“Sebastian?” God, how he loved hearing his name on her lips. He had no rights with this woman. They’d ended things when they’d parted. She might hate him.
But she did not.
Encouraged by the welcome in her eyes, he crossed the gazebo in an instant, caught her up against him, and buried his face in her neck and hair. “Maggie.” He spoke her name again. This time, more hoarsely than before.
Her arms wound around his waist, and she melted into him.
The last time he’d held her, he’d thought he could live without her. He’d thought he knew what mattered. He hadn’t felt completely whole since.
Until now.
“I’m sorry, Maggie. You said not to write. But I couldn’t let you go. Will you ever forgive me for being such—”
“Nothing to forgive.” She reached up and clutched at the back of his head, pulling his lips down to hers. He could have wept. All those weeks, he’d spent wondering if he’d lost her, berating himself for being a selfish fool. He would give her everything she wanted. If she wanted a child, he’d be the man to plant his seed in her womb. He’d live with her in London, or Land’s End, or wherever she wanted. He’d take her on sailing excursions, and he’d walk with her by the sea.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped against his mouth. “For sending you away—for asking you not to write. I need you.”
She tasted the same as he remembered, only so much better. He kissed her long and slow before pulling away so he could stare into her eyes.
“You are here. This is real.” She smiled at him and delicate fingers touched the curve of his jaw, stroking his beard. “I can’t believe you are here.” Her fingers explored him at the same time he simply held her, watching her eyes.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I know we intended to end it, but I had to keep you near me. Writing the letters gave me hope.”
“I loved them.” And then she blinked. “You came back early? Why?”
He knew what she was asking.
The morning after he’d read her letter, he’d begun making all the arrangements to return home ahead of schedule. He’d had to move heaven and earth to round up the crew. Damn, but Eddie had not been happy.
“I’m not afraid anymore. Of any of it. I came back for you, just like I said I would.” He drew her to a bench placed in the corner of the shelter where he sat and then lowered her onto his lap.
“I am so happy to see you. I missed you. I missed my friend.” She kept one arm around his neck. He’d taken hold of her other hand and threaded their fingers. Being with her was different but the same.
“I wanted to share everything with you.” He felt a little rueful. He’d acted rather like a lovesick fool and still had no idea if she felt the same.
“You did.” She raised their hands to her lips and kissed the back of his wrist. “I have so much to tell you. I’m working at the foundling home. And taking art lessons and hosting charities.” She studied their hands. “I had so much to learn, Sebastian. I made so many mistakes but I’m not afraid anymore. I want to be with you. If you’ll still have me. I want to love. I want to live.”
Since she’d begged him in that letter to stop writing, his heart had been squeezed with the fear of losing her. In that moment, his heart was set free. It expanded. It took flight.
“Maggie.” He was kissing her again. He wanted to devour her. He’d never have enough of her. But he would do this properly this time. “Marry me?”
“But you don’t want to marry.” She looked delightfully confused. “I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.”
He slid her off his lap and onto the bench and then lowered himself to one knee. “I don’t need to travel the earth to know what matters in this world, I’ve already done that. I want to be your friend, your lover, and I want to be those things forever. Marry me, Maggie. Travel with me. Live with me. Make babies with me.”
She tilted her head. “You don’t want babies.”
He took one of her hands and cradled it in both of his. “I was afraid,” he admitted, and she nodded. She understood him. “But I can’t avoid life because I’m afraid of tragedy. Tragedy lurks around every corner for all of us. Death is not something we can avoid. But until that happens, let’s live, Maggie. Let’s love. Will you be brave with me? Can you love me? Will you marry me?”
“Yes, to everything. Yes. Let’s be brave together. Yes, I will marry you. And yes. I love you. I love the man I climbed in bed with, I love the man I swam with, I love the man who has shown me more pleasure than I ever knew was possible. But more recently, I’ve fallen in love again. With the man who wrote me all those letters. Of course, I’ll marry you, Sebastian Wright.”
“And you’ll sail with me?”
She nodded. “Let’s fly, Sebastian. Let’s fly.”
31
What Happens on the Ship…
