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“If anything,” he spoke over her, “I should be the one apologizing to you. I was going to come to you sooner — as soon as I learned of your father’s past. I’m so sorry to have had to put you through that.”

She opened her mouth, likely to tell him also that there was no need to apologize, but then she closed it, licked her lips again, and he could see a thought form behind her eyes. One that was joined by a coy smile as her eyes suddenly lit up and even before she spoke, it was as if he knew what she might say.

“You really should have,” she grinned. “Why, I’m almost inclined not to forgive you.”

“Is that right?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.

“But I will, I think. Only because the sight of you punching my father is one that I’ll dream of for years to come. I might even have an artist recapture the moment, so I can hang it above my bed.”

Evan chuckled. “Better make it two, that way I can hang one above my bed also.”

“I can’t believe you came,” she followed up, snuggling in closer. “I hoped you would but... but my father... these past few days... it’s been horrible.”

“Hey,” he cooed softly and stroked her hair, “you don’t have to worry about him anymore. Not now. Not ever again.”

“I know.” She smiled then, perhaps the first real one she had worn since he’d seen her today. A smile of acceptance. A smile of gratitude. A smile that told him the past was where it belonged, and it was time to start thinking toward the future.

Speaking of the future, it was strange, but despite all that had happened between then, Evan still didn’t know exactly where he stood. Sure, he had saved her. And sure, without him, she would have been sold to another, forced to live a life as a veritable slave. But that didn’t mean that he now owned her — that was the point. And despite how he knew that he felt, that didn’t mean necessarily that she felt the same way. She was grateful sure, but he didn’t want that gratitude to feel like a penance. As if she owed him something.

They’d had so little time together, he now realized. Just one night and a single morning where they’d been free to express their feelings. It felt a lifetime ago, as if so much had happened in that time, as if things might have changed. When they had slept together and when they had held one another after, things had been different. More complicated, sure. But in a way, that had made them simpler.

As he held Miss Baker in his arms, as he stroked her hair and kept her safe, Evan wanted nothing more than to confirm what they had started all those days ago. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, that he would keep on loving her, and that if she wished it, he would marry her. But now that she was free of her father’s clutches, he couldn’t help but wonder if she might have changed her mind...

“There is one more thing,” he began, feeling a lump form in his throat as if trying to block himself from saying the words.

“Yes?” she asked, a tinge of hope coloring her tone as she leaned back and looked up at him.

“Now that you know longer have to worry about your father, you are free to... to pursue whoever you wish. You can fall in love and marry how you please — or not. It is up to you, and I want you to know that.”

“All right...”

“And I know that we have a history, of sorts. And I know that we have... that we have unfinished business — no,” he stammered. “That’s not what I wanted to say.”

“What did you want to say?” She wore a tiny smirk as if she knew where he was going with this.

“I’m not in the habit of taking young women to my bed,” he started again. “In fact, it’s something that I never do. You know the reason for this.”

“Is it because you’re a cold fish?” she giggled.

He looked at her flatly. “To put it bluntly, yes. But with you, Miss Baker, it’s different. With you... the other night when I — when we...” He glanced toward Bridget, who was humming softly to herself, purposefully not listening. “When I bedded you, I didn’t do that on a whim or because I was trying to... to trick you or anything like that.”

“Is that right?” her eyes flashed.

“I did it because...” He swallowed. “Because I find myself falling in love with you. It’s not a feeling that I am used to. It’s not one that I imagined happening. But it has, and with all that has happened, you should know.” He looked right at her then, through the humor she wore, into her soul. “I love you, Miss Baker. And if you would wish it, if you can see it in yourself then... then I think we should... I would very much like to – gah! Why is this so hard?”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re a fool, you know that, don’t you?”

“Excuse me.”

She pushed herself up and sat back. “Obviously, I love you too.”

“You do?” he beamed, feeling his heart soar.

“Of course I do. And what’s more...” She smiled sheepishly and looked away, only to force her eyes back on him. “...yes, I would love nothing more than to marry you.”

“You — you would?”

“But on one condition.” She cocked an eyebrow at him.