He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek. ‘I don’t want that for us either. It won’t happen. But I can’t promise you I won’t still be a risk taker. You have to know the only thing I would change about yesterday was that you were in the car with me. I wish I’d never done anything that could have harmed our child.’ He gave his head a little shake. ‘But no matter what the risks to me I would still have rescued that mom and kid. It’s me. It’s who I am. I could never, ever walk away from something like that. And I hope that’s part of why you love me. Because you know that. You know that I would always be the person to do that and you wouldn’t even try to stop me.’
His words struck home. That was exactly how it had been. She’d been scared, she’d been terrified for him, but Austin hadn’t hesitated. And maybe she wouldn’t love him quite so much if he had. This was the person she’d fallen in love with. And she didn’t want to change a single thing about him.
He took a deep breath. ‘If the accident hadn’t happened last night I would have taken you for dinner, told you that I loved you and that I was quitting. I’d be lying if I said you weren’t a part of this.’ He pressed his hand against his heart. ‘I have to go with what’s in here. And that’s you.’ He let out a laugh. ‘And to think I was worried you wouldn’t want me if I wasn’t an astronaut.’
She frowned. ‘What on earth do you mean?’ She met his gaze. ‘Most people on the planet are praying for a cure for cancer more than they’re dreaming of a mission to Mars.’ She reached over and squeezed his hand. ‘And I’ll be proud of you no matter what job you have. We’ll be proud of you.’
He knelt down in front of her again. ‘There was something else I planned to do last night.’
‘What?’
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. ‘This.’
She held her breath as he flipped open the box. The single diamond was dazzling. And perfect.
A little tear started to slide down her cheek.
‘Hey, you’re not supposed to cry.’
She laughed and wiped it away. ‘I know, I can’t help it. Blame the hormones.’
He gave a little nod and pulled the ring out of the box. ‘I had something extra embedded in the back of the ring.’ His smile reached from ear to ear. ‘A tiny bit of meteorite that reminds us of where we met.’
She put her hand on her chest. ‘You did?’
He nodded. ‘Corrine Carter, I love you with my whole heart. You’ve made me realise what it is to put someone else first, and I’m going to learn to put two people first. I promise you I’ll always let you be in control—except in the kitchen. How do you feel about having a guy without a job as a husband? Because that’s what I am. If the research job works out, fine, if it doesn’t I promise to do the cooking for both of us. And I’m aiming for the next fifty years.’
He stood up in front of her and she slid her arms up his chest. ‘I think, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell, that we can do anything together. And I’m aiming for the next fifty years too. I can’t imagine spending a minute with anyone else. I love you, Austin.’ She stood up on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, ‘And I promise not to cook for you.’
He picked her up and spun her around. ‘Is that a yes?’
‘That’s definitely a yes!’
He gave a whoop and spun her around again.
He lifted his hand and ran his finger down her cheek. ‘So you can live with the fact your husband-to-be isn’t going to be an astronaut, he could be an old laboratory guy? You can do this?’
She put her arms around his neck. ‘I think laboratory guys are kind of sexy. And of course I can do this. We can do this. We can find a way to make this work. You think I’m going to let a guy like you slip through my fingers? Not a chance.’ She dropped a kiss on his lips.
‘How about a honeymoon in Key Largo? There’s a bikini I want to see you in.’
‘You’d better be quick. Soon, it’ll be the only thing that fits me.’
He ran his fingers through her hair as a broad smile broke out on his face. ‘Hey, we’d better start praying that this baby isn’t a girl.’
‘Why?’
He laughed. ‘My great-grandma has been waiting ninety-five years for another girl to be born in the family. It’s been boys all the way and she insists that if a girl is born it has to have her name.’
His eyes were twinkling.
She shook her head. ‘Oh, no. What’s great-grandma’s name?’
‘Meryl-Felicia.’
She gulped. ‘Tell me you’re joking?’
He shook his head. ‘Nope. And it’s been instilled in me since I was a little guy that if I ever had a daughter I’d need to use the family name.’
Corrine nodded slowly and put her hand on her stomach. ‘Well, little one, there we have it.’ She tilted her head to the side and wound her arms back around his neck. ‘Just remember, I haven’t met great-grandma yet. Maybe I can charm her.’
He put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. ‘What, the way you charmed me?’
She laughed. ‘Maybe I’ll bake her a cake.’
He picked her up and swung her around. ‘Please. Anything but a cake. I’m sure she’ll love you just like I do.’
She smiled as her feet touched the ground again. ‘I guess we don’t need to go into space to find what our hearts want—it’s right here on earth.’
Then he kissed her—just as the hottest man on the planet should.
* * * * *