“You were?” she asked, unsure of his meaning.
He nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “When we agreed to marry, I promised that it would be in name only.”
“I remember.”
“But things have changed between us,” he hesitated, “at least I think they have changed. Am I wrong?”
Finding strength in herself that she didn’t know she had, she said, “You are not wrong.”
A soft sigh escaped his lips. “I am pleased to hear you say that because I may never find enough words that are beautiful enough to describe how much I love you, but I will spend the rest of my life searching for them, if you will allow me to.”
Fearing that she had misheard him, she asked, “You love me?”
“How could I not? From the day I met you, all at once my whole world began to change,” he said. “Put aside that you have saved me twice now, you have also saved me from myself. The way you have accepted me and all my flaws made me love you even more.”
Simone’s lips twitched. “You do have a lot of flaws,” she joked.
He chuckled. “I am well aware,” he said. “But these past few days, I have second-guessed every word, every action, every moment, as I hoped that you might care for me as I do you.”
Feeling a need to tease him, she remarked, “I do find you tolerable.”
“Only tolerable?” he asked with a hopeful expression.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Maybe just a smidgeon more than tolerable,” she replied lightly.
“I will take that, for now.” He took a step closer to her, causing her to tilt her head to look up at him. “But do you want to know what I think?”
Attempting to appear unaffected by his nearness, she kept her voice steady as she replied, “What is that?”
He leaned closer and whispered, “I think you love me, too.”
Simone made the mistake of turning her head, making their faces only inches apart. Her eyes darted towards his lips for the briefest of moments. “I… uh…” It was true. He wasn’t wrong. However, she couldn’t think with him being so close.
Caleb seemed to take pity on her and leaned back. “It is all right if you don’t wish to admit it but I love you. For I can’t deny it any longer.”
Knowing she would never be able to escape from her heart, Simone thought it was best if she just told him how she truly felt. It was scary for her to be so vulnerable with anyone. But Caleb was different. He made her feel as if she deserved to be loved.
Simone brought her hand up and gently placed it on his chest. “I love, love…” She paused, collecting her strength. “I love you, Caleb.”
He reached up and encompassed her hand with his own. “I know, Simone. And I promise that your love is safe with me.”
Caleb looked at her with so much love in his eyes thatSimone knew he spoke true. Now that their declarations of love were out of the way, Simone asked, “Are we not supposed to kiss on it?”
His eyes darted towards the ballroom. “Do you think that is a good idea?”
“No, it is a terrible idea,” she replied. “Our kiss would no doubt cause a scandal.”
“It would, most definitely,” he said, bringing his gaze back to hers.
She leaned closer to him with a coy smile playing on her lips. “But I am willing to risk it, assuming you are.”
His eyes dropped to her lips. “Well, we are engaged,” he said. “In the eyes of theton, we are practically married.”
“That we are,” she agreed.
“Then there is no reason for us not to kiss. Is there?” he asked as he brought his head closer to hers.
Simone could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips as she tried to ignore the racing of her heart. “I cannot think of one.”
