The earl returned his attention to Aurora. "I wish you all the happiness in the world, my dear."
"And I, you. Simone is a fortunate woman. Perhaps someday I may meet her."
Stepping back, March gave Aurora a final smile and then left, shutting the cabin door behind him.
Nick took a slow breath, trying to ease the brutal tension in his body. When Aurora turned to face him, his gaze riveted on hers. "I wasn't wrong, was I?" he breathed. "You love me?"
"Yes, Nicholas. I love you."
Joy hit him with such fierceness it made him shake. In two strides he had reached her and caught her up in his arms, the way he'd been longing to do since her arrival onboard the schooner. Aurora found her lips smothered beneath his passionate kiss.
Even when he had stolen her breath away, he wouldn't cease. His mouth moved over hers hungrily as if he were starved for the taste of her. Finally, however, Nicholas broke off the tender assault long enough to rasp hoarsely against her lips.
"Tell me again," he demanded.
She didn't misunderstand his urgency. "I love you," she managed to say before he cut off her declaration with another devastating kiss.
It was a long, long moment before Nick allowed her to speak again, although he still refused to let her go.
Breathless with desire and love, he pressed his forehead against hers. "What caused your change in heart?" he dared ask.
"I realized I couldn't live without you," Aurora said simply.
"Then you will be my wife?" He lifted his head, searching her face. Her eyes were bright with love; her lovely smile trapped his breath in his throat.
"Yes, Nicholas. I will… on one condition."
That finally gave him pause. He drew back to eye her warily. "What condition?"
"That you promise to make at least a small attempt to curb your recklessness."
"My reckl
essness?"
"Since I've known you, all you have ever done is deliberately court danger. I have no intention of becoming a widow again."
"I have no intention of letting you."
"You just said you intended to guard me with your life. And I saw you eyeing Gerrod's pistol as if you planned something rash. I felt sure you would have fought him for it if I hadn't acted."
"I would have found another way. I wouldn't have risked endangering you." Nick couldn't help but grin. "The look on Gerrod's face… He was so certain he had me in his grasp. He didn't count on having to deal with my beautiful, courageous wife."
"It was not courageous in the least. I was terrified he would shoot you." She shuddered. "I couldn't bear to lose you, Nicholas. I want your promise that you will try to keep yourself safe for my sake."
"I promise, sweetheart. My reckless days are over, I swear to you. I have too much at stake to risk losing you."
He gazed down into her azure eyes, still not quite believing his good fortune. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Aurora. I want to have children with you and grow old with you. I want to sleep with you and share dreams with you and wake up beside you…"
Aurora thought she had never heard words more beautiful.
Just then she felt the movement of the ship as the anchor was weighed. Nicholas lifted his head for a moment, then bent again to nuzzle her lips. "We have a long journey ahead of us, do you realize that, my love?"
She felt her pulse quicken at the thought; the prospect of having weeks and weeks alone with Nicholas filled her with joy.
Deliberately she raised her arms to encircle his neck, gazing into his dark eyes that shone so fiercely with tenderness.
"Not long enough," Aurora whispered, wanting to sing with the fullness in her heart.