Page 84 of To Have & To Hold

The soft golden rays of morning sunlight danced across Nathaniel’s eyelids as he slowly blinked awake. The night before still seemed like a dreamy haze, too impossible to have been real. In a single moment, he had felt his life come crashing down around him, yet, somehow he was here now—his heart fuller than it had ever been, his burdens lighter despite the weight of the secrets Emilia had entrusted him with, staring at the woman who rivaled the sunrise streaming through the windows.

Nathaniel gently shifted Emilia in his arms, pulling her closer to his chest. The morning light danced across her red curls, and he pressed a kiss against her hair. Emilia laughedsoftly, and her arms wrapped tightly around his where they were draped over her waist.

“Good morning,” he whispered against her ear. Emilia turned in his arms until she could look up at him, her eyes still half closed and a sleepy smile on her face.

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

Nathaniel laughed, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest. “I am afraid I must insist that you only call meYour Gracefrom now on.”

Emilia’s eyes brightened, “Oh, is that so?” She shifted until she was looking directly into his eyes, amusement dancing across her face. “What aboutmy dear?”

Nathaniel furrowed his brow in mock consideration, “I suppose that is acceptable as well.”

Emilia hummed in agreement, “Andmy love?”

Nathaniel’s breath stuttered. He leaned in close, brushing a soft kiss against her nose. “Always,my love.”

Emilia smiled again, and tipped her head up to meet his lips.

Out of every kiss they had shared, Nathaniel found that each one that came next was his favorite, but he could not imagine any that would rival this moment—the soft morning light silhouetting her face, and the sleepy sparkle in her eyes. Though he had the rest of his life to memorize the feel of her kiss, he suspected he would never tire of the privilege.

Emilia settled against his chest, intertwining her fingers with his. Nathaniel closed his eyes, sighing contently.

“If I did nothing for my entire life but hold you in my arms, I would be the most accomplished man on earth.”

Emilia tilted her head up to look at him, the joy in her smile was unmistakable.

“Would the title of duke not be considered your greatest accomplishment?”

Nathaniel brushed his thumb gently across her cheek. “Of all the blessings the Lord has entrusted me with, there is none that I treasure more than you.”

Emilia’s eyes softened as they freely roamed his face. Slowly, her lips changed from the warm, content smile to a slightly mischievous grin. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” She asked, propping herself on her elbow.

Nathaniel laughed outright, the ease of it familiar and no longer foreign. “No, I do not believe they have,” he said, rolling on his side to match her posture.

She hummed thoughtfully, “Well, that is a terrible shame.” She lightly brushed her fingers over his forehead, rearranging the curls that fell over his temple. “It is an injustice that must be remedied immediately.”

Nathaniel held his breath. Her words perfectly echoed his own from that morning in the boat. So much had changed since that moment—the things his heart had scarcely evendared to hope for were now not only within reach, but fully embraced in his arms.

“Your eyes are like the surface of a glassy sea,” her thumb traced the faint lines beneath them. “They change with the slightest shift in the atmosphere, and as hard as you try to keep your feelings hidden, I can always see the storms brewing in your mind.”

She traced the line of his jaw as her hand moved down to rest on his shoulder. “Your strength is admirable, not only physically, but the strength of your character.” Her hand moved to rest over his heart. The pounding in Nathaniel’s chest intensified as the heat from her skin seeped through his nightshirt.

“For of all the breathtakingly beautiful things about you, none compare to your heart.”

Nathaniel’s throat tightened, as Emilia looked at him as though she could not quite believe he was real.

“You are patient. You are gentle. You are brave, and endlessly selfless.” She smiled softly. “If holding me in your arms is the greatest accomplishment of your life, then cherishing your heart will be mine.”

Nathaniel’s eyes burned with tears and his throat tightened. He could do nothing but look at her. No words he would have spoken would have been able to convey the love he held for her.

Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her again. His eyes closed as he tried to memorize everything about this moment—the feel of her lips on his, how she smelled of roses even in the morning, and the feeling of loving someone so completely and being loved in return.

A sharp knock sounded at the chamber door, and Nathaniel sighed without breaking their kiss. Perhaps if he ignored it, whoever was on the other side would go away.

There was another knock against the door, and this time it was louder.

Nathaniel rested his head against Emilia’s with a groan. “I am going to dismiss every member of our staff.”