I knew right from the beginning you were different. Too good for me. I am an evil rotten bastard.’ He gave a short painful laugh, an attempt to lighten the moment. ‘In every way.’
Her fingers curled around his. ‘No. You are not evil. I was cruel to say what I did.’
He still didn’t understand. ‘You were right. I don’t have a heart. Never have had.’
But the longer she stayed, the more aware he was of her perfume and her delectable body, and the memories of strawberries by the fire. Next he’d be throwing her on the floor and kissing her until she forgot who he was.
‘You are not listening.’
Listening. He was barely breathing. He got up and moved to the hearth. He forced a smile. ‘You shouldn’t have come, but I thank you. You have a kind heart and deserve a good man.’
Her chin wobbled. ‘How can you say I am kind when I said such awful things? All your life you have lived without love and yet you said you loved me. I was so busy thinking about myself, I didn’t hear you.’
Something in his chest ached. The heart he denied having, he presumed. An oddly sweet feeling he recalled from his boyhood, when his grandmother was kind. Was that also love?
If so, he wasn’t sure what to do with this version of it either. He came back and took both of her hands in his, looking down into her lovely face, wishing he could make her feel better. ‘Please, Rosabella, you have no reason to blame yourself. You found the will and have rescued your sisters. I am sure you will soon find the right man, too. Please, love, no more tears.’
Love. God, had he said it again? Hopefully she wouldn’t notice.
She sniffled. ‘I have something I need to say.’
‘No more tonight.’ He really couldn’t stand to see her so anguished. Over him. Over his heartlessness.
‘You need to go home. We can’t have you ruining your reputation, now can we?’
She pulled her hand free of his. He felt the loss keenly. Her face turned serious. Once more she looked like a Madonna, cool and calm and untouchable. A smile tugged at his lips at the memory. It was the face he’d adored the moment he saw her. Something too big swelled up in his chest, making it difficult to breathe, a tenderness so vast he couldn’t contain it. So this was love, too.
If only he’d discovered it earlier.
But no. He was the wrong man for her. He’d never be able to get it right. Love her as she deserved.
‘May I escort you home?’
‘I have something I want to say.’ She went down on one knee, like a supplicant at an altar.
Shocked, he stared at her. ‘What are you doing? Get up.’ He reached out to bring her to her feet.
She grabbed one of his hands in both of hers.
The touch jolted through him.
Rosabella stared up at him. So darkly handsome. So lean and tall. His eyes were shadowed with concern, his frown deepening by the moment.
He had no idea why she’d come here tonight or what she was trying to tell him. It might even be too late. All his life he’d been denied love. And she, who professed she loved him in her heart, who thought she knew all about love, had thrown his words in his face.
He’d accepted her rejection, because he really hadn’t expected her to love him back.
She prayed she wasn’t too late.
‘Garth Evernden, I love you. Will you marry me?’
His expression turned wary and puzzled. ‘Rosabella, no,’ he said softly. ‘You do not need to do this.’
‘I do,’ she said, her voice catching. ‘You see, I was too cowardly to take the risk of believing you when you said it. I feared you didn’t mean it.’
His head came up, comprehension slowly dawning on his face.
‘And when you gave up so easily,’ she whispered, ‘I believed it confirmed my suspicions that you were saying it to get your own way. Only I was wrong. You gave up, because you didn’t believe anyone could love you. And, Garth, I do, I really do.’ She gripped his hand hard. ‘You must believe me.’
His mouth kicked up at one corner. Devils danced in his eyes. He pulled her up to her feet. ‘This poor fool has been believing you every time you opened your lovely mouth.’
‘Then you’ll have me back?’
‘Will I?’ He swooped in to kiss her. A dizzying warm loving kiss that came to an end