Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 18

She stared at him for a few moments deep in thought. He could almost see her brain working, debating over whether to say yes, or turn him down. He was sure she'd say no. He would in her position.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she murmured.

Tom froze, feeling like the breath had been knocked out of him. She'd said yes. This is what I wanted, right? Yes. This means that I can finally build the resort my. And that was what was really important here.

He threw his arms around her and lifted her up, swinging her around as she clung to him, giggling and brushing her soft lips on his cheek. Putting her back on her feet, he pressed his mouth to hers. She opened for him and his tongue thrust inside to taste her sweetness. He wanted to do more than just kiss her, but Jasmine was sitting on the ground only a few feet away. Kissing her would have to suffice for now.

"Mummy, what's marry?" Jasmine tugged on their legs and he broke the kiss to look down at the little girl.

Sophie looked down and put a hand on Jasmine's head. "It means... ah..." she looked lost for words as she glanced up at him.

Tom reached down and scooped the little girl up in his arms so she was cradled between the two of them. "It means I'm coming to live with you."

"For always?" Jasmine's wide blue gaze stared into his. She was so trusting and innocent and it was up to him to look after her now. That hit him harder than the fact Sophie had said yes.

"Yes, for always," he smiled, nodding at Jasmine, then looked up and met Sophie's smiling eyes.

"Does this mean you're my Daddy now?" Jasmine asked innocently and his heart nearly stopped beating.

He swallowed hard, "Would you like that, sweetheart?"

"Oh yes!" she squealed and clapped her hands excitedly.

"Then, yes, I'm your daddy now," he smiled at her and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Yippee," she shrieked in his ear. "I always wanted a Daddy."

Tom cuddled his soon to be daughter and looked at Sophie, who had tears in her eyes. His heart did a little summersault in his chest. He might not have proposed for the right reasons, but it made him glad that he could make them happy.

"First of all, you're in charge," he told Gabe, not bothering to get up from behind the desk.

"Sure I am," Gabe rolled his dark eyes.

"As of this moment, you are," Tom nodded and leant back in his seat, regarding his brother seriously. Hopefully, Gabe would step up and be the guy he knew he could be. Tom had to at least try. "I'm heading back to Australia early Saturday morning. For good."

"For good?" Gabe sat up in the chair and lent his elbows on his knees, his light brown hair falling down over his raised eyebrows.

"Yes."

"Why now?" Gabe asked.

"I need to be there to oversee the development of the new resort." To be with his new family. And for the development and all the difficulties that were cropping up. "I can't keep doing both jobs. It's time you took over. The only way you'll figure it all out is for you to do it without me watching over your shoulder. It's what Dad did with me." Although Tom hadn't had quite the shaky history and bad reputation that Gabe had. Tom had always worked hard to earn the respect of his father and grandfather. This company was his life.