Page 170 of The Duke Who Saved Christmas
“Because I’m in love with you. And I might go absolutely bonkers if I don’t hear you admit it, too.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping his coat so tightly that my fingers hurt.
“Say it,” he teased, keeping his voice light, but his fingers dug into my sides, belying his anxiety.
“I love you. I’m pretty sure.” The words fell from my lips, no louder than a whisper, but they didn’t need to be.
Because to him, I could have screamed them, and it would have been exactly the same.
Thomas laughed, throwing his head back. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Actually, yes. I feel as though I just betrayed nine-year-old me.”
With another laugh, he cradled my head and brushed his lips across the scar on my eyebrow. “Just imagine the stories we’ll have for our kids.”
“Whoa, hold on. I said I love you, not ‘get me pregnant.’ Slow your roll, sir.”
“No can do.” He grinned, touching the tip of his nose to mine. “In my head, I’m already planning our wedding andnaming those children. The gardens here are gorgeous in spring. How do you feel about Annabelle? Or maybe Austin for a boy?”
I groaned, dramatically pushing at his chest. “This is what I get for listening to my sister.”
“She told you to do this? Remind me to send her a bigger wedding gift.”
“You’ve given her a free venue; it doesn’t get much bigger than that.”
“I’ll find something.” He grinned, then lowered his lips to mine and let them linger there for a moment. “It’ll be all right.”
“What will be?”
“This. Us.” He touched his forehead to mine, and my eyes fluttered closed. “I know what you’re afraid of, but we’ll work through it together.”
I hesitated, then nodded, accepting the reassuring kiss he brushed over my lips. “For now, can we just… pretend?”
“Pretend what?”
“That I don’t have a whole other life hundreds of miles away that I have to deal with.”
“I’d love nothing more.” He grinned. “Is this the part where you break my heart and tell me you’re leaving me tonight?”
I bit the inside of my lower lip and peered up at him. “Well… it is Christmas Eve.”
He sighed dramatically. “I suppose you’re right. I still have to play Santa for a certain little boy. I promised Mum I’d dust footsteps in front of the fireplace, just like Dad used to do.”
A smile crept across my face. “So, you don’t want me to stay?”
He paused. “Tonight? With me? And wake up with you tomorrow?”
“No, I thought I’d scout the bushes so I could jump out the window and escape at four a.m.”
“Stay.” His eyes flashed with a hint of desperation. “Wake up with me tomorrow. Spend Christmas morning with us.”
“Won’t your mum mind?”
“Are you kidding? The woman told me she’d adopt you if I don’t marry you.” He laughed. “She’d love nothing more.”
“Hmm. Adoption is a tempting alternative.”
“Sylvie.”
