She knelt down in front of him and put her hand on his face. “You … first of all, you make me happier than any man … than anyone ever. You make me feel so free. You make me feel like me. And I … I can never thank you enough for that.”
“I make you happy?”
“So much. I broke the engagement. The night of the ball. I went and told my father I couldn’t do it. Then I went to Bastian’s hotel and I told him it was off. I don’t think he was sorry. Because you were right. And you showed me that I … that I needed to grow up. And I did. So I am now free to accept the hand of any man I choose. And I choose you, Makhail Nabatov. Not in spite of your past, or the scars it’s left. Those things have made you the man you are. The man I love.”
He lowered his head. “I was a coward. It was easy to tell myself that I was afraid of taking too much from you. Because I’ve been there. But in truth, I was afraid to open myself. To find it in me to love. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was too late. It was so effortless to love you I almost didn’t recognize it. You brought down my walls so easily, I hardly realized.”
She laughed through her tears, cupped his chin and raised his face so he was looking at her. “You actually,” she fumbled for her purse and unzipped it, taking out a length of black silk, “you saved me a trip into the city. You see, I found this, and I tried it on Bastian, but it didn’t fit. And I was about to go searching to see if there was any man down in the shops it might fit … but …” She draped it over his shoulders. “You know, if looks like it fits you perfectly.”
He laughed, a smile, a real smile, on his lips. He tugged her to him. “Ties are sort of one size fits all.”
She shook her head. “That one’s very special. It fits the one man who fits me.”
“Eva, my love, how close I came to losing you.” He leaned in and kissed her. “I am so sorry.”
“I can handle you, as long as you can handle me,” she said.
“More than. It’s no chore.”
“I feel the same way. I love you, you know,” she said.
“I know.” He reached into his pocket. “I have a ring for you.”
“I’d love to see it … but … I think maybe after we spend some time in my bedroom.”
He stood and took her hand, tugging her up with him. “You, my princess, are scandalous.”
“I don’t plan on changing, so I hope that’s all right with you.”
“It is. Don’t ever change.”
“You neither.”
He took her hand and they walked toward her quarters. They would deal with her father, her brother, the rest of the world, later. Today was for them. And then, the rest of their lives.
“Hey, are you still going to do security for my wedding?” she asked.
He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, a small smile on his lips. “I think I’ll just be the groom at your wedding, and leave the rest to someone else.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
“I was so hoping that night in the garden wasn’t our last kiss,” he said, studying her face.
She stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his, lingering, reveling in the feel of him, the taste of him. Her Mak. Her future husband. “No, agape mou,” she said. “That wasn’t the end of our kisses. That was only the beginning.”