He was content—I would even say happy—when we were together, nothing and no one in the world but us.
Before I came along, I had the feeling he spent too much time alone. Too much time thinking, working, living moment to moment with no plans for the future.
It would seem he had been planning a future. With me.
I swallowed around the dryness in my throat. His hands tightened on mine.
“Julian,” I murmured. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re simply reacting. You don’t want to marry me.”
“Reacting?” he replied, his tone calm.
“To my leaving. We’ll see each other every day at the office.”
“First off, I’m not reacting, and second, every day isn’t enough. I want you all the time.” He cocked his head. “Do you not feel the same way about me, Tally?” He dropped his voice. “You said so last night, in your sleep. You whispered you loved me. It made me smile to hear those words.”
I blinked.
I had said that?
I sighed, unable to withhold those words from him. “I do love you, Julian. So very much. So much, in fact, it frightens me.”
“Don’t let it frighten you. I assure you I return your sentiments tenfold.” He held my hands to his chest. “I love you, Tally. And I want to marry you. I want to build a life with you.”
“Has anyone ever mentioned you go from zero to sixty in five seconds?”
He grinned. “Three seconds, usually.”
“You tell me you love me and want to marry me at the same time, and you wonder why I’m hesitant?”
“You think it’s because you just told me you’re moving back to your old place? That I’m reacting?”
“Pretty coincidental.”
He slid his hand into his pocket, holding out a small box. “Not reacting, Tally. I already knew what I wanted.”
I gazed at the box, too overwhelmed to reach out and take it. Too frightened to believe this was real and he wanted me as much as I wanted him.
He pressed the box into my hand and opened the lid. Inside, a pretty ring glowed against the satin, the sapphires and diamonds twinkling in the light. It was lovely, unique, and special.
“I love your eyes, and I wanted to signify that,” he explained. “I saw this in an antique shop window, and I knew it was meant to be yours.” He held it up. “I want to put this on your finger and hear you say I do.”
He paused, waiting for my reply. “Tell me yes, baby. Marry me.”
I couldn’t deny him. I didn’t want to deny him. “Yes.”
CHAPTER TEN
Julian
Tally was in my arms, our bodies melded together. I nuzzled her head, then asked a question I was certain I already knew the answer to.
“Do you want a big, fancy wedding?”
“No,” she scoffed. “For whom? The guys at Elite?”
I chuckled. “Would you agree to a small, quick wedding?”
She paused. “How quick?”
“We fly to Vegas this weekend, get married, and I’ll take you on a honeymoon in a couple weeks.”
“Julian,” she said, aghast.
“What? I know what I want. So do you. Why should we wait?”
She lifted her head, peering at me. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were probably the most cautious man I had ever met.”
“I am. Unless it comes to you.”
“What’s the hurry?”
“I want to take you away. As my wife. I have a couple of commitments to meet, and then we can go. A license here takes weeks.”
“Go away?”
I drew in a deep breath. “I have a friend who owns a place in the Mediterranean. It’s private. Peaceful. He and his wife have invited us to visit.”
I planned on telling her everything there. About Hidden Justice. The truth about her brother. Let her absorb it all and come to terms with it. Then we could move forward with our life together with no more secrets.
She hesitated.
“You have a passport, right?”
“Yes.”
“You love me and want to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“I need one more yes, Tally. Do this with me. We’re both alone, and we don’t have to be. Take my last name and be my family. We’ll make our own together.”
“You want kids?”
“I want everything with you.”
“Can I finish my degree?”
“Yes.”
“And work toward my dream?”
“Yes.”
“What if…” She trailed off, and I knew what her worry was.
“You don’t have to hide anymore, baby. Not with me by your side. I promise you will be safe.”
She cupped my face. “Then you get your third yes.”
I kissed her, showing her everything with my touch and lips I couldn’t say out loud.
How precious she was. How much she meant to me. How I would protect her with my life.
In time, she would understand it.
Tally wasn’t happy when I told her I was doing a job out of town. She settled her hands on her hips, tapping her fingers impatiently.
“And if I forbid it?” she challenged, lifting her chin.
I chuckled and leaned down, kissing her pursed lips. “We took obey out of our vows, baby. For both of us. I don’t want to be away from you, but it’s in Quebec, it will be late, and it’s easier to grab a hotel room and come home rested the next day.”