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“So do I. But as soon as I was told that she was gone, knowing there was nothing more I could do, I turned back and came to you.”

At triple speed, judging from his appearance. His face was covered with a short beard, proving he had only stopped for what was essential in the last few weeks, sleep, eat and water his horse. But despite his haste, she could tell that he’d stopped not far from Bryn Glas to wash the grime from the road off him before coming to meet her. His golden hair, which had grown even longer, was still damp.

Suddenly, the need to throw herself into his arms was irresistible. But she could not surrender to it here, in view of everyone. This reunion she had waited for so long had to be private.

Because what would happen as soon as she was in Cadell’s arms would be scandalous—and for them only.

“Come,” she said at last. “There is…something…I need…”

Barely repressing the urge to take him by the hand, she headed for her chamber at the top of the tower. The roof had finally been repaired and she had left the pallet in the solar for her new bed the previous week. Thanks to Richard’s expertise and the people of Bryn Glas’s newfound respect for her, the room now looked as it should. With tapestries on the wall, a lively fire burning in the hearth and cozy furniture scattered around, it was perfect, welcoming.

Cold and empty, without the one person in it that would make it a home.

Well, that person was back now, and she would never let him leave again.

16

Johanna closed the door and ran into Cadell’s arms at last, burrowing into his strong embrace. He smelled fresh and manly, despite the long ride. She had been right to suspect he had washed and shaken the dust from his clothes before coming to her. In fact, she guessed that he had washed his whole body in preparation for what was to come.

Her insides caught fire at the thought.

“Oh, Cadell, I need you,” she said with a sob.

The hold around her tightened. “Why? What’s happened?” he growled, his chest rumbling against her ear. How she had missed this, missed him! “What have the people done this time? Is it Old Cadwgan? I swear I will⁠—”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I don’t need you in that way, I don’t need you to do anything. I just need you. To be with you. I need you to make my life complete.”

He placed two hands on her shoulders to push her away gently, so he could look her in the eye. “Say that again. Make your life complete?”

“Yes. I died a thousand deaths while you were gone.” Though the people at Bryn Glas had finally accepted her and done their best to make her feel at home, she had felt terribly lonely without him. “I lost one husband, twice, he even died in my arms. I don’t want to lose another now. You’ve loved me for ten years. I know I cannot begin to compete, but I swear my feelings for you are⁠—”

Instead of finishing her sentence, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him the kiss she had been dying to give him for weeks. Passionate, heartfelt, desperate and emotional.

When she finally let him go, her body was on fire, her heart was a mess—and his eyes were throwing sparks.

Hope lit up in her chest.

“I know you needed time, and I understand. I let you go. But please say you haven’t forgotten me while you were in England. Please say you still want me and are ready to give me another chance,” she sobbed, kissing his mouth, his jaw, his cheeks, his eyelids, everywhere she could reach. “Say you still love me. I will wait, but I need to know⁠—”

This time it was Cadell who interrupted her. With a roar he lifted her into his arms, holding the back of her thighs so she could wrap her legs around his trim waist. With their faces level, he stared at her, the look in his eyes so intense Johanna felt the heat of that stare all the way to her core.

“I love you, Johanna de Welles. That is never going to change, not when I’ve loved you all this time, not after all we’ve been through together. I thought I needed to accept what had happened and I probably did. But it was a mistake to leave you. It didn’t take me long to understand that I should have asked you to come with me. I missed you so much while I was in England that at times I couldn’t breathe.” He stopped to let out a groan. “And I want you so much that I fear I’m going to come just from feeling you tight against me.”

Johanna’s breath caught in her throat. Indeed she could feel him hot and hard, pulsing against her most intimate parts. She guessed he would not refuse to take her today, even if they were not married yet.

“Don’t come just yet,” she pleaded, resisting the urge to rub herself against him to ease the tingling between her legs. “I need to feel you inside me.”

After too much waiting, too much pain, too many deaths and obstacles, it was time to live. Rhun had died so that she could be with the man who made her happy. So that she could live the life he had not been able to offer her.

So she would be happy, she would live the life he had gifted her with.

His sacrifice would not be in vain.

“Love me, Cadell.”

“I do. I love you more than I can comprehend.”

“Then make love to me.”