Gateway to Heaven (27 page)

“
You didn’t?”

Christian shook his head. He had an unsettled expression on his face, as if he were puzzling something out for himself for the first time.

“
Cecilia was running a very successful business even when I first met her. She was a clothing designer. She was beautiful, stylish, smart…incredibly confident. I think it was her confidence that drew me to her so much, initially.”

Megan listened with a sinking heart. No wonder he said that he felt differently about Cecilia and herself. They were obviously very different women.

“
But …even though she seemed strong, even bold, on the outside, I know now that she wasn’t. Not really.”

He hesitated.

“
Don’t say anymore, Christian. It’s none of my business.”

He touched her arm gently. “It’s okay. I was just going to say that Cecilia seemed strong on the outside, but on the inside, she was as fragile as glass.” He must have noticed when her lips parted to speak; he must have guessed what she would say. “I’m not just talking about her being fragile because she was sick, Megan.”

She stilled when she heard the quiet conviction of his words.

He leaned in closer to her. “I was just thinking…it’s funny. Cecilia was so confident and brash, and yet, her real self was brittle and fragile. And you…”

Megan stopped breathing when she saw the vague confusion on his handsome face clear.

“
You seem so delicate and unsure. But on the inside…your courage and your strength are a little frightening, they’re so vast.”

“
That’s not true,” she protested, embarrassed but warmed by his praise.

“
You’re entitled to your opinion, of course,” he said with a knowing grin that told her what he thought of that opinion. He pressed his mouth against her neck. “Did I answer your question adequately?” he wondered in between nibbling kisses.

“
Um, what question?”

“
The one about whether or not I was still in love with Cecilia.”

“
Oh. Yes, you answered it,” she replied breathlessly. He trailed kisses down her arm and began to lick the inside of her elbow.

“
Did I ever tell you that I have a real lech for your arms?”

“
No, not that I recall,” she murmured in amusement. She sighed in pleasure as he continued to kiss her.

“
I do. Your skin is so beautiful, and your arms are slim, but the muscle is…succulent.” He showed her what he meant by gently biting her biceps.

“
Did I ever tell you that I fell so crazily in love with you the first time that I saw you that I’m still surprised I didn’t fall right on my ass?” he continued in such a lazy manner Megan thought sure she’d misunderstood him. She froze.

He glanced up to meet her gaze pointedly.

“
I just thought you might want to know,” he said as he slid up to kiss her on the mouth. “So that you wouldn’t go around making up comparisons in your mind, when really, there aren’t any that are remotely close to you, honey.”

Epilogue

The shrug Christian gave his sister was meant to communicate that the decision was completely out of his hands.

“
Don’t look at me, Katie. It’s Megan’s sculpture. She can do whatever she wants with it.”

Katie’s mouth was still opened with disbelief. “But it’s worth thousands of dollars, Megan. What if someone here at your showing wants to buy it?” Katie contested hotly.

Megan smiled, secretly pleased by Katie’s reaction to the fact that she’d just announced that she was giving her and Steve the sculpture she’d created from memory, the one that was based on her sketch of Nicholas sleeping in Katie’s arms. Christian, Megan, her sister Hilary, Katie, Steve, Tina, Seth, Sarah, Caroline, Mary, and James Lasher were currently standing before the sculpture in question. The cocktail party that Randy Rosenfeld had thrown to mark the opening of Megan’s exhibit was winding down to a close.

“
I never meant to sell it, Katie. It’s meant to be a piece that will stay in the family.” When she saw that Katie wasn’t convinced, she added, “Think of it as a wedding present.”

That got Katie laughing incredulously. “Megan, you and Christian are the ones that just got married. Steve and I are supposed to be giving
you
some kind of lavish present, not the other way around. Which we will be doing, by the way, very soon. You didn’t give us a chance by eloping in Fiji that way,” Katie scolded to cover her discomfort.

Megan smiled into Christian’s eyes when she felt him put his arm around her. For a brief second, she lost herself as she looked up at him. She knew that he was remembering their solemn wedding vows taken next to an ocean so blue, it nearly equaled the color of the gaze that ensnared her right now. Her wedding day would always be as near to her as Christian’s eyes were. Her husband squeezed her shoulder, and she knew he’d been experiencing the exact same memory as her.

“
I’ve known Megan ever since she was born, Katie, and I can tell you one thing for certain. She doesn’t show it very often, but she’s got a stubborn streak that goes miles deep,” Hilary said as she turned to Katie. Even though the two women hadn’t been friends in high school, over the past few months they’d begun to forge a friendship through their association with Christian and Megan. The fact that they were peers together all through elementary and high school only seemed to solidify their comfort with each other. “In other words, I hope you enjoy your new sculpture,” Hilary finished with a rueful laugh.

“
Imagine that. Megan has a stubborn streak,” Christian murmured lazily into Megan’s ear. She threw him a repressive glance that he completely ignored, kissing her soundly on the mouth.

Later that evening they returned to Christian’s loft, where they’d been officially living together since they’d gotten married. Megan had traveled with Christian on several occasions when he had work to do in Los Angeles. It surprised Megan a little that she felt at home in both places. They were still “in talks” as to where they wanted to set up permanent residence, but Megan didn’t fret over it. She knew she’d feel at home no matter where they were, as long as she and Christian were together.

Christian grasped one of her curls and rubbed it between his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I’m sorry you’re mother didn’t come to the opening, honey.”

“
It’s okay.” She saw doubt written clearly on his features. “Really, Christian. It is.”

He sighed and let go of her hair regretfully. “I believe you. I guess it’s just me who gets annoyed at your mom for not noticing what a courageous, gifted, gorgeous daughter she has. I’m sorry that she insists on seeing you in any other way than what you really are.”

Megan caressed his jaw. Her love for him swelled inside her breast. Sometimes she wondered if she’d burst with it if it kept growing at this rate. “I’m very grateful that my husband sees me in those ways.”

Christian gave a lopsided grin.

“
In those ways…and so many more,” he said against her lips before he lowered his head and kissed her with the same boundless passion he’d awakened in his wife.

####

Beth Kery loves romance, and the more emotionally laden and sexy the romance the better.
She is a national bestselling author of over thirty books and short stories, most of which are available in both print and ebook format. She also writes under the pen name Bethany Kane. You can find out more about Beth and her books at
her website
. She also enjoys hearing from readers. Contact her at BethKery AT AOL.COM.