Page 78 of The Enemy's Daughter

His lips press together. “Once, he even teased me that I should get a haircut before I did reconnaissance, in case I got caught and finally got my chance to meet you.”

Skies, I’m going to need a minute to let that sink in. “And Annette...”

“It shouldn’t have happened. It wasn’t something I—”

“No. It’s...” My cheeks puff with air. Making him feel guilty wasn’t my intention. “I’m not upset. I mean, she’s pretty and determined, and at that point our marriage only existed because of a couple of desperate words said on my deathbed. It wasn’t real.”

His face turns deadly serious. “It’s always been real to me.”

Truth.

My sternum burns with guilt for being so blind. Tristan watches me with concern, then rolls off me and scoops me into his arms. He stands and places me properly on the bed with my head on the pillow. I reach for him, and he lies down beside me, tucking me in underneath his chin. “Tristan,” I whisper.

His heart thumps hard but steady against my ear. “Yes.”

“I love you.”

He hugs me tighter. “I think I’vealwaysloved you.”

Tears blur in my eyes, and it hits me exactly what I need to do. I sit up and stare down at him. “I want to marry you.”

“Well, have I got news for you.”

“No. Iwantto marry you. I want the words to mean what they should mean when I say them this time. Let’s do it again.”

He pushes himself to his elbows. “Okay.” Excitement builds inside him. “A proper wedding. A celebration. A dress.”

My hand flaps in the air, cutting him off. “Fatesno.”

Now he just looks confused.

“Ask me if I’ll take you to be my husband.”

He grins. “Okay, will you take me to be your—”

“Yes!” I shout.

He laughs, so I shout it again. “Yes. I do. I take you, Tristan, to be my husband, and I do it with all that I am. From this day forward, I open my heart to you completely.” Then I place a hand against his chest and gasp as a pressure increases in my own chest as if my heart literally expands. “Did you feel that?”

He looks at me in a way that makes my stomach quiver. “I did.”

Stars, I think it’s very likely we just unlocked something significant in the connection.

His eyes sparkle. “That’s it? That’s all you want? Are you sure?”

Lifting my hand to his jaw, I trail my fingers in a feather-light touch. Maybe if our family and friends could come and be happy about our union, then a ceremony would be beautiful. But it’s impossible, so why even think about it? However, there’s no mistaking the ache that comes from leaving them behind and moving on with my life like they never—

I stop my thoughts and lower myself back down beside him. Now isn’t the time to think about sad things. “No,” My head turns to him. “That’s not all I want.” The words come out breathy. “I want you to seal it with a kiss.”

He leans over me, and although I feel his eagerness, he takes his time bringing his face close. Our mouths come together in the softest, gentlest kiss. It’s filled with reverence. A new commitment to each other.

The connection pulls tighter than the string on a bow, and the way it sews us together, stoking passion while heightening our pleasure, makes this all the sweeter.

Tristan brushes something in my mind, and I sigh against his lips. “What the sun above was that?”

“What? This?” He does it again and tingles explode over my skin.

The energy around us ripples. Suddenly the space between us is too much. I pull him closer as our lips meet again. It’s not enough. Wordlessly, Tristan lies back down, and I end up more on top of him than not as our kisses take on a fever pitch. Our mouths move faster, our hands grip each other at first, then grow bolder, reaching for more. Exploring. I touch his chest, drag my hands down his sides. His fingers slide over my back, then wrap around my hips.

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