Page 114 of Highlanders for the Holidays
Lily still felt dazed with passion and struggled to understand why he was speaking of this now.
“But ye don’t have to leave,” he said, his dark blue eyes searching her face. “Ye can change your mind and stay.”
“I have my shop and…” She could not think of a single other reason for returning. After a long moment, she asked, “Why should I stay?”
“Because I love ye,” he said. “I want ye to be my wife.”
As she looked into Roderick’s beautiful face, he appeared so sincere. Dare she believe him? No one had ever loved her, except her sister and Linnet.
“Ye belong here,” he said. “Ye belong with me.”
She was so confused that she did not know what she wanted or what was true anymore.
“But if you’re going to leave,” he said, cupping her face, “I don’t want to do this.”
She realized she still had her back against the tree and her legs were wrapped around his hips. He was right—this was not something she ought to decide in the midst of passion. Until now, she had not seriously contemplated remaining here, marrying Roderick—or marrying at all. She needed time to think. She dropped her legs, and he set her on her feet.
“We should go back,” she said, and started off without him.
