Page 49 of A Lady's Heart
One brow rose. “Of course.”
She nodded decisively. “Whatever I do, I’m going to need help.”
He waited patiently.
“You promised you’d help me with my list. What if the list suddenly had ‘become leader of a small, wealthy island’ on it?”
His eyes widened. “Is it likely to get added to your list? Is that what you really want?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “But I do know that I simply can’t do anything on my list without the bear I love agreeing he’s going to stay at my side. It’s the one thing I can’t—”
“Wait,” he interrupted. “The bear youlove?”
Mandy nodded. “Yup. Completely and thoroughly.”
His smile started slowly then stretched into an all-out grin. “Well, of course it’s completely and thoroughly. If you’re going to do a thing, you’ve got to do it right.”
Happiness snuck around the corners of the wall she’d put up in case shecouldn’thave it all. “What about your job?”
Justin shrugged. “I work for Tyler because he’s a friend and because it keeps me busy. If you need me, I’m all yours. You’re way prettier to look at than him.”
Mandy threw herself into his arms and kissed him hard before a sneaking thread of discontentment slipped through the bliss. “Wait—you didn’t say it yet.”
Justin caught her chin with his fingers and tipped her head back so he could kiss her easier. “Say what?”
She blew a raspberry. He blinked, a laugh rolling from him that started in his chest before rumbling up and sneaking out.
Mandy waited.
He dropped to one knee, tugging her hand to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles. “Lady Mandy, you have stolen something from me, so I now demand you care for it forever.”
A soft warmth built inside. “What did I steal?”
He laid a hand on his chest. “My heart. The only reason I’m alive is this mysterious power that’s taken its place. A magical power that makes my blood continue to pump, and my soul feel happiness.”
She’d never dreamt he was such a poet, and the flowery language made her giggle. “I’m not sure if it’s magical that I removed your heart, or shades of necromancy.”
He chuckled then stage-whispered, “Go with it, my lady. Nadia’s going to ask for all the details, and we may as well set the bar high.”
“Likewowkisses for the wolves?”
“As long as it doesn’t actually involve my lips near the pack, sure.”
She sat on his knee and draped her arms around his shoulders. “I love you, Justin.”
He leaned closer until their lips brushed. “I love you with everything in me.”
That proclamation was aswowas it needed to be. It waswow-to-the-wowwestdegree.
The drive back to Chicken seemed to take place in slow motion, his grip on her hand never loosening as she considered her decision, not coming to any quick solution.
Nadia was still leaning on the wall outside the shop waiting for them.
“You good?” she asked.
“Perfect,” Mandy confessed. “Perfectly confused, but perfect.”
Nadia grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
