Finn turned towards Audra. She stared at him, her eyes huge in her face. ‘You haven’t answered my question yet,’ she whispered.
He nodded. ‘All my life I’ve thought I’ve not been worthy of family...or commitment. I never once thought I was worth the sacrifice Rupert made for me seventeen years ago.’
‘Finn.’
She moved towards him, but he held up a hand. ‘I can see now that my parents left me with a hell of a chip on my shoulder, and a mountain-sized inferiority complex. All of my racing around choosing one extreme sport after another was just a way to try to feel good about myself.’
She nodded.
‘It even worked for a while. Until I started wanting more.’
Her gaze held his. ‘How much more?’
He moved across to cup her face. ‘Princess, you’ve made me realise that I can have it all.’
A tear slipped down her cheek. She sent him a watery smile. ‘Of course you can.’
A smile built through him. ‘I want the whole dream, Audra. Here on Kyanós with you.’
Her chin wobbled. ‘The whole dream?’
She gasped when he went down on one knee in front of her. ‘At the heart of all this is you, Princess. It’s you and your love that makes me complete. I love you.’ He willed her to believe every word, willed her to feel how intensely he meant them. ‘I didn’t know I could ever love anyone the way I love you. The rest of it doesn’t matter. If you hate the idea of me opening up a hang-gliding school I’ll do something different. If you’d prefer to live in the village rather than on the plot of land I’m going to buy, then that’s fine with me too. I’ll make any sacrifice necessary to make you happy.’
Her eyes shimmered and he could feel his throat thicken.
He took her hands in his and kissed them. ‘I’m sorry it took me so long to work it out. But I realise now that I’m not my father...and I’m not my mother. I’m in charge of my own life, and I mean to make it a good life. And it’s a life I want to share with you, if you’ll let me.’
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
‘Audra Russel, will you do me the very great honour of marrying me and becoming my wife?’
And then he held his breath and waited. She’d said she loved him. But had he just screwed up here? Had he rushed her before she was ready? Had—?
She dropped to her knees in front of him, took his face in her hands and pulled his head down to hers. Heat and hunger swept through him at the first contact, spreading like an inferno until he found himself sprawled on the floor with her, both of them straining to get closer and closer to each other. Eventually she pulled back, pushed upwards and rolled until she straddled him. ‘That was a yes, by the way.’ She traced her fingers across his broad chest. ‘I love your dream, Finn. I love you.’
He stroked her cheek, his heart filled with warmth and wonder. ‘I don’t know how I got so lucky. I’m going to make sure you never regret this decision. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy.’
She bit her lip. ‘Can...can you take me back to your plot of land?’
‘What, now?’ Right this minute?
She nodded, but looked as if she was afraid he’d say no.
He pulled his baser instincts back into line and hauled them both upright. Without another word, he moved her in the direction of the car. From now on he had every intention of making her every wish come true.
* * *
Audra stared at the amazing view and then at the man who stood beside her. She pointed towards the little bay. ‘Do you think we could have a jetski?’
‘Will that make you happy?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then we can have two.’
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her in close; the possessiveness of the gesture and the way his eyes darkened thrilled her to the soles of her feet. ‘I want you to teach me to hang-glide.’
His eyes widened. Very slowly he nodded. ‘I can do that.’
She stared deep into his eyes and all the love she felt for him welled inside her. She felt euphoric that she no longer had to hide it. ‘Do you know why I wanted to come here this afternoon?’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want this to be the place where we start our life together.’ She swallowed. ‘I love your vision of our future. And this...’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘This...?’
She raised an eyebrow too and he laughed. ‘Spot on,’ he told her. ‘The practice has paid off.’
Heat streaked through her cheeks then. His eyebrow lifted a little higher. ‘Is that a blush, Princess?’ His grin was as warm as a summer breeze. ‘I’m intrigued.’