Page 85 of Chosen By Swift

She dropped onto their couch, and Swift made his way to the kitchen to scrounge up a late-night snack of cheese and crackers and fruit. They didn’t talk about what had happened yet. It was as if they both needed a little more time to process the event.

“I’m stealing this last berry,” she said before swiping it off the plate they were sharing.

“Then this cracker is mine,” he decided and snatched it away.

She enjoyed the silly way he behaved around her. Swift had his faults, and so did she. Together, they just worked. It was a perfect combination, and even though she was certain there would be arguments and moments of irritation in the future, she couldn’t imagine spending her life with anyone else.

After Swift had taken away the empty plate and cups, he returned to the couch and beckoned her to cuddle up close. She snuggled in tight, and he gently combed his fingers through her wet hair. She felt so precious and adored. She was safe with him, protected, and she knew in that moment that this one tryst had been enough.

“Swift?”

“Yes?”

“I’m not curious any more.” She traced her fingers along the new scar on his face from his latest mission. “You’re all I need.” Her feelings toward Swift crystallized, and she confessed, “I’m falling in love with you.”

Swift exhaled with what must have been relief and joy. He pressed his forehead to hers and confessed, “I love you, Alys. I think I have since that day you taught me to make bread.”

“Well,” she said with a teasing smile, “my mother did always say the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.”

“Wise woman,” he agreed with a little laugh. More seriously, he said, “Tonight was fun, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching you experiencing something new.”

“But?” she asked, already knowing his answer.

“I’m not sure I can do it again.” He winced as he admitted, “I’ve been in situations like that before, but I never felt jealous or insecure like I did tonight.”

“You weren’t the husband in those other arrangements,” she pointed out. “Tonight, you were.”

“Not legally yet,” he said, surprising her. “We should change that.”

She blinked. “Are you proposing?”

“Yes?” He made an apologetic face. “I suppose this isn’t very romantic. The cultural brief mentioned flowers and a gift and getting down on one knee.”

“I don’t need romantic, Swift.” She really didn’t. She had always been a practical woman. “I only need you.”

Swift captured her hand and brought it to his bare chest. His heartbeat thumped beneath her fingertips. “You’ve got me until the day I die, Alys.”

“That better be a long, long time from now,” she said, her eyes glimmering with hot tears.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised and then lovingly kissed her. “I’ll do my best.”

Chapter Twenty

Three Weeks Later

Rather impatiently, Swift held Alys’ hand and wished the pastor in front of them would hurry up his sermon. She had warned him that some of these preachers could be long-winded, but he hadn’t realized it would takethislong to get married. In this, at least, his people seemed to have it right. A question. An answer. A collar. Done.

But the pastor droned on and on about obedience, reverence, modesty, discretion, procreation and sin. Swift gave up trying to pay attention and instead pinned his gaze pinned on Alys who looked so beautiful in her white dress. No. Not white.Ivory. She had been very clear that she absolutely could not be married in any shade of pure white after all the wicked things they had done in bed.Wicked. Her word, not his.

Whatever the shade of white was called, it was perfect. It highlighted her warm skin and dark hair. The little bits of lace and pearly buttons enthralled him. He couldn’t wait to get her alone again and take his time unwrapping her like a present. Although, once the unwrapping was done, he wasn’t sure he would have the patience to take things slow and easy.

It had been four days since they had last made love. She had been so tired lately and even had headaches from the stress of planning their wedding. She had been going to bed before his shifts ended, but she always left a home cooked meal waiting for him, usually with a short love note. Even though he craved sex with her, he enjoyed holding her and sharing a bed. It was a gentle sort of intimacy that made everything just right.

“And do you, Swift, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To take and to keep her, in good health and in bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and honor and protect until death?”

Swift held Alys’ watery gaze and nodded solemnly. “I do.”

Alys grinned up at him as the pastor repeated the vow and waited for her answer. He barely registered her promise because he was suddenly overwhelmed with the moment. She beamed at him, and his heart thumped in his chest. He had expected that Alys might get misty eyed during the ceremony, but he hadn’t expected it from himself. Yet, here he was, emotionally overwhelmed by the sound of Alys making a vow to him.

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