The sight of Cassie storming out of the house lights up my heart.

Dressed in a green T-shirt that’s three or four sizes too big, a pair of navy leggings with one knee torn out, face bare of makeup, and her hair caught back in an untidy ponytail, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

I shut her car door and start moving toward her.

“Bastard!” Cassie spits the word out as she skids to a stop on the trailer’s front porch. The screen door slams shut behind her with a bang that reminds me of gunshots in the hangar yesterday afternoon. “How dare you show up here?”

Before I have a chance to say a single word in my defense, Cassie lifts her arm, pulling it slightly behind her, before letting the container she’s holding fly. It sails across the distance in a perfect arc that would make any major league pitcher’s heart swell with pride, before connecting with my chest.

Something cold and wet splashes all over my shirt and face as the container slides down my torso and lands in a heap on top of my feet.

I kick it off and lick at a glob of stuff that’s stuck to the corner of my mouth. “Mmm, half melted chocolate chip cookie dough. My new favorite.”

Any other woman would have already stormed into the house and locked the door, but not Cassie. She’ll never retreat until she’s absolutely certain that there’s nothing to fight for.

Her fingers curl around the weathered railing and she rocks forward and glares down at me. “You’re lucky it was only ice cream. A brick to your head would be more appropriate.”

Dripping ice cream, I slowly move towards her. “Cassie, I know you’re angry at me, and I get it. You have every right to be.”

“You lied to me,” she hisses. “You told me you were nothing more than a pilot, just like me, a perfectly normal guy, when you’re really Ronan James Smith. Billionaire and jackass.”

Technically I didn’t. She simply assumed that I was normal, and she never asked about my family or my background, but I decide to not point that out to her.

“Cassie, you can’t believe how sorry I am about how you found out.”

Cassie’s eyes widen and her knuckles gleam white against the weathered wood. “You’re sorry? That’s not nearly good enough.”

“You’re right.” I climb the stairs and stop beside her. “Ronan James Smith isn’t good enough for you, but I think that Ronan Smith is.”

Cassie frowns. “What are you talking about? You are-”

“They aren’t the same person,” I interrupt. “Not really. Ronan James Smith, or James Smith as the media calls me, is a public persona. Half of the news stories are nothing more than rumors that for the most part have no basis in reality. Ronan Smith is who I really am. A guy who lives to fly planes, and …” I draw a really deep breath and brace myself to figuratively give Cassie my entire heart. “…who loves you with everything he has and is.”

Cassie looks confused. “But—”

Sensing that she’s softening, I reach out and take her hand in mine. “Cassie, can you do me a favor? For just a few minutes put yourself in my shoes.”

She doesn’t pull away, which I take as a sign of agreement.

“When I signed on to fly planes for Northwest, I deliberately did what I could to hide my identity. I already knew the company was up to something shady, and I wanted to find out what, and I knew that it would be nearly impossible if they knew who I really was. Then this gorgeous and sassy woman walked into my life, and everything turned upside down. I wanted to tell her my real identity—she’ll never know how many times I nearly did—but this was the first time I’ve ever had an opportunity to let someone get to know the real me, and not have to worry about whether or not they were with me because of my family’s influence, my wealth, or because they’re working their own agenda. Being with you as plain old Ronan Smith represented the first time in my life I was free to be truly me.”

“But you lied to me,” Cassie insists. Something in her voice tells me that she’s wavering, that some of her anger is softening.

“I did. I won’t deny that, but if it helps, I was racked with guilt the entire time.” I catch hold of her other hand. “And I didn’t see it as a lie, though I understand why you do. In my mind I wasn’t lying to you, but rather keeping a secret.”

The word secret has a profound impact on Cassie. The line of her body softens and her shoulders sag. It’s like all the fury and fight have melted right out of her.

“How long did you plan on keeping this secret from me?”

“Honestly, if Bruno hadn’t dropped the news in the hangar, I would have told you last night. You have no idea how much it was eating away at me.”

Stomach churning, I say the words I’ve been itching to say for the longest time. “Cassie Mayers, when I first met you, I asked if you believed in love at first sight. I wasn’t sure I loved you then, it was more a heady infatuation, but now I know. I love you more than I love anything else. The fact that I haven’t told you how I feel was driving me insane.” I release both of Cassie’s hands and step back. “You’re free to tell me to stay or to go to hell. And if you do tell me to hit the road, I promise I’ll do it.” I cast a rueful grin at her Buick. “Though it’ll take a while, since I drove your car here.”

Cassie drops her head and stares at the straps of her flip-flops. “You’re not the only one with a secret.” Cassie’s toes curl. “I’m holding onto a pretty big one myself.”

“You’re a secret heiress who owns controlling stocks in all of the world’s oil wells,” I guess.

Cassie snorts with laughter and for the first time since she walked away from me yesterday, I let myself feel a glimmer of hope that she won’t kick me out of her life.

“May I?” Cassie reaches for her flight bag.

“Oh yeah. Of course.” I slide the strap off my shoulder and hand it to her. “I forgot I had it.”

Cassie props it on the railing she was gripping just a few minutes ago and unzips the bag. She reaches deep inside of it and pulls out her purse. After a split second’s hesitation, she opens her purse and withdraws a box.

My heart leaps into my throat as the words written in bold type across the box penetrate my shocked mind. “You’re pregnant?”

“I don’t know; that’s why I bought the test. My stomach has been so upset lately, and we failed to use protection in Florence.”

“I remember.” I’ll never forget a single moment of that night. “It’s the only time I’ve ever forgotten to protect myself when I’ve been with a woman. And that was just one of the reasons I consider it the best night of my life.”

Cassie nervously taps the side of the box. “I need to find out one way or another, but I’m scared. Will you wait here while I-” She gestures at the trailer.

I catch her left hand in mine and lift it to my mouth. I smile and place a light kiss on the back of it. “I’ll wait here for as long as you’ll let me.”

Cassie flashes me an uncertain smile before darting into the trailer.

A minute later, she steps back out on the porch. The plastic stick is balanced on a wad of toilet paper. She sets it on the railing.

“The instructions say that it takes a few minutes before we’ll know the answer.”

I nod and stare at the stick. It’s hard to believe that my entire future depends on that cheap-looking piece of plastic.

“Ronan?” Cassie reaches out and touches my chest. “I have another secret.”

“Another secret?” My eyes widen. “You’re going to have a hard time topping the last one.”

Cassie gnaws on her lower lip for a second.

“I’m still a little angry with you,” she starts, “but even last night, when I never wanted to see you again, I knew that I am completely and totally in love with you.”

“Oh, Cassie.”

I grab her waist and pull her in for a kiss that goes on and on, by the time the alarm goes off, signaling that the test has had enough time to generate results, we’re both breathless.

Cassie reaches for the stick. “Here goes nothing.”

Together we look at the little built-in window, where a small plus sign is clearly visible. My hands flex on Cassie’s waist as she covers her mouth with her free hand.

“Well, darlin’,” I say. “Looks like you and I are going to be parents.”

Cassie nods silently.

I slide a hand under Cassie’s baggy T-shirt and flatten it over her lower belly. It might be my imagination, but I swear I feel the slightest of baby bumps already starting to form.

I chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” Cassie demands.

“I was just thinking about how this little baby bump not only managed to save both of our lives, but has also just completely changed our futures.”

Cassie’s laughter mingles with mine. “Kind of scary to think what it will be able to do when it’s a baby and not just a baby bump, isn’t it?”