NRoberts - G2 Black Rose

 He turned, took the lapels himself to hold her still and facing him. “And you’re going to hear it. I respect and admire your steely will, Rosalind, and appreciate your temper and your capability. But the next time you so much as think about taking on some lunatic with a bat on your own,I’m doing some ass-kicking. And it’s going to be your ass with the bull’s-eye painted on it.”

 She angled her head, studied his face, and saw he meant exactly what he said. Son of a gun.

 “You know, if I hadn’t already decided on this thing I’m about to ask you, that would’ve done it. How could I resist a man who lets me fight my own battles, then when the moment’s right, steps in and cleans house? After the dust is clear he gives me a good piece of his mind for being an idiot. Which I was, no question, no argument.”

 “Glad we agree on that.”

 She took the last step toward him, lifted her arms, and hooked them around his neck. “I really love you.”

 “I really love you back.”

 “Then you won’t have a problem marrying me.”

 She felt his body jerk, just a little, just once, then it settled in against her, warm and true. “I don’t see a problem with that. You’re sure?”

 “Couldn’t be more sure. I want to go to bed with you at night, wake up with you in the morning. I want to sit and have coffee with you whenever I please. Know you’re there for me, and I’m there for you. I want you, Mitch, for the rest of my life.”

 “I’m ready to get started on that.” He kissed her bruised cheek, her uninjured one, her brow, her lips. “I’m going to learn how to tend at least one flower. A rose. My black rose.”

 She leaned on him. She could lean on him—and trust him to step back when she needed to stand on her own.

 Everything inside her calmed, even when she looked at the destruction of what was hers. She would fix it, save what could be saved, accept what couldn’t.

 She would live her life, and plant her gardens—and walking hand-in-hand with the man she loved, watch both bloom.

 And in the gardens of Harper House, someone walked, and raged, and grieved. With mad eyes burning into the candy-blue sky.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

 Black Rose

 AJove Book / published by arrangement with the author

 All rights reserved.

 Copyright ©2005 byNora Roberts

 This book may not be reproduced in whole or part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.

 For information address:

 The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.,

 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is

http://www.penguinputnam.com

 ISBN:0-7865-5613-7

 AJOVE BOOK®

 JoveBooks first published by The Jove Publishing Group, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.,

 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 JOVEand the “J” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Putnam Inc.

 Electronic edition: June, 2005

Contents

 Prologue

 One

 Two

 Three

 Four

 Five

 Six

 Seven

 Eight

 Nine

 Ten

 Eleven

 Twelve

 Thirteen

 Fourteen

 Fifteen

 Sixteen

 Seventeen

 Eighteen

 Nineteen

 Twenty

 Epilogue