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He took a step forward and she threw her hands over his neck, pressing her body to his. His hands caressed her back, her derriere, while his nose burrowed into her hair.

She leaned back and frowned. “Won’t your reputation as the thief-taker be smeared if people find out you’re living with the most notorious brothel owner in town?”

He shrugged. “I can always become a fisherman.”

She laughed and kissed him deeply. “Why did it take you so long to find me?” she whispered against his lips.

Ford grimaced. “I… um… I didn’t know how to approach you.”

Grace raised a brow. “Oh?”

“I thought that I needed to prove to you with a grand gesture how much I love you. I made the magistrate quash our warrants and announce it in the papers.”

“That was you?” Grace shouldn’t have been surprised.

He nodded. “But that didn’t seem enough. So I ventured to find a perfect gift for you. It took me a while and I think I found it. And then I realized I didn’t want you to accept me because of the gift. I wanted you to accept me for me. So… here I am.”

Grace smiled softly, stroking his face. “You’re a foolish man.”

He cocked a brow. “Thank you?”

“I never needed anything from you, Ford. Just your love. Because I love you, too.”

He let out an audible sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

She raised a brow. “Were you doubting my feelings?”

He chuckled. “For a moment.” Then he dipped his head and kissed her gently.

Their kiss quickly turned passionate, their hands roaming over their bodice when he stopped abruptly.

“What?” Grace asked when he pulled away.

He leaned back and fumbled in his pocket. “I almost forgot. I brought you a gift.”

“I thought you said you decided not to bring me a gift.”

He pulled something out of his pocket. “No, I wanted you to love me for me. But I would’ve given you this either way.” He handed her the folded piece of paper.

She opened it, and there was a picture of a family crest with a wolf in the middle. She glanced at him, her heart drumming in her chest.

“That’s the only crest that closely resembled what you described. A wolf, a knight, a sword. All are there.”

She couldn’t believe it. “You remembered.”

“Of course.” He sounded a little offended that she even questioned that.

“Who does it belong to?”

“Does the name the Duke of Wolverstone mean anything to you?” he asked.

Grace reared back. “A duke? No, it means nothing to me. Is he…”

He nodded. “That’s the duke’s family crest. Unfortunately, he passed away just a few days ago.”

All of Grace’s hopes were dashed with that sentence. A duke. She couldn’t believe her father was a duke.

“Does he have a family?” Her voice came out raspy.