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He read her signs and swirled harder, tighter, fast little circles thather against hisher so h her body like a firework, spangling every nerve ending with hot glitter He loved her through it with his mouth and his hands, and when it was over he lowered her down onto her knees and gathered her into hith, and his war hiainst her hair And she did, she really did He was the owner of her heart, the father of her child They shared everything

Except for one final thing A thing she mostly tried not to think about But the h She would say it today She looked up at hiaze, her eyes steady and intimate

"You knohat I’d really like for ," he murive her what she wanted She paused for a few seconds, but her eyes didn’t waver

"I want to be your wife"

She felt hi that they didn’t talk about When she’d met Lucien, she’d been unhappily married to soutter Soyears to heal both of their wounds, yet still it was not an easy subject to raise It was their last taboo

Lucien reached for her hand and moved it between their bodies until it settled over his heart "I’m already yours, in here"

"I know that," she said, easing back to look hiain

"Then why?" It wasn’t a confrontational question, e just wasn’t Lucien’s idea of an expression of love

Sophie placed her hand on his cheek Her man Her beautiful, beautiful man

"Because I want to be your wife I want to take your na I want to call you my husband"

She watched his eyes as she spoke, saw them soften with each new declaration

"I don’t care where, or when, or who else is there, Lucien I don’t need a big party or a flashy diamond" Sophie’s voice cracked "I just want tobefore hi to becoe heldher say that she wanted to take his nas in him that he didn’t even know he possessed He hadn’t possessed them before Sophie ‘I want to be your wife,’ she’d said, catching hiirl who surprised him

"Stand up, Princess"

A flicker of apprehension crossed her brow as she took his hand to steady herself as she stood

That was better His girl wanted to be his wife, and she was going to get the proposal she deserved She was not the one who should be on her knees

"I’m not down on one knee, Sophie I’ "I’ht upbecause you’re thebeautiful wo child You’re the love of ers hard, daht

"Every now and then I forget how spectacular you are, Sophie" He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it, her skin warm, her scent familiar beneath his lips "You just reminded ined he’d say

"Marry me Please?"