Chapter Thirty-One
Dan had never felt so nervous as he stepped inside Anna’s room. Appearing on stage, auditions, live interviews . . . all of them paled into insignificance as he prepared for the greatest performance of his life.
Trying to persuade Anna they had a future.
‘Would you like a drink?’ Anna gave him a hesitant smile, and it tore at him. How different to the warm smiles she’d given him before he’d got that damn film role. Funny, Natalie would have been over the moon. It was what she’d wanted from him.
He wished he knew what, if anything, Anna wanted. Right now it looked to be ending things with him as painlessly as possible.
‘I could murder a whisky, if there’s a minibar.’ He gave her a small smile. ‘First time in twenty years I’ve been sober as a judge on Christmas Day.’ And feeling the strained atmosphere in the room, he needed that whisky like he needed air.
While she fiddled around getting him the miniature and a glass, he went to sit on the armchair, his eyes straying to the bed. He wanted desperately to kiss her. To roll her onto that bed with him. Had the chance of that really gone?
‘Thanks.’ He took the glass from her, and died another few deaths as she perched gingerly on the end of the bed, looking ill at ease. ‘Last time we spoke, we got cut off.’ He took a sip of his drink and searched her face. ‘You said you wanted to cool things.’ His voice faltered over the words.
Anna closed her eyes, her shoulders falling as she exhaled. ‘I shouldn’t have said that on the phone. I’m sorry.’
‘But you meant it?’ His voice sounded hoarse, his fingers clutched at the glass as if it was a lifeline.
When her eyes finally met his, he saw the anguish in them.
‘It’s not what I want. Just what I think might be the least painful option.
The alternative, more miserable transatlantic phone calls, watching something that was so special start to limp along.
’ She let out a quiet sob. ‘To ultimately die out.’
That was it. Dan jumped to his feet. He’d had enough with giving her space. If she didn’t want him to touch her, she’d have to push him away.
‘Hey, please don’t cry.’ He joined her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her.
‘I’ll only be away four months. Do you really think what we have isn’t strong enough to cope with that?
Plus I’d hoped you and Maisie would come and visit in half-term.
Maybe bring Max, though Natalie’s promised she’ll come out with him if you don’t fancy that. ’
She buried her head against his chest. ‘But what happens afterwards?’
He smiled against her hair. ‘That depends.’
Slowly her head lifted, and he found himself staring into her glistening hazel eyes. ‘On what?’
‘On how much you might want to see an out-of-work actor?’ He smiled into her eyes, feeling the weight of the moment. This was where he laid himself open to her, and hoped to God she felt the same way. ‘An out-of-work actor who’s very much in love with you.’
Confusion gave way to surprise, and then he saw the moment it really dawned on her what he was saying. ‘You mean that?’
He took hold of her hand and laid it over his heart, knowing she could feel the heavy thump.
‘Your friend Faith told me to give her one good reason why she should open her hotel to me. I gave her three. I’m in love with you, I’m in love with your daughter.
’ He felt his heart give an extra thump against her hand.
‘And I hope one day we can be a real family.’ He cleared his throat, deciding now wasn’t the time for half measures.
Love was about being brave, taking the leap and hoping you found soft, forgiving ground.
‘To be absolutely clear, I hope one day I can persuade you to marry me.’
Those gorgeous eyes stared back at him, the emotions swirling inside them too many for him to read.
Time ticked by, and when she still didn’t say anything, he felt his carefully sewn together confidence start to crumble.
‘Say something, please.’ He squeezed the hand still resting on his chest and tried to smile.
‘Even if it’s shit, how do I get out of this one? ’
Finally her lips curved, and he felt a dart of hope. ‘Sorry, I’m just, well, stunned.’ Her hand curled around his, and the hope intensified. ‘Do you really mean it?’
‘Which part? About my being in love with you? That surely hasn’t come as that much of a surprise?
And God, nobody could spend time with Maisie and not fall in love with her.
’ He wondered if his face carried the same besotted expression as Anna’s did when he mentioned her daughter.
‘As for wanting to marry you, I’m a traditionalist. I could happily live with you both for as long as you’ll have me, but I want more.
I want the commitment.’ Keeping hold of her hand, he pressed it to his lips.
‘I married Natalie for the wrong reasons, because she was pregnant. I want to marry you for the right reasons. Some of them selfish — you make me a better man, no question. But mainly because I can’t think of a future without you in it. ’
* * *
Anna was swamped with emotion. The love burning from Dan’s eyes made it hard to think, but really she didn’t need to, because it was thinking that had got her into such a mess she’d nearly pushed this amazing man away. She only needed to feel.
So, with her heart overflowing, she eased her hand out of his and brought it to his face, resting it against his warm, lightly tanned skin. Already he dazzled like a movie star, his eyes even bluer now against the LA tan. Yet some weird trick of fate had led this handsome man to her school.
And now he was talking of love, of a future, together.
He coughed, those eyes skimming over her face. ‘You still haven’t said anything.’
She smiled, her heart flip-flopping at the vulnerability in his expression. ‘I said I was stunned.’
