She blinked. “What?”
“If we need new names. Let’s be married. Secretly. Scandalously. Under a crooked moon and some very sketchy oaths.”
She squinted at him. “This your way of courting me, sir knight?
“I will say-.” He sat up, grin growing. “When I imagined this moment, the pretenses were very different.” He reached over, taking her hand in his.
“You’ve imagined courting me?” She felt her cheeks heat, voice softer.
Lancelot laughed, the sound echoing off of the trees around them. “I am hopelessly,wildly, in love with you. Of course, I’ve imagined a world where you take my name.”
He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her softly. “Come, whatdo we call ourselves? Something woodsy. Something innocent enough to fool the world.”
“Rowan?” She offered.
He nodded. “Strong, protective, with roots that run deep.”
“And berries.” She was grinning now. “A little delicious danger in all that sweetness.”
“Lord and Lady Rowan seek a room for the night, fair tavern keeper.” Lancelot bowed to her, his eyes sparkling. “No, that’s not right. We’ll need first names.”
Guinevere wrinkled her nose. “Elaine?”
He made a face, “Gods, no.”
He pretended to think, brow furrowed in mock seriousness. “Wren. Like Gwen but… not.”
Her laughter bubbled out. “Lazy.”
He grinned, eyes wicked. “Fine. WrenRowan.And I’ll be…”
“Not Luke,” she cut in.
“I wasn’t going to say Luke,” he lied, his wide smile doing little to hide it. “What about-”
“Raphael?”
He stared at her, betrayed. “You think I’m aRaphael?” She didn’t answer, wrapped up in this all-too-innocent moment with him.
“How about Lyndon? I’ll call you Lyn.”
“Lyndon and Wren Rowan.” Lancelot stood with a theatrical flourish, pretending to brush dust off of him. He offered a hand, which Gwen took willingly.
“Guinevere Wren Rowan, I vow to be your husband in shadow, in silence, and in the eyes of unsuspecting innkeepers.”
“That’s it?” She laughed, but her breaths came quicker. “No vows of eternal devotion?”
“Oh, absolutely.” He stepped closer, voice dropping. “I vow to carry your secrets, sharpen your knives, warm your feet, and kiss you breathless whenever you look at me like that.”
She tilted her chin up, coy. “Like what?”
“Like you want to ruin me.”
“I always want to ruin you.”
He groaned and pressed a kiss to her hand. “Then say the words,my love.”
She grinned. “I vow to keep your heart under my pillow and your name on my tongue. To be your Gwen when no one’s looking. And just yours, always.”
