69

‘I hate that I lowered you to that, Rose. I hated that it felt the same way as all those meaningless affairs. Every time I was with you it just tore at me that I was making you hide, I never wanted it for you.’ He pulled her body over his, so she straddled him, sliding his arms around her waist so he could pull her as close as possible, gazing at her in the darkness, only able to make out the briefest of features.

‘I guess somehow she felt the change in you. You said she started getting worse after we met.’

‘Sixth sense or some crazy woman’s intuition. The accusations that I was screwing around started only days after I met you. I hadn’t even done anything.’

‘You must have done something to make her feel like there was someone else?’ She was listening to the slow steady beat of his heart beneath his skin, lulling her into a sense of calm.

‘I guess. Maybe it was the fact I couldn’t get you out of my head. I was distracted a lot, unfocused and all over the place. I guess that screamed out that there was a woman involved.’

Rose felt her heart warm, she loved nothing more than have him admit how crazy for her he was. She felt the same way.

‘It’s kind of sad. For her I mean. She wants you so badly and yet she’s never been able to really have the part that she thinks she needs.’ ‘And therein lies my dilemma... My guilt.’ Rob heaved a heavy inhale and rolled his shoulders to release some of his building tension.

‘You didn’t ask for this Rob... I can see why she wouldn’t be able to let you go. I wouldn’t be able to either.’

‘I get it. Because it’s how I feel about you. And it only makes me feel even more shitty. Because I know how much I would fall apart if it were me and you had fallen in love with someone else.’ He pulled her in tighter, kissing her fore head softly. ‘It doesn’t bear thinking about.’ He murmured softly, a hint of anguish in his voice.

They both fell into silence reflecting on what he had said as he reached up, pinching his face at his forehead and flexing his shoulders painfully, for a second time. Rose felt a tug at her heart and began kneading his large shoulders to help alleviate the niggles.

‘Maybe it’s time to stop thinking about it. For now anyway? Sleep on it?’ Rose suggested, sensing his agitation had climbed a little too high.

’I’m sorry baby. I’m seriously worked up and stressed. Her! work! I feel like I’m just letting you down with this entire fucked up situation!’ He sighed heavily and brought her chin up with his fingers, so he could kiss her on the lips, a gentle quick grazing of mouths.

‘Rob?’

‘What baby?’

Rose wiggled her hips suggestively. ‘I happen to know a cure for your kind of stress.’ She whispered seductively, sliding the nightdress up slowly and revealing her naked body in the dark. His hands following the curves she was revealing yet he didn’t really respond as he normally did.

‘Rose?’

She faltered, aware that he wasn’t following through with any sexual advances, just gazing at her in the darkness. Motionless and lost in thought.

‘What?’ She felt nervous now, awkward, rejected. Like a distance was opening between them and unsure if she should move off him, admit defeat at trying to seduce him. Trying not to overthink it or take it personally.

There was a short silence, she could not make out his face in the gloomy light, only the sound of his breathing and aware that his face was still close to her own and he hadn’t broken that intense gaze. Rose’s own heart rate had elevated, and her palms were getting distinctly clammy.

‘Marry me?’ He breathed it so gently she almost thought she imagined it.

‘What?’ She breathed in surprise.

‘Rose. I want you... No, I NEED you to be my wife?’ His voice was suddenly stronger, more serious and no hint of hesitation. ‘I know I said I would wait until I fixed this mess, but I can’t. I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere, that I’m yours and only yours and that for me this is everything. I want us to be real, living together in the manor. The full shebang... Dog, kids, happy ever after... I want it all with you. Will you marry me baby, and make me the happiest guy alive?’

Rose couldn’t hold back the sudden onslaught of tears rolling down her cheeks and the quaver in her voice as she tried to form a reply, nodding her head like a child and almost unable to speak. Emotion swamping every cell with an overwhelming force. Her hands trembling, she cradled his face tenderly, pulling his mouth close to hers.

‘Yes...Yes... I will.’ Her voice was shaking, sniffing back the tears as he tried to wipe them away. She could make out a grin in the darkness. He pulled her forward, catching her mouth with his, and rolled her onto her side, dragging her down onto the bed and covering her with his semi naked body.

‘I’m not asking you because of seeing her or a sense of duty or guilt... I’m asking because I’ve wanted to ask you for weeks and never seemed to find the right moment. I’m sick of waiting.’ He was rubbing noses with her, stroking her face and planting small kisses across her face greedily.

‘So you ask me when I’m semi naked and trying to turn you on?... You realise I’ll have to censor the story when I tell our future children!’ She laughed, twisting to free her face from his barrage.

‘I like you naked and trying to turn me on. Seemed like the perfect moment to me.’ He laughed, all his stress and tension gone, as though it had floated away on this cloud of happy they had just created.

‘Maybe we should do a PG rerun for any future storytelling, though?’ He was trying to find her eyes in the dark. Calming down his need to eat her alive. ‘You know like the whole down on one knee, clothed and far away from a bed. Don’t really want you having to tell your mother that I did not do it in a manner fit for a princess!’ He was still smiling, and Rose was beaming right back.

‘I’d never tire of you asking me. So, I’m all for it.’ She giggled, kissing him hard and pulling away to just gaze at him lovingly.

‘It would maybe give me a chance to actually bring the ring next time.’

She paused, tilting her head and running her fingers over his jawline, minorly surprised.

‘There’s a ring?’

‘Of course, there’s a ring. You think I would plan to ask you and not have a ring ready?... It belonged to my mother, it’s a tradition in our family that the Lairds wife wears this ring until we have a grown-up son of our own.’

Rose felt the butterflies in her stomach. The flip of her heart as memory brought up the images of the beautiful vintage ring Abby had shown to her.

‘I’ve seen it... Abby showed it to me a while ago... It’s beautiful Rob, it really is.’ Rose gushed, still tearful, but in a happy elated and bursting with joy kind of way.

‘Beautiful ring for the most beautiful girl; it’s now yours.’ He did not seem surprised at her admission.

‘Do I need to wait till you re-propose? You know in the PG version?’ She giggled, feeling his mouth on her shoulder once more, tracing her collarbone with kisses

‘We could always get dressed and go get it now. Moonlit proposal in the gardens?’ His voice was husky but serious.

‘Tempted! And I mean majorly tempted but I would rather something else in the moonlight right now.’ Rose giggled naughtily, tracing his strong shoulders and walking her fingertips down over his chest and abdomen suggestively. He found her mouth, hushing anymore talk and kissing her in a way that had her begging for more.

‘I think you’re right. It can wait till tomorrow!’

He moved her further down the bed easily, covering her with his body and mouth. Devouring her with the hunger of a man who had been deprived for weeks.