Chapter 15 #2
Heat swirled languidly inside her. But more than the heat, a deep sense of appreciation swelled up into her throat, choking her with sudden emotion.
This man was truly honorable. He’d vowed that nothing would happen except that kiss they’d shared last night, and he’d kept his promise.
That’s the kind of man Max was—a man of strength, character, and the highest caliber.
There was no sense in playing any games with herself or with him. She may as well be completely honest. She loved him, and she wanted to marry him. No amount of time would change that. Not a few weeks or a few months. So why not admit it now?
“Max?” she whispered.
“Yes, darling.” He pressed another kiss to the back of her head, this one gentler.
“I know I love you.”
His whole body stilled. “Truly?”
“And I do want to marry you, because I can’t bear the thought of living without you.”
This time he breathed out what sounded like relief. “Hearing you say so makes me a very happy man, the happiest ever.”
She couldn’t hold back a smile of her own happiness. “You know what would make me happy right now?”
“What?”
“If you kissed me again.” Her words were bold, but she’d been thinking about their kiss for hours, and her craving for another was only growing.
“I vowed I would not kiss you again.” His voice turned husky. “Believe me, I have worked incredibly hard to keep my vow. I had to exert herculean strength in order to resist the temptation of turning you over and kissing you senseless.”
Sweet pleasure washed over her at his words, and she closed her eyes again to bask in the beauty of the moment with him. “You said you wouldn’t kiss me again last night. But it’s morning now.”
“You have an excellent point.”
“It’s brilliant.”
“Very much so.” He shifted and she found herself slipping down so that she was on her back, peering up at him. He was still sideways beside her, one arm across her stomach and the other propping himself up.
Max had extinguished the lantern above the table long ago to conserve oil, but the glow from the stove provided enough light that she could see his starkly handsome face with his scruffy cheeks, his long nose, and his carved jaw covered in his short beard. He looked good enough to kiss all over.
But no, she wouldn’t give in to that desire. She couldn’t. That would be too much. But they could share one more reasonable kiss. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with that.
“Kiss me,” she whispered again, this time arching up.
Releasing a hungry growl, he bent down, and in the next instant, his mouth was upon hers. He held nothing back, devouring her with a passion that showed just how powerful, formidable, and commanding he really was.
She loved knowing he was one of the most influential men in the world and that he was kissing her like she was his greatest treasure and possession.
She loved that at the same time as he was forceful, he was equally restrained and in control of himself.
In fact, as he lifted a hand to her cheek and caressed her, the slight tremor told her how much it was costing him to hold himself back.
As he leaned in further, his body grazed hers. He was so solid and strong. She wanted to wrap both arms around him and drag him down on top of her. She craved more of him, more connections, more of his touching.
It would be all too easy to get carried away and let the kissing stir up more passion that needed to remain banked for now, especially since they had so many arrangements yet to make for their relationship before they could actually be together.
How soon could they set a wedding date? And how long would it actually take to plan a wedding of the caliber his family would require?
Where would they get married? His country or hers? And who would they invite?
The questions tumbled through her, and she pulled away from the kiss.
He immediately lifted his head away, giving her space and not trying to continue the kiss, even though his breathing was labored and his hand on her stomach was taut.
He didn’t say anything for a moment, almost as if he was trying to regain control over himself first.
She needed to find her equilibrium again too, because kissing him shook her to the core and made her dizzy with need.
“What is wrong, darling?” His voice was low and filled with both desire and tenderness.
“I was just thinking of the wedding.”
“And . . .?”
He was learning to read her well, and she liked that. “And I guess I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“That I’ll make mistakes and upset your family or mine.”
He was quiet for several heartbeats. “Then let us not have a wedding. Instead, we shall elope.”
“Elope?”
“Yes, we shall get married privately, then tell everyone after the fact.”
She smiled. “I know what eloping is. I just hadn’t expected you to suggest it.”
“Why not?”
“As a prince, wouldn’t everyone be excited to know you’re engaged and hope to see your wedding ceremony, sort of like everyone wanted to watch Kate marry Prince William?”
His hand was still resting on her stomach, but some of the tension had eased from his hold. “Joseph can give the public the royal wedding they crave.”
She’d learned that Joseph was his youngest brother and was marrying a titled English woman later in the year. It would apparently be a big occasion because Joseph’s fiancée’s family was very wealthy and liked to show off their money.
Max’s brow furrowed, and he removed his hand from her stomach to trace a line down her cheek. “Forgive me. I would not prevent you from having a lovely wedding if that is what your heart desires.”
She laughed lightly. “Oh, Max. After all you’ve learned about me, do I strike you as the type of woman who wants a lovely wedding?”
“Not necessarily. But some women do have their hearts set on having the whole enormous occasion.”
“Not me. I don’t have any desire to plan a big wedding, maybe because I plan events for a living.”
“If you truly want a wedding of any size, we shall hire a wedding coordinator.”
She couldn’t believe she was here beside Max and having this kind of conversation. What would her family say? Her brothers? “Maybe we should elope.” She was only half teasing him back. “Then we won’t have to worry about my brothers interfering.”
“I suppose they will object to how fast we became engaged?”
“Oh yeah. No question about it.”
“Tyler will likely be livid.”
“All of them will object, and they’ll try to scold me into doing what they think is best.”
Max’s fingers slipped down to her neck and made a trail behind her ear to her collarbone. Every single movement was making her less coherent and more in need of another kiss.
A worry line formed in Max’s forehead, and he dropped his hand away from her. “I do not wish to lose you, Emberly.”
“You won’t.”
“But your brothers are important to you, and they have a great deal of influence over you. What if they try to convince you to stay away from me?”
“I won’t let them.” But could she really guarantee that her brothers would leave her alone once she declared to them that she loved Max?
Maybe it was past time to stand up to them and show them that she wasn’t the weak, fragile college dropout they thought she was.
Maybe it was time to show everyone that she was strong enough and old enough to make her own decisions, especially when it came to love and marriage.
“I can help you withstand their influence while I am here. But what about when I leave, as I must do soon?”
“I’ll go with you.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She wasn’t normally so rash, but she knew deep inside that she was ready for a change, ready to start a new chapter in her life, ready for new adventures.
“Truly?” Did his voice contain a hint of excitement?
“Yes, truly.”
“Will you consider eloping and returning with me to my country as my wife?”