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Her heart did a crazy flip. He wanted to be with her. ‘Why were you closeted so long with the king?’
‘The king has offered me a new position as his advisor.’ Ash stood a little straighter. ‘He wants someone who has knowledge of today’s world. He wants someone who can inspire the younger men and who can tell them where the best markets are. But I don’t need to go to those markets. I can tell the men where to go.’
‘And you are going to take it?’ Kara clapped her hands. ‘It is the sort of thing you were born to do, Ash.’
‘I wanted to speak to you first before I gave the king my answer. He granted my request.’
‘Then what is the problem?’ Kara withdrew her hands from his. ‘You should take it.’
‘You were wrong earlier when you said that all I was doing was trying to prove myself to my father.’ He touched her cheek. ‘It ceased to be about making my father proud years ago. I wanted to be a hero in your eyes.’
She closed her eyes, silently cursing her younger self. ‘You were, Ash. You have never had to prove anything to me. You still are.’
He put his fingers over her mouth. ‘I was wrong. You are wrong. Instead of wanting to be your hero I should have wanted to be your husband. A husband is more than someone to be admired. He is someone you can count on and who is there to share life’s ups and downs. I want to share my whole life with you, instead of consigning you to the outskirts. Will you let me be that husband?’
‘And that is what you want for us?’ Kara stared at him, hardly daring to breathe. ‘You want to be my husband?’
‘With my whole heart.’ Ash knelt down on one knee. ‘Will you stay with me always and be my wife in truth? I might not always be the perfect husband, but I will always be the husband who wants you by his side. I love you, Kara, and I’m unafraid of admitting it.’
‘I will.’ She grasped his hands and raised him to standing. ‘Go and take the king’s offer. We will stay in Sand for the time you need to be here. Our family will be together.’
He gathered her face between his hands. ‘I don’t deserve you.’
‘I know but you have me.’ She cupped his face between hers. ‘Just as I don’t deserve you. I was so frightened of loving you again, Ash, that I nearly missed my second chance to be loved. I need you in my life because you complete me.’
‘As you complete me.’ He put his arms about her and knew that he had truly come home.
