"Anywhere Morgan Enterprises needed me, and I ensured I was always neededsomewhere."
A sigh came out of her lips."So you stopped runningthisyear."
“My father died. His funeral was the best day of my life, though Victoria returning might have been your worst.” He reached behind her and took the wine bottle back from where she hadplacedit.
“I was fine.” She crossed her arms fast. “I’m happy your familyreunited.”
His eyebrows arched. "I'm pouring us wine so we can sit here and waitforthemoon."
She dropped her hands back to her side. "And you're changing thetopic."
He uncorked the bottle. "No, here, with you, my heart isn't racinganymore."
He handed her a glass and then poured some for her. "Thankyou."
He fixed his own drink and then clinked his glass with hers. "I should bethankingyou."
She sipped her drink, but her gaze stayedon him. "You were running from your life. I was going to say I avoided my life too. I knew after I left the Marines I was supposed to do something with my life. Dad and my stepmom loved Colt and told me to marry him. So I broke down and thought they must be right. But I couldn't pack my bags. I knew that life on his farm wasn't the life Iwanted."
He sipped his glass. Calmness now radiatedout of him. "What doyouwant?"
She shrugged. "I wish I knew. That has always been my issue. I can make up a long list of things I don't want to do, but what I want to do is a different question. Living on a farm never sat right inmygut."
Belle scared herself from living. Something held her still. He sipped his drink and pressed his case. "Forget work. If there was one thing you'vealways wanted but never done, whatisit?"
She shook her head. "Are you seeking to fulfill my wish and avoid yourmother?"
A smile broke out on his face. She read that right. "Possibly, but answer thequestion."
"So many things are racing in my mind." She massaged one of her temples as if she could stop her thoughts. "Unlike yours, my mother cannot come back fromthedead."
"True." He sipped his drink. "So pick somethingpossible."
She then followed suit and sipped hers. Then she leaned closer to him, and he could smell her again. "I can't. Three keep circling, and no, you cannot fulfill these today. One is that I've always wanted to go to Paris with a man I love. I don't know what it is, maybe all those movies I've seen with the Eiffel Tower, but Iwant to go there with whoever my future husbandwillbe.”
“Wecan…”
“Let me finish. Two is that I do want to get married, but I want to do it because I feel the need to shout 'yes' in my heart and not because it's expected of me. Finally, three is that I want to travel by donkey up amountain."
He blinked. "Adonkey?"
She gulped her glass. "I didn't want to be cheesyand say I want a family. I feel like I'm asking for the moon and stars while wishing and dreaming never getyoumuch."
His entire face grew hot, and he stared out at the moon that grew higher in the sky. "I'm not the guy foryouthen."
"Don't worry about it. I told you it was all nonsense." She covered her lips and shook her head as she stared at him. "The second I said marriageor family, did yourheartrace?"
His collar grew tight, but he leaned closer to her. "Yeah, I guessitdid."
"Then I'll stick to the donkey answer." She sat straight in her seat. "Donkey's aren'tscary."
"Slightly smelly though." He licked his lips. "Belle, you're someone who makes me feel good about myself. I like the man I amwithyou."
"But?" She satstraighter.
He licked his lips. She truly was beautiful. "Why is thereabut?"
She gripped her seat. "There is alwaysa‘but.’"
