know that won’t mean anything because every meter of this place is guarded by cameras, but I know a way around that and duck into an alcove near the citrus trees and pull her into my arms.
She jumps back a little and I hold on tight and say firmly, “Now listen to me.”
She nods and I can’t resist the temptation of Eve as I tilt her head back and kiss those lips that beg for it. She moans against me and I pull her tight and growl, “You’re mine, nobody else’s, they will have to deal with that.”
“But how? This is an impossible situation?”
Stroking her hair, I hold her tightly against me and whisper, “This is not how I imagined it to be. I want the best for you and I want to give you the world. It’s only been a short time but long enough for me to know I can’t let you walk away. Something about you is deep inside me and I know if I lost you, my life would be meaningless. So, with that in mind and despite the reason we are here…”
I pull back and stare at her with an intensity that makes her color a little and then I drop to my knee and take her hand, saying simply, “Sophia Moretti, will you marry me?”
28
Sophia
I stare at Maverick in total shock. I can’t believe he just did that. He is kneeling before me promising me the world—everything I want and I should be ecstatic. But how can I be? This is a forced proposal because we have run out of options. This is a deal to be made for business rather than love. I am under no illusions that he is doing this for me and my world comes crashing down at the realization I have only one answer possible.
“No.”
He blinks in disbelief and shakes his head. “No?”
Taking a deep breath, I say with a tremble to my voice. “I can’t marry you, Maverick.”
“But why?”
“Because this isn’t the answer. You are doing this out of some misguided sense of what’s right for me but if it meant you had to give up everything you worked so hard to build, of course my answer is no.”
He nods with an acceptance that tears at my heartstrings. He’s giving up without a fight. I did the right thing.
I fully expect him to leave but instead he pulls me close and drops a kiss on top of my head and says roughly, “It’s ok, I understand. We’ll find another way.”
For a moment, I cling to him, wishing like hell things were different. We may have only just met, but I feel as if I have known him forever. If time allowed it, we could fall in love at leisure and allow fate to direct our future. This is all contrived, rushed and the product of panic and I know I have done the right thing—for him, anyway.
The silence is oppressive because it has created a wedge between us and then he surprises me again by pulling back and kissing me so gently it makes my soul shiver. He traces my lips with his thumb and his dark eyes glitter with intent as he says gruffly. “Stay with me tonight.”
I nod because I want that more than anything. Being without him is like living without a heart—impossible.
I almost can’t ask but say fearfully, “What happens next?”
“We stall for time while I try and figure a way to take you back with me.”
“Will they allow that?”
“I’d like to see them fucking try and force my hand. No, darlin’, if marriage with me is not on the table, it doesn’t happen—period.”
Feeling relieved, I raise a smile. “You’re a little sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
He nods and his eyes flash. “We both know I am. Make no mistake, if I wanted to, I could have you married to me within the hour. Nothing you could say could change that because we both know the world we live in. As the head of this family, my word is law and I’m almost tempted to force your hand.”
“You’re a little arrogant, aren’t you? What if I genuinely don’t want to marry you, have you even considered that?”
“No.”
He smiles and I sink against him with relief and whisper, “Ask me again six months from now when we jog in the forest surrounding the Rubicon. Then you can ask me again when you cook me breakfast and serve it to me in bed with nothing but