Page 44 of Adoringly, Edward
“Vivi,” he murmured, reaching to capture her fretting hand and tugging it closer to rest over his heart. “I have loved you since the moment you snapped your heel. There is nothing ‘one-sided’ about this situation. My only regret is making you feel as if there were.”
At last, she lifted her head, tears swimming in her eyes as she bit her quivering lip. “But why the sudden change of heart? Was I not enough? Why did I have to bring this,” she nodded to her belly, “into the equation before you finally accepted me?”
The sadness in her eyes drowned him in sorrow. What had he done to her? How could he fix this? “Because it gave me an excuse to be selfish. And for the first time in a while, I have hope.”
“You were fully willing to step aside for the duke.”
At the mention of the man, Edward’s lips thinned and his fist clenched. “Oh, believe me. I have imagined you married to the duke countless times, and each instance makes my blood boil. But I only wanted you to be happy.”
“I am happy with you.”
His heart caught at the confession, and denying himself no longer, he cupped her around the back of the neck and pulled her into a kiss.
A grunt of surprise escaped her, but then she melted into him, meeting each of his soft kisses with some of her own. His fingers skimmed over the silky tresses of her hair, his unleashedpassion giving him the strength he needed to pull her closer until one of her hands braced against the cot beside him.
He deepened the kiss and sighed at the way she dug her fingers into his hair, at the way she whispered words of affection between kisses, at the way her touch set his entire body ablaze.
His childhood best friend was the woman he was going to marry. Never in his life would he have ever seen it coming. But it felt real. It felt right. And most of all, it felt wonderful.
“I love you, Vivienne Winfield,” he murmured the moment they broke apart and rested their foreheads together.
A warm tear plopped onto his cheek. He found her hand and pressed it to his chest, trying with all his might to convey his sincerity. He would express his feelings a thousand times if only so she might believe them.
“I love you, Edward Beaumont.” She trailed kisses from his temple to his cheek, from his jaw to his neck. “And I’m going to take care of you. Always.”
He chuckled but winced when his lungs weren’t quite ready for such a thing. “It’s never as bad as this. I promise.” His thumb caressed the smooth skin on her jaw. “I will have good days and bad. And on the bad days, I simply have to rest more and avoid manual tasks or activities.” His gaze fixated on her lips, on the way they curved into a worried frown at his words. “There are more good days than bad.”
“And what if you have an episode while I’m away? Who will help you?”
It was endearing the way she worried. But if what the doctor said was true, if they rid his body of the poison and it healed to its former health, then he thought he could manage.
“Cedric is always with me. He’s my friend, but he’s also paid well to be my shadow.”
When the words seemed to appease her, she stroked his hair and kissed his cheek. He’d never thought he’d find himself betrothed, let alone married. He was a lucky man, indeed.
“I told you that you liked my hair,” he teased weakly, letting out a long breath and sinking back into his pillows. Fatigue set into his bones once again as the heat from her kiss dissipated from his veins.
“Oh, hush,” she laughed, brown eyes sparkling with happiness. And then she said, “Given the nature of our fast-approaching wedding, I have a surprise for you when you gain back your strength. A short little adventure.”
“A surprise?” He frowned. “I haven’t done anything for you. I don’t even have a ring yet.” Well, not on him at the moment, at least.
Another laugh, and she lightly shoved his shoulder. “Barnaby spun a tale about how you were too love-struck and frazzled to remember the ring. Prepare yourself for unholy amounts of ribbing.”
“I’m certain there will be plenty of that from what I’ve been told.”
She kissed him lightly on the lips one last time. “Get some rest. I have to oversee wedding preparations, but there is a guard stationed outside the infirmary door just in case.”
“You are a dream, Vivi.”
“Oh…” She waved away his comment with a flip of her hand. “If you are trying to get me to stay, it’s working. So stop it.”
A grin spread across his face as she blew him one last kiss before disappearing from the room.
“Cedric,” he called, and moments later, his servant entered and dipped at the waist in a slight bow.
“Yes, Your Lordship?”
“I need a ring.”
