Page 475 of From Rakes to Riches

Like a boy, his grin returned, brighter than before, and the sight of it melted Maggie’s heart.

“Now scoot forward,” he demanded.

“Scoot?”

“Yes, Margaret,scoot.”He placed a hand behind her, and quite boldly, shoved her bottom forward on the cardboard when she didn’t respond quickly enough.

“Oh!” Margaret exclaimed.

He sat behind her, and before Margaret could think to protest, he wrapped his legs around her, trapping her between them.

“Now,” he commanded, “close your eyes!”

“This is preposterous,” Margaret protested. “What in the Queen’s name are we doing?”

“You’ll see,” he said. And then again, “Trust me, Maggie.” And he took her hands into his own, and said, “Hold tight.”

Margaret didn’t even have time to ask why. Within an instant, Gabriel had shoved them forward, down the hill. She squealed as they went flying, and for a moment, she was horrified, but Gabriel wrapped his arms about her and heldher close. And then they were racing down the steep hill on his pasteboard, the wind sweeping her face. Margaret couldn’t contain a peal of laughter. Glorious!Freedom!She opened her eyes and watched the horizon fly by, and giggled.

They ended at the bottom of the hill in a scattered heap, laughing breathlessly.

Neither could seem to stop for the longest interval, and Margaret lay with her head on his chest, oblivious to propriety, laughing like a girl. “Oh, my! That was unspeakably delightful,” she confessed.

He hugged her, a smile in his voice, and his chuckles subsided. “You do not know how long I’ve wanted to do that with you, Maggie.”

She peered back at him, tears shining in her eyes. “Your name isn’t truly Morgan, is it?”

He shook his head with a smirk. “Neither is yours.” And then, once again, both together, they laughed, and couldn’t stop for the longest while.

Finally, Maggie opened her mouth to speak, and Gabriel put a finger to her lips. “Shhhh,” he said, and sat up, turning her about to face him, looking her straight in the eyes. “I still love you, Brat. I never stopped. I told you I’d not forget, and I never have.”

Margaret’s brows slanted as bittersweet memories accosted her. She peered about at the familiar landscape… the bright blue skyline... the circle of trees... the hill they’d come racing down... the windflowers swaying with the breeze… and her heart hammered fiercely, because this was the very spot where they’d said their goodbyes.

“It’s true,” he said, and time slipped away.

She choked on a sob, casting herself into his arms. “Oh, Gabe!” she said, clutching at his dirty shirt, and Gabriel reached out to do what he hadn’t had the nerve to do all those years past.He took a wayward lock of Margaret’s hair between his fingers and brushed it away from her beautiful face, and then he said, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she cried.

“I know, sweet Maggie. I know.” And he bent to seal their avowals with a sweet, if slightly muddy kiss.

“Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,” he murmured, reaching out to trace the curve of her breasts with a finger. He reveled in the feel of her supple flesh beneath his greedy hands. “I would like to discuss a renegotiation…”

“Renegotiation?”

“Yes, dear.”

Maggie grinned. “I stand firm on the matter of gambling,” she revealed.

“Not a problem.” After all these years, he couldn’t believe she was truly his—at last—with her glorious hair all mussed from their play. He reached out to thread his fingers through the shining mass and sucked in an awe-filled breath.

“No separate quarters,” he whispered as he kissed her mouth. She closed her eyes, but her desire was more than apparent on her face, and Gabriel rejoiced in it. He wanted to please her for the rest of his days. He wanted to shower her with affection, make up for lost time…

And more than anything else in the world, he wanted to make her laugh.

“If you insist.”

He did insist—indeed, he did.

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