Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,85

house. What her sisters were doing now was a mystery but Seylah offered up a quick prayer of aid in Delilah’s name.

“It’s good to be home,” August said when they were on their way.

Seylah leaned into him. It was winter now, the chill of the evening settled upon her and she wished she had brought a coat. She glanced back at the house with a frown. “It is but I wish I had brought a coat.”

“Take mine.” He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

“Thank you.” Seylah raised a hand up to touch the leather jacket. It was still warm from his body, still smelled like him and she blushed as thoughts of their night together came rushing back to her.

“I appreciate this,” she said ducking her head and willing her mind to go to more pure thoughts than what it felt like to be in August’s bed.

“I wanted to ask you something, or rather give you something,” August said blissfully unaware at where Seylah’s mind had strayed. She smiled brightly at him and sucked in a lungful of chilly winter air and straightened her spine standing taller. She would not think of sex with August. She would be perfectly chaste and listen to August. Her mind would remain in the present.

She must compose herself, she must compose herself, she must--

“Will you marry me?”

Seylah jerked to a stop her silent chant interrupted by the four small words. It was then that she realized she had been walking on alone down the lane, her hand woefully empty of his. In her lust addled haze, she hadn’t noticed when August had dropped back, when he had gotten down on one knee.

She turned back to see him in just such a pose, one knee bent to the ground, a small box in his hand that he held out to her with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen on his face. It was beautiful to her because she could see every moment of their lives in his smile, the happiness and the longing, the steadfast friendship that had grown between them, that had blossomed from childhood adoration to love.

August was vulnerable to her. Every bit of love between them was reflected to her in his eyes, and the winter chill was suddenly unnoticeable, a small favor as his coat fell from her shoulders in her rush to reach him.

“Yes!” Seylah exclaimed throwing her arms around him and all but flinging herself at him. They fell back into a heap and she peppered his face with kisses.

“Yes, yes, I’ll marry you, August.”

He laughed and caught hold of her hand, holding it up in front of them. “You have to let me get the ring on your finger, honey.”

“Oh, right, the ring.” She forced herself to hold still long enough for him to slip the beautiful ring, a simple but tasteful gold band with a ruby inset into it.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered bringing her hand close to stare at the ring.

“Not as beautiful as you,” he replied and she blushed. “I know we said we wanted to marry but I had to ask you again when I had a ring for you. I was waiting on them to get this in from New York. Took months to get it here.”

Her eyes widened at that. “Months?”

August nodded sitting up with her in his arms. “Yes, months. I ordered it in March, and it just arrived. If I’d known it would take this long I should have just planned to go to New York and get it myself.”

“You knew then you wanted to marry me?” she asked in disbelief. “That’s so long ago.”

He snorted and kissed her. “Seylah, I knew I wanted to marry you when we were sixteen. You say it’s early but I can’t believe I waited this long. I was pig headed to not ask you sooner. You don’t know how happy you’ve made me knowing that I get to spend every one of my days with you as my wife.”

She laughed and closed the space between them. “I love you, August.”

“I love you, Seylah.” He pulled her into his lap and kissed her. There was tenderness and love in their kiss. The kind of joy that only love, born from years of closeness and friendship, could produce, and Seylah’s heart was full. Yes, things had changed, but even so, they were so much the same.

August Leclaire had always been the one for her, had always been her best friend,