Amidst this, Nic slipped an enormous diamond ring onto her left hand. She ogled it while Glen played the brother card and threatened Nic with bodily harm if he didn’t take good care of her. Then Glen left her and Nic alone so he could fill her in on what had transpired after she’d left.
“Gabriel almost killed me when he heard that you’d left,” Nic explained, sitting on his couch and pulling her onto his lap.
She let her head fall onto his shoulder and savored the contentment that wove through her. “He did?”
“Apparently he decided to play matchmaker and wasn’t particularly happy that I failed to do my part.”
“Matchmaker?”
“He made sure we were in adjoining rooms in the visitors’ wing of the palace and enlisted Olivia and Ariana to convince you not to give up on us.”
“They did a pretty good job of that,” Brooke agreed, thinking about that last night she’d spent with Nic. “In fact, I almost left without seeing you one final time, but both of them convinced me I owed it to us to say goodbye.” But there was something she still didn’t understand. “And we did. I left and you didn’t stop me. You were determined to do the honorable thing and stay in Sherdana and get married. So what’s changed?”
“Two things. First, I thought long and hard about what made me happy. Spending the rest of my life with you and my work. But I couldn’t marry you without regretting that I’d decided not to step up when my family needed me and I couldn’t see returning to the Griffin project when my design had caused a man’s death.”
“And yet you’re here,” Brooke pointed out.
“I didn’t accept I couldn’t live without you until I had to start.”
“But what about Sherdana and producing an heir?”
“Gabriel released me from duty. Before I left he explained how it had nearly destroyed him to lose Olivia and he refused to let me go through the same sort of pain.”
“But what about an heir for the throne?”
“I guess it’s up to Christian.”
“And you don’t feel bad that he has to carry the full burden of the country’s future on his shoulders?” Brooke arched her eyebrow at Nic’s poor attempt to conceal a grin.
“If he had to choose between the woman of his dreams and duty to Sherdana, I’d feel horrible.” Nic brushed Brooke’s hair aside and kissed his way down her neck. “But he’s never dated any woman long enough to fall in love and it’s time he let someone in.”
“Et benedetto il primo dolce affanno ch’i’ ebbi ad esser con Amor congiunto.”
Nic translated, “And blessed be the first sweet agony I suffered when I found myself bound to Love.” He grazed his lips against Brooke’s, making her sigh in pleasure. “I only hope the woman who finally breaks through to Christian makes him half as happy as you’ve made me.”
Heart singing, Brooke wrapped her arms around Nic’s neck and set her forehead against his. His gaze fastened on hers, letting her glimpse his joy and his need for her. For the first time she truly understood the depth of Nic’s love for her. He’d made light of his decision to leave Sherdana, but she suspected even though Gabriel had released him from duty, the king and queen hadn’t backed either of their sons’ actions.
“I haven’t begun to make you happy,” she promised, tightening her hold.
“You don’t say.”
“I do say.” And she proceeded to demonstrate how she planned to start.
* * * * *