No Reservations (31 page)

In the minutes after, when she'd sunk onto the pil ows beside him, both breathing hard, Leah turned to rest her head on Brandon's shoulder. She put her palm on his chest, feeling his heartbeat slow. He turned to kiss the top of her head.

'I love you, Brandon.' 'I love you too.'

Leah tipped her face to look at him. 'And I intend to marry you. I said I would.' He said nothing. Leah sat up to look down at him. She kissed his mouth. Are you worried?'

He swal owed and shifted in the sheets. 'No.'

If he'd ever lied to her, Leah didn't know about it. She wasn't offended, now. If Brandon had doubts, she couldn't blame him, what with running away to Vegas and al that -

she'd told him over and over since then that she was more than ready to marry him. But maybe she hadn't done enough.

'Look at me,' she said.

He did.

'I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be Mrs Brandon Long.' His mouth tipped at the corners. 'I thought you didn't want to change your name.'

'Would it make you happy if I did?'

He got up on one elbow to look at her. 'Only if you wanted to.'

She smiled and kissed him. i want to marry you, Brandon. With the cake, the dress, the Chicken Dance at the reception. Everything.'

'The Chicken Dance? Are you sure?'

The Chicken Dance was probably the last thing in the world she wanted to do at her wedding reception, but Leah nodded anyway. Al of it. I promise you. And I'm so, so sorry if anything I've ever done or said made you think otherwise.' He stroked a hand over her hair. 'You didn't. Leah raised a brow.

Are you sure?'

He laughed, low. 'I want you to be sure, that's al . I want to know that when you get up there with me that it's with . . .'

'No reservations,' Leah said with a laugh, thinking of the trip to Las Vegas and everything that had happened since then, i promise you, it's true.

'We don't have to have the Chicken Dance,' Brandon said. Oh, thank God.'

They laughed together and snuggled close. Brandon fel asleep first, and Leah looked at him for a while. She'd have to make sure not to take him for granted again. Not ever.