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  "I was," he admitted. "I knew you still felt a spark of desire for me."

  "A spark?" she laughed. "It was a forest fire!"

  "I didn't know that," Judd reminded her. "I was simply desperate to try anything that would reestablish what we once had. Later I could persuade you to marry me."

  "But when you found out about Tadd…" Valerie began.

  "Yes, I had the weapon," he nodded. "I knew that for his sake I could persuade you to marry me. That's when I realized that if you married me without loving me, the hell of the last seven years would be nothing compared to what the future would hold. I had to find out first whether you felt more than sexual attraction for me."

  "Have I convinced you?" She gazed into his face, her eyes brimming with boundless love.

  His mouth dented at the corners. "I'll be convinced when you stand in front of a minister with me and say, 'I do.' And if I can arrange it, that day will come tomorrow."

  "The sooner the better," Valerie agreed, and couldn't resist murmuring the title, "Mrs. Judd Prescott…Valerie Prescott. It sounds beautiful, but I'm not sure it's me."

  "You'd better get used to it," he warned. "Because it's going to be your name for the rest of your life."

  "Are you very sure that's what you want?" Just for an instant, she let herself doubt it.

  "Yes." Judd kissed her hard in punishment. "As sure as I am that our next child is going to be born on the right side of the blanket."

  "What about Tadd?" Valerie began.

  Only to be interrupted by Clara ordering, "Tadd! Come back here this minute!" from inside the house.

  A pair of stampeding feet raced to the screen door and pushed it open as Tadd came rushing out, staring wide-eyed at the embracing pair. "Clara said we might not be leaving after all!" he declared. "Is it true, mom? Are we going to stay?"

  "Yes," Valerie admitted, making no effort to move out of Judd's arms, not that he would have permitted it.

  "Till summer's over?" he questioned further.

  "No, you're going to live here," Judd answered him this time.

  Clara came hustling to the door, scolding, "Tadd, I thought I told you not to come out here until I said you could." Her shrewd blue eyes glanced apologetically at Valerie. "He bolted out of the kitchen before I could stop him."

  "It's all right," Valerie assured her, smiling into the twinkling eyes.

  "Does that mean I can have a puppy?" Tadd breathed in excited anticipation.

  "You not only can have a puppy, you're also going to have a father," Judd told him. "I'm going to marry your mother. Is that all right with you?"

  "Sure." Tadd gave his permission and switched the subject back to a matter of more urgent interest. "When can I have my puppy?"

  "In another couple of weeks," Judd promised. "As soon as it's old enough to leave its mother."

  "That long?" Tadd grimaced in disappointment.

  "It's better than seven years," Judd murmured to Valerie as his arm curved more tightly around her waist.

  "It will go by fast, Tadd," Valerie told him. "In the meantime, you can choose the one you want and play with it so it will get to know you."

  "Can I go over now? I know which one I want," he said eagerly.

  A wicked light began to dance in Judd's green eyes. "Clara might be persuaded to take you," he suggested. "While you're playing with the puppies, she could be helping my mother make arrangements for the wedding reception tomorrow."

  "And leave you here alone with Valerie?" Clara scoffed at the very idea of it. "As virile as you are, Judd Prescott, there'd be a baby born eight months and twenty-nine days after the wedding!"

  Judd chuckled and Valerie felt her cheeks grow warm at the thought. He glanced down at her, his gaze soft and loving.

  "She's right," he said. "After seven years, I can wait one more night. Because it's the last night we're ever going to be apart. I promise you that, Valerie." Unmindful of the small boy and the older woman looking on, his dark head bent to meet the toffee gold of Valerie's.

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