Unwrapping Her Perfect Match

Chapter Nineteen

John sat on the living room sofa twisting his wooly hat between his fingers. He hadn't been intimidated when he'd first met Gwen's dad in the Legends changing room last year. Back then, he'd just known the man as Tess's dad, not someone he had to worry about impressing-or disappointing.

But when the man had opened the door just now, John suddenly became a stammering fourteen-year-old. Worse, he'd remembered the first time Gwen had made him laugh, back when she'd joked that she called her dad Ewok.

Bloody hell, but he'd nearly slipped and called the man Ewok himself.

Agnes sat next to him, leaning into him, and he put his arm around her shoulder as he gave Liam and Tess a nervy grin.

"So," Liam said, kicking back all casual, "I hear félicitations are in order."

John stared at his skipper, racking his brain. He knew he knew that word; if only he could remember what it meant. The only word he could think of that was close was fellatio, but surely Liam wasn't ordering him some of that.

Fortunately, he had his mini interpreter, and her skills were swiftly improving. "Con-grad-u-lay-tions," Agnes said, going slowly over sounds that were unusual for her.

"Oh. Oh, right. Gwen must've told you. Listen, mate-"

Liam held up his hand. "It's all right. I'll start working on my surprised face."

John smiled a little. "Cheers. Appreciate it."

Gwen stepped into the room. "John?"

"Gwen!" He shoved to his feet so quickly that Agnes lost her balance. Gwen, so lovely with her hair tied back and confusion on her face. Confusion...and something else too. Something closed off and guarded. It was the same look she'd given him when he'd approached her at the auction and when she'd left in a rush later that week. It had disappeared over the last two days, but now it was back. His hope sank low in his belly. "Gwen, I-"

A movement caught his eye, making him suddenly very aware that his captain, his team sponsor, his daughter, and the parents of the woman he suspected he was falling in love with all watched him with keen interest.

Gwen cleared her throat. "Everyone out."

"Come with me, Agnes," Tess said, holding her hand out for the girl who already dwarfed her. "Judging by the scents from the kitchen, I'd say the mince pies are just about ready."

"Pie?" Agnes said, breaking out a big grin.

The crowd left the room, leaving him alone with Gwen. Her pretty brows slashed low across her eyes, and the corners of her lips were turned downward. "How's your head?"

"Please, Gwen, just forget my head for one second. I've got something I want to tell you, but I might not get it all out in exactly the right way. I have a problem with that. Talking, I mean. Saying the right thing at the right time. You might've noticed."

She very kindly didn't say anything.

He stepped toward her and took her hand, butterflies making a mess of his gut when she didn't pull away. She felt soft and warm, and she fit him here just as well as she did everywhere else. "Another thing you might've noticed-I'm not used to negotiating. In my job, I'm basically a battering ram trying to mow down any opposition. I don't have family nearby who I have to make compromises or sacrifices for. All of these things are new to me, but that doesn't mean I can't learn how to do them."

Her lips trembled, but she stayed silently looking up at him, her expression still unreadable-to him, anyway. Maybe someone with more practice at interpreting other people's emotions could've done it.

He squeezed her hand gently, just grateful she hadn't pulled back from him. "The first time you came to my house, you left in a rush and I didn't fight hard enough to convince you to stay. I didn't know you then, but I know you now. At least, I know enough that I'm not letting you walk away without telling you exactly how I feel."

Her throat flexed as she swallowed. He squeezed her hand. "Gwen, I'm not the kind of man who finds it easy to talk about feelings. But you said we've both felt that the last couple of days haven't been real, that they've been a break from reality. That's the biggest pile of bullshit I've ever heard."

Her lips pressed together so hard they nearly disappeared.

"This has been the most real two days of my life. And I know it's only been two days, but even before that-ever since I met you at the auction-I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. For the first time, I can actually see a future I'm excited about because there's a woman I'm excited to spend it with. You implied I don't know what your hopes and dreams are, and that I don't care enough about you to think about how those dreams fit with my plans. But that's not true. Here's what I know."

He lowered his head a little. "I know you're a gentle woman. I know your heart is the biggest thing about you. I know you're a healer who's been hurt. I know you love your family, and I strongly suspect you want a family of your own."

Tears shimmered in her eyes. He stepped closer, so close she had to tip her head back to hold onto his gaze. He cupped her cheek, stroking his thumb over her lips until she stopped clamping down and they softened. "Most of all, I know you're worth waiting for. Gwen, I'm not here to ask you for forever. I won't make you hasty promises or declare feelings that I'm not sure I feel yet. I panicked earlier when I felt you slipping away, and I thought you just needed a nudge in the right direction. I thought if I offered you all-or-nothing, you would overcome the doubts and hesitation that are holding you back.

"But you're absolutely right-and I suspect this won't be the last time I'm forced to admit it. I asked you to make some huge sacrifices, and I won't do that again. Right now, all I'm asking is that you stick with me for a while and see where this goes. Because you might've felt like none of this was real, but all I kept thinking was how brilliant it is that I've finally met you, and I want to spend every day getting to know you better."

Tears streamed down Gwen's face, but he had no idea how to interpret them. He gently swiped one away. "Sweetheart, are these happy tears or I-wish-this-guy-would-leave-me-the-fuck-alone tears?"

She gave a stuttering laugh, choking a few words out. "Happy tears. I really hope that wasn't the bruise talking because that was beautiful. I don't know what the future holds, John. I can't promise that I could give up my job and live that far from my family-"

He crushed her to him, burying his face in her hair. Taking comfort in her warm embrace. "I know, love. And I won't ask you to again. One day at a time. That's all I ask."

She pressed up and kissed him so sweetly he thought his chest might explode. Her hand crept up his belly, up his chest, until it curled around the nape of his neck and pulled him even closer. His own hands wandered south to slide over her bum.

"Mmm," she moaned against his lips. "I feel good with you."

"And I feel exactly right with you." He kissed her temple before reluctantly pulling away. "I owe you a better Christmas gift."

She squelched her desire to say Of course you don't. "Yeah, you do. I look forward to it."

"I also owe you a day of doing whatever you want. You bought me, remember?"

She smiled and slipped her fingers through his, giving his hand a squeeze. "Best five grand of Tess's money I've ever spent."

***

Dear Reader,

Want to find out what the future holds for John and Gwen? I wrote an epilogue! Go to the next screen to read it. :)