“Hmmm…” Noah nodded with a grin. “That pretty well covers it.”
Griffin returned his smile. “I’m going to need help.”
“You’ve got mine.” Noah frowned. “But it doesn’t include dressing you. I draw a line somewhere.”
With his heart feeling lighter than it had in ages, Griffin laughed. “First, we need a plan. Aren’t half-assed plans your department?”
***
Audrey threw open the shutters on her windows and breathed in the scent of the country air. Fall was beginning to make the breeze a bit cooler, but the soft warmth still hung beneath it. It had been two weeks since she left London. Though she had received letters from Hannah and from Noah, Griffin had sent no word. She heard he was improving, but there was nothing else to give her a hint about his feelings for her.
What did she expect? It wasn’t as if she’d asked Griffin to write to her. And she’d specifically told Noah not to force the man to come to her unless he wanted to.
Which he obviously didn’t.
Turning from the visions of changing leaves and warm sun outside, she folded her arms in disgust. She thought she’d been a ninny the last time she’d broken ties with Griffin Berenger, but this time was much worse. Though she didn’t feel the pangs of youthful grief, she did feel a solid ache inside her. This time she’d experienced first hand what Griffin could offer her, and had been forced to turn it down.
What would have happened if she had accepted his proposal?
No, she couldn’t think of that now, it was only torture to her already broken heart.
After the excitement of the past few months, her home seemed calm and subdued. Because her father had been ill, he liked quiet evenings at home. While she enjoyed being reunited with her parents, she sometimes longed for the thrill of a case.
Her time with her mother had been especially good. Though Tabitha had been disapproving of the life she’d lead at first, nearly losing her first-born daughter seemed to put things into perspective for her. She’d even apologized for nearly forcing Audrey into a marriage she didn’t want.
With a sigh, Audrey sat down on one of the chairs in her chamber’s salon. Her mother had gone calling and her father was taking his daily afternoon nap. Even the servants had seemingly disappeared after several strange looks for her all morning. Audrey had the odd feeling she was being left out of some kind of joke. People had stopped talking when she entered rooms all day.
She was finally putting thoughts of Griffin out of her mind and becoming engrossed in the story she read when a soft cough at her door made her look up. Instead of a servant, as she’d expected, Griffin himself stood there, leaning against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his broad chest.
“What…” she stammered, blinking twice to make sure her imagination hadn’t taken her completely away. Before she could say anything more, he hobbled across the room to take her hands. His touch was so warm and gentle that she knew she wasn’t dreaming.
With one pull, she was on her feet, then in his arms. His mouth swept down and molded against hers. Damp heat rushed through her body with the touch she’d dreamed about but hadn’t experienced for what seemed like a lifetime. Surrendering completely, Audrey returned his kiss, tasting every hollow of his mouth and pulling him closer and closer to her.
Finally, her rational mind returned, bringing with it all the reasons she’d left Griffin in London.
“No.” She pulled away from him reluctantly. “This isn’t what I want.”
A slow, seductive smile was his answer. “Really? Then why are you taking off my shirt?”
With two surprised blinks, Audrey looked down. Sure enough, she’d unfastened half of his buttons and pulled his shirt partly off his broad shoulders. Letting go of him, she pushed out of his arms.
“The reasons we can’t be together remain the same,” she managed to say shakily, praying he’d put his shirt back on before she looked at him. The sight of his half naked body was just too distracting.
“No they aren’t. The reasons are gone. I love you, Audrey.”
His words rushed through her, striking her heart like an arrow. As much as she wanted to give in to what he offered her, she wasn’t certain it was real.
She sighed. “This is why I left London, Griffin. I didn’t want a scene like this where you tell me you love me just because you think you should marry me. It’s just too cruel.”
“I’m not cruel.” He limped around to stand in front of her. Reaching out, he took her trembling hand in his and raised it to his lips. The caress was butterfly gentle, but made her knees go weak. “I’m truthful. These past two weeks away from you have been hell, but I came as soon as I could.”
“I’m sorry you wasted your time then.” She turned away so he wouldn’t feel her tremble.
“I love you,” he repeated, seemingly undaunted by her refusals and rebukes.
She could hear her breath rasping in and out of her lungs in the long silence that followed his second profession of love. But she didn’t answer, and he didn’t speak. At least, not at first.
“Audrey?” he finally said when the silence had filled the room for many moments.
“Don’t…” She cursed herself for the tears that had collected in her eyes. “Don’t say you love me unless you really mean it.”
He grasped her shoulders to turn her toward him. His hand cupped her chin, lifting her face to look into his. “I mean it. I think I’ve loved you for years. Probably even before that day you kissed me. I love to watch your mind spin on a problem. I love the way you offer me comfort. I love the way you touch me. I love everything about you, even the things I haven’t learned yet. I was a fool not to see it before, but if you’ll allow me I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it. I love you.”
Her tears were flowing freely now, running down her cheeks to drip off her chin, but she did nothing to ebb their flow as she stared in utter joy at Griffin’s face. Finally she saw there what she’d searched for so long.
“You do love me,” she said, reaching up to run her hand across his rough cheek.
“Forever,” he whispered. “So say you’ll marry me.”
She hesitated as joy filled her entire body. This time she felt no fear, no need to deny him what he asked.
“If you say no…”
She shook her head. “Yes.”
With a shout, Griffin swept her into his arms and kissed her.
“Er, may we come in?”
Audrey pulled away as Griffin hurriedly buttoned his shirt. Both Griffin’s family and her own were gathered in the doorway. Her brother was there and Hannah, too in the back of the crowd, with a huge “I told you so” grin on her face.
Audrey motioned them in as she wiped away tears.
“Oh,” Griffin’s mother said with a sniffle. “She said yes this time.”
Blood rushed to her cheeks and she didn’t care. “Yes.” It was the only word she could think to say and she wanted to shout it from the rooftops.
Noah wiped a playful hand across his brow. “Thank God. I didn’t want to have to resort to Plan B.”
“What was Plan B?” Audrey asked as she slipped an arm around Griffin’s waist and smiled up at him.
“Well, er…” he stammered. “It involved the impropriety of a young man being alone with a young woman in her bedroom…”
Audrey’s eyes grew wide. “You were going to force me to…”
“Marry the man you love?” her mother interrupted with a beam. “Absolutely.”
“Well…” Audrey looked from face to face with a scowl that quickly faded into a smile. “I couldn’t be happier.”
Griffin let out his breath in relief and kissed her once more. “Neither could I.”