He takes the phone out—of course he does—and I wait for him to get distracted and finally break eye contact so I can breathe again. Move again.
But he doesn’t look down to check his messages, doesn’t look away at all. Instead, he pulls his arm back and then throws his phone as far as he can into the woods.
I’m so shocked that all I can do is shriek. “What did you do that for?”
“I told you. I’m here for you and I’m not talking to anyone else until we get this sorted out.”
“Your father—”
“Can suck it.”
“Garrett—”
“Knows where I am and knows better than to interrupt me.”
“The country—”
“Can wait.”
“Kian, no, it—”
“Can wait,” he repeats, bringing his hands up to cup my face. “Just this once, it can wait.”
The tears start all over again. “Kian—”
“I love you, Savvy. I love you and I want to marry you and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
The bottom drops out of my stomach. “What did you say?” I whisper.
“I said I want to marry you. I want to wake up beside you every day of my life and go to bed with you every night. I want to make babies with you and a home with you and a life with you.”
It’s so not what I expect him to say that for long seconds I can’t say anything. I can only stare at him, looking into his green, green eyes that are filled with more love—and more resolve—than I ever could have dreamed of.
“I don’t understand.”
I’m not trying to be funny, but he laughs anyway. “I know you don’t, sweetheart. I know. But that’s okay. Because I understand enough for both of us. You love me but you’re scared. Shit, I’d be scared, too, if I were you. I know my reputation’s not the best.”
“I don’t care about your reputation.”
“You should. I’ve been kind of a jerk.”
“No—”
“Yes,” he tells me. “I have. But that’s because I didn’t know any better. I didn’t know what it could feel like to love a woman so completely that she takes over my thoughts and my dreams and my life. I didn’t know what it would feel like to love you. But I do now and I promise, Wildemar or no Wildemar, crown or no crown, I will always put you first. You will always matter to me more than anyone or anything else in the world.”
I’m sobbing now, just full-on sobbing, and shaking so badly that I have to hold on to Kian to keep my knees from buckling underneath me. But that’s okay, because he’s holding on to me, too. Keeping me safe, keeping me right where I want to be.
“How did you know?” I ask when I can finally speak. “How did you know what I needed—”
“Because I see you. Deep down inside, where nobody else can reach. I see you, the same way you see me.”
“I love you, Kian. I love you so much.”
“I know, sweetheart.” He pulls me closer, nuzzles his nose and mouth against my cheek.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I’m sorry I didn’t believe that you could love me the same way that I love you. I’m sorry I wouldn’t take a risk—”
He stops me with a kiss—a soft, sweet, endless kiss that warms every single cold part inside of me. “Marry me,” he says, when he finally raises his head, “and I’ll forgive you.”