Despite the cold, his lips arm and more delicious every tiainst his lips between kisses, and he whispered theh She wanted to be as close as she could to Jack She wanted to strip off his clothes and then her own and wrap herself all around hio

They paid the taxi and then kissed their way up her front steps, navigating by feel alone Somehow she was able to find her key in her purse, without breaking apart from him, and open the door