Page 185 of I Ran Away to Evil 2
“I was thinking now would be the perfect time to make a grand confession.” He squeezed her a bit closer.
“Alright, I’m ready.” She nodded, waiting expectantly.
“Ever since you fell out of that tree—”
She was not one for violence, but she thwacked Rufus in the chest, catching him off guard. He was quoting the part of his romance novel that she’d sneaked a peak at back in Peldeep. “What—?”
“I thought you might like it.” He was laughing and holding his side. “Since you were reading it sointently.”
She blushed, remembering the very racy scenes she’d opened up to. “How did you know?”
“I have an enchanted bookmark that keeps track of my reading history; doesn’t everyone?” he asked, fully turning on the bench to face her.
“Do you needmeto make the grand confession?” she demanded, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a power move that gave her strength. “Because I can do that. I can make the grandest confession ever, with music and lights and a live audience—”
“I love you, Bronwynn Lyriel,” he interrupted, leaning forward and kissing her.
“You’ve said that,” she retorted, her breath against his. Then she grabbed him and kissed him back.
When they broke for air, he said, “And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Brownie was grinning. “That’s a good start.”
“I can’t imagine going back to a life without you,” he confessed, pressing their foreheads together. “I can’t imagineanythingwithout you.”
“Go on.” She grabbed his hand and interlocked their fingers together.
“I love everything about you.” He squeezed her hand. “I love your smile and your laugh and the way you snore—”
“Hey!”
“And I love the way you look at the world, full of adventure. I can’t wait to start a new encounter with you every day.” He kissed their hands and then disentangled their fingers so he could hold her palm in his.
He pulled out an ornate wooden ring intricately engraved in gold knotwork and set with rubies. “Please, Bronwynn, would you marry me?”
CHAPTER 113
I’m Going to Have to Eat Her
Rufus
I resisted kissing Bronwynn again long enough to hear her answer as she inspected the ring with a mix of joy and shock.
The ring was one of a pair I’d bought from the Pixie Prim in Gren’s Keep. It was enchanted to fit, rounded on the edges, and flatter than some of the more popular styles. I chose it so it wouldn’t impede Bronwynn playing her instrument, and because it reminded me of our colors; her red-tipped hair and my golden coat.
She dragged her eyes away and beamed at me, opening her mouth to answer, “Meow.”
“Momo. Slake.” Bronwynn released her breath, and her lips quirked into a sad half smile as I whipped my head around to look in the elderberry tree above us.
Two grimalcats lounged on a branch, a familiar black one with green eyes and horns and bat wings lying down and relaxing, and a brown one with golden eyes and horns and fluffy owl wings licking its paw.
“Not funny, Slake,” I said, my voice slipping into a growl. I probably shouldn’t have growled at a grimalcat, but I didn’t care. I might’ve still been just a little bit bitter about him interrupting me back in Peldeep and dragging me off before Bronwynn and I could clear the air.
“You know”—Bronwynn reached out and put a hand on my cheek, guiding me to look at her instead—“I really like it when you do that. You should growl more.” Then she kissed me one more time. It was short and sweet. Too short. She smiled. “Of course I’ll marry you.”
“Really?” I didn’t know why I felt the need to question her at that moment. Probably the panic.
“What can I say?” Bronwynn poked me in the chest. “With beastmen, when you know you know.”
