Megan's Mate

  Nathaniel reached inside his jacket and drew out a sheaf of papers. “You might have a hard time read­ing them in this light.”

  “What's this?” Amused, she took them- “More receipts?”

  “Nope. It's a life insurance policy.”

  “A— For heaven's sake. You shouldn't be carrying this around. You need to put it in a safe-deposit box, or a safe. Fireproof.”

  “Shut up.” His nerves were beginning to stretch, so he stood, then paced to the edge of the cliff and back. “There's a hospitalization policy, too, my mortgage, a couple of bonds. And a damn Keogh.”

  “A Keogh.” Megan held the papers as if they were diamonds. “You filled out the form.”

  “I can be practical, if that's what it takes. You want security, I'll give you security. There are plenty of fig­ures there for you to tally.”

  She pressed her lips together. “You did this for me.”

  “I'd do anything for you. You'd rather I invest in municipal bonds than slay dragons? Fine.”

  She stared at him as he stood with the sea and sky at his back, his feet braced as if he were riding the deck of a ship, his eyes lit with a power that defeated the dark. And with bruises fading on his face.

  “You faced your dragon years ago, Nathaniel.” To keep her hands occupied, she smoothed the papers. “I've had trouble facing my own.” Rising, she walked to him, slipped the papers back into his pocket. “Aunt Colleen cornered me today. She said a lot of things, how I was too smart to take risks. How I'd never make the mistake of letting a man be too important. That I'd be better off alone than giving someone my trust, my heart. It upset me, and it frightened me. It took me a while to realize that's just what she'd meant to do. She was daring me to face myself.”

  “Have you?”

  “It's not easy for me. I didn't like everything I saw, Nathaniel. All these years I've convinced myself that I was strong and self-reliant. But I'd let someone so unimportant shadow my life, and Kevin's. I thought I was protecting my son, and myself.”

  “You did a hell of a good job, from where I'm standing.”

  “Too good, in some ways. I closed myself off be­cause it was safer. Then there was you.” She reached up to lay a hand on his cheek. “I've been so afraid of what I feel for you. But that's over. I love you, Na­thaniel. It doesn't matter if it was magic or fate, co­incidence or sheer luck. I'm just glad I found you.”

  She lifted her face to his, reveled in the freedom of the kiss, the scent of the sea, the promise of his arms.

  “I don't need retirement plans and insurance poli­cies, Nathaniel,” she murmured. “Not that you don't. It's very important that you... Stop laughing.”

  “I'm crazy about you.” Still laughing, Nathaniel scooped her off her feet and swung her in dizzying circles.

  “Crazy period.” She struggled to catch her breath and clung to him. “We're going to fall off the cliff.”

  “Not tonight we're not. Nothing can happen to us tonight. Can't you feel it? We're the magic now.” He set her on her feet again and held her close, so that even the air couldn't come between them. “I love you, Meg, but damned if I'm going to get down on one knee.”

  She went very still. “Nathaniel, I don't think—”

  “Good. Don't think. Just listen. I've sailed around the world more than once, and seen in a decade more than most people see in their lifetimes. But I had to come home to find you. Don't say anything,” he murmured. “Sit.”

  He led her back to the rock and sat with her. “I have something more for you than paperwork. That was just to smooth the path. Take a look at it,” he said as he drew a box from his pocket. “Then tell me it wasn't meant.”

  With trembling fingers, she opened the box. With a sound of wonder, she lifted her eyes to his. “It's a pearl,” she whispered.

  “I was going to go for the traditional diamond. Seemed like the right thing. But when I saw this, I knew.” He took it out of the box. “Coincidence?”

  “I don't know. When did you buy this?”

  “Last week. I thought about walking here with you, that first time. The moon and the stars.” He studied the ring, the single glowing pearl surrounded by small, bright diamonds. “The moon and the stars,” he said again, taking her hands. “That's what I want to give you, Megan.”

  “Nathaniel.” She tried to tell herself it was too fast, too foolish, but the thought wouldn't lodge. “It's lovely.”

  “It's meant.” He touched his lips to hers. “Just as we're meant. Marry me, Megan. Start a life with me. Let me be Kevin's father and make more children with you. Let me grow old loving you.”

