“A real one,” he corrected, bumping his hip against hers. “Braden wants to walk his daughter down the aisle. And I can’t say I’m displeased by the thought of seeing Aria in a wedding dress.”
“She’ll be the most beautiful bride. When are we thinking?”
“I’ll want to check with her, but the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.”
Tilting her head to the side, Reagan studied him. “Never thought I’d see the day Killian O’Rourke waited for a woman’s opinion on anything.”
“First of all, that isn’t true because I ask your opinion all the time. Second of all… she’s not just any woman.”
His sister’s expression softened. “I know.” Setting her coffee cup aside, she pressed her hands to his face. “Love looks good on you, brother.”
Emotion lodged in his throat, so he was only able to nod in response. Seemingly satisfied with that, Reagan pulled her hands away and picked up her cup again. “I’ll be in my office. Send your blushing bride my way when you’re done with her so we can start planning.”
“I will.”
When she disappeared, he gave himself a few minutes longer to enjoy the solitude before returning to his office with a tray of coffee and Aria’s preferred herbal tea. Father and daughter were busy laughing at something when he entered, and though they didn’t bother to share the joke with him, for the first time in weeks the temperature in the room didn’t drop several degrees when Braden spotted him.
They spent several long hours together, talking and catching up, laughing and crying together. And with every passing minute, Killian swore he could feel the divide between them shrinking ever smaller.
Finally, Braden took his leave, with promises to have them over for dinner soon. When he left, Aria turned, her expression more relaxed and happy than Killian could remember seeing it since she’d first learned his true identity.
“Thank you for letting him in and not killing him.”
Needing to feel her in his arms, he pulled her close, pleased right down to his marrow when she immediately looped her arms around his neck, a smile playing on her lips. “You’re welcome. But we need to talk.”
Again her brow rose in that haughty way she’d so easily mastered. “Oh?”
“About the wedding.”
“I didn’t take you for a man who cared about flowers and napkin colors.”
“I have an affinity for peonies, but other than that, I don’t particularly care. But I wanted to tell you…” The words stuck in his throat, and he nearly let them stay there, unspoken.
But that was the coward’s way out. And Killian O’Rourke was not a coward.
“I wanted you to know that we don’t have to do this.”
“Killian, you already promised my dad.”
“That’s not what I mean. We both know our marriage, such as it is, was really only a matter of necessity. If you’d rather have it very quietly annulled, I would understand.”
Temper sparked in her eyes. “Why the hell would I want to do that?”
“Because, despite your father’s change of heart, you deserve better. You deserve a life free of violence and fear and all the things being my wife brings with it. I will, of course, continue to see to your safety. But I don’t want you to feel as though you need to stay with me just because we forged some documents that say we’re married.”
“As I told my father, I deserve the life I choose. And I choose you.”
Relief nearly sent him to his knees. “You’re sure? Because this is an offer I’ll only make once.”
“I am very sure. And Killian?”
“Yes, princess?”
She smiled then, sweet but with an edge sharp enough to slice a man’s heart from his chest. “If you ever call our marriage a ‘matter of necessity’ again, I will personally cut your dick off with the dullest knife I can find and have it mounted on our bedroom wall as a reminder that every last part of you belongs to me. Forever. Am I clear, O’Rourke?”
“Crystal clear, princess.” Bending down, he scooped her into his arms, surprising a squeal out of her as he headed for the stairs.
“Killian! What are you doing?”