‘True.’ His gaze dropped briefly to her lips, and then back up to her face. ‘If I’m honest, I was hoping for more. I understand if this is all too much, too soon, but if you don’t think this could ever be what you want.’ He heaved in a shaky breath. ‘Now is the time to let me know. Please.’
It was the last word that did it for her.
What was she doing, teasing him, when he was putting his heart on the line for her?
Moving her face closer, she rested her forehead against his.
‘I love you, Daniel Ramsey,’ she breathed, smiling at his involuntary jolt of surprise.
‘I fell in love far too quickly, which terrified me, so I tried to distance myself. I thought it would be easier in the long run.’
‘And now?’
‘Now.’ Her heart melted at the expression of wary hope on his beautiful face. ‘Now I’m not so scared.’
His lips found hers, gentle, tender. ‘There’s nothing at all to be scared about, Anna. I love you, and I’m not going anywhere.’ He smiled. ‘Except LA for four months.’
‘You didn’t really answer my question about what next.’ And though she believed he loved her, she still worried about how they could manage a relationship when he wasn’t always around.
‘Will you love me if nothing comes next? I mean, I will find work, but I’m not looking for more acting work.’
Considering what he’d told her about Natalie’s reason for divorcing him, it wasn’t hard for her to understand where his question was coming from. ‘I’m not in love with the actor. I’m in love with the man.’
She was treated to his wide, beaming, heart-in-his-eyes smile.
‘Thank God for that.’ He shuffled himself up the bed, indicating for her join him, and a few moments later they were lying side by side, her head nestled against his chest. ‘I took the film role because I wanted to prove to myself I could do it, but also because it paid crazy money.’ His hand smoothed up and down her back, as if he couldn’t bear not to touch her.
‘I’m hoping it will tide me over for the rest of the year, while Pete and I try and convince producers to take on my screenplay. And I start writing another one.’
She launched herself upright. ‘You’re really going to give it a go?’
He smirked. ‘A really smart, intelligent, sexy, though that’s not entirely relevant, woman once told me I had the ability to write an engaging story. Of course she was basing this insight on an extremely low budget school nativity play, but hey, she was pretty convincing.’
Now, finally, everything he’d told her started to come together. Him wanting to continue volunteering at the school. His insistence that he’d only be away four months. ‘Where are you planning on living, while you write these award-winning screenplays?’
He gave her a wicked smile. ‘I was kind of hoping I could spend the week crashing in this house I know. The owner has an odd taste in purple sofas, but the bed is really comfy, and as for the woman who comes with it. She’s second to none.’
Anna shifted so she was lying on top of him, looking straight into his dancing eyes. ‘She sounds amazing. Probably the sort generous enough to let you stay, if you’re prepared to work for your keep.’
He raised his hips suggestively. ‘Oh, I’m prepared to work really hard.’
She was finding it hard not to laugh. ‘And the weekends, I presume you’ll be in London?’
His expression turned serious. ‘I don’t want to lose Max all over again so yes, I’ll need to spend my weekends in London.’ He cupped her face. ‘But I’m hoping you and Maisie will come down. And that sometimes I can bring Max up to stay with us.’
‘He’s always welcome,’ she told him firmly. ‘Always.’
‘Good.’ His smile was pure happiness. ‘Then there’s just two more things to sort out before we go and track down Maisie.’
‘Oh?’
‘First the small matter of my future proposal. How long do you think I should leave it in order to guarantee an answer of yes?’
God, he was killing her with his adorableness. ‘The answer will be yes whenever you ask.’ She hesitated, and he smiled.
‘But you’d rather I waited a while. Let Maisie get used to the idea of us being together.’
The fact that he understood, without her saying, convinced her she’d been right all along.
He had no reason to doubt his ability to be a great dad, both to Max and to Maisie.
‘Thank you.’ She kissed him then, long and lingering, delighting in the way his body began to stir beneath her. ‘And the second thing?’
In a flash he shifted them so she was lying beneath him. ‘I need to make love to my nearly fiancée.’ His eyes burned into hers. ‘Let’s finish this Christmas Day in style.’
She laughed at his smug look. ‘That’s rather a bold statement.’
‘I’m an actor, darling.’ He trailed soft kisses over her face. ‘We do everything with style.’
She felt her body starting to melt. ‘And when you’re a writer of screenplays?’
He huffed out a laugh. ‘I guess you’ll have to wait and find out.’ His lips found hers and he started to nibble, and to tease. ‘But I can guarantee one thing.’
‘Yes?’ She was too far gone for anything more than a monologue.
‘You and I together will always . . .’ He kissed her deeper, his voice becoming rougher. ‘Always.’ His hips began to move sensuously against her.
‘Umm?’
‘Umm,’ he groaned, deep and sexy.
‘Together will always?’ she prompted again, luxuriating in the feel of him, but her interest now piqued.
‘Be great.’
She halted, staring up at him. ‘That’s it? The writer can only come up with great?’
‘Good God, Anna, I can’t be expected to come up with literary brilliance when I’ve got you writhing beneath me in a bed.’
And she started to laugh, and laugh, falling even deeper into love with him.
Until he very effectively silenced her.