Gift of Fire

think you understand the situation. I’m doing you the favor. You’ve got no right to set conditions on how I do it.”
    “The hell I don’t,” he snapped. “Before you try anything with Crump and his damn crystals, I want your word of honor that you’ll marry me.”
    Verity’s eyes widened in amazement. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Let me get this straight. You won’t let me work with Oliver, not even to help you find that crystal, unless I agree to marry you?”
    “I love you, you redheaded witch,” he said in a thick voice. “I’m not going to risk losing you to some other man who might be able to latch on to you with a psychic connection. I’d rather call off the search for the crystal than take that chance.”
    Verity stood very still in his grasp, trying to marshal her thoughts into some coherent order. “You think if I agree to marry you that would keep me from getting lured away by another psychic?”
    “If you agree to marry me, you’ll honor your promise. I know you, Verity.”
    “Not well enough, apparently, if you think you have to blackmail and threaten me in order to get me to marry you.” She smiled suddenly.
    He stared down at her, his eyes wary. “Verity?”
    “I love you, Jonas, I’ve told you that a hundred times. I’ll marry you.”
    He folded her close with a low growl of relief. “Jesus, it’s about time, lady.”
    Verity leaned her head on his shoulder and relaxed into his warmth. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and savored his lean strength. “You know something, Jonas? When I first met you I would never have guessed that you’d be the marrying kind.”
    “And I had the impression you’d opted for professional singlehood. We both had a lot to learn about each other.”
    “I hope we’re doing the right thing.”
    “We are,” he told her with grave assurance. He raised her chin with his finger and brushed his mouth across her lips. “Believe me, the only option we have open is to get married. I couldn’t stand living with any other alternative. I realized that the night you told me you were pregnant.”
    He moved his lips lightly across hers again, and then he began to deepen the kiss. His arms tightened around her and Verity was pulled snugly against the taut outline of his thighs. He deliberately widened his stance and urged her closer so that she could feel his heat. His manhood, trapped beneath his jeans, pushed against the gentle curve of her stomach. Verity gave herself up to the passion that always seemed to flow so easily between them.
    “It’s going to be hard to think of myself as a married woman,” she murmured against his throat.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll remind you every chance I get.” Jonas picked her up and settled her down on the bed.
     
    “Jonas?”
    “Yeah?” His voice was a lazy, sleepy growl in the darkness.
    “If we’re going to get married, I think we should do it right.”
    “Right? What do you mean? There’s only one way to do it. You get some blood tests, a license and a ring, and you say a few words in front of a duly constituted authority. Then you get to go to bed. What’s the big deal?”
    “I want a nice wedding. A big wedding. With a cake and a fancy dress and everyone in Sequence Springs in the church.”
    “I should have known.”
    “It’ll be fun,” Verity assured him, her enthusiasm rapidly growing as she envisioned the details. “It’ll also be the only chance I ever get to wear a beautiful formal wedding gown.”
    “Verity, up until quite recently, you never even planned to get married at all. Why the sudden interest in cakes and wedding gowns?” Jonas complained.
    “I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things lately. If I’m going to get married, I want to do it right,” she stated stubbornly.
    “Honey, it takes time to organize a big wedding,” Jonas argued reasonably. He put a possessive palm on her belly. “And time is something we haven’t got.”
    “Laura can help me. It won’t take long at all to get things organized. And it’s not like we have to keep the baby a secret. Everyone in Sequence Springs is going to know I’m pregnant as soon as I make an appointment with my doctor.”
    Jonas sighed heavily. “I really don’t think we need to go through all this.”
    “It’s what I want, Jonas.”
    “Stubborn little tyrant.” He rolled onto his side and reached for her. “The things I do for you, lady.” He dropped a warm, hungry kiss on the