Page 32 of A Spinster's Guide to Landing a Lyon

She wanted the joy of being with him. Of finally letting herself feel something for a man again. And, heavens above, having that dream of a man feel something for her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Pure joy. Like nothing she had ever known before. Fully present. Only pleasure. Happiness. It engulfed her. Swallowed her whole.

“Let go, Amelia.” Benedict whispered in her ear. “I’ll catch you.”

And that mounting pressure, that coiling in her belly, at long last it finally broke loose. And he didn’t catch her.

Because she flew.

Chapter Nineteen

“Idon’t thinkI’ve ever seen you fidget quite so much.” His words interrupted the determined pace she had taken up to get them back home. She needed to talk to Arabella. Knowing it would be fine. Knowing her sister. Yet still needing to break the news to her. One of the most pressing thoughts on her mind was her sister and planning the next steps to avoid scandal. Because even though she had found something incredible, it didn’t eliminate the threat of ruination to her sister.

She glanced up at him, over her shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you grin so much.”

“I’m happy,” he shrugged.

“About that…” Onward she marched, head down, back to twiddling her thumbs. “Are you sure?” She didn’t really want the truth, just in case it hurt. But then again, she needed to hear it. Needed to know now if this was the end. Better now than later. “Because really I could understand if you were disappointed—”

“Amelia,” he stopped, grabbed her shoulders, then pointed to his face, “does this look like the face of a disappointed man?”

With great courage, she faced him, peeking up through her lashes. Then she shook her head.

“I’m not disappointed, darling. I’m delighted.”

“And you’re quite sure of that fact—”

“More than sure. I’m absolutely sure. There’s no doubt—”

“But how can you be sure?”

Curiously, a flash of pain threaded across his face. He paused. After a deep inhale, he said, “I have much to tell you, but for now, suffice to say that I have seen the many faces of women. The ones they wear when everyone is watching, and the ones they wear when they think they’re alone. Some women change faces more than they change their clothing. But since I’ve known you, you’ve shown me one face. Pure. Determined. Lovely.”

His words were a whisper to the raging storm in her heart. A whisper that calmed. A whisper that reassured. That gave perspective.

“You think you know me then?”

He chuckled at that. “I do. And I think you know…most of me. For better or worse.” There was a slight hesitation in his statement, but she didn’t acknowledge it. “I think you’re the most loyal woman I’ve ever met. First and foremost, consider what you were doing for your sister.”

She scoffed. “But look how that turned out.”

“At no fault of our own. And your first thought throughout all of this was still about her.”

Amelia nodded her head. He was right. If she had an inkling at all that Arabella would be disappointed or hurt by her actions, she would have held back. But her younger sister had openly encouraged her pursuit of Benedict.

“So yes, with gusto, I can proclaim you are a very loyal woman.”

“And that’s important to you?”

“Of the utmost importance.” With a gentle touch of his fingertips, he tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. “And what’s of importance to you?”

It took but a moment for her to reply. “Happiness.”

“Can you be happy with me?” His quiet words were laced with vulnerability, and she could see the slow swallow in his throat. Her hands lifted to cover his.

“Yes. I can be happy with you.” That took more courage than she had expected, so she ducked her head. “I just…need to learn to let go. I don’t understand it yet.”

“It’s called trust, darling.”