Why did he keep coming back to that? What did that matter?
They were so close. Aimilia could feel his breath on her cheek.
She let out another soft laugh, unable to keep the scorn out of her voice. “Like you do?”
Finally, she had him. Nikias would go to great lengths to convince her or manipulate her, but she finally had the one bridge even he would not dare cross.
Nikias stared at her, his chest heaving as he looked at her with that dangerous, wild look in his eye that haunted her. She was about to step back and relish in her victory, but then Nikias spoke three little breathless words.
“Yes, I do.”
Chapter 58
AIMILIA
“Yes, I do.”
And before Aimilia could register what Nikias had just said, his lips were on hers. Aimilia stumbled back. Nikias’ hand clutched her waist as the other braced against the wall while her back pressed into it. Aimilia let out a sharp gasp and she just barely caught herself on his shoulders again. His body pressed into hers.
His kiss was searing.
It was a complete torrent of emotion. The way he moved, frantic and desperate, had Aimilia’s knees weakening. It was completely wild, and all Aimilia could hear in her head were those three little words.
“Yes, I do.”
Did he?
His kiss seemed to corroborate that he did.
With a kiss like this, Aimilia just might believe him.
Enough to kiss him back. Her fingers curled into his chiton as she responded in kind.
He pulled his lips away, gasping for breath as Aimilia’s head rested against the wall.
Nikias’ cheek brushed hers as he kept her pinned up against the wall. He whispered, “I will not pretend for a moment longer that I don’t. I do. I do love you. I cannot stand here and let you continue accusing me of being like that vermin. You cannot let him use you. You cannot even entertain the idea of marrying him when he does not love you and I do.”
Aimilia’s head was spinning.
Nikias loved her?
He turned his head, pressing a kiss to her cheek and then her jaw. “I thought it was obvious, especially as of late, despite the fact thatI’ve been desperately trying to hide it. Forget everything I said that night I first proposed to you. That’s not why I want to marry you. Do you think I’ve done all this just because you make the most sense? Do you think I would kiss you like this if all I cared about was my ego?”
His lips just barely grazed her neck, eliciting a soft gasp from her before he pulled back to look at her. He stared into her eyes, and it was that look again. She could drown in his magnificent green eyes. “Amata,all I want is your happiness, but I simply cannot see why you would not be happy with me. Do you really think it would be such misery to be married to me? Would it really be so bad to be the wife of a man who adores you? Can you not be happy with my name around your wrist?”
“Nikias—”
“I know—” Nikias paused, taking a shuddering breath. “I understand you have something you need to prove. As much as it horrifies me to see you in danger, if this is what you need, I will keep standing by you. No matter how hard it is, I will. Once you’re done, and you’ve proven everything you need to prove, I beg of you, choose me. Marry me. Love Me.”
Could she?
Was this real?
Surely he wouldn’t sink so low as to say all of that in order to manipulate her, right?
He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one slower and sweeter, and Aimilia was torn between crying and opening her mouth to beg him to say it all again. But her voice was stuck in her throat. Nikias rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed. “You cannot be indifferent to me, even now. You have my name to wear; I will give it to no one else. You have my heart in your hands. Please, I beg of you the honor of having yours in return.”
Aimilia could never have predicted this. Dare she do it?
