He bent into a kiss, this time putting all his desire and caring into it. Sarah gasped, then leaned into him, her mouth opening under his as she matched his desire. He had the dizzy feeling that she had always been his fate and now he’d truly come home.
He drew her onto his lap again so they could press even closer as they continued kissing. When he paused for breath, he said raggedly, “I don’t ever want to let you go, my sunny Sarah! Have I mentioned that I’d like to marry you?”
She gave a choke of laughter. “You have, and it’s beginning to seem more…possible. But your judgment might be distorted by the fact that you’ve just returned to the castle and we’re trapped in a black and freezing attic. This is like a time away from time. We need to get out of this attic and you need to see me as I really am now, not just as a pleasant memory of childhood.”
He slowly skimmed his hand from her shoulder to her knee. “You don’t feel like a child to me.”
Sarah batted at his hand. “Behave! This is serious. One of the most serious decisions you’ll ever make.”
“It’s equally serious for you, Sarah,” he pointed out, as he brushed the silken lock of hair from her forehead.
“True, but the stakes are higher for you, and you were always inclined to being impulsive,” she said seriously. “I won’t hold you to your proposal if you decide you want to look further before you choose a wife.”
“You know me so well, Sarah.” He took her hand. “Which is why I can’t imagine a better choice to be my countess.”
Her fingers tightened under his and he realized that she found the prospect of becoming a countess daunting. Since his Great-Aunt Agatha was probably the only countess she’d ever met, he could see her point. He’d have to work on that.
“Are you sure this is what you want, my lord Rafe?” she asked seriously. “You’re not just acting from our shared memories?”
He kissed her again, lingeringly, before he said, “No dream has ever felt so real, my love. Because I do love you. I think I’ve loved you since the first time we met, when I was drowning in darkness and you led me to light and joy. Please do that again.” He hesitated, before daring to ask, “Do you love me, or am I deceiving myself?”
“You’re not,” she said softly. “I’ve loved you ever since we met. But you never seemedpossible!I’m having to adjust to believe in you. Inus.”
He released her with reluctance. “You’re right. We need to get out of this darkness and into the light.”
“Should we try the west end door, or the east end?” she asked.
He considered. “My intuition says that we should go to the west end. I know how solidly it was locked, but now that we’ve talked about feline ghosts, that might have changed.”
He reached down and caught Sarah’s hand. “The pathway through the furniture isn’t wide enough for two, so you’ll have to stay behind me.”
“Very well, my lord,” she said demurely. “Remember to release my hand if you trip and fall on your face.”
Hearing the smile in her voice, he said, “If I do pull you down, at least you’ll land on top of me!”
Rafe turned and started edging back toward the door. Since he’d come this way earlier, he managed not to trip. Slivers of light outlined the door, so he guessed that the lamp he’d dropped when the ghost cat lunged at him was still burning on the landing.
He released Sarah’s hand and grasped the knob. Hoping for the best, he turned it—and the door opened easily. “Well, well, well,” he murmured. “Do you think the ghosts are happy with us?”
“So it seems.” Sarah followed him out to the landing. After the absolute darkness of the attic, the lamp seemed positively bright. “Let there be light! Now let’s descend to a room that has a fire!”
“In a moment.” Rafe turned and set his hands on her shoulders and studied her. The coat he’d draped over her couldn’t conceal her elegantly slim figure. She didn’t have the dramatic beauty of one of the diamonds of the first water, but her face was lovely and her gentle eyes were entrancingly warm.
She looked absolutely and wonderfully Sarah-ish.
“Beloved,” he breathed. “You look exactly the way I knew you would. Lovely and warm and quite utterly irresistible.”
Her brows arched. “You really don’t mind my freckles?”
“They’re adorable.You’readorable.” He brushed a light kiss first over her her left cheekbone, then the right, because they both had a light dusting of golden freckles.
Then he straightened and braced himself as he asked, “Are you sure you aren’t repulsed by my scarred face?”
“Quite sure.” She brushed her fingertips across the scar. “Seeing it, I am reminded that your survival is a miracle. The scar makes you look very masculine. Heroic.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Even more dear and desirable.”
Their gazes caught and held. He could feel the bond that pulsed between them. It had been forged when they were children and it had only become stronger with the years and fears for each other. Sarah washismiracle. “Now that we’ve come out of darkness and can see each other,” he said in a husky voice, “I’m going to ask you again if you’ll marry me. And don’t you dare use your charming freckles as a reason to refuse!”
“As long as you’re sure…” She drew a deep breath, “Yes!You’ve convinced me that marriage is possible.” After a long moment, she said slowly, “Perhaps it has been inevitable ever since we met.”
