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She snapped her gaze to his "Don’t Don’t lie to me I may be rash and I may be stupid, but you haven’t lied to me yet, and at least there’s that" The tears ca her into his ar to care than they stood on a public road in the center of a public town

She didn’t care, either

She leaned into his warmth and let the tears come, filled with disappointe that she’d ruined everything and shesoftly, soothing her, pro her all would be well And she let herself believe, for a heartbeat of ti He was so warm So warm and so welcome, if she didn’t know better, she’d think he felt like home

Until she remembered that he wasn’t That he’d never be

She pulled back, straightening and wiping the tears from her eyes When she looked up at him, it was to discover that he looked as uncomfortable as she felt "I’ve relied too uard through this adventure But it is over now I shall rent a room at the inn When my father’s men find me, I’ll return with them This entire journey was aher "This was a dreaht you’d have And now it’s not the life you will have But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have the freedoat the inn"

"I don’t have a choice"

"You are co with so like desire Not that she’d ever admit it "Why?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels "I can think of two good reasons First, because if you come with me, I can keep you safe until you decide your next path We didn’t run fros go slightly ah she’d made a terrible mistake "And the second reason?"

"Because I’ve a proposition for you," he said "One that won’t take long, but will pay handsomely" Her brow furrowed, and he continued "Give h money to buy that happiness you so desperately want"

She blinked, the proreat deal of reat deal of h for me to never have to return to London?"

He inclined his head "If that’s what you like Enough for your bookshop Wherever you want it to be"

Desire and doubt warred within her "Why would you helplovely So to like her Hope flared, quick and dangerous But when he replied, he said no such thing "Because you are aze on his, dread pooling "What do you want from me?"

"It’s quite simple, really" He opened the door to the coach and indicated she should enter, not knowing howto present you to my father As my soon-to-be wife"

She stilled "You are serious"

"Quite We’ve been fabricating a ement shouldn’t be so very difficult We’ve already started"

"You didn’t tell Robbie ere engaged for me You did it for you"

He shook his head "For us It works for both of us"

She ignored the pang in her chest at the words "You’re asking me to lie to a duke"

"To ht you planned to convince hi replied "I’ve no intention of h it wouldn’t hurt And it shouldn’t, she realized There was never a iven any i coe