Page 127 of A Deal with the Devil

There was uncertainty under all that confidence. For her.

“Marry me, Kitty,” he said. “Or don’t marry me—whatever you want. Just be with me.”

“I…” She wanted to. Every part of her wanted to wrap herself around him and not let go. “I really would make a terrible countess. I don’t know the first thing about dessert forks.”

“We’ll use spoons.”

“Rhys.”

“I was serious. Tom can be earl.”

“That’s not how that works.” Even Devil could not wrestle primogeniture into submission.

“Don’t care. I want you, Kitty. Only you.”

“I’ll embarrass you.” She worried at her bottom lip. “Someone will throw a cabbage at your door.”

“You are entirely obsessed with vegetables, love. But I’ll throw it back. I have very good aim.” He stroked his thumb along her collarbone, down between her breasts, where the gnawing, burning hole had somehow filled. “Or we’ll make soup.”

“You think you’re so clever.”

“Just in love with you, firecracker.” She caught her breath, so he said it again. “I love you.” That almost-smile. “I’ll find a prince for Evie.”

“Oh well, in that case.” She smiled back at him, stroking along his strong jaw, until his lids half lowered. She couldn’t stop touching him. Did not want to. “I love you too.”

His arms tightened around her. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

He dropped his brow to hers. “You do make a man work for it,” he said, striving to sound unbothered, but she heard the joy in his voice.

“Your brother offered to give me his horse when I got here as a reward for dealing with you. A bribe, I suppose, not a reward. And a goat. Apparently, you are worth a goat? And I thought Shelby was going to outright weep. He says you’ve been insufferable.”

“He’s sacked.”

“MacLeod stopped me in the hall to wish me luck. He said you were pining.”

“He’s sacked too. I do not pine. I was being patient.”

“He was being an ass,” Tom shouted as he stalked down the hall, balancing ledgers full of guest lists.

“You can be sacked too,” Devil shot back, kicking the door shut with his boot. “Now, where were we?”

“You were being patient.”

“Yes, I think I’ve had enough of that now.” He caged her against the wall, green eyes flaring hotly. Every part of her reacted, like tendrils reaching for the sun. Or, more accurately, jasmine blossoms opening to the moon. There was nothing of the sunshine in him. Thank God.

She frowned, then shoved at his chest. “You!”

“What was that for?”

“You let me stew and worry for days!”

“I was being patient, remember?” He dragged his mouth along her neck. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“You had better.” It would have sounded much fiercer if she hadn’t moaned. “If you ever do that to me again, I shall try one of Yelena’s hatpin tricks.”

“I won’t.” He kissed her lightly, again and again. “I am sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by waiting for you. I was told empirically that gentlemen do not storm into a lady’s bookshop and carry her away.”