Page 41 of The Rake I Wished For
His lips moved over hers with a searing heat that left her breathless. “I love you so much, Jo. I didn’t mean to fall for you. I never thought I could have you.”
“But I’m yours,” she interrupted, his lips still so close she could feel the warmth of his breath. The feel of his hair beneath her fingers, the hardness of his chest as she leaned against him.
It all felt so right. So perfect.
“You are my home,” she whispered. “You have been since…since I don’t know when.”
He pressed his forehead to hers, his breathing ragged and shallow, and his hands gripping her waist.
“I want to give you everything,” he said. “I want you to have all that you deserve—”
“And I will,” she said with a watery laugh. “There’s nothing you and I cannot do if we set our minds to it.”
“But it’s a risk,” he said, pulling back enough so he could glower down at her. “There’s no certainty in it, and it could take years before this property is bringing in a good income and—”
“It could,” she said. “But have you ever known me to back down from a challenge?”
His gaze searched her face, a smile starting in his eyes and then slowly spreading to his lips. “Never.”
She let out a little laugh at the pride and awe in his gaze. The warmth she saw there was enough to make her melt into a puddle.
But luckily he was still holding her, his arms supporting her.
He’d always support her. Always. Just like he always had. In every way that mattered. Didn’t he know that?
“I’d choose a life spent forging a future with you over a comfortable but miserable life without love any day,” she said.
His throat worked as he swallowed. “Part of me thinks I ought to fight you on this,” he admitted.
She smiled, because she heard what he wasn’t saying.
He didn’t want to fight this. Because he loved her too.
She tilted her head to the side and gave him an impish smile. “Haven’t you learned yet that you cannot win against me?”
His laugh was low and delicious, and it sent a thrill down her spine.
He leaned down close until his lips brushed hers again, this time in a kiss that was gentle, heartachingly sweet, and filled with such promise, tears stung her eyes when he pulled away.
He reached for one of her hands and pressed it to his chest, where she could feel his heart thumping. “You are my heart, Jo. You are my home. I adore your quick mind, your precious heart, your perfect smile…” He smiled down at her, his love for her shining bright in his eyes. “And I’d love nothing more than to have you at my side, as my partner, as my friend, as the love of my life.” He kissed her long and slow, before finishing. “Say you’ll be my wife, Jo.”
A part of her wanted to remind him that for future reference, she’d asked him first. But they had a lifetime ahead of them for teasing and laughing and right now, all she was capable of was one life-changing word. “Yes.”
He crushed her to him, kissing her with so much love it nearly knocked her off her feet.
But no. He kept her on her feet. And in his arms and in his heart…
She was safe. She was loved.
She was home.
EPILOGUE
Three days later…
Jocelyn glaredat Harlow over the chess board, though truly it was difficult not to beam at him when he looked as handsome as he did this morning. “Don’t be daft, Harlow.”
“I’m merely being reasonable, Jo,” he shot back.
