Page 91 of Bearing Secrets
“I want you to know that this isn’t just for appearance’s sake. Nor is it to help you. It’s because I want to do it.”
Her mind was slowly unravelling what he was saying. But he couldn’t be doing what she thought…could he?
“I know it wasn’t meant seriously at first, instead just a way to help you out, but… Natalia Kristoff…” He steeled himself visibly, moving slowly with the stiffened muscles, but Kirell didn’t fall as he sank to one knee.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered, starting to shake.
“Will you marry me? For real?”
“This is insane. A week ago, I barely knew you. Now here I am, in love with you, more so than I could ever have imagined. And you’re asking me to marry you?”
“I am. I love you, Natalia. Youaremy mate. It may have started off as some sort of crazed fake marriage deal between us, but it’s more than that now, and I don’t want to let you go.”
She bit her lip, having made up her mind the moment she clued in to what he was doing, but she had to voice her thoughts anyway. To know how he felt.
“I love you too, Kirell.”
He looked up at her expectantly. “This is where you give me an answer,” he prompted a moment later.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, clamping her hands over her mouth. “Yes! Of course; yes!”
Trying to calm the excited shaking, she held out her hand. “When did you have time to go get a ring made?” she asked as he slipped it on her finger.
“I didn’t. It was my mother’s,” he said softly.
The impact of that statement hit her like a blow to the chest, knocking her back onto the bed, where she sat admiring the diamond-encrusted engagement ring. “Kirell, it’s beautiful,” she whispered.
Her mate. Her love. No, herfiancé, came and sat down next to her a little heavily. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was starting to tire.
“I could watch this forever,” he replied.
She looked up to see him staring at her. Natalia had the good graces to blush over the compliment, leaning her head against his shoulder.
“I love you,” she repeated, not for the first time.
And definitely not the last.
43
“So, what are you more excited for, being able to stay in the country, or marrying this stud?”
She glanced at Kirell, who was pointing a thumb at himself. They were sitting in chairs at the Plymouth Falls country courthouse, waiting to go before a magistrate and sign the papers that would have them legally married to each other. Meaning she could stay in the country. Forever.
“Is it really that tough a question?” Kirell asked, feigning insult when she didn’t immediately reply.
“I wasn’t the one who forced you to ask a question you didn’t want to hear the answer to,” she told him, fighting to conceal a grin.
Kirell sputtered wildly. “Excuseme?” he finally managed to get out.
“I’mteasing, love.” She leaned against his shoulder tenderly. “It was always going to be more exciting to stay in the country.”
He jerked in surprise.
“Because then I get to stay with you,” she finished.
“Smooth recovery,” he muttered.
“Recovery is when you screw up,” she informed him. “I didn’t screw up.”
