The Bride of the Delta Queen Read online

  "I suppose so," she conceded.

  "As far as my reaction to Leslie's name was concerned, I didn't like the idea that Julia was involving you in her little game of make-believe. At first I thought you knew it was only a game and were going along with it. When I realized you didn't, I knew eventually you would find it out and I kept imagining what your reaction would be. Julia is very fond of you, and I didn't want to see you hurt her with any biting comments about her sanity," he explained. "Julia accuses me of being overly protective. Perhaps she's right. All I know is that I was irritated because I couldn't protect her from your ultimate discovery."

  "But I don't think she's crazy for doing it," Selena protested.

  "That's what she told me this morning. She said you understood her reasons, but being the cynical skeptic you've often described me as, I had to find out for myself."

  "And that's why you brought me here," Selena concluded.

  "That's it." His eyes smiled.

  She struggled, trying to twist out of his arms. "Now that you have, you can let me go. I still have to go to the office and catch my flight." There was a catch in her voice, part of her desperate need to get away from him.

  The steel band of his arms tightened the trap, keeping her in his embrace, "There's one more thing."

  "What's that?" she breathed impatiently.

  "Julia also told me that you're in love with me. Is that right?" he asked calmly.

  Selena froze, a sickening sensation turning her stomach. "She had no right to tell you that," she choked.

  "Is it true?" Chance persisted.

  "Yes, it's true," she retorted, "but she had no business telling you."

  "How else would I have found out?" His voice was complacent and infuriatingly calm.

  "I have no idea!" Selena tried desperately to blink back the tears scalding her eyes.

  "I suppose the next step is for me to fly home with you to ask your father's permission to marry you, wouldn't you say?" Chance suggested in the same composed tone.

  "What?" Her head jerked up at his question, not believing she could have possibly heard correctly.

  Those dark eyes were laughing silently into hers. "I hope he isn't one of those fathers who believes in long engagements. I don't think I could stand up under the strain."

  Selena was still wary. "Chance, if this is your idea of a joke, I'm not going to find it very funny," she declared tightly.

  "It's no joke." He stopped smiling, gazing at her so intently that she was certain he could see into her soul. "I love you and I want you to be my wife."

  "Oh." The word slipped out as a bubble of happiness escaped.

  "That had better be 'yes,'" he warned.

  "It is!" Selena assured him, laughing and crying at the same time. "It most definitely is!"

  Her arms wound around his neck as his mouth sought her lips. "Can you imagine," Chance murmured against the pliant curve of her lips, "how we're going to explain to our children the way we met? With you a minister's daughter?"

  "It will be difficult," Selena laughed softly before he effectively silenced her, and not for the last time.

  | Go to Table of Contents |

  About this Title

  This eBook was created using ReaderWorks™ Publisher, produced by OverDrive, Inc.

  For more information on ReaderWorks, visit us on the Web at "www.readerworks.com"