If she rejected him now, he would accept it. How could he expect that he deserved more in this life? How could he ever be worthy of such a sunny, clever, beautiful woman? Why would a woman like her ever want to spend her days wrapped in his darkness?
He looked into her eyes, expecting, waiting, begging. If there were just one hope she would ever be his, he was going to take it and make sure she never regretted it.
“Please,” he begged one more time.
CHAPTER 30
Way Home
He was still pinned on that same spot, as if his life began and ended right there, in a random place on the road in the middle of nowhere. And yet it was true. If Bella decided to get into that carriage and drive away, he would be left in the middle of nowhere alone.
He searched her face, trying to decipher what she was feeling, what she was thinking. He had nothing more to offer, just himself, bare and open.
“I…” Arabella said.
He held his breath. Everyone feared him, and here he was, trembling in front of a woman who ruled his whole life. Arabella looked into his eyes one more time, battling with herself and her doubts.
But then he saw the shift, something softening inside her. Hope flared in his soul, treacherous but so addictive. Arabella leaned a little toward him.
“I love you too.”
It was his turn to regard her in complete shock. His eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. His hand remained still against her cheek.
“Say it again, please,” he begged. “Say it again so I know I didn’t conjure some dream.”
“How poetic of you, Your Grace,” Arabella chuckled. “Who knew that the cruel Duke was hiding a poet?”
“Tease me all you want, Arabella,” he said desperately. “I deserve as much, but please say it again.”
Arabella’s eyes shone brighter than the blue sky above them. Suddenly, the world started spinning again, only this time it was around her, as if the sun was shining on her, the birds were singing for her pleasure, and the grass was green under her feet.
“I love you too, Gerald,” she said softly, slowly, giving him time to realize it was true.
The relief Gerald felt was like nothing he had experienced before. It came over him like waves of the ocean on a hot day. His body reacted before his mind even could. The hand on herface got tangled in her hair, and his other hand pulled her by the waist closer to him, as close as possible.
“I promise you,” he breathed over her lips, “that you will never regret it. I will make sure every day.”
And he sealed that promise with a kiss. He had kissed her so many times before, but this was as if he was kissing her for the first time ever. He was almost trembling as his lips traced hers.
Then Arabella responded. One hand moved up to his chest and lingered where his heartbeat was thundering. He let her feel how it beat only for her, how much his life was hers now.
“Gerald,” she breathed so low.
He heard the deep need inside her, the same one that took over him. He broke the kiss once more, needing to look into her eyes to know for sure that he got extremely lucky.
He found her eyes swimming in happiness. It was true. His radiant sunshine loved him back against better judgment. But he was not going to be the one educating her. He was not that kind and not that selfish. He wanted to keep her.
A wave of possessiveness came over him, and he was ready to devour Arabella right there by the road and the soft grass when he realized that they had an audience.
From the Duchess’s carriage, both Winnie and Bridget were watching them, both with hands over their mouths.
“Sorry, ladies,” Gerald said mischievously, “I am afraid your journey to Wales is postponed.”
That’s all he said, and he took Arabella by her hand and led her back to his carriage. Arabella yelped in surprise but didn’t resist him. She followed him with a smile on her face.
“What are you doing, Gerald?”
“We are going home. We’re going to pack and prepare ourselves, and then we’re going for a honeymoon in Brighton.”
