He took a deep breath. “Aye. The laws are clear, and since we’ve both been residing in this parish for three weeks, the vicar should have nae objection. I’ve obtained yer brother’s blessing, dinnae fash. I thought we might adventure together, no’ as Aberdeen Jones and his assistant, but Mr. and Mrs. Phineas Oliphant.”
Her eyes had widened, and her mouth dropped open. “You—you areproposingto me?”
Why was she so surprised?
“What did ye expect— Nay, dinnae answer that. Ye thought I was going to bed ye—experience the most absolute bliss of my life, thankyeverramuch—then go gallivanting off on some adventure without ye? Without yer brilliant mind and brilliant hands and wonderful wit and—and— Why are ye looking at me like that?”
“You cannot want tomarryme!”
“Why no’?” He frowned.
“Because!” she wailed. “You do not even love me!”
He burst into laughter. “Olive, love, of course I do. I’ve told ye many times.”
With a gasp, she pulled her hand from his and jabbed him in the chest. “You did not.You did not, Phineas Oliphant! I would remember that!”
For the first time, her lack of response to his declarations began to make sense, and his grin was slow, lazy. “Olive, I told ye while I was inside ye. Ye really didnae hear me say it?”
She was frowning thoughtfully now. “I heard ye say my name many times, then trail off.”
“Och, aye?” He couldn’t hold back his teasing tone. “And what did I say?”
“Well, ‘Olive, ye…’ and then you would trail off.”
He leaned forward and very gently brushed a kiss across her forehead. “I love ye.”
I love ye?
In a flash, it made sense, and Olive gasped.
“Neptune’s slimy balls,I love ye! Olive ye!” She groaned and dropped her forehead against his shoulder, realizing how similar her name sounded toI love. “I cannot believe I am so stupid!”
Chuckling now, he pressed his cheek to her temple. “No’ stupid, love, but perhaps short-sighted. Ye really thought I would make love to ye without beinginlove with— Nay, dinnae answer that either, it’ll likely hurt my estimation of mankind. Instead, tell me where ye learned such a curse.”
“I am inventive,” came her muffled response.
“That ye are. But Neptune doesnae have legs, so his bollocks?—”
Her head jerked upright, and she glared at him. “Imeanthis slimysphaera.”
He chuckled again, accepting her obvious attempt to cover her gaffe. “I love ye, Olive L’arbre. Olive tree, my favorite kind of tree.” He leaned toward her. “Marry me? Please?”
Slowly, her expression turned from irritation to wonder. “You really do love me? As much as I love you?”
His heart gave a happy little lurch and he had to refrain from squeezing her too tightly. “Well, I dinnae ken that, because this is the first I’ve heard of ye loving me?—”
With a laugh, she pulled her arms free of his embrace and tossed them around his neck, interrupting him when she pulled his lips down to meet hers.
It was a simple kiss, one between partners, and over far too soon.
“I love you, Phineas Oliphant,” she whispered against his lips, her gaze holding his despite the nearness. “I have loved Aberdeen Jones foryears, dreaming of going adventuring with him, but you…” She grinned. “Well, the real version of him is so much better. I love you, and I would be delighted—no,honoredto go adventuring with you.”
He stood grinning down at her, holding her in his arms as the afternoon sun slowly burned off the dampness from the earlier—life-changing—storm. “Ye’ll be my wife?”
“Yes, Phineas. If Ash?—”
“He’s agreed,” Phin was quick to promise her. “I asked him last week, and he said I was likely the only man alive who could keep ye busy and yer brain satisfied for the rest of yer life.”
