Page 112 of Dukes for Dessert

Dare thought he was hearing things. But he turned to the doorway and she was there. His goddess had returned.

Juno stared at Dare, thinking she couldn’t have heard him right. He loved her? And he’d said so in front of everyone in this room?

Every guest present was focused intently on the drama playing out just inside the threshold. Juno wondered what she’d missed. Although, she wasn’t sure it mattered. Not if he’d actually said what she thought she’d heard.

“You came back,” Dare said simply, his features radiating joy. It was an odd thing to behold, and Juno had to blink, as if she were looking at the sun.

“I did,” she said slowly. “Did I just hear—”

“Me say that I love you. Yes. I was an ass. An inflexible, overthinking, single-minded curmudgeon. Who would like to beg your forgiveness.”

“Are you sure you want to have this conversation here?” she whispered, glancing particularly at Lady Bentham, who was watching—and listening to—them with rapt interest.

“I do. I don’t care who hears what I have to say.” His brow creased. “Unless you do. Perhaps you’d prefer I close my mouth and never speak again.”

She couldn’t help smiling, overcome with joy that he would put her feelings in front of his. She’d been so wrong to compare him to her parents, to forget that he struggled with his inflexibility. “I admit I’m shocked to hear you say so much, let alone display…so much, but I am quite delighted to hear whatever you have to say however you wish to say it.” If she cared about her professional future as a companion, she would silence him. However, she was fairly certain her role as a companion was already at risk since Lady Gilpin was seated nearby, and her attention was completely focused on them.

Furthermore, she could see Dare’s rigid outer shell cracking apart, and she couldn’t bring herself to stop that. This was an important moment for him. And hopefully for them together.

He dropped to his knee before her, and several gasps filled the air. Juno’s heart picked up speed, clamoring against her ribs as happiness and anticipation collided in her chest.

“In addition to begging your forgiveness—”

“You have it,” she cut in, not wanting him to go another moment thinking she was angry or disappointed. “There’s nothing to forgive. I should have been more understanding. I do know you, and I love all your eccentricities.”

His lips curved into the most dazzling smile he’d yet displayed. Juno had to keep herself from leaping onto him and tackling him to the carpet.

“You love me?”

She nodded.

“How unexpected,” he murmured, taking her hand. “And wonderful. In addition to begging forgiveness, when apparently none is required, I also planned to use this opportunity to beg you to be my wife. Juno, my goddess, will you do me the honor of becoming my duchess?”

A duchess! Juno had considered many options when she’d decided to turn the coach around and return to Blickton, including marriage. However, she’d instantly determined that would never happen. What duke would propose to a paid companion? Particularly a duke with rigid plans and expectations.

She clapped her free hand over her mouth as emotion overwhelmed her. She hadn’t expected him to say he loved her. And she’d certainly never imagined this.

“You planned?” was all she could manage to say, briefly lowering her hand to her chin.

He arched one of his gloriously thick brows at her. “You can’t be surprised by that?”

A giggle slipped from her mouth, and she moved her hand back up to seal her lips. Inhaling through her nose, she dropped her hand and tried to calm the torrent inside her. “No, I should not be surprised.”

“Are you going to give him an answer?” Lady Bentham demanded, grinning.

“Yes,” Juno said softly, reaching to caress Dare’s cheek. “Yes, I will marry you, though I can’t imagine why you would choose me.”

He frowned at her, looking much more like the rigid duke, whom she also loved. “Because you’re intelligent, witty, strong, charming, and you make me smile.”

“That last part should be enough,” Lady Bentham said drolly. “You may be the only person in existence who can do that.”

A small smile broke across Dare’s lips, and Juno laughed. “Not true, Lady Bentham. But your point is well taken.” She squeezed his hand. “I will spend the rest of my life making you smile so much that your lips will want to fall off.”

He stood and lifted her hand to press a kiss to her wrist. “I shall pray that does not happen, because my lips are of particular and essential use to me. And to you,” he added in a husky whisper.

“You make a better point than Lady Bentham,” she said softly, her chest tight from an overwhelming barrage of emotion. She’d never felt this full, not even when she’d fallen for Bernard. That had been a different sensation, she realized, a young love rife with enthusiasm and passion. This was mature and whole, and loving him made her feel…right. Which was something, since she hadn’t felt at all wrong. Indeed, she’d been perfectly content with her life. So content that she’d almost talked herself out of coming back. Until she’d finally acknowledged that Dare had quite destroyed that contentment when he’d glowered his way into her life. It seemed that love came when one least expected it.

“I have to tell you,” she whispered up at Dare. “This isn’t what I expected. I thought we would form an attachment, but not marriage. I made a commitment to Lady Gilpin, and I don’t feel right abandoning her.” She glanced toward her almost employer with a pang of guilt.

---