Page 94 of A Duchess to Unravel

Alistair shot him a glare, but he loosened his grip on Theo just enough so that she could help him slide back down to the pillows.

“You must be gentle with your movements,” the surgeon said, kinder this time.

“If I promise to be still, will you give us some privacy?” Alistair asked.

With a sigh, the surgeon bowed, then left the room.

“Theo,” Alistair, said, cupping her cheek as he looked up at her. “Are you quite well?”

Her loving smile had a ball of emotions welling in his throat.

“I am perfectly well,” she promised, soothing her hands over his naked shoulders, his pectoral muscles. “It was you that was injured, not I.”

“Because of me,” Alistair grumbled, frowning. “Because I sent away the wrong man. I promised you I would offer protection and I failed.”

“Stop,” Theo hurriedly replied, placing a quick kiss on his lips. “You mustn’t blame yourself. If I had not broken our deal early, William would have never gotten to me.”

“But he would have,” Alistair argued, “It would have just been later. After I left for Scotland again.”

Theo shook her head.

“I do not wish to talk of this,” she replied. “He is dealt with. In irons and behind bars. Youdidstop him, Alistair. You found me. That is all that matters.”

Alistair pulled her closer again, stroking her hair.

“It is not all that matters,” he said after a while. “I should have never pulled away when I realized my feelings for you were growing.”

Theo went rigid in his embrace but did not move away.

“I pulled away too,” she said softly. “Feelings … love … I did not know how to handle them. I’m still not sure if I do. All I know is that I missed you terribly from the moment I left for the country.”

Alistair nuzzled his chin to her hair, pressing her closer.

“And I missed you. Terribly.”

He felt her sigh.

“And what are we to do about that?” Theo asked, tracing her fingers along his chest.

He tilted her chin up until their eyes met.

“We stay together,” he commanded.

Worry filled Theo’s eyes as she looked at him and shook her head.

“But that was not our deal,” she replied. “You were not interested in a love match. Neither was I.”

“To the devil with our deal,” he insisted. “I meant what I said at the factory. I love you, Theo.”

Theo’s eyes went soft as they grew watery.

“I meant it too,” she rasped, reaching up to caress his face.

“So, no more talk of living in separate houses,” he insisted. “Wherever we go, we go together.”

“Yes,” she sobbed.

They leaned toward one another, their kiss passionate and full of affection as they both accepted their new relationship.