Page 114 of The Duke's Bartered Mistress

“You can do that on your feet. Get up, you silly man.” She tugged at him.

“Nay.”

Demon tugged right back, and she stumbled forward.

Years of instincts leapt into action before he even understood what was happening. He grabbed her on the way down, and she ended up on her knees in front of him. His arms were about her shoulders, and she looked just as foolish as he did.

With their noses inches apart, he found his courage.

“I love ye, Georgia Stoughton,” he whispered. When she sucked in a sudden breath, Demon continued, his heart suddenly free to soar. “I love the way we fight about books, and the way ye smile at me in the morning. I love the way ye understand the way I think, and I love that ye call me Gabriel when ye think I’m no’ being demonly.”

There were tears in her eyes and her mouth quivered, but he wasn’t certain what that meant. He charged ahead.

“Georgia…” Demon spread his palms against her bare upper back. “Georgia.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I couldnae find the ballocks to tell ye all this—everything earlier. I intended to let ye go at Hogmanay, I really did. That was the agreement. But…”

Bungleturds. Why was this so hard? She was still staring at him, on the verge of tears, and he couldn’t guess if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Surely, making a woman cry while professing love wasn’t ideal? Pissweasel!

“But I find I cannae let ye go, Georgia,” Demon rasped. “I’m sorry.” Again, with the apologies. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to be selfish. We’ve gone about this—all of this!—backwards.” Hell, he’d fingered her arsehole before he’d ever kissed her. “Even now, on my knees in my own bloody library, I’m still doing this wrong.”

Georgia’ hand shook as she reached up to brush her fingers against his cheek, and he decided to take that as a good sign. Those scars had long ago lost all feeling, but her touch…her touch burned him to his core.

“I cannae do it,” he rasped, his throat tightening on the thought. “I’m doing this wrong and I cannae ask ye to marry me, no’ now, no’ when this is all ye ken of me.” Releasing her with one arm, he placed his hand atop hers, pressing it against his face. “I need to ask permission to court ye, Georgia. To prove to ye that I’m worthy of—”

Her kiss silenced him.

Really, since he was beginning to ramble, it was likely for the best.

The kiss was sweet and innocent and over far too soon. But when she pulled back, Georgia was smiling through her tears.

“Demon…” She whispered, as if her voice didn’t work properly either. “I know you. I know all of you, even this.” Under his, her fingers flexed against his scars. “And I love this. I love you, Demon.”

His brain just…paused. And he stared.

There was no way—no way he could be so lucky. She…loved him? After what he’d done? After the way he’d used her?

After a long moment, he drew in a shuddering breath. “If ye’re going to say that was a joke, now would be an excellent opportunity.”

“I am not.” Her denial was swift, and her lips even curled into a small smile. “I love you, Demon Hayle, and I would be delighted to spend the rest of my life at your side.”

Fook, he hadn’t even proposed to her yet!

“As my wife?” he rasped, heart pounding furiously against his ribs.

This was a shite marriage proposal, he knew, but when had he ever done anything properly?

Her shrug was tiny—if he hadn’t been holding her, he wouldn’t have noticed. But she did shrug and her smile turned a bit wry. “As your mistress, if that is what you want. After my behavior, it might not be wise for you to ally yourself with someone of my reputation.”

For shite’s sake, that was her concern?

He dropped his hand away from hers to cup the back of her neck. “I love you, Georgia.” He tugged her forward and pressed his forehead to hers. “And since I’m responsible for yer ruined reputation, it’d be damned rude to leave ye to muck through it on yer own.”

“True.” She blew out a tiny laugh which might’ve been a sigh. “And we do muck through muck well together.”

His lips curled into a wicked grin, although she couldn’t see it. “I may no’ own yer father any longer, but I want to make him pay for the vile rumors he’s been spreading.”

Georgia hummed, her fingertips tripping lightly against his skin, coming to rest on his lips. “So you are marrying me for revenge?”

Her touch made him shudder, and he nipped lightly on her finger.

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