“Well, that depends on why you’re here.”
“I’m here to ask you again to marry me. I wasn’t teasing before.” He had started to lead them in the dance, but stopped as he waited breathlessly for her answer.
“I wasn’t ready to hear it then, but now I am. Shall we sneak out now?”
He began to laugh. “Shouldn’t I ask your—”
“Good God, no. You can’t ask him or we’ll never get out of here.”
“I was going to say your mother. One parent’s approval would be nice.”
Jack rolled her eyes at him. “She just slapped you. She’s not ready to approve, either.”
“But I’m heir to two titles now. Will that make a difference to your father?”
She laughed. “No, but—two? How did that happen?”
He told her briefly about finding his mother, and the lie that had been told to her to keep them apart. “I can’t even be angry at Cyril for lying to her—well, I can, I am, it cost me so much. And yet if it hadn’t played out as it did, I never would have met you.”
“I beg to differ. You and I were destined. We would have met somehow.”
He smiled. “You think so?”
“It’s what every woman in my family would say.”
“But not you?”
“Don’t be silly. Who am I to dispute a consensus that big?”
“You did, as I recall. You would have made your destiny wait a full year.”
“Not anymore.”
His turquoise eyes perused hers, and he looked a little too serious when he said, “Are you sure? Because I haven’t actually heard you say yes.”
She grinned. “Yes.” She kissed his cheek. “Yes.” She licked his ear. “Definitely yes.” And slid her lips across his face to say against his mouth, “D’you need more convincing that I’ll marry you?”
He crushed her to him for a moment before he said, “The first yes did it, but by all means, continue.”
She shook her head. “If we’re going to slip out, we probably need to do it now, before my uncle tells my father that you’re here.”
“He already knows. Frankly, I’m surprised he hasn’t ordered the doors locked and the crowd to part.”
“He wouldn’t want to feed the gossip mills. He doesn’t care about creating scandal about himself, but wouldn’t want even a whiff of it to spread to me, so he won’t make a scene. It’s mostly my extended family here tonight, but there are still other members of thetonin the room.” A quick glance around her and she had to amend, “Actually, a lot more than were invited. But that would be why he hasn’t ripped you out of my arms yet. He probably does know exactly where we are and is just waiting until the music ends.”
“Wonderful.” Damon groaned.
“We can elope to Scotland and inform them afterward.”
“Impulsive as ever.”
“No, but now that I’ve decided I’m not waiting for next year after all, I don’t want to wait another day. Although it’s going to take more’n a day to get to Scotland.”
“But less than a day to get to Essex, where my father already has a special license for us.”
Her brows went up. “That sort of title?”
“Yes—and an extra name. If you marry me, you will be Jack Reeves Chandler. I’ve just met my real father.”
