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He said nothing, and she had to press her lips together to keep from asking him the plethora of questions racing through her mind. A quarter hour later he slowed the horse when they arrived at the stretch of beach on the estate’s grounds, a place where they’d spent many hours together. He swung down from the saddle, then reached up for her, clasping her waist. With her hands braced on his shoulders, he lowered her, her body dragging slowly along his. When he set her on her feet, he continued to hold her, for which she was grateful, as her legs felt less than steady.
She looked up at him, and a swell of love washed through her. His hair was wildly windblown, his skin browned from the sun…except for the slash of white on his left cheek. She reached out with unsteady fingers and brushed them over the marred, puckered skin.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered.
“It happened a long time ago.”
A fresh spate of anger arrowed through her. “I’ll never forgive him for how he treated you.”
“I’ll never forgive him for how he treated you.”
“The way you stood up to him, the way you defended me…you were magnificent. No one has ever taken up my cause like that. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m only sorry I wasn’t around to do so for the past ten years.”
Dear God, so was she.
“The way you defended me was also quite magnificent,” he said, his voice solemn. “Thank you.” He clasped her hands, entwining their fingers, then regarded her through very serious dark eyes. “Before I arrived…did he hurt you in any way?”
“Not physically.” She quickly told him of her father’s plan to marry her off to the Duke of Atterly.
His expression tightened, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “What did you say?”
“That I refuse to marry again.”
Something flickered in his eyes. “I…see.” He gently squeezed her hands. “He was wrong when he said you don’t have a choice, Cassie. You do. Come with me. Come back to the Blue Seas I
The relief and love that swamped her snatched her breath. “I’m so glad you said that, Ethan, because I was pla
His brows shot up, and he seemed momentarily at a loss for words. “Because of your disagreement with your father?”
“No, although in the end that proved the spark which fired my decision, so perhaps I should thank him.” She drew a bracing breath, then plunged ahead, “I was returning to the Blue Seas to tell you that I love you, Ethan. But not just that I love you-I’ve known that for years-but that I’m in love with you. Painfully so.” The words came faster, spilling out of her like water pouring from a widemouthed pitcher, afraid that if she so much as paused for breath, she’d lose her courage. “In the course of one magical day and night you erased ten years of empty loneliness. And you made me realize not only things that I want, but things that I don’t want. I don’t want to live at Gateshead Manor without you. I don’t want to live anywhere without you. As for what I do want-I want you. Every day. Every night. For as long as you want me.”
She paused for breath, but found she could barely draw air into her lungs as she searched his stu
Finally he opened his eyes, and the heat flaring in them instantly gave her hope. “For as long as you want me,” he murmured, repeating her words. “Cassie, you realize that’s forever.”
Relief nearly buckled her knees. “Dear God, I hope so. But Ethan, I must remind you that I have nothing. No money. And I’m barren. You’d make a wonderful father-”
He cut off her words by laying a single fingertip over her lips. “The one benefit of not being titled is not having to produce heirs.”
“It would only be you and me.”
He yanked her against him and touched his forehead to hers. “You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”
She framed his face in her hands and leaned back in the circle of his arms until their eyes met. Joy rushed through her, so swift it threatened to sweep her off her feet. “Ethan, will you marry me?”
Again he squeezed his eyes shut, and then his mouth was on hers in a hard, hot, passionate kiss that stole her breath. When he finally lifted his head, she felt utterly and deliciously dazed. “Is that a yes?” she whispered.
He kept one strong arm wrapped around her and lifted his other hand to brush back her disheveled hair. “Before I answer you, don’t you want to know what I came here to tell you?”
“If you still wish to tell me.”
“Oh, I do. I came here to tell you that I love you. I’ve always loved you. Only you. You’ve held my heart in your hand since that first day when you asked me to be your friend. I always believed there could never be anything between me and a countess, but after seeing you again, hearing about your marriage, I realized I couldn’t let you go without at least telling you how much I love you. And letting you decide if the very little I have to offer is enough. I’ll never be able to afford the sort of luxury you’ve always known, but I’ll make sure you’re always warm and well-fed. I don’t have much, Cassie, but all I have I offer to you.”
Her lips trembled, and a half laugh, half sob escaped her. “The estates, the title, the place in society-none of it has ever brought me happiness. All I want is your love, Ethan.”
“You’ve always had it. You always will. For a long time I believed that loving you was mistake. But now I know it wasn’t-my error was in letting you go.” Clasping both her hands, he dropped to one knee before her. “Cassie, will you marry me?”
Tears of pure joy rolled down her face and plopped onto their joined hands. “I asked you first.”
A grin curved his lips. “My answer is yes.”
“My answer is yes.”
“Thank God.” He rose and gifted her with another heated, passionate kiss, then lifted her off her feet and twirled her around until they were both breathless and laughing.
After he set her down, Cassandra looked up at him and saw all the love she’d ever dreamed of beaming at her from his beautiful dark eyes. “So this is what happiness feels like,” she said, smiling into those eyes.
“My sweet Cassie, this is exactly what it feels like.”
About Jacquie D’Alessandro
Growing up on Long Island, New York, I fell in love with romance at an early age. I dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When my hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and drove a Volkswagen, but I recognized him anyway. We married after both graduating from Hofstra University and are now living our happily-ever-afters in Atlanta, Georgia, along with our very bright and active son, who is a dashing rogue in the making. I love to hear from readers! You can contact me through my website at www.JacquieD.com.
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