Page 49 of Kilty Plea
Her eyes flashed opened again, to see his gaze full of some kind of emotion. But it wasn’t doubt. It wasn’t questioning.
She began to chew on her lower lip.
“Flora, love? ‘Tis customary to say something.”
“Are ye certain?” When he opened his mouth, she hurried, “Is it whatyewant?”
With an incredulous look, Payton pushed himself up on his elbow. “How could ye ask that? OfcourseI want it. My family already believes it, after all. I want…” He blew out a breath, his gaze darting around the room as if looking for inspiration as he sat upright. “I want to live in the tower house with ye—I want to turn it into a home. I want to help ye raise Lenny into a strong young man. I want… Christ.”
Flora slowly sat up, pulling the blanket up to her chest, watching the play of emotions across his face, and hardly daring to hope.
“I wantye, Flora,” he finally said, twisting back to her, snagging one of her hands in his. “How could ye doubt that? After what ye just shared with me? I would be a lucky man to spend the rest of my life with ye—for certes this time, no’ the false marriage my family believes.”
Her gaze was searching his face. “Ye…really mean that?”
“For the love of—ye really are dense sometimes, love,” he announced, leaning forward and scooping her into his arms, pulling her against him as he fell backward. She landed atop his chest, her hands caught between them, her breath whooshing out of her lungs. “I love ye, Flora.”
And then she wasn’t breathing at all, because the words…the magical, wonderful words…
He grinned. “If that knocks ye speechless, ‘tis a trick I’ll have to remember in the future.”
“Love a duck, Payton,” she breathed, eyes wide.
“Is that one of those cases where nae one ever meansduck?”
How could he tease her at a time like this? She swatted at his chest, then placed both palms against him, reveling in the feel of his strong heartbeat. “Ye mean it? Ye really love me?”
“I love yer strength.” He pulled her closer to kiss her nose. “I love yer sense of humor.” He kissed her brow. “I love the way ye tease me.” He kissed her cheekbone. “And I love how well we fit together. No’ justthisway”—he flexed his hips—“but our lives.”
She stared down into his eyes, and he grinned.
“Marry me, Flora.”
“Yer position…”
He nodded. “I’ll write to Drummond, tell him I’m quitting. I’d go in person, but I dinnae want to leave ye—unless ye, and mayhap Lenny, wanted to go with me?”
The last was said in a hopeful voice, but Flora was already shaking her head, pushing herself up out of his arms to have this argument.
“Yecannaequit, Payton! Being a King’s Hunter isverraimportant work!”
“Ye’ve taught me I want a quiet life, Flora. With ye at the tower house, and only having to see my family on special occasions.”
She didn’t appreciate his jest.
“Ye keep us all safe! Ye protect us from enemies who’ll—who’llmanipulateand hurt us. I mean, aye, Idowant to marry ye, Payton, but turning in yer helmet…”
Her stomach soured, thinking of the man downstairs. The man who’d come into Payton’s home as an honored first-footer guest. The man who’d ruined her life.
Slowly, Payton sat up, taking her with him. “Normally, I’d be thrilled to hear ye accept my proposal, but it sounds to me as if ye’re no’ talking hypothetically, are ye, love?”
Frantic now, she shook her head, her gaze darting around the room without really landing on aught, trying to find a way to make Payton understand the way her heart had sped up at the thought of him losing his power. “There are men who—whopreyon those weaker than themselves.”
“Flora, the Abbot cannae hurt ye, I promise. He has no power away from his compound.”
Nay. Nay, ye’re wrong!
Why couldn’t she say the words? Her pulse was pounding in her temples, and she twisted away, trying to breathe. “I just dinnae want someone I love to…to be hurt.”
