“I promise you this. I’ll love you until the day I die even if I have to live without you. And if it’s fifty years from now, you come home, Nick Anderson. Do you hear me? I’ll be waiting on you.”

“We’re almost there,” I whispered in his ear. “Don’t you die, damn it. If you do, I’ll never speak to you again.”

“Nick? Have you ever…” ”No.” He lifted his head again, studied me. “I’ve thought about it, but it never seemed right.” The idea of him making love to anyone else sent a shaft of pain straight through my middle. “You better wait on me, damn it.” ”I don’t think I have much choice.” He brushed my hair back. “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Alix, the only one I’ll ever want. That’s a promise.”

“The idea of him making love to anyone else sent a shaft of pain straight through my middle. “You better wait on me, damn it.”“I don’t think I have much choice.” He brushed my hair back. “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Alix, the only one I’ll ever want. That’s a promise.”

“You’re not old enough to have a real boyfriend,” he muttered. I stiffened.“If I’m old enough to have babies, then I’m damn well old enough to have a boyfriend,” I ground out. “And just as soon as I decide on who it’s going to be, I’ll let you know.”

“I’ll marry you,” I told him decisively. “That way, we can both have kids someday.”He grinned, those dimples emerging in a blaze of glory. “Yeah, you probably would.”

“I love you”, he whispered. “You’ll have the words every day for the rest of our lives.”