Chapter 22 #3
“What?” Duncan dropped his arm and turned in place, quickly sidestepping Journi, before heading into the living room. Solace remained standing exactly where he’d left her. “Why would you say that? How could asking you to marry me not be serious?”
A wry smile spread over her face as she took a deep breath and let it out.
“Because we were…” She waved hand between them. “You know.”
“Aw, man,” Enders said from behind him. Duncan didn’t need a comment from the peanut gallery and sent a warning glare over his shoulder where the other man leaned against the wall. “I wasn’t going to say anything. But now that you mention it, even I know that’s not how you propose.”
“Okay,” Journi murmured, tugging on Enders’ arm. “We should really leave.”
Duncan didn’t wait to see if he’d followed Journi’s advice as he turned his focus on Solace. But he doubted it due to Enders’ unmistakably looming presence remaining in the room.
“Angel,” he said, moving forward and taking both of her cold hands in his. “Why should I wait to tell you what’s in my heart?” His woman’s lips trembled and eyes pooled.
“But…” A tear coursed down her cheek, and he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her and their child as close as he could.
“No buts. When you know you want to spend the rest of your life with someone,” he whispered into her hair. “It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, you want the rest of your life to start right then.”
“Isn’t that a line from a movie?” Enders grumbled.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” Journi said, clearly irritated. “Kind of. And how would you know?”
“I’m evolved.”
“Why are you still here?” Duncan threw his frowning gaze at Enders again, finding a sniffling Journi still unsuccessfully tugging on the other man’s massive arm.
At least she was trying to move the unmovable.
She let out another sniffle. And, unbelievably, true concern filled the other man’s eyes flashing down at her.
“Princess…”
Duncan had known Enders in person and by reputation for years.
The man was known to be ruthless. An assassin had to be.
Spending months cloistered with him, Duncan would have had no reason to think he would be anything else.
Needless to say, he’d never have guessed the man had a gentle side.
But there it was. In his voice and the tender way he cupped Journi’s jaw and tilted up her face.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m not.” From Duncan’s vantage point, she obviously was.
“Yes, you are,” Enders murmured, his thumb gently brushing away a tear tracking down her cheek, while crouching low enough he was eye to eye with the young woman.
“This is a beautiful, touching moment.” She sniffled again. “And we’re intruding on it.”
Without fully standing, Enders flashed a grimacing look at Duncan. But his features quickly softened when he gave his full attention back on Journi.
Unbelievable.
“If you say so,” he said, nodding as he picked her up.
“What are you doing?” she squealed, her arms flailing before banding them around his neck, while he kept her cradled against his chest. If she was afraid the man might drop her, she shouldn’t be. Enders looked content to have her right where she was.
“We’re leaving,” he said, matter of fact, while turning with her and then striding away.
“What is this thing with you and… Never mind,” Journi groused shaking her head, as they completely left the room, though her clearly aggravated, “I can walk, so you can put me down,” drifted from the entryway.
“I’m sure you can.” Enders’s tone was one Duncan was all too familiar with. It was the same one the other man had used on him when he was determined to have his own way. Duncan hated it. “But you’re staying right where you are until we get to my truck.”
“If you’d let me put on shoes?—”
He had no doubt Journi had had more to say, but the door slamming shut cut off whatever that might have been.
“They’re going to make quite a couple,” Solace said on a chuckle.
“And knowing Enders,” he said, snagging Solace’s amused eyes, smiling as he traced his gaze over her flushed features. “She’s not winning that argument.” And then all he could do was stare, as she tilted her head and gave him a quizzical look.
“Solace,” he murmured. How had a man like him been given another chance at love with a woman like this?
“What?” Solace’s hands settled on the swell of her stomach pushing out against his shirt.
His child rested there. Again, how had he been so fortunate? And though Duncan bowed to no man, he went to his knees in front of her, then cast his gaze up to glistening, golden-brown eyes fixed on him.
“I love you.” Her lips trembled as he took one of her hands. “I wish I had a ring. But?—”
“I don’t need a ring,” she interrupted. “All I need is your heart.”
“You have it,” he said, then kissed the back of her hand. “You have for a long time.”
“Oh, Duncan,” Solace whispered, running her free hand over his head, before cupping his cheek.
“It’s been yours for longer than I might have even realized,” he said, grinning up at her, even though his throat burned with emotion. “So, please, put me out of my misery and say you’ll marry me.”
She opened her mouth, and he was sure she was about to give her answer. But instead, her eyes widened as she grabbed his hand holding hers and pressed it low on her stomach. A little kick hit his palm.
“Do you think Hunter has an opinion?” Just as he asked that question, another kick touched him, leaving him marveling at the future he had in front of him.
I can’t wait.
“He probably knows what his mom is thinking.” She took in a quick breath, then slowly let it out. “Yes, I will marry you.”
“Thank god, woman,” he growled, bounding to his feet, before sweeping her up in his arms and heading for the stairs. If she’d said no, well, he would have found ways to wear her down. A grin touched his lips at just how he’d have accomplish that as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He might just do it anyhow.
“You’re as bad as Enders. Will it do me any good to tell you I am perfectly capable of walking up the stairs on my own?” she asked close to his ear. Her warm breath raised goosebumps on his flesh, while raising other parts of his body.
“No.”
“I see,” she said, shaking her head. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Anything you want,” he said, stopping at the top landing and peering into her loving eyes. “You’re my Solace.”
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be,” she said, giving him a soft kiss that held just as much passion as any one she’d ever given. “Yours.” She rested her head on his chest and let out a sigh filled with a contentment so deep, he absorbed until it filled him too.
“Duncan’s Solace.”