One Penny Surprise (Saved By Desire 1)

“It isn’t you,” Luke hastened to assure her. “I think he is led by his mistress and their greed. From what Peter has told me, Clarence has always tried to live beyond his means, and has clearly decided to take to a life of crime rather than take up an honest job.”

He hugged her close for several long moments while he waited for the worst of her trembling to ease. When she sighed and settled against him he kissed her. “I think you need to go and see Peter sooner rather than later,” he said softly. “Once you have heard what happened between Clarence and the family you will understand a lot more and not feel so bad. Trust me when I tell you that losing Clarence is no great loss in your life.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Now that he has reappeared, I cannot wait to see the back of him again.” She leaned up and, in what was a very daring move for her, planted a kiss on his smiling lips. “Now if I lost you, however, I should be a very distraught person indeed.”

“You would?” he asked, rather pleased about that.

She nodded slowly, her own lips curving into a smile. “I think it threw him when you told him I was your wife.”

“It threw me a little too,” he acknowledged ruefully. “Not least because I realised then just how much I wanted it to become a reality. I quite like calling you my life.” He kissed her again.

“Quite liked?” she asked with a grin and peppered several kisses along his jaw.

“I want to do it more,” he replied huskily. “So?” he asked when he finally lifted his head.

“So what?” she asked dreamily.

“Shall we?”

“Shall we what?” she whispered, eyeing the curve of his lips wantonly.

He leaned back and gave her a mock frown. “If you can focus for a moment on something other than kissing, I am asking you to marry me.”

“You are?” she murmured.

“I am,” he declared with a nod. “I love you, Poppy Cleghorne, and want you to be by my side forevermore. Will you be my wife?”

“I would love to,” she whispered.

Luke placed a very loving kiss on her lips. “I know we have only known each other for a matter of a few weeks but this attraction between us is something I have never felt before toward anyone. It is so strong that you are in my every waking thought. You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. It is fair to say that I am not a quiet man; I am not an ordinary calm and gentle man, but I will do my very best to ensure that you are treated with the love and respect you deserve, and given the life and luxuries someone who holds my heart should have. While my work with the Star Elite, taking people like Clarence off the streets, will mean that I am not at home as often as most men, I shall endeavour to return home to you at every available opportunity.”

“I should like that, very much,” she whispered. In spite of her best efforts not to cry, tears began to fall anyway. He captured one with the back of his finger and held it aloft.

“Happy ones I hope?”

She nodded. “There is one thing I should like to make clear right here and now though,” she breathed.

“Oh?” He lifted a brow and waited. He saw the hidden humour in her eyes and loved this new mischievous side to her.

“I am glad I was in the park that day, and you came to my rescue. One thing I shall never be angry at Clarence for is sending me to that meeting. I am sorry that a man had to die, but that day changed my life in a way that I know it can never be changed back from. After today, I am glad of that. I don’t know what the future holds and, if I am honest, the thought of your placing yourself in danger every day fills me with horror but it is only because I love you. If anything happened to you I know that a large part of me would die to.”

In spite of their short acquaintance she knew, deep in her heart, that this was the truth. There were many things she knew she had to learn about him, but the man before her now had proven himself to be honest, caring and lovingly supportive in the most wonderful of ways. She knew that whatever choices she made in life, as long as she had Luke by her side she would be content, happy, and as blessed as anyone could be.

“Together forever?” he whispered, kissing her neck.

“Together forever,” she whispered, and drew him down for a very thorough and extremely daring kiss.

The End.