That I refuse to be ashamed of. That you taught me not to be ashamed of. I am not ashamed of my passion. Of my choices. I am not ashamed of my past, Alec.”
She should not be.
He opened her mouth to tell her so, but she added, “And I am certainly not ashamed of you.”
Breath returned.
“You want me to choose? Let me choose.”
He nodded. Found his voice. “Do it. Choose.”
She came to him, then, close enough for him to see the silver in her beautiful grey eyes. “I choose all of it, dammit. The scandal. The Scotland. The dogs. The drafty castle. I want Burns instead of Shakespeare. But most of all, I choose you, Alec Stuart, lummox, idiot, coward, cabbageheaded duke.” She paused, then added, “Against my better judgment.”
She chose him.
The glorious madwoman chose him. Somehow.
He was the luckiest bastard in Christendom.
He reached for her then, unable to resist the urge to touch her. Cradling her face in his palms, he tilted her face up to meet his, unable to find words in the flood of joy that coursed through him. “Lily.”
Her hands came to rest on his. “You left me.”
The words, soft and wounded, threatened to slay him. “Love—”
She shook her head. “Alone. Again. Only this time it was worse. This time, I knew what it was not to be alone. I knew what it was to love.”
He did not know how to reply. And so he did the only thing he could think to do, not wanting to chase her away.
He released her and sank to his knees.
Her eyes went wide. “What are you—”
It was his turn to speak. “I thought I was saving you,” he said quietly, staring up at her, adoring every inch of her, wanting her with a desperation that clawed at him—that he wondered if he would ever slake. “When I came here, I thought I was to protect you. To play the part of guardian. Of savior.”
“I did not need a savior,” she said.
“No, mo chridhe. You didn’t. But I did. And it was you who did the saving. Lily . . . you have saved me.”
She reached for him. “Alec—”
He bowed his head, aching for her touch. “I am yours, my love, body and soul. When I am old, I do not wish to think of you. I wish to be with you. I wish to love you.”
“Stand up, my love,” she said, her hands in his hair, and when he looked up, her tears were in earnest. “Please, Alec. Stand.”
He did, coming to his full height, his hands returning to her face and tilting it up to him so he could see her reply, whispered so softly he could barely hear it. “You,” she said. “You.”
“Always,” he replied. “Forever.”
He kissed her then, long and deep, lifting her high in his arms until her arms were wrapped about his neck and he held her off the floor for the caress, which lasted at once for an eternity and a heartbeat. They separated only when they had both lost the ability to breathe, but Alec did not put her down, instead clutching her close and burying his face in the warm curve of her neck, breathing deep, willing his heart to slow.
She laughed and he lifted his head. “What is it?”
“We have an audience, it seems.”
He shook his head. “No. They’re too distracted by the painting.” He growled. “How did you do it?”
She grinned. “Guess.”
He groaned. “Sesily.”
“I needed a boost,” she said simply. “But—”
He cut her off. “The two of you, together. You are trouble. You realize I’m going to have to murder half of London, now, for having seen you nude?”
She tilted her head. “Perhaps not, though, considering no one is looking at the painting.”
He turned to the room, massive and packed to the gills, come to see the legendary masterpiece of Derek Hawkins. Not one observer was turned to the front of the room, however. They all—to a person—had their backs to the painting.
Facing far more interesting gossip.
He raised a brow. “They still look at you. I don’t care for it.”
“At least this way I am clothed.” She grinned. “Still a scandal, but clothed.”
“Nonsense.” He kissed her again, long and slow and deep, until the women around them gasped their shock. “Duchesses cannot be scandals.”
“Not even if we try very hard?”
“Well,” he replied, “if anyone can do it, my love, ’tis you.”
“I shall require a partner.”
“No doubt a grueling task, but one I see no way of avoiding,” he teased.
She