The Proposal Kiss

Book Title: TARGET
Author: Darci Cole
Heat: <3 Sweet <3

***

His chest collapsed inside him. This was the second time she’d broken his heart. “But why? I thought you,” his voice trailed off.

“So did I,” she whispered.

“What?”

She threw down her pack and glared at him. “I was going to stay. But if what happened in there was any indication of how you live here, I don’t think I can.”

“What happened?” He paused. “You mean those girls? Robyn, they’re the reason I left!”

“Well they’re the reason I’m leaving too,” she said, reaching for her pack.

“No, no no no.” He stopped her. She didn’t fight him. He took her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes as fear gripped his heart. “You listen to me, and you listen well. I would fall apart without you.”

“Lex, can’t I do more good out there? Out among the people, like I have been? And you could have your pick of so many beautiful women in there. Women with peaceful lives, women you can easily trust. Wouldn’t that be much simpler for you?”

He shrugged. “Well, yes,” he answered.

Her eyes went wide and cold. “Then I’ll be going.” She moved for her bag again, but he held her still.

“Robyn,” he said in a breath, “I don’t want to pick from any one of them. I never wanted simple, I never wanted easy. It took more time to gain your trust than I ever thought I would spend on any woman, but you are so very worth it. Every second, and I wouldn’t change a thing. You,” he paused, laughing softly at himself. “You are the most wanted outlaw in the kingdom. Wanted by me.” He ran a finger down her cheek, and across her scar, to her lips. “You’re mad, frustrating, crazy, and brilliant, and I want every bit of you. And doing good? You’ve done so much already, but think of the good you can do from here! I mean if….” He left the statement unfinished, though he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

Her face scrunched up in confusion. “If what?”

Suddenly the thing he’d been so excited to say terrified him. “Robyn, more than anything in the world, I want you here in my arms.” He wound a hand around her waist and pulled her to him.

Her eyes went wide, and he worried for a split second if he was being too forward. But he couldn’t stop now.

“I want nothing more than to kiss you until my last breath. I want you to be mine, and mine alone, and I will be yours.” He put his hand to her face and ran a thumb across her cheek. Her eyes were focused on him. His voice was thick with emotion. “I love you, Lady Robyn. Please stay. Not just here at the palace. Stay with me. Robyn, will you be my wife?”

Her eyes went wide and her mouth made an “O” shape.

A crooked smile lifted on his face. “You’re surprised. Was this unexpected?”

She blinked.

He cleared his throat and suddenly their close proximity felt awkward. “You don’t have to answer right now, of course. I’ll understand if you —”

“Yes.”

He stared at her. “Yes?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

“YES!” He shouted, picking her up and spinning around. When he set her down, their lips found each other. He’d always been nervous about kissing, and he was sure he did it wrong, but she pressed her mouth to his with such force he didn’t care. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, and he wound his around her waist, pulling her closer and tighter to him. He would never let her go.

Their lips parted and they leaned their foreheads against each other.

“You said yes,” he whispered.

She laughed. “I did.”

“I can’t believe it.” He pulled her close and kissed her again. This time gently. She tasted like sweet wine, and he wanted to drink forever. Her lips were so soft against his; he’d never realized before how fragile she was. Without thinking, he pulled away from her mouth and kissed her cheek, her jaw, her neck.

She sighed, and relaxed, her arms tight around his neck. He buried his head in her neck.

“I love you, Robyn.”

“And I love you, Lex,” she whispered into his hair.

***

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