Page 90 of Tilly and the Unreformed Rake

“But, Rhys?” She had yet more to say. “Me and that little animal being have reached an understanding when it comes to you.”

He waited.

“The part of me that lives solely for you is what makes my life worth living.”

He caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. She swayed into his hand before catching it with her own, staying it. She must say the most important thing of all before she could give over.

“Rhys, I want us to spend our lives together—as partners…as friends…as lovers…as husband and wife.” Those tears that had rushed forward threatened to fall. “I know you’re not going to ask, so I will.” She inhaled and steadied her voice, which wobbled anyway. “Will you marry me?”

He searched her eyes. “We can have all the other stuff without the husband and wife part, you know. I’m yours, whatever way you choose.”

She shook her head. “From the beginning, there was never any choice, remember? It was only ever us.”

“In that case…” He stepped back, separating from her. Then he dropped to one knee and reached into his pocket, his hand emerging holding a…

Her hand flew to her mouth. “Is that a ring?” Gold and green winked up at her. “An emerald ring?”

“Aye.”

Of course.

Wasn’t it an emerald ring that had brought them together?

“Have I yet thanked you for cheating my father’s ring off Sir Felix and rescuing me, Tilly?”

“But you’d already rescued yourself, Rhys.”

His dimples made their appearance. “Ah, but you rescued me from a life without you.”

“But I proposed to you,” she said through laughter that was now flowing like champagne bubbles as he slid the ring onto her finger. “How is it you had a ring ready?”

“Actually, I’ve had it for a while.”

A suspicion formed in her mind. “How long?”

He came to his feet and took her into his arms. “I had it with me on Christmas Day, in case?—”

And here was suspicion confirmed… “In case I asked you to marry me then.”

“Aye.”

“And you’ve carried it with you since?”

“Every day,” he muttered against her lips. “Just in case you asked me to marry you.”

He said things like that—romantic things.

In truth, they were the sort of romantic things a rake would say to get where he wanted with a woman.

She liked—loved—that this reformed rake said them, too, to get where he wanted with…

Her.

In his bed—oh, yes…

In his life…

In his heart…

Forever.

* * *

The End