Page 30 of A Raven Realized (The Raven’s Den #5)

Madelene was out of breath when she walked through the front door. She’d been out picking wildflowers and ran all the way down the giant hill behind the house. Even though the late afternoon air was chilly, it was exhilarating.

Selma greeted her with a smile. “Give me that.” She held out her hand for the basket. “And your shawl. You have a visitor waiting in the sitting room.”

“Oh no. Please tell me it isn’t David.”

“It isn’t David.” Selma nudged her toward the door. “Go on.”

There was only one other person it could be. “Simon?”

Selma’s nod sent a chaotic jumble of emotions hurtling through her. Her heart didn’t know whether to race or to stop altogether. Why was he here?

Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply. She would not show him her weakness. She straightened her spine, pushed her shoulders back, and lifted her chin, then strode into the room.

She thought she was prepared, but the sight of him there, really there, his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes stormy and alluring, nearly made her knees buckle. He assessed every inch of her before his lips turned up just a bit at the corners.

“How are you even more beautiful than I remembered?”

Why was he here?

“Are you well?” he asked, when she didn’t respond.

She nodded, and his smile fell. In times like this, speaking still didn’t come naturally to her. “I am well.” That was mostly true. “Why are you here, Simon?”

He took one step nearer. “We got the vicar.”

She couldn’t stop her brow from furrowing.

Had he really come up here to tell her that?

It was a huge achievement, of course. He’d given a year of his life to that.

But was this how it was going to be? He was just going to drop in to share an update of his life with her from time to time? “That’s… good.”

He laughed softly and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Madelene.

I’m no good at this.” He blew out a breath.

“I haven’t come to brag about my accomplishments.

Arresting him means I can finally move forward with my life.

” He looked into her eyes and his throat worked with a swallow.

“It means I’m going to be part of Ash’s team.

And most importantly, it means I can finally tell you how I feel about you. Is it alright if I do that?”

She gave a silent prayer that he was about to say the words she’d heard from him every night in her dreams. Tears welled in her eyes and she nodded.

“I don’t want you to feel any obligation to reciprocate my feelings or my words. Or even to accept them.”

He waited for her to nod again before continuing.

“Madelene, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met. Despite all the difficulties you’ve had to overcome, everything about you is perfect.

Your incredible beauty, your enchanting smile, your immeasurable passion, and your tremendous strength are just a sampling of the things that have captured my heart.

” He shook his head. “No, you haven’t captured it.

I have willingly given you every last piece of my heart.

I hope that you will allow me to spend every day of the rest of my life becoming deserving of yours.

” From behind his back, he produced a bouquet of orange flowers, and lowered himself onto one knee.

Her breathing hitched. How was this actually happening?

“Madelene, will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife?”

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she went to him. His face was warm against her palm, his desperate gaze locked with hers. “Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her middle, the flowers pressed against her back, and she hugged his head to her chest. It was only a single word, but for them, it was the most powerful word there was.

After a while, he pulled back and looked up into her eyes. “Are you really sure?”

“Are you ? I thought you weren’t the marrying type.”

His laughter was such a balm for her soul. He stood and took her hands in his. “You changed my mind.” He pressed a gentle kiss against her lips before pulling her in for another tight hug.

“Why did your mind change after I came here?”

“That’s not what happened. I always wanted to marry you.”

“You did?”

“Desperately.” His smile was so tender. “I don’t know the precise moment it happened, but I love you, Madelene. Immeasurably, unconditionally, and without any reservations.”

A sob burst from her lips, and his smile fell. “I had hoped that would make you happy.”

She shook her head and wiped her tears. “It does make me happy. More than you can possibly imagine. It’s just—” She stared at the flowers before eventually meeting his gaze. “No one has ever said they loved me before, and I didn’t think anyone ever would.”

He dropped the flowers onto the nearby table and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you, Madelene.” He kissed her cheek.

“I love you.” He sprinkled kisses over her face and lips, repeating the phrase between each one before he eventually wrapped his arms around her and spoke quietly into her ear.

“I love you.” He squeezed her tightly. “You’re going to grow so tired of those words, because I will never stop saying them. ”

Somehow she was both laughing and crying simultaneously. “I love you, Simon.” The words were hardly intelligible through her weeping.

He kissed her, and it was not chaste or gentle. His tongue plunged into her mouth, claiming her as his own, and she surrendered completely. It was heaven.

With a groan, he dragged his lips away from hers. She was dizzy with desire, and a desperate hunger filled his eyes, as well.

“If you’re sure you’ll have me, I start my new position in one week, and I’d like to be wed before we go back to London.”

She was too surprised to do more than nod. A week?

He laughed. “I’m definitely going to need more than a nod for this.”

She laughed with him. “Yes, Simon. I will marry you this very minute.” She leaned in and spoke quietly. “Especially if I can make love to you when we’ve finished.”

Slowly and seductively, his gaze slid down her body. “If there wasn’t someone standing right outside that door, I’d already have you naked on that sofa, tasting every delectable inch of your body.”

Heat rushed through her as butterflies filled her stomach. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life, but he was right. Selma was just on the other side of the door. With a nod, she pushed down her desire.

Instead, she focused on the rest of what he’d said. He had to return to London. She would have to go back with him and leave this place.

“If we marry, will I have your permission to come back up here for visits?”

He cupped her chin. “ When we marry, you won’t need my permission.

You’ll need only say, ‘Simon, I wish to go up to Scotland, and you need to escort me there safely,’ and I will say, ‘of course, my wonderful, beautiful, incredible wife.’” He kissed her, but this time was merely a brief press of his lips.

“But surely you’ll be busy and won’t have time to do that.”

“I will always have time for you. Have you already forgotten? I love you.”