Julie Garwood - Mercy

"I'm going to sleep until noon," she said.

"You can't. You've got to get up and go fishing."

Michelle groaned. "I'm staying home."

"You've got to go with me. You're my partner."

"We don't have a boat, remember? Mine's buried in the shrubs somewhere, and we wouldn't have a chance of winning without one. The best fishing spots are deep in the swamp."

"Your dad made John Paul loan us one of his. It's already docked behind The Swan."

She didn't like hearing that. "I want to stay in bed, but I'll leave the decision to you. You're company, after all." She moved closer, put her hand on his thigh, and tried to sound sultry when she whispered, "I'll do whatever you want."

"That's a tough one," he drawled. "Let's see. I could either get up before dawn-and I really like doing that-and sit in a boat all day long worrying about snakes falling on my head while I'm sweating through my clothes and slapping at mosquitoes, or…"

"Yes?" she said, smiling now.

"I could spend the day in bed fooling around with a beautiful, naked lady. Yeah, that's a tough one, all right."

"Who said anything about me being naked?"

He gave her a look that made her heart race. "Honey, that's a given."

"Oh, boy."

"You're blushing. After everything we've-"

She put her hand over his mouth. "I remember what we did."

She suddenly realized he'd made a wrong turn. "Where are you going?"

"McDonald's. I'm starving."

"We have plenty of food at home."

"A cheeseburger will hold me until we get home."

"Okay, that's fine with me."

A minute later he understood why she was suddenly being so cooperative. She knew McDonald's was closed. By the time they got home, he was in too much of a hurry to get her undressed to think about food. She wanted to shower, and that was fine with him, as long as he could get in the shower with her.

They fell into bed together and made love again. He pressed her down into the mattress, held her hands prisoner above her head, and told her all the loving words he needed to say and she needed to hear.

Then it was her turn. "Say it," he whispered.

She wanted to be practical. "When you get home and get back into your routine-"

"Say it," he demanded.

"You'll look back on this as a… fling."

"Are we going to have our first fight?"

"No, I'm just…"

"Say it."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "We've only known each other…"

"Say it."

"I love you," she whispered.

He was so pleased he kissed her; then he rolled onto his side and pulled her up against him. She cried all over his chest. He knew why. She thought he would return to Boston and go on with his life… without her.

He would have gotten angry if he hadn't remembered that the woman he loved didn't know squat about men. He waited until she was finished crying and was hiccupping. Stroking her back, he said, "I dated Rebecca for a year before she moved in. We lived together for another year before we got married, and you know what?"

She lifted her head so she could see his face. "What?"

"I didn't know her as well as I already know you. Life's too short, Michelle. I want to be with you. I want to grow old with you."

She desperately wanted to believe him. She knew he was telling the truth, but she was also convinced that, once he returned to

his job in Boston and his friends and family, he would realize he belonged there.

"Marry me, Michelle."

"You have to go back to Boston. If you feel the way you do now in six months, then ask me again."

"I can't stay away from you that long."

"I want you to be sensible about this. Six months," she repeated.

He pushed her on her back and rolled on top of her, bracing his weight with his arms. God, how he loved her. Even when she

was being stubborn.

He stopped arguing. He had other things on his mind now. He began to nuzzle her as he nudged her thighs apart.

"You win, sweetheart. Six months."

He lasted three long miserable weeks. Then he called the movers, put his boats up for sale, packed the trunk of his car, and drove to Bowen. He stopped by The Swan first, shook Jake's hand, and formally asked for permission to marry his daughter.

Then he went home. To Michelle. He knocked on the door, and when she answered, he pulled her into his arms and told her, in no uncertain terms, that he had no intention of staying away from the woman he loved for six months. He was there to stay, and she was going to have to deal with it.

She wasn't arguing with him-she was too busy trying to kiss him-but Theo was on a roll and couldn't stop. He told her he

would open an office in Bowen and give the sleazy attorneys in St. Claire some competition, that he would also do some government work in New Orleans a couple of days a week-Justice wasn't going to let him go-and that he had enough money invested to keep their heads well above water.

He could actually retire now, thanks to his sister, Jordan. He and the others in the family had invested in her company, and she

had made them a small fortune. And one last thing, he added as he dodged her hands, he had already called Conrad and informed him that he would be signing the coaching contract.

Then he kissed her and told her how much he loved her.

"I came to Bowen in search of what I had lost. I wanted to feel that passion and energy again. Now I feel alive. My life is here with you, Michelle. I'm home."

Tears streamed down her face. "I love you, Theo."

He hugged her tight. "If you ever send me away again, I swear I'll do something so embarrassing, you'll never live it down. The people in Bowen will be telling our grandchildren about it."

"I'm a doctor," she reminded him. "Nothing embarrasses me."

"Yeah? So then if I call the hospital while you're making rounds, you won't be embarrassed when I have the operator page

Dr. Smarty-pants?"

She pulled back so she could look into his eyes. "You wouldn't…"

"Try me."

"I'll never send you away again. I promise."

The tension eased out of his shoulders and he relaxed. "I want you to go with me to my brother's wedding next weekend. It's in Iowa. I want you to meet my family, and they'll all be there. Okay, sweetheart?"

"Theo, are you sure-"

"I'm sure," he said emphatically. "You can get Landusky to cover for you, can't you? Your dad told me you still haven't taken a vacation."

"When did you talk to Daddy?"

"I stopped by The Swan on my way here. Will you marry me, Michelle?"

"Yes." As simple as that. The joy she felt was overwhelming, and she began to cry.

"I asked your dad for permission to marry you."

"That was sweet."

"He cried."

She got teary-eyed again. Then he made her laugh. "John Paul cried too."

"He'll get used to you."

"The whole town's going to be celebrating. Everyone's been trying to help you catch a man."

"What?"

He grinned. "That's why there weren't any Welcome to Bowen' cards with all that food. How come you didn't figure it out? Everyone knew we belonged together, everyone but you."

Before she could get upset over the conspiracy, he kissed her again. Then he checked the time.

"Gotta go, sweetheart. I don't want to be late for practice."

She stood on the porch watching as he drove away. Then she sighed. She had a wedding to plan. She thought about all the things she would need to get done and decided that if she rushed, she could throw it together in six months. That was doable. Yes, six months.

They were married in three.

The wedding was elegant. The reception was a blowout. Michelle's brothers, Remy and John Paul, were groomsmen, and

Theo's sisters, Jordan and Sydney, were bridesmaids. His brother Nick was Theo's best man, and Mary Ann was Michelle's