Page 48 (1/1)

The words bubbled up in her throat, tickled against the roof of her ainst the bare skin of his throat But she couldn’t say it, as if a part of her still felt unworthy Pushing against his chest, she looked up "I lied to you"

"With your lips, yes" His eyelids lowered, al her cheek "I should have paid more attention tome" His thu her gaze "It kneho you were nobefore I did" He took a deep, shuddering breath "And did you ever lie to ertips pressed between her breasts, directly over the thu hard "You know I didn’t," she whispered, cupping his hand and holding it firainst her chest She could feel the heady pulse of her heartbeat through his touch "It belonged to you long before I knew it" Another heady s She had to say it He deserved it and she wanted hi she needed to hear the most This tiht she ht elicited in her His s of wonders "I knew the instant you walked through the doors of the atriuan to fade

Rosalind quickly pressed her fingertips to it, as if to capture it "Don’t think about it"

Lynch kissed her fingertips and took a shuddery breath "I won’t That is done However, there is one last thing we ers laced between her iron fingers and held the special forinto the pocket of his waistcoat, he drew out a s would fit--"

Rosalind sat up and nearly hit her head All she could see was that box, her heart pounding so swiftly she al?"

"I asked your brother if I had permission to make you my consort" He flicked the box open "I want you to share the world withbut you andsteel ring, burnished so brightly that it shone An enormous square diareed silver holding it in place No lady of the Echelon would wear it, but it suited her, so perfectly he had obviously designed it hiiven his blessing--meant so much more to her than any dia as she held it up

Lynch slid the ring from the box "You can never take this off, Rosa I intend to have Fitz solder it to your finger"

"I don’t want to take it off" She bounced impatiently "Hurry up and put it on"

He slid it down over the iron knuckle and settled it in place "Well, duchess… How do you feel?"

"I feel as if you have given ain as she looked at hi inside and not drown in it? She would have to learn to cope with this "I wish I could give you half as ertips "You have given me a future and joy in it too Before Ilife The last feeeks…as tu down, he kissed her lips lightly

"Besides," he whispered against her lips, "we have so e" The words caught her breath "You are the only one I trust to watch my back"

"Well, it is almost my favorite part to look at," she whispered

Lynch smiled "And there is my wicked Mrs Marberry I do believe I have one last request though… So"

"Anything," she pro man: her future, her hope, her heart…

"Keep the ain