Page 168 of Bride of Fire
She blinked. Was that true? Had she never told him how she felt?
“That’s not possible,” she decided.
“’Tis.”
“Surely I—”
“Nay.”
“When we were—”
“Not once. Not even in the heat o’ battle.”
She lowered her eyes under his scrutiny, mildly abashed that she’d overlooked such a crucial thing.
“Fine,” she said. “Well, I do.”
“Ye do what?”
“I…care for you.”
“Bethaccaresfor me,” he scoffed. “Is that the best ye can do?”
“Fine.” She blew out an irritated breath and mumbled, “I love you.”
“What was that?” He cocked his ear toward her.
“You heard me.”
“Did ye say ye loathe me?” The glimmer of mischief in his eyes made her heart melt a little. “Because that’s what I heard.”
“You know what I said,” she murmured.
“Sorry, nay. I couldn’t quite—”
“Oh, for the love of Thor… I love you!” she shouted. “All right?”
He grinned, releasing her wrists.
She gave him a chiding punch in the chest for looking so smug. Then she demanded, “So what are you going to do about it?”
“Me? Well, if ye’d only stop dawdlin’, proposin’ this and proposin’ that…”
Her jaw dropped. How dared he accuse her of delay. She’d been seducing him for days now.
He continued. “If ye’d just aim, draw, and loose instead o’ dallyin’ with your bow…”
“Dallying with my…?” She felt her veins fill with fire. Was that what he thought she was doing? Dallying? “Fine. You want a bull’s-eye? I’ll give you a bull’s-eye,” she said. “Marry me!”
“I will!”
“Wait. What?”
“I said I will.”
Her mouth clapped shut. Was that all it took?
She might have gone on staring at him in shock, but she was startled by the sudden sound of cheering from the nursery next door.
