Crossfox this last week, I thought a great deal about how I’ve felt for you the last few years. I even went to Andrew’s grave to talk to him about it.”
His expression softened. “I did the same last week.”
She smiled. “I’m glad of it. He was so important to me, Cav. I loved him very much and I will always love him. But the idea of being parted from you ever again, it is too painful for me to fathom. I thought of all our jokes and laughter. I thought of your support and mine to you. I thought of what it’s like when I enter a room and find you there, already staring back at me. I thought of what it was like the first time you kissed me and it felt so…right, so perfect. I thought of when you made love to me and how much I want you, not just with my body, but down to my very soul.”
She moved toward this man she had been pondering and considering and analyzing for days. She reached up at last, tracing his jawline with her fingertips. “I never want to be parted from you again, John Cavendish.”
When she used his full name, his mouth fluttered a little. Like he was shocked. Like he was moved.
“I have loved you for a long time. Not as long as you’ve loved me. But for years. Even though I tried to ignore it, call it something else.”
His eyes lit up, pure joy on a face that already gave her so much of the same.
“More importantly, I love you today. I will love you tomorrow. I will love you forever.” She shifted because he was being so quiet as he stared at her. “If you’ll have me.”
“If I’ll have you,” he said, his arms coming around her waist and tugging her closer. “Can you really have doubt about that? If I am not reacting as strongly as you expected, it is because I am in shock and disbelief. Is this a dream, or did you really just tell me you love me?”
“Really,” she whispered, and leaned up to brush her lips to his. “Madly.” She kissed him deeper and his fingers bunched against her back. “Truly,” she murmured against his tongue, and felt him smile. She pulled away. “Deeply. So very deeply.”
Tears had sprung into his eyes, and she caught her breath at seeing them there. Not tears of loss or sorrow like they had shared so many times since Andrew’s death. These were tears of joy. And suddenly the future felt very real and very bright and very close, indeed.
“Marry me,” he said.
“Are you certain, so soon?”
“So soon?” he said with a bark of laughter. “So soon says the lady who makes decisions on a lark?”
“But I’ve been practicing patience over the last week,” she said. “Perhaps I’ll take to it.”
“Never!” he said, his smile widening. “I refuse to accept it. And this isn’t so soon for me. I’ve been in love with you forever, don’t you recall?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Yes you recall or yes you’ll marry me?” he asked.
“Yes to both,” she said without hesitation.
He caught her closer and lifted her from her feet as he spun her around the room. When he set her down, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her again, far more deeply and gently, and she melted against his chest in pure pleasure and true surrender. Because she was his.
He pulled back a fraction. “Run away with me to Gretna Green so we don’t have to wait a moment more?”
“Yes to it all,” she said. “Yes to everything forever…”
His laughter merged with hers on another kiss, and she laughed again at his ardor. At his certainty. At the future he offered so effortlessly and beautifully, and all the joy it would hold for the rest of her days.
Epilogue
One week later
“So you waited for nearly a decade and then you ran off to Gretna Green to marry the woman on a whim?”
Cav smiled, because though his grandfather was trying to sound stern, he looked as happy as Cav felt as they watched Emily flit around to their friends and family at this small celebration of their recent marriage. Including some of those who had been part of the Christmas gathering. Andrew’s family was also there and seemed over the moon at the union of two who had been so dear to their fallen son and brother.
This was Cav’s wife. Emily was his wife. He nearly staggered from the joy of that.
“I did,” he said. “Because I could not wait a day longer.”
His grandfather slung an arm around him. “And you are deliriously happy together, it seems.”
Cav glanced at him. “I was not certain you entirely approved, though. Do you?”
“Not that it matters, because you have always done as you pleased,” the marquess said. “But my only hesitation about the lady had to do with protecting your very vulnerable heart. But now…now I see her look at you with the same expression you always had for her. And I could not be more pleased with the union.”
Emily had begun to approach as they talked, and she leaned up to kiss the marquess’s cheek before she took Cav’s hand. “I’m glad to hear it. I would not wish for the very intimidating Marquess of Comerford to disapprove my union with his grandson.”
The marquess gave Cav a playful glare. “You are a bad influence on the lady, I fear.”
“The very worst,” Cav said as Emily guided him away from his grandfather and out onto the terrace.
The starry night was cold, but what was weather when they were so warmed by all the love between them? She leaned up to kiss him and he was lost, as always. Found, as always.
“Seems you are the worse influence, after all,” he murmured as they parted. “Please do not tell the others or my reputation will be in tatters.”
“I would never ruin your reputation,” she teased as he wrapped an arm around her. “It was nice that Lady Hickson and some of the others from the party a few weeks ago came to celebrate.”
“Yes. I may have destroyed the hopes of a few unmarried ladies, but none of them seem to judge me for being desperately and completely in love with you.” She sighed. “I only wish I could have made them the matches I planned. Everyone should have the happiness I do now.”
“Well they may find their happiness yet, love,” he assured her.
She cuddled a little closer against his chest as they looked up at the night sky together.
A star streaked across the dark after a few moments, and they gasped together at the sight. He couldn’t help but smile. “You are supposed to make a wish, I think, in such circumstances.”
“We both know that isn’t a star meant to grant a wish,” she breathed as she faced him. “But rather a message that we should be happy with the wishes that have already come true. I love you, Cav.”
He cupped her cheek and ducked his head to take her lips again. “I love you, Emily. Always and forever.”
Also by Jess Michaels
Three Women. One Murdered Husband. Will The Three Mrs find love from a hopeless place? Coming in January 2021, a new series by 10-Time USA Today Bestselling Author Jess Michaels.
The Duke’s By-Blows
The Love of a Libertine
The Heart of a Hellion
The Matter of a Marquess
The Redemption of a Rogue
The Shelley Sisters
A Reluctant Bride
A Reckless Runaway
A Counterfeit Courtesan
The Scandal Sheet
The Return of Lady Jane
Stealing the Duke
Lady No Says Yes
My Fair Viscount
Guarding the Countess
The House of Pleasure
The 1797 Club
The Daring Duke
Her Favorite Duke
The Broken Duke
The Silent Duke
The Duke of Nothing
The Undercover Duke
The Duke of Hearts
The Duke Who Lied
The Duke of Desire
The Last Duke
Seasons
An Affair in Winter
A Spring Deception
One Summer of Surrender
Adored in Autumn
The Wicked Woodleys
Forbidden
Deceived
Tempted
Ruined
Seduced
Fascinated
The Notorious Flynns
The Other Duke
The Scoundrel’s Lover
The Widow Wager
No Gentleman for Georgina
A Marquis for Mary
To see a complete listing of Jess Michaels’ titles, please visit:
http://www.authorjessmichaels.com/books
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Jess Michaels likes geeky stuff, Vanilla Coke Zero, anything coconut, cheese, fluffy cats, smooth cats, any cats, many dogs and people who care about the welfare of their fellow humans. She is lucky enough to be married to her favorite person in the world and lives in the heart of Dallas, TX where she's trying to eat all the amazing food in the city.
When she’s not obsessively checking her steps on Fitbit or trying out new flavors of Greek yogurt, she writes historical romances with smoking hot alpha males and sassy ladies who do anything but wait to get what they want. She has written for numerous publishers and is now fully indie and loving every moment of it (well, almost every moment).
Jess loves to hear from fans! So please feel free to contact her in any of the following ways (or carrier pigeon):
Email: Jess@AuthorJessMichaels.com
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