Page 74 of The Royal Engagement

He squeezes my hand. “I still can’t believe you agreed to marry me. I feel like I tricked you somehow. How is this real? How are you mine?”

“You’re mine too,” I remind him. “This goes both ways.” I sit up so I can look at him. “This really is going to be a long flight.”

“I told you.” His fingers trace gently along my cheek as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “You looked beautiful in your dress. I’m selfishly glad you decided to wear red.”

“I wanted to follow both of our traditions.” I shrug, trying to show him it’s not a big deal.

“It meant a lot to me,” he says.

I lean forward and press a kiss to his lips.

He groans. “This plane ride is going to be torture enough without you kissing me.”

I give him my best innocent look. “Then you should stop being so kissable.”

“Kissable?” he asks.

I nod. “Your lips were just beginning to be kissed.”

“You are trouble.” He shakes his head.

“And you love it.”

“Absolutely I do.” He kisses me—once, twice, three times. “I love you, Madeline Rune.”

My stomach twists when he says my new last name. “I like that sound of that. I love you too, Damek Rune.”

EPILOGUE

The absolute last thing I want to do when I’m nine months pregnant is go to a wedding. But since it’s my older brother getting married, I don’t exactly have a choice.

“I’mhuge,” I complain to Damek as I walk out of the closet in my dress.

“You’re beautiful.” He kisses me on the top of my head.

“You always say that.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“Because it’s always true.” He puts his hands on my forearms. “I know you don’t believe me, but nothing is hotter than you carrying our child.”

My stomach flips at his declaration.

It’s hard not to feel beautiful when Damek says things likethat.

It’s been just over a year since our wedding and it has been the happiest year of my life. Being married to Damek makes me happy—we have a good life.

My back hurts on our car ride over. Even with a pillow, I can’t get comfortable. The chairs at the wedding are going to be so, so much worse. Damek tries to rub my back to ease the tension for me, but nothing helps.

When we eventually get to the Scott Estate for the wedding, we are ushered to our seats in the front. I sit down directly beside Eden. She must sense that I’m uncomfortable because she turns fully to me.

“Are you okay, Madeline?” Eden asks, concern coloring her features.

I nod. “My back hurts.”

“It’s not labor, is it?”

“No. No way. I’ve still got two weeks until my due date and the healer doesn’t think it’ll happen this week,” I tell her.

She nods but doesn’t look convinced.

---