Page 30 of The Grand Mistletoe Assembly
“No,” Pippa denied. “I dropped a drawing at the park. He returned it to me.”
Dark eyes burned into her. “Do you still want to kiss him?”
Pippa nearly choked on air. “Of course not! Why would you think that?”
“I merely wish to clarify your intention.”
“Myintention?”
Nicholas nodded. “Mine is clear. I wish to marry you.”
“You do not!” She blurted the first thing that came to mind. Marrying Nicholas would be a dream come true. But she was selfish. She didn’t want him to marry her out of duty.
“Yes, I do.”
“You’re always scowling at me.”
“Because you’re always getting into some scrap or other. Like the time that mangy cat scratched you after you attempted to pet the thing.”
“I saved the cat, and it wasn’t mangy. As I recall, you growled at me that day.Growled.Like an animal!”
“You had scratch marks all over your hand.” His eyes narrowed. “That is all you remember? I also dressed your wound.”
Pippa thought back. He really had. “A gentleman’s act of kindness.”
“Does that kindness extend to dressing your wound every day for a week?” He scoffed. “And what about the time you stumbled into the Thames, who was the one who pulled you from the freezing waters?”
“Well”—Pippa gave a small cough—“the water wasn’tthatcold.”
“And when you fell ill after that, who nursed you back to health?”
“The doctor.”
“On my orders. Nancy might have stayed by your side, but I didn’t leave the house until you were well again.”
Pippa could barely contain her excitement. Her mind raced. She recalled all these incidents but hadn’t thought much about them. Nicholas had worn a look of displeasure in each of these moments, which, incidentally, only fueled her desire to tease him. Then again, if she thought about it, Nicholas had never been a man of many words. A grunt here, a growl there. His actions spoke clearer than his words.
She never even imagined …
Her heart suddenly settled, and she smiled at Nicholas. “Did you know that my mother’s last words to me were to live my life without regret. She said to gather as many moments as stars in the sky.”
“I remember her to be a remarkable woman.” His voice lowered. “Just like her daughter.”
Pippa blushed. “She made a lot of mistakes. Wrote about all of them, yet she never regretted her choices because they were hers. Just like I will never regret that I stole a kiss from you.”
His gaze sharpened. “Does that mean … Will you marry me?”
“Are you being sincere?” Pippa had to be sure. “If we are to be united in marriage, we must be sure. Nancy is your sister and my dearest friend. If you are not being sincere … If you wish to marry me out of duty …”
Her mother had never won the love of her father. Yet she never regretted her marriage, but Pippa doubted she could do the same. She wanted to love. More so, she wanted to be loved in return.
“Pippa, I’m beyond all hope.” He took a limping step toward her and clasped her hands in his. “The Pearler ball left me no room for denial. I am utterly obsessed with you. I cannot say when the obsession started, I can only say that you hold my heart, Pippa Averly. Undeniably. I love you.”
Pippa could no longer contain her joy. “You love me?”
“I love you.”
She laughed happily. “Then I must admit, from the moment I kissed you, I never wanted to kiss another man.” Her smile widened when he merely arched a brow. “Well, except for this morning when I thought to forget about your kiss.”
