“That’s not what happened. I always wanted to marry you.”
“You did?”
“Desperately.” His smile was so tender. “I don’t know the precise moment it happened, but I love you, Madelene. Immeasurably, unconditionally, and without any reservations.”
A sob burst from her lips, and his smile fell. “I had hoped that would make you happy.”
She shook her head and wiped her tears. “It does make me happy. More than you can possibly imagine. It’s just—” She stared at the flowers before eventually meeting his gaze. “No one has ever said they loved me before, and I didn’t think anyone ever would.”
He dropped the flowers onto the nearby table and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, Madelene.” He kissed her cheek. “I love you.” He sprinkled kisses over her face and lips, repeating the phrase between each one before he eventually wrapped his arms around her and spoke quietly into her ear. “I love you.” He squeezed her tightly. “You’re going to grow so tired of those words, because I will never stop saying them.”
Somehow she was both laughing and crying simultaneously. “I love you, Simon.” The words were hardly intelligible through her weeping.
He kissed her, and it was not chaste or gentle. His tongue plunged into her mouth, claiming her as his own, and she surrendered completely. It was heaven.
With a groan, he dragged his lips away from hers. She was dizzy with desire, and a desperate hunger filled his eyes, as well.
“If you’re sure you’ll have me, I start my new position in one week, and I’d like to be wed before we go back to London.”
She was too surprised to do more than nod. A week?
He laughed. “I’m definitely going to need more than a nod for this.”
She laughed with him. “Yes, Simon. I will marry you this very minute.” She leaned in and spoke quietly. “Especially if I can make love to you when we’ve finished.”
Slowly and seductively, his gaze slid down her body. “If there wasn’t someone standing right outside that door, I’d already have you naked on that sofa, tasting every delectable inch of your body.”
Heat rushed through her as butterflies filled her stomach. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life, but he was right. Selma was just on the other side of the door. With a nod, she pushed down her desire.
Instead, she focused on the rest of what he’d said. He had to return to London. She would have to go back with him and leave this place.
“If we marry, will I have your permission to come back up here for visits?”
He cupped her chin. “When we marry, you won’t need my permission. You’ll need only say, ‘Simon, I wish to go up to Scotland, and you need to escort me there safely,’ and I will say, ‘of course, my wonderful, beautiful, incredible wife.’” He kissed her, but this time was merely a brief press of his lips.
“But surely you’ll be busy and won’t have time to do that.”
“I will always have time for you. Have you already forgotten? I love you.”
Chapter
Twenty
She said yes. Simon’s lips turned up in a smile as he loosened his tie. He’d never felt more intimidated than he had as he’d knelt before her, baring his soul. But she said yes. And afterwards, Mrs. Appleridge had given her enthusiastic approval. With a sigh, he removed the rest of his clothes and stepped into his pajamas. They’d only been apart a few minutes since then and he was already missing her.
There was a light tap on his door, and he smiled again. Perhaps she was eager to see him, as well. She’d certainly made a quick job of changing.
When he opened the door, her beauty took his breath away, as it always seemed to. The white nightclothes accentuated her golden skin and dark hair.
Nervousness played at the edge of her smile as she looked up into his eyes. “May I kiss you before we go down?” she asked quietly.
What he really wanted was to pull her into his room and make love to her, but this wasn’t his home, and he was determined to be respectful, no matter how difficult it was. They weren’t married yet, after all. “Yes.” He stepped into the hall and closed the door behind him. For a moment, her brow furrowed, and she looked up and down the corridor. But then she shrugged and wrapped a hand around his neck, pulling his mouth down to meet hers.
Her lips were tender and sweet, almost hesitant, testing his keenness. He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.
“Don’t mistake the closed door to mean I don’t want to kiss you. I want you so desperately, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop myself in there.” He plunged his fingers into her silky hair and recaptured her lips. Passion burned between them as their tongues danced. She was glorious. When a door closed further down the hall, he forced himself to part from her. Intoxication filled her eyes as much as it did his muddled brain.
“I’ll show you the way down,” she said after a moment.
