A Second Chance at Love - Epilogue

"Lauren. You're so..."

She stopped and as tears streamed down her face she said, "Do you love me? Yes or no? I don't want to hear all your objections and warnings. Just tell me, yes or no. Do you love me or not?"

Seeing her like this was killing him. More than anything on earth he wanted to say 'yes.' But how could he do that to her when he did love her? How could he know what he knew and be that selfish? He was lonely and until she'd come into his life he'd been alone. Sad and alone. And now all he lived for was her smile. And her voice.

"It's not a hard question," she said choking out the words knowing what his answer would be. He couldn't possibly feel the same way and he was just searching for the kindest way to tell her. He was so kind and so caring and she knew he didn't want to hurt her. But not knowing was killing her. "Yes or no?" she repeated.

"Yes," he croaked.

"What?" she asked. He'd answered her so quietly she wasn't sure what he'd said.

"Yes," he said louder. He was looking at her, though. He was afraid if he did, she'd laugh and tell him she was just kidding. That this was all part of some movie scene she was living at his expense.

"Did you say 'yes'?" she asked hopefully.

He turned and looked at her and said, "Yes. I do love you, Lauren. God help for saying it because I shouldn't for so many reasons, but yes, I do love you. Very much."

"You do?" she asked wanting reassurance.

"Yes. I really do."

She used the sleeve of her coat to wipe away her tears then threw herself at him. She kissed him over the gearshift pulling toward her so hard he thought he'd wrench his back.

"I love you, too! I love you so much!" She kissed him and kissed him and kept kissing him. She crawled over the console and sat side saddle in his lap and just held him.

"You make me so happy," she said softly. "I've never been happy in my entire life. Did you know that?" she asked him as she ran her hand along his cheek.

"That makes me so sad," he told her. "No, I didn't know that. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she told him as she pulled his face toward her breasts. "I'm happy now and nothing else matters."

They sat there like that for another ten minutes. "Can we go home now?" she asked him. He nodded and she slid off his lap back into her own seat.

"Seatbelt?" he said with a smile.

"Yes, Dad," she teased smiling back at him.

"I don't want to lose you, Lauren. If I ever did..."

"You won't. I promise. I'm never leaving you. Ever."

As they got ready for bed, Clint was brushing his teeth when Lauren slipped in behind him. She put her arms around him and said, "Can I stay with you tonight?"

He rinsed out, put his tootbrush back and turned around. "On one condition," he said as he put his arms around her.

"Anything," she said looking up at him.

"Will you stay with me every night from now on?"

"Yes," she said softly. "Every night."

He kissed her softly as he reached over and turned off the light. The soft glow of a nightlight was the only light in the room as he took her to his bed. He turned down the covers and told her, "After you."

She slid in and waited for him to slide in next to her. "I love you, Lauren," he told her as he brushed her hair back.

"Will you make love to me?" she asked him sweetly.

As he kissed her, she pulled him on top of her and said, "I love you so much."