  She couldn't find the logic, or think of all the rea­sons they should wait. So she answered with her heart.

  “Yes. Yes to everything.” Laughing, she threw her arms around him. “Oh, Nathaniel. Yes, yes, yes...”

  He squeezed his eyes tight on relief and joy. “You sure you don't want to qualify that?”

  “I'm sure. I'm so sure.” Drawing back, she held out her left hand. “Please. I want the moon and the stars. I want you.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger. “You've got me, sugar.”

  When he drew her close again, he thought he heard the air sigh, like a woman.

  Epilogue

  “Mom! We're here!”

  Megan glanced up from her desk just as Kevin flew in the office door. She lifted her brow at the suit jacket and tie he wore.

  “My, my, don't you look handsome!”

  “You said I had to dress up 'cause it's Aunt Col­leen's birthday dinner. I guess it's okay.” He stretched his neck. “Dad showed me how to tie the tie by my­self.”

  “And you did a fine job.” She restrained herself from smoothing and straightening the knot. “How was the tour business today?”

  “It was great. Calm seas and a freshening breeze. We sighted the first whale off the port bow.”

  “Oh, I love that nautical talk.” She kissed his nose.

  “If I didn't have to go to school, I could work with Dad and Holt every day, and not just on Saturday.”

  “And if you didn't go to school, you'd never know much more than you do today. Saturdays will have to do.” She gave his hair a tug. “Mate.”

  He'd expected as much. And, really, he didn't mind school. After all, he was a whole year in front of Alex. He grinned at his mother. “Everybody's here. When are the new babies coming?”

  “Mmm...” With the Calhoun sisters in varying stages of pregnancy, it was an interesting question. “I'd say on and off starting next month and through the New Year.”

  He ran a fingertip over the corner of her desk. “Who do you think's going to be first? C.C. or Suzanna?”

  “Why?” She glanced up from the ledger, and her eyes narrowed. “Kevin, you are not betting on who has the next baby.”

  “But, Mom-”

  “No betting,” she repeated, and smothered a laugh. “Give me just a minute to finish up here, and I'll be along.”

  “Hurry up.” Kevin was bouncing. “The party's al­ready started.”

  “All right, I'll just—” Just nothing, she thought, and closed the ledger with a snap. “Office hours are over. Let's go party.”

  “All right!” Grabbing her hand, Kevin hauled her out of the room. “Alex said Dutch made this really big cake and it's going to have about a hundred candles on it.”

  “Not quite a hundred,” Megan said with a laugh. When they neared the family wing, she glanced toward the ceiling. “Honey, I'd better check upstairs first.”

  “Looking for someone?” Nathaniel came down the steps. There was a twinkle in his eye and a tiny pink bundle in his arms.

  “I should have known you'd wake her up.”

  “She was awake. Weren't you, sugar?” He bent his head to kiss his daughter's cheek. “She was asking for me.”

  “Really.”

  “She can't talk yet,” Kevin informed his father. “She's only six weeks old.”

  “She's very advanced for h
er age. Smart, like her mama.”

  “Smart enough to know a sucker when she sees one.” They made such a picture, she thought, the big man with a boy at his side and a baby in his arms. Her picture, she thought, and smiled. “Come here, Luna.”

  “She wants to go the party, too,” Kevin declared, reaching up to stroke a finger over his sister's cheek.

  “Sure she does. That's what she told me.”

  “Oh, Dad.”

  Grinning, Nathaniel ruffled Kevin's hair. “I could eat a pod of whales, mate. How about you?”

  “Aye, aye.” Kevin made a dash for the parlor. “Come on, come on, everybody's waiting.”

  “I've got to do this first.” Nathaniel leaned over his daughter to kiss Megan.

  “Jeez.” With a roll of his eyes, Kevin headed for the noise, and the real fun.

  “You're looking awfully pleased with yourself,” Megan murmured.

  “Why shouldn't I? I've got a beautiful wife, a ter­rific son, an incredible daughter.” He ran his knuck­les over Megan's pearl choker. “What else could I ask for? How about you?”

  Megan lifted her hand to pull his mouth back to hers. “I've got the moon and the stars.”