“I love you, Kalder.” The words tore themselves from her throat at the same time her body exploded.
Kalder cried out as his own release came and he heard wordsthat both scared and elated him. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled her sweet scent, while a part of him wished he were dreaming. That she loved anyone elsebuthim.
Please don’t let me cause her death.
Because as those words echoed, he had a bad premonition. One he couldn’t banish. Over and over, he saw an ending that haunted him. One that seemed to be stalking them both.
Cameron lay still as he clutched her. His heart pounded against her breastbone while his ragged breathing caressed her ear.
“Thank you,ma petite,” he whispered.
She squeezed him tight. “Ever me pleasure, me lord demon pirate.”
Kalder kissed her as he withdrew. She was amazing and he savored the way she looked up at him like a woman well sated. Pleased and welcoming.
And it was then he knew he would have to do the right thing by her. No matter his convictions on the subject.
No matter his common sense. Or what the future held. Or what premonitions haunted him.
He was honor-bound to this.
For her. And for him, too, if the truth were told.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to utter the very words he’d sworn to himself that he would never speak to anyone. “Will you marry me, Cameron Amelia Maire Jack?”
She looked up at him, blinked, then burst out laughing.
13
Cameron was certain Kalder had to be japing. Surely he didn’t really expect her to marry him? Not now! What madness would that be?
But the offended look on his face told her his question had been quite earnest.
And that made her feel awful. Guilty, even, for laughing at his offer. She wasn’t the kind of woman to ever intentionally hurt another’s feelings, least of all Kalder’s. “Sorry, me love. I didn’t realize youactuallymeant that.”
She quickly pulled her gown on, over her head.
After all, some things were best done while dressed, and confronting a demon about an unwanted marriage proposal seemed like it ought to be one of them.
Though this might be better if her gown wasn’t covered in sand and grit. Now she knew how Chthamalus and his crew had felt earlier.
Kalder made no moves to dress himself. Instead he lay there in all his naked glory, completely bare and enticing. Making her mouth water and her mind consider the possibility of being with him—which she had proposed first, roundabout. “Of course I am. You said it yourself, right? That was what you meant when you asked me to return with you to Williamsburg, wasn’t it?”
Honestly, she hadn’t thoughtthatfar ahead. When she’d asked him that, it’d been for purely selfish reasons, in that she hadn’t wanted to say good-bye, and had wanted him to stay near her.
“Maybe?”
“Maybe? Seriously?”
“Well… Why would you consent to marriage… with me?”
He looked as baffled by her question as she was by his. “I took your virginity.”
She snorted. “How magnanimous of you,” she said, allowing the full weight of her sarcasm to show. “But you didn’ttakeanything, Kalder. Igaveit to you. That doesn’t require a marriage proposal.”
He scowled at her. “Is that not what humans do? You’re a lady, aye?”
Was he trying to be insulting? She had a sudden urge to slap him for that.
