Page 71 of The Comeback Heir
She was so clearly not fine.
He bowed his head, wondering how to reach her...or even if he could.
“Felicity,” he said quietly. “I love you.”
When she flinched, he hit bottom.
“Don’t,” she said, her voice husky. “Don’t you dare say those words.”
“It’s true.” He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t even realize it until you were gone. How stupid can a man be? I guess I was in deep denial. I was panicked, Fliss. Terrified that you would walk away. In fact, you’d already told me you wanted to leave. It was easier to pretend I didn’t care than to imagine my life without you again.”
“Lust,” she said. “You felt lust.”
“Yes. But so much more than that. You brought joy to my life, Fliss. And meaning.”
She shook her head. “Your daughter did that. She’s the only person you’re interested in loving forever. I’m not on the list. You made that very clear.”
His eyes burned. “God, Fliss, when I saw that news story, my heart stopped. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“You’re absolved of any and all guilt.” She waved a hand. “Please go. I’d like to rest now.”
“Let me stay,” he croaked. “Let me hold you. That’s all. I need to know you’re alive. Maybe in about a hundred years I’ll be able to forget about seeing that plane half in the water...and the smoke...” He trailed off, feeling sick.
Felicity stood and walked to the window. “You didn’t cause the accident, Wynn. It was nothing but a coincidence. I’m fine. You’re letting guilt make you say things you don’t mean.”
He jumped to his feet and crossed the room. “I love you,” he shouted. “Why can’t you believe me?”
Her gaze was tragic, her posture as fragile as a spun glass figurine. “You feel sorry for me. That’s different.”
He struggled to speak past the knot in his throat. “I love you. I loved you as a stupid teenage boy, and now I love you as a man loves a woman. You’re mine, Fliss. Even if you walk away, you’ll still be mine. I adore you.”
She started to shake, and tears rained down her face. She was so pale, he thought she might faint. “No,” she whispered.
“Please sit down, honey. Please.”
This time when he took her arm, she didn’t fight him. But she stopped in the center of the room and faced him. “Don’t say it if it’s not true. I couldn’t bear it, Wynn.”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. “I love you, Felicity Vance. For better or for worse. It’s true. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
She collapsed into his arms as if the sheer will that had kept her going for hours evaporated. They clung to each other. He stroked her hair.
“I love you, Felicity,” he said. “I’ll keep saying it for as long as it takes.”
“Okay.”
A rueful smile tipped up the corners of his mouth. “Okay?”
“I love you, too,” she sighed.
He shuddered hard, feeling a tsunami of relief. Scooping her into his arms, he carried her to the bed. “A short nap,” he said. “And then I’ll take you home.”
When he laid her on the mattress and came down beside her, she touched his cheek. “Years ago, you swore you would never propose to me again, So I’ll be the one to ask. Will you marry me, Wynn? May I adopt Ayla with you?”
He couldn’t speak at all. He nodded, burying his face against her breast.
Felicity stroked his hair. “We’ll be okay this time. Won’t we?”
He hugged her tightly, feeling the curves of the woman who had seduced him with every fiber of her being, body and soul. “We’re going to be incredible, Felicity Vance. Just you wait and see.”