Page 75 of Edge of Secrets

He raised his head and fixed me with a narrow gaze, as if daring me to contradict him. “And we’re having our honeymoon in Italy. Right?”

“Sounds amazing,” I said softly. “Great idea. I’ve always wanted to go.”

He hugged me tighter. “You are so beautiful,” he muttered. “And by the way. Your ass really is like a ripe, juicy peach—smooth and downy and perfect.”

“Thank you,” I told him. “A lovely sentiment. I’m so touched.”

“Oh, you will be,” he promised. “At great length, as soon as you’re up for it. But I’m not done with my spiel. I know you’re tired, but I have to get all this out.”

“Duncan—”

“Just let me say it,” he said. “I know I’m stubborn, and resistant to change, and I tend to always order the same thing in restaurants. But the flip side is—I know what I like. Once I make up my mind, I don’t change it. I’m talking about until the fucking end of time, Nell. I’m talking about to the ends of the earth. You get me?”

“I do now,” I told him. “And I love that about you. I love the way you say it. To the ends of being and ideal grace. I’m melting. Keep going.”

He looked worried. “Keep going? Oh God. You mean, I have to keep being poetic? Long term? Fuck me! I can’t keep that shit going indefinitely!”

I giggled. “Oh, so that’s the hard part? And the mortal combat was easy?”

“Maybe not easy, but mortal combat is more or less straightforward,” he said. “You get killed or you don’t. But love, man … that shit’s complicated. I didn’t know how to give you what you want. I’m still not sure I know. But I want to learn.”

Love. He’d said it. He’d put it out there. Not that I had any more doubts, but still. It was nice to hear the word come out of his mouth, in that soft tone.

I traced his stern, sexy mouth with a fascinated finger. “I think we fixed it,” I told him. “I think we were talking about the same thing all along. But now I see it. It took getting my ass properly kicked, but I see it very clearly now. We met halfway.”

“Uh, thanks.” He looked bemused. “So this is the halfway point?”

“Yeah.” I pulled his face down and kissed him. “It’s nice here, isn’t it?”

“Best place in the world.” He touched his lips to my forehead, as gently as if I were a newly opened flower. “Let’s stay there forever.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down. “Forever works for me,” I whispered, as our lips met.