She blinked.
“Hecate?”
“Uhh…” Her mouth fell open but apparently his proposal had robbed her of the power of speech.
He sighed. “It’s not a terribly confusing question, sweetheart. Let me put it simply. Will. You. Marry. Me.”
“You…you want…” she pointed at herself… “me?”
Taking a breath and trying not to clench his teeth, he nodded. “Yes. I want to marry you.”
“Tomarryme?”
Finn leaned forward and thwacked his forehead on the table three times. Then he straightened. “Yes, dammit.”
“Then, dammit, the answer isyes.” She leaped from her chair practically into his teacup, stumbled and ended up sprawled across his lap. “Are you sure?” She looked up at him, sliding her arms around his neck.
“God, yes. But it’s you who needs to be sure, love. I have nothing to offer you…”
Her eyes shone so brilliantly, it was as if a pure teal blue sun had risen. “You are offering me yourself. What more could there possibly be?” Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “Except this…”
She kissed him, and as she did so, Finn knew he’d made the right decision, even though the words had popped out unexpectedly.
When he could breathe again, he held her by the shoulders. “Shouldn’t you be taking the time to think about this, Hecate? I’m serious when I said I don’t have a penny to my name. I owe you the clothes on my back.”
“Then I reserve the right to remove them tonight. One by one.” The look of sensual wickedness in her eyes took him aback, stunned him, and made his heart thunder beneath his shirt. God, she was amazing.
“You…destroy me, Hecate. In the best of ways,” he breathed, scared to move lest she vanish. How could this moment be real?
“But I am serious. I come to you with nothing, no worldly goods to endow you with, no fortune to add to yours. All I can do is pledge my life, my heart…my soul. To you. Always.”
“Oh Finn,” she whispered, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.
If Lady Augusta had not arrived at that moment, matters might well have gone another way, but the sound of her clearing her throat brought both Finn and Hecate to their senses.
With a certain degree of embarrassment, she slid from his lap. “I tripped,” she lied.
“So I see,” grinned Augusta. “Well caught, sir.” Her smile encompassed Finn.
Since he was doing his best to hide his natural masculine response to having his woman kissing the breath out of him, Finn was glad for Augusta’s nonchalance. He half rose and blessed the large tablecloth.
“We have news, Augusta.” Hecate resumed her seat.
“The trip to London? You have matters in hand already?”
“We do,” nodded Hecate, glancing at Finn.
He wondered if she’d mention their brand new engagement, and decided to take his lead from her. After all, they’d only been affianced five minutes ago. It would be precipitous to shout it from the chimney pots this soon, although he’d half a mind to rush up to the attic and try it; such was the level of his excitement. And his arousal.
“I do hope you will choose to remain here, Augusta.”
Finn pulled his brains out of his breeches and focused on Hecate’s conversation.
“You don’t mind?” Lady Augusta helped herself to tea.
“Actually, I’d feel better.” Hecate bit into a tart with a murmur of pleasure.
Finn’s brains rocketed downward again as her tongue flicked out to catch an errant morsel of pastry. OhGod, that tongue…
