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He brushed a piece of hair back froe on the ocean?”

A smile blossomed on her lips “I think it is very cozy and romantic”

He kissed her then, softly, tenderly, reaching in and touching her heart, like touching aher from the inside out

She sainst his lips “What about you? How do you feel about a five-bedroom historic mansion?”

He chuckled and she felt the vibration of it where his lips were touching the skin beside her uy who did the repairs has a fairly skilled hand It should hold up for a year or two” She kissed hi his face in her hands Then she stepped back and took his hands in hers

“Do you want to knohy I was going to sell it?” It was a question that needed no answer so she continued “I knew long ago that it is the sort of house that needs to be full of life Parties and friends” She twined her fingers with his “Husbands and wives and children” With a laugh she re session at Jess’s “Do you knohat someone said to me once when I wondered what I’d do with a house this size? They told me to marry you and fill it with babies”

“Do you want babies?” he asked

“I think I do” She nodded “Though not for a while Ifor a bit”

He pulled her close “I’d like babies, too But I kind of like your strategy Maybe we can practice while you plan your next garden party Say this fall? We can be sure to invite the minister”

His tone was light but when he finished speaking the gravity of it sank in It was a beautiful, wonderful thing

“Are you saying…” She let the sentence hang while her breath caught in her chest Could this really be happening?

He reached into his pocket and took out a small square box “Marry me,” he said “Just … marry me, Abby”

He opened the box and revealed theshe’d ever seen “Oh, Toer to the yellow gold band studded with diamonds She could tell from the look of it that it was an antique, and an expensive one “This is beautiful”

“If you say yes, I’ll put it on your finger